Taxi Driver Online

Any advice welcome.
One of my drivers has a 12 year old son with downs syndrome. He is quite a bit overweight.
The family have a social worker appointed to them and this person is, in my opinion a bully whose sole intent is to have the child taken into care. He told the parents a few weeks ago that unless the child lost 3 stone in 12 weeks he would have him put on the at risk register. The parents are doing all that they can and to date he has lost 1 stone. However the parents were told to be at a meeting this afternoon with the social worker. and a couple of days ago he sent them a letter telling them that a case conference has been arranged for next Monday with a view to putting the child on the at risk register. before that meeting the social worker is required to produce a report and the parents are to receive a copy of this report. They thought that this was the purpose of todays meeting. So they have both taken time off work to attend this meeting for the social worker to tell them that he would put the report through their door on Friday evening.
I have suggested that they get a family solicitor involved but when they mentioned this to the social worker he advised them that it would not be a good idea and it would go against them. I don't think that it is a coincidence that the report will not be delivered until Friday evening and the case conference is on Monday leaving no time at all to show the report to a solicitor.

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Grandad,

Typical and contemptuous this behavior delivering a vital document and giving no time to get advice on it is appalling.

this guy need some good advice from a professional ie a Solicitor quickly, the threat that it will go against him needs to be recorded and substantiated it diminishes the credibility of the Council and its employee the social Worker.

What is the view of his GP on this his/ her input could be vital. also get hold of the MP theres many children wrongfully removed from their parents these days

I am not a solicitor and my opinion is based on experience with members of a Union. i am not trying to score points but this issue is just the sort of issue most unions would assist with.

Grandad i wish the Driver good luck and yourself in assisting him ...................DO NOT BE BULLIED GET ADVICE NOW!

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All posts by this contributor are made in a strictly personal capacity

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Thanks for that TT. The driver is in fact the mother of the child. She is at her witts end with this. I told he to see a solicitor a few weeks ago but she is worried about the cost. I have told her that the first half hour will be free and to take it from there. I will have another go with her tomorrow and try to stress the importance of having representation at this meeting whatever the cost.

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Grandad,

Unfortunately I suffered a similar experience with my own daughter, who also has Downs.

The exact circumstances were somewhat different, but the Social worker was throwing her weight around, just as you are experiencing.

Best advise I can offer is to fight your corner, like a caged tiger!

Don't stand still, get advise from a solicitor, as TT suggested. Also get any other services, day care, doctors, carers or anybody that knows your daughter well - including family members and friends.

Keep a file, write everything down, including content of telephone calls, and get testimonials from as many people as possible.

The social worker more than likely dosnt have the first clue about downs syndrone as a medical condition, including the propensity to be overweight.

Its strain on you and yours on a daily basis just living with your circumstances without tyhe heavy handed bullying you are experiencing.

Get your retaliation in first - I eventually won my case, and the Social worker was proved to be a total Burke.

Don't just roll over - FIGHT!

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

might be useful?

Thyroid problems

Around 10% of people with Down's syndrome have problems with their thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is located in the neck and is responsible for controlling your metabolism (the rate at which your body uses up energy). It does this by releasing thyroid hormones into the body.

Most people with Down's syndrome who have a problem with their thyroid have hypothyroidism, which means their thyroid gland is underactive. Symptoms of an underactive thyroid gland can include:

lethargy (lack of energy)
weight gain
slow physical and mental reactions

more info:

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/downs-synd ... tions.aspx

Grandad, I have been in a similar position as you find yourself. It is important to understand what is happening and how it works.
Social Services have been brought in by a third party, teachers at the school, nurses at the school or someone else. The social worker who has been given her case has a system to follow. He is taking his findings to a case conference which will consist of a chairperson, who will be there to look after the interests of the child and parents, and at the same time control the meeting. There will also be representatives from the child's school. both educational and medical, representatives from any other support groups she may be involved with, plus the parents. The reason for being placed on an 'at risk' register is so that they will automatically be informed if anyone within that group feels that there is something wrong, including the police.

Social services cannot place the child in care, that is up to a court, but their reports and case files would form the evidence for such a case. The Council has a duty to inform the parents at this stage that they have a right to a solicitor, due to the fact that the minutes of the meeting would be used against the parents. Your friend should certainly see a solicitor that specialises in this field. If she can't. for whatever reason, she needs to start a daily diary of everything that has happened up to now and a record of all conversations and advice given by SS and any documentation.

At the case conference, either herself or a friend, needs to take minutes of the meeting, and who was there, and have them signed by the Chair if possible. There will be someone there taking minutes of the meeting. She needs to ask the question whether any of the reports or minutes of that meeting would be used as evidence, if social services were to apply for custody of the child, and why she has been advised by the social worker not to see a solicitor, and make sure the question and answer is recorded in the minutes. As for the medical side of things, you have already been given good advice by other posters.

I hope this helps you and your friend.

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

I would go a step further and ask to have a video record of all proceedings. It is my understanding that if you make a formal request for a video recording, it must be provided. And if they are not happy with your request consult your MP. I don't like politicians but it worked for the punters, in a case I was involved in. And as if by magic, they were forced to use their own recoding equipment and had to supply videos to all the parties concerned. Oh and this stopped the cheeky barstewards dead in their tracks. All of a sudden they could not have been nicer or more obliging. Don't leave it to pen and paper as everything is open to interpretation. Oh and you can always take a transcript of the video if you need one for court, if it goes that far.

I might use a lawyer but I would not trust him.

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

Thank you all for your constructive comments. It is reassuring to hear comments like this. I will be talking to the mum in the morning and I will show her the comments and then, if necessary, I will drag her to a solicitor. She is worried by the cost of this but i am sure something can be sorted to help her if necessary.

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Grandad,

Oh and I would ask for a continuance at the meeting, until your driver has had time to consult with a lawyer. You need to buy time to get all your ducks in a row and then when you do have a meeting it's on your terms and not on theirs.

I sounds like your driver is being railroaded and all they are doing is building a case against him.

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

Grandad, I have been in a similar position as you find yourself. It is important to understand what is happening and how it works.
Social Services have been brought in by a third party, teachers at the school, nurses at the school or someone else. The social worker who has been given her case has a system to follow. He is taking his findings to a case conference which will consist of a chairperson, who will be there to look after the interests of the child and parents, and at the same time control the meeting. There will also be representatives from the child's school. both educational and medical, representatives from any other support groups she may be involved with, plus the parents. The reason for being placed on an 'at risk' register is so that they will automatically be informed if anyone within that group feels that there is something wrong, including the police.

Social services cannot place the child in care, that is up to a court, but their reports and case files would form the evidence for such a case. The Council has a duty to inform the parents at this stage that they have a right to a solicitor, due to the fact that the minutes of the meeting would be used against the parents. Your friend should certainly see a solicitor that specialises in this field. If she can't. for whatever reason, she needs to start a daily diary of everything that has happened up to now and a record of all conversations and advice given by SS and any documentation.

At the case conference, either herself or a friend, needs to take minutes of the meeting, and who was there, and have them signed by the Chair if possible. There will be someone there taking minutes of the meeting. She needs to ask the question whether any of the reports or minutes of that meeting would be used as evidence, if social services were to apply for custody of the child, and why she has been advised by the social worker not to see a solicitor, and make sure the question and answer is recorded in the minutes. As for the medical side of things, you have already been given good advice by other posters.

I hope this helps you and your friend.[/quot


this is excellent advice from Trev whose apparently been through similar attacks. i would add that this woman wont be in a suitable state of mind to take minutes and should demand the right of representation, to deliver a written report on a friday evening and have you answer to it in a time scale that denys her her right to consult advisers on the contents of that document is a BREACH OF PROCEDURE, there no way in those circumstances this meeting should proceed a 48hrs adjournment would be the minimum i would request shes being railroaded, and its always the same ADVICE never ever represent yourself!

Skulls point re video recording, i have no idea if that could be enforced yet again enforcing the need for legal advice.

She must be accompanied to this meeting by a friend solicitor employer anyone who can support her she will mess up on her own as would i you or anyone else in these circumstances .

I wish her luck.

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All posts by this contributor are made in a strictly personal capacity

I AM PROUD TO BE A CITIZEN NOBODY'S SUBJECT http://www.republic.org.u

F88K EM ALL WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

BOOZE BOOZE BOOZE

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Trotsk, after everything I've been through, I would not even consider having a meeting with anyone in authority, without it being videoed. Apparently, if you are asked to attend an official hearing, you can make a video recording a condition of your attendance. In the case I was involved in it changed everything. They bent over backwards to appear reasonable. It was a master stroke. They even said that they had to use their own recording equipment and that all parties concerned would be provided with a video on request.

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All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell, "Animal Farm"

Trotsk, after everything I've been through, I would not even consider having a meeting with anyone in authority, without it being videoed. Apparently, if you are asked to attend an official hearing, you can make a video recording a condition of your attendance. In the case I was involved in it changed everything. They bent over backwards to appear reasonable. It was a master stroke. They even said that they had to use their own recording equipment and that all parties concerned would be provided with a video on request. [/quote][/quote]

Skull if your correct in this arena then clearly that would be the appropriate route, lets hope a solicitor can confirm for her your assertion. and that she has the courage to insist upon its use.

The authorities should have only one concern the well being of the Child given recent betrayals in this sort of issue the pressure is very much on the Council's social services department to get it right.l

_________________
All posts by this contributor are made in a strictly personal capacity

I AM PROUD TO BE A CITIZEN NOBODY'S SUBJECT http://www.republic.org.u

F88K EM ALL WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

BOOZE BOOZE BOOZE

This morning we have contacted the CAB who directed us to their website. There is a lot of information on there. The first bit that is of interest is that the report from the social worker must be given to the parents "at least 2 clear working days" before the case conference. Clearly this is not going to happen. I have advised here to send an email to the social worker tomorrow afternoon stating this and demanding that the case conference is adjourned to a new date. The office where this case conference is due to take place isn't at our local offices but in offices some 20 miles away because "there is no room available" in the local office. Apparently she should have been informed of he right to consult a solicitor regarding the case and in fact I have found out this morning that it is usual practice for social services to provide a list of suitable solicitors who work on these cases. however it appears that although you can take a solicitor to these case conferences, they are not allowed to speak on your behalf, they can only take notes. Our drivers husband has also spoken to his employer this morning and he (the employer) has a friend who is a solicitor and he has agreed to take a look at the report, when it arrives, and advice them accordingly. He has also agreed to attend the case conference.
My driver has asked me to pass on her thanks and appreciation for the help and advice given by the forum members.

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Grandad,