Social Workers are so often seen, mostly by eachother, as martyrs, so busy and dealing with difficult, disadvantaged children and families.
My experience is certainly not supportive of that view.
We currently have a child disabilities social worker and an adult disabilities social worker.
The child disabilities social worker has spent around an hour in total, over two visits, asking repeated questions to my 14year old. He then decided, since the report was due on the friday, that he needed to speak to my other two children (for no more than 30minutes combined) on the thursday.
Through these short visits, during which he was dismissive of myself and my husband, he managed to create a child and families assessment report.
On the day he arrived to go through the report, my friend was here with me- bearing in mind we are allowed a friend in any social worker or other professional meeting for support.
No- because my friend was here, he declared it was unsuitable for him to go through his report and practically ran out of the house, leaving the report in an envelope on the sofa, not even handing it to me.
When I read it I could see why. He has miraculously 'cured' all three children of autism, anxiety, pathological demand avoidant behaviours, challenging behaviours, bullying, selective mutism, asthma, excema, fibromyalgia, trauma, self harm, depression and severe sleep difficulties- oh and sensory processing difficulties too. And the fact they are all young carers doesn't even matter apparently. (The thresholds of need guide says otherwise).
He declared in the report that my children were not displaying aggressive or challenging behaviours during his visit, unlike some families where he has observed these behaviours first hand.
So- the one lesson I take from the joke of a CAF report is that I should not have brought my children up to be respectful, polite and to behave infront of visitors to the best of the capabilities and anxieties.
He has decided, therefore, that none of the children need any support. The end.
Obviously I have put in an official complaint, requesting a new social worker with more experience and knowledge and asked that they educate this joke of a social worker.
Meanwhile, my adult social worker has been making excuse after excuse to not help me.
She has gone from telling my husband how hard his life is now that he has to load me into the car (infront of me), to saying my husband should be able to take care of my independence needs, needs to maintain friendships and dropping me off if I wanted to go to the cinema, go for a coffee etc.
I have finally met with some care agencies and chosen the one i prefer. They are ready to start this coming monday, but- guess what?- the social worker has not managed to get her supervisor to sign a piece of paper so I have to wait another week.
Ontop of that, my request for my needs for independence, emotional and mental wellbeing and maintaining my friendships has been ignored. She was meant to come out to discuss it today but cancelled last minute. She was meant to call out earlier in the week but cancelled that visit too.
I spoke to her on the phone in the week and expressed my desires for this to be discussed as soon as possible, but she said she needed to speak to her supervisor, but wouldn't give me her name.
Then i spoke to her about it today on the phone when she rang to cancel the visit, and she said she wouldn't even consider it until the care agency paperwork and the day centre paperwork are signed off. When I asked if it could be looked at at the same time she said no. She says it is because I didn't mention it until now.
I have been told I can't have any more help because my husband can drive me anywhere, also because we home educate our children and that means we are making the choice to make life harder!
I have been told, in no uncertain terms, that both these statements are false. So that is why I have raised it again this week. First by email, then in two telephone calls.
I couldn't even speak to her after she ignored me again this morning and had to pass the telephone to my husband.
I completely understand that there are financial implications for the council to provide services to people, that needs are governed by the care act 2014, but she is ignoring that. My needs are clear and in line with the care act 2014. I even quoted that to her in the email.
Obviously I have complained about the constant excuses, but that was before today.
I have been so upset this week with a child with a broken bone, dealing with educational psychologists who have left everything to the last minute and are all descending on us in one week, two social workers and complaints and the mother of one of my best friends having a go at me infront of other people for absolutely no reason at all. She totally lost her mind and took it out on me twice in one day. The day centre where it happened seems to want to squash it and brush it under the carpet, so I told them they have a duty of care to me whilst i am there and want it dealt with as they see fit.
Plus I am not sleeping well still, and not getting down time to relax and get any sort of energy recharge (which only gets to 5% at best anyway). We have had the stress of the existing carers too- everytime my husband phones to cancel there is attitude on the other end of the phone. It is all rubbish and all coming at the same time. Plus i have found out that the reason I struggle so much to hear my friends and family is because I have mild hearing loss so need hearing aids to help me when there is background noise (I have three children and three dogs, plus other pets and other friends always around).
This post about social workers is not meant to be just a moan, buut a spotlight on how terrible the services really are.
I have been in tears more than once this week through frustration, exhaustion and stress. I have chronic illnesses that flare up with stress and yet this is never taken into consideration.
Can you imagine phoning a social worker to cancel an appointment with half an hours notie? It would not be acceptable, so why should we accept it?
I shall be putting in a second complaint about the social worker this weekend when i am hopefully feeling calmer, and then waiting for the complaints to actually reach a person and hope they are dealt with apropriately and in a timely fashion.
Our family consists of three disabled children, two disabled adults, that's five vulnerable people, and these are the 'professionals' who have been sent here to assess our needs.
What hope is there?
ecvept you can't give up because then you don't get the support you need, so we have no option but to fight
#socialworker #socialcare #autism #autismaware #pathologicaldemandavoidance #PDA #SPD #sensoryprocessingdisorder #selfharm #anxiety #trauma #selectivemutism #SM #disabledlife #disabledparenting #socialwork #CAF #childrenandfamilies #assessment #complaint #fibromyalgia #asthma #excema #brokenbone #depression #mentalhealth #emotionalwellbeing #careact2014 #needs #needsassessment #careassessment #carerassessment #youngcarer #wheelchairparenting #wheelchairlife #spoonie #spoonielife
Comments