Social work course and assessment
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Has anyone else had to do a 5 weeks course, learning about child protection/grooming etc? My social worker has said I have to do it, and I will be assessed continually for being a safe carer. I said in my initial meeting that my husband is pleading not guilty and that I believe him. We have 2 teenage boys. The first meeting with the social worker resulted in raised voices. I said I would do whatever was required regarding access to the children, but for her that wasn't enough, she kept pushing me to agree that my husband is dangerous to children. The trial isn't until August. Anyway, I have to do 5 hour long sessions with her and another social worker. Looking at the information she's given me it's going to be brutal. I was abused as a child, and I don't know how I'm going to cope. I asked if I could bring someone to the sessions and she said not to the initial sessions but later ones possibly. How and why can she deny me support? I'm already intimidated by her, and terrified about facing two of them at once. I was thinking that I should at least record the sessions so I feel safer, what do you think?
Hi
So sorry to hear of your dread but do you feel able to tell the social worker a little about your past so they may understand it more.
I've not done the course so I'm afraid I can't help you with that but you know you will get as much sorry as you need on hear and I'm sure someone will be able to help with your answers about the course
Xx
So sorry to hear of your dread but do you feel able to tell the social worker a little about your past so they may understand it more.
I've not done the course so I'm afraid I can't help you with that but you know you will get as much sorry as you need on hear and I'm sure someone will be able to help with your answers about the course
Xx
Personally I think that social workers end up a bit institutionalised, following scripts rather than being practical about the reality of a situation. It's maybe where the media, when mistakes have been made, have forced them. They need to tick their boxes. They will often see that in themselves but they still need to do it. Many local authorities are moving to Signs of Safety model that is supposed to be more family centered but old habits will die hard. I think at the moment it is one size fits all.
Before they will feel that you will be a safe a carer they will need you to acknowledge that you understand the risk has increased. Someone on here once described as agreeing that a family dog has the potential to bite the kids. If you don't agree then they can't tick their box on that one. It's a hard thing to do but they think that the risk is higher if your husband is accused of viewing images. For this crime, people are deemed to be guilty straight away as it is linked to safeguarding. Social Workers also love the term 'disguised compliance' and so even if you do acknowledge the risk, there is also a chance that will be bandied about.
I do think that social workers are usually well meaning though but personalilites do come into play and then if there are clashes and people dislike each other, that could have an impact. My advice would be just to take it on the chin and go with it although if I were you I would speak to the team manager and request a different social worker does the work with you. Explain that you got off on the wrong foot with the current social worker and that you feel you will do better with another social worker due to the history. They would have to have a good reason not to do that but if you do speak to them keep it practical rather than it being about personalilites. If you get the right social worker it could be good for you, almost like counselling. They are there to help your children be safe whioch means that they need you to be in the right place too.
Having said that only a judge can remove the children from you (The police can but under a different set of circumstances) and from what you have written that is highly unlikely even if you refuse to do the sessions. They have to prove that the children are at significant risk of sexual abuse and that would be hard.
Sending love x
Before they will feel that you will be a safe a carer they will need you to acknowledge that you understand the risk has increased. Someone on here once described as agreeing that a family dog has the potential to bite the kids. If you don't agree then they can't tick their box on that one. It's a hard thing to do but they think that the risk is higher if your husband is accused of viewing images. For this crime, people are deemed to be guilty straight away as it is linked to safeguarding. Social Workers also love the term 'disguised compliance' and so even if you do acknowledge the risk, there is also a chance that will be bandied about.
I do think that social workers are usually well meaning though but personalilites do come into play and then if there are clashes and people dislike each other, that could have an impact. My advice would be just to take it on the chin and go with it although if I were you I would speak to the team manager and request a different social worker does the work with you. Explain that you got off on the wrong foot with the current social worker and that you feel you will do better with another social worker due to the history. They would have to have a good reason not to do that but if you do speak to them keep it practical rather than it being about personalilites. If you get the right social worker it could be good for you, almost like counselling. They are there to help your children be safe whioch means that they need you to be in the right place too.
Having said that only a judge can remove the children from you (The police can but under a different set of circumstances) and from what you have written that is highly unlikely even if you refuse to do the sessions. They have to prove that the children are at significant risk of sexual abuse and that would be hard.
Sending love x