Ombudsman raps council for using incorrect information to place child on protection plan

[Alison J Stevens]

https://www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk/child-protection/392-childr...

The new Children Social Care Review highlights the need for all Parents and Gillick Children to have a say and highlight all their wishes and feeling, and to be listened to.

Social Workers have a mandatory obligation to practice in a child centred and friendly way with children,, even when dealing with Parents as Service Users Social Workers should use a person centred policy.

Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014: Regulation 9- Regarding Person Centred Care

https://www.cqc.org.uk/guidance-providers/regulations-enforcement/r...

Working together to safeguard children defines that Social Workers have a duty to conduct themselves in a child centred friendly way.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/...

Buckinghamshire County Council Social Services Children Department caused a certain amount of stress, after they shared incorrect information and failed to include a mother in decision making when placing her child on a Child Protection plan.

The LA failings were reported to the Local Government Ombudsman.

At the ICPC, the mother stated that the information in a Social Services Assessment was wrong, and it should not have been  shared to the ICPC.

The mother also stated that information from the other so called professionals was incorrect.

Another one of her concerns was that the Local Authority had not shared the information with her, and Social Services had excluded her from assessments.

The former is breaching the Health and Social Care Act of 2014,by not using person centred care clause correctly because she did not take place in any of the assessments, and no information was shared with her whatsoever.

There had also been a section 47 child protection investigation with regards to the cased.

She used the Local Authority complaints procedure which went to stage 2 of the complaints policy.

The Local Authority also failed to send a Social Worker around to the mothers house to discus the case, and gone through the assessment with her prior to the child protection case conference taking place.

Despite this, the council resolved to place the child on a child protection plan.

Because of these Local Authority failings, it will review how it will consider injustice and impact where complaints are uphold.

Parents and Gillick competent children should be notified in writing about the time and date of the child protection case conferences, the LA should give at least 48 hours notice, with reference to the meeting taking place.

All Gillick children should be encourage to attend the meeting with an advocate arranged by the LA, or the parents.

I would advice parents to take a friend to the meeting with them, and get that person to take notes.

I would also advise them to record the meeting with a hidden mobile phone.

Another important thing to do is for parents to request a copy of the minutes of the meeting in writing, or use the Data Protection method to get the minutes of the child protection case conference.

The Local Authority should instigate a child protection case conference at least every six months.

PAIN CHILD PROTECTION CASE CONFERENCE INFORMATION LEAFLET

https://www.slideshare.net/AlisonStevens1/case-conference-notes-1-7...

.