Case Study

I am scared Social Services will take my children away

Our case studies are based on real situations but some details have been changed so our clients cannot be identified

Mrs. A is a mother of 2 very young children. She is involved in a violent relationship and was finding it difficult to cope she got depressed and as a result her care of the children started to decline. Social Services were alerted to the problem in the home by the children‘s school, which noticed that they were looking dirtier and sadder than normal and their behaviour had started to get worse.

When the social worker called and tried to talk to Mrs. A she feared that the children would be taken away. She shut the door and wouldn‘t talk to the Social worker.

As a result of the Local Authority‘s concerns about the decline in the children‘s condition and the mother‘s refusal to work with them they obtained an emergency order (EPO) and removed the children.

At the first court hearing we negotiated an agreement between the mother and Social Services that she would end her relationship with the violent partner, would seek help for her depression and attend parenting classes.

We arranged for her to have regular and very frequent contact with the children whilst the she worked with the Social Worker on an assessment.

At the final hearing although a care order was made, because she had co-operated there was a plan for the gradual return of the children to her full time care.