Councils face High Court challenges over short breaks duty

[Alison J Stevens]

Councils face High Court challenges over short breaks duty

http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2011/04/14/116681/councils-...

1. Well done to these Parents for having the courage to take the Local Authority’s on, in their quest for respite care.
   Looking after children with Autism like disorders is very wearing on parents, i know i have looked after a friends then 14 year old boy for five hours, and i was just so exhausted.
   Unfortunately she has been the subject of care proceedings, because the Social Worker stated that the boys bizarre behavior was put down to Mums poor parenting skills.
   The child was diagnosed by CAMBS with a severe autistic spectrum complaint also diagnosed by a senior Psychologist, but still the Social Worker determines it is poor parenting skills.
   This single Mum required respite care, to get this she had to become involved with Social Services, they have made her life a misery.
   The case has ended up with the boy being placed into a long term childrens home, after getting through several foster care placements.
   The foster carers were supposed to be experienced in complex special needs, but couldn’t manage this placement
   In the end the Mother handed the child over to Social Services on a section 20 order, over the fears that she would be prosecuted for neglect, after he kept getting into the electrical circuits at night.
   If these poor parents do not get their respite care back, and they become stressed, and if anything happens or an incident kicks off, the LA will get into action and instigate a child protection inquiry, and i have seen parents loose children due to this clause.
   A case i was dealing with, the autistic child attacked his mother, she tried to protect herself, accidentally marked the boy,she was worried for the safety of his two younger siblings, so she put the child into voluntary care.
   The next thing they did was try to take her other two children, luckily we managed to win the case, well she did with our advice.