A council has been criticised by Ofsted for allowing its social workers to routinely visit children during school hours.
An article in Community Care explains that Ofsted says the practice could harm children’s educational outcomes – in the area under inspection, boys and girls were missing lessons to meet with social workers.
Those of us assisting parents across the country know that this practice isn’t just limited to Torbay (the council pulled up by Ofsted, in the article).
We also know that there’s much more at stake than children missing class.
Social workers visiting children at school is a common occurrence everywhere which local authorities allow on the basis that children may feel more able to open up about their concerns, away from their parents and in a ‘safe’ place.
In reality, this policy – and we are not even sure if this is a ‘real’ policy and what legislation or guidelines permit it, if it is – often causes children deep anxiety. Having strangers infiltrate your environment, often un-announced, is hugely traumatic for children. Being asked intensely personal questions, by strangers, in a formal environment which doesn’t feel quite like home (how many children really love being at school enough that it’s home from home for them?) without their parents is destabilising, and this practice needs to be looked at.
Whilst we have every sympathy for social workers trying to protect children, the custom of turning up at children’s schools and interrogating them on school premises is misguided, and it’s not professional.
What do you think? Are we being unfair, or is it time the government issued guidelines on how and where social workers should meet with children?
Researching Reform 
I have all evidence in emails that a social worker went to a school took a child out of the class and all alone this child was asked would they like a DNA test to know that your father is the real father, the child was so distraught that the head called the grand parent the child was living with and said the child is so distraught that the child needs to finish school for the day, my research went on and social workers are just going into schools at any time asking kids what ever, but the DNA test for the kids needs addressing, having said that its more money in the system and jobs.
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Hello Natasha
http://discoversociety.org/2015/10/06/care-leavers-hitting-the-target-and-missing-the-point/.
Is this better?
Best wishes,
Jameel.
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Thank you x
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All parents should tell their children “Never speak to social workers as they steal children” Tell them to say ” Sorry but Mummy told me not to speak to you !”
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Totally agree here Mr J.
the SS use the smoke screen of whats in the best interests of the child to justify there regular visits to children at school or at their foster home. what they are really doing is asking the child lots of awkward questions then writing things down to sound like something completely different which of course allows the SWs to paint the parents in a bad light. SWs should never be allowed to question children in care without an Advocate present such as NYAS etc. this is how they are getting away with corruption.
this was clearly a major problem in our case where the SW was visiting our 7yr old son at his school and his placement then using those visits to withhold contact from us. the school was actually instructed not to encourage our son to come back to contact and were told they were no longer allowed to speak to him about his parents. NYAS tried to have him referred to them in Dec 2016 but the SW declined stating she was not comfortable with that idea. this clearly shows how the LA do not want our son to have a voice. he also started working with the mental health group Place2be in Nov 2015 yet all information has been withheld from us to this day. even the school wont talk to us.
its like dealing with Mi5.
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If social workers are carrying out an investigative role then the subjects of their interrogations need the relevant safeguards set out in PACE, such as mandatory presence of parents or, if that is impossible, an appropriate adult (independent of social services who, in my experience, interpret their role as being to assist the police in the interview!), video recording, etc.
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The social workers went to our kids school up here in scotland and remove the children with no warning in to care that was in 2007 now they are both adults on care orders that are made up with lies or improper truths.
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The practice is abhorrent. If the children feel ‘safe from parents’ at school they should also feel ‘safe from social workers’ and if it’s fine for them to miss out on lessons to see social workers then it should be fine for them to miss out on lessons to have a holiday in term-time with their parents. Children will indeed feel upset that they are being picked-out to be talked-to by social workers, and other kids will be naturally inquisitive and start asking questions.
Certainly, in cases where there is suspected abuse going on in the home, social workers should talk to the school, with the child’s teacher though, not the child. Not in the school environment.
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Worst thing I have ever heard of. Has no one realised other kids will be nosey and ask questions which the asker may have no idea is unfriendly. ( a child who has never experienced intrusiveness can”t know when they are doing it let alone know it is hurtfull.)
Inquisitive questions the child does not know the answer to is another set of problems.
My parent separated in 1945 and the inquisitive adults were the worst thing I have ever known then or since.
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It is misguided for social workers to target children in their school. I would certainly have raised questions with my local education office had that happened when I was head of a primary school; but that was in the days when school heads had more autonomy as well as the support of the local education authority.
In recent years, the post of Chief Executive to a county council affords more power to petty dictators than that of Clerk to the Council did in bygone times. Increased power has been commensurate with highly inflated salaries for the few. Heads of departments have been retitled directors or managers in county councils across Britain, but this has been achieved at the cost of many jobs, largely among those who worked manually ensuring the smooth working of the grass-root services that were at the heart of all local communities.
Services and jobs have been cut to pay the high salaries needed to accommodate the newly appointed upwardly mobile graduates recruited; these are given the misnomer – efficiency measures, but have resulted in a catalogue of inefficiencies and breakdowns in the social cohesion of our society as communities have lost modes of employment and families have suffered separation in the scramble to find work and accommodation wherever possible.
The greatest casualties throughout these changes have been children, young people and the elderly who have been marginalised at either end of the employment/ housing spectrum. Children and young people because they are not considered old enough to speak and act for themselves, and the elderly who, because they are no longer part of the work-force are too often regarded as obsolete by society unless they have the means to maintain their independence.
The gradual disintegration of communities has been a relentless process throughout the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries that started with the Industrial Revolution, but the abuse of children is much older and more sinister. Much idealism has been advocated and aimed at by well-meaning philanthropists; unfortunately this has too often resulted in the abuse that is now hitting the headlines.
The tragedy of broken homes, heartbroken parents and disengaged children have become so commonplace they are no longer noteworthy, unless they apply to celebrities. Too often, it’s left to therapists and teachers to pick up the pieces and patch over the cracks; all too often, social workers bulldoze over or pull apart those fragile repair jobs.
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Reblogged this on Musings of a Penpusher and commented:
It is misguided for social workers to target children in their school. I would certainly have raised questions with my local education office had that happened when I was head of a primary school; but that was in the days when school heads had more autonomy as well as the support of the local education authority.
In recent years, the post of Chief Executive to a county council affords more power to petty dictators than that of Clerk to the Council did in bygone times. Increased power has been commensurate with highly inflated salaries for the few. Heads of departments have been retitled directors or managers in county councils across Britain, but this has been achieved at the cost of many jobs, largely among those who worked manually ensuring the smooth working of the grass-root services that were at the heart of all local communities.
Services and jobs have been cut to pay the high salaries needed to accommodate the newly appointed upwardly mobile graduates recruited; these are given the misnomer – efficiency measures, but have resulted in a catalogue of inefficiencies and breakdowns in the social cohesion of our society as communities have lost modes of employment and families have suffered separation in the scramble to find work and accommodation wherever possible.
The greatest casualties throughout these changes have been children, young people and the elderly who have been marginalised at either end of the employment/ housing spectrum. Children and young people because they are not considered old enough to speak and act for themselves, and the elderly who, because they are no longer part of the work-force are too often regarded as obsolete by society unless they have the means to maintain their independence.
The gradual disintegration of communities has been a relentless process throughout the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries that started with the Industrial Revolution, but the abuse of children is much older and more sinister. Much idealism has been advocated and aimed at by well-meaning philanthropists; unfortunately this has too often resulted in the abuse that is now hitting the headlines.
The tragedy of broken homes, heartbroken parents and disengaged children have become so commonplace they are no longer noteworthy, unless they apply to celebrities. Too often, it’s left to therapists and teachers to pick up the pieces and patch over the cracks; all too often, social workers bulldoze over or pull apart those fragile repair jobs.
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It is time the Nation knew that the SS and social workers are an army and just as the police do they are all a law unto them selves, no one in this country is safe from the SS they are in every government department, as for the education dept I have been told and have the evidence they are not allowed to be involved in any court case regarding a child taken into care, as for mental health prisons hospitals not a hope in hell for justice against the army of the SS they rule the country
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i agree with you 100% the SS are a Army within the system who are extremely dangerous. these type of people are cold hearted individuals who would lie there way to the end of time and should never be allowed anywhere near childrens services.
even the police wont challenge complaints about them. its as if they are simply untouchable and above the law.
they can destroy entire families with lies in case files and get away with it because judges are also known to have clandestine secret meetings with Social workers to discuss the outcome of a case while the parents are told nothing.not even by their solicitors who are supposed to be fighting for the parents at the expence of the tax payer for Gods sake.
What on Earth are the controlling classes up to and why are they allowed to get away with it!
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I have been told by many police that we have to do as the SS tell us to do.
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i have always said that the Police should be allowed to make the decision based on Real evidence whether children should be removed or not. the SS should never be allowed to make that decision.
not while Adoption is generating such big money.
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Reblogged this on World4Justice : NOW! Lobby Forum..
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Social workers have no powers to approach children in schools. The head should not allow them access anymore than the head would allow the local authority trading standards personnel access to children in schools.
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the schools let Social workers in because they are scared of them.
its all about turning a blind eye to safeguard jobs.
We live in a “Dont rock the boat” Society these days and its doing more harm than good. its time for change.
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Im mother of 3 main of all 5 year old at school he was called over school intercom to office beacause i stay other side of school i heard his name called the school they told me he was fine further in the day i get told socail workers visited him asked him questions .
Do they have the right to visit a 5year ask questions about parents without being inform?????????
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Thank you for your posts and your question. I don’t think there is any law which actually allows this to happen, but there may be policy which is being used to allow social workers to go into schools.We sent in a Freedom Of Information Request two weeks ago to get an answer to this question. As soon as we have it we will post it, as noone seems to know what the official position is at the moment. However OFSTED have said it should not be allowed >>> https://researchingreform.net/2017/02/01/should-social-workers-visit-children-at-school/
I hope this helps a little.
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will be interesting to see the reply.
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Wanting to know legal or not to visit 5year olds at school questioning him without parents when school ment to be safe.
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My now x partner I made him Leave I called police which referred my children to ss they went to the school pulled 5 year old out of class to ask her questions now we’re having days she has belly pains and does not want to go to school yes they have caused this as I have done everything right and kept up a false Facade when inside I’m screaming! so it leaves you feeling like maybe you should never pick the phone up never report domestic violence just deal with it the best you can alone because the system just wants to destroy you for speaking up and stopping things before they escalate damed if you do damed if you don’t
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