| Social Services - Abuse of Power?
Posted: 1/20/2007 5:47:18 AM |
I am well aware of the short commings within social services and am not at all blinkered.......However I am not offended because I know I try my very best in my job and am a good person. As for childrens issues I can not comment as I do not work with this client group........sorry to hear all the stories about bad experiences
Thank you flibbertigibbet for showing tact and professionalism, I only refer to children and families here, it is not personal attacks on any certain social worker, nor is it a witch hunt.
It is something a lot of people have very strong views about, I try to remain impartial because as I have said, some social workers i have came in to contact with have been absolute angels, I looked after a little boy when I was 17, he was a friends son and his mum had developed a drug problem. I had him for 8 weeks before social services came knocking.
Their intention was to take the child away because I was so so young (he was 2) I couldnt bear this to happen and was literally on my knees begging them to let him stay. I offered them the option of coming to my house daily to make sure I could cope, they said no, eventually after a lot of begging, pleading and tears from me they agreed he could stay on condition they visit weekly and I checked in at the office every 2 days. I had the little boy for 7 months, until his mother was clean and living with her aunt who was a social worker and the boy was allowed to return home to her. It was heart breaking to let him go, but the way I saw it was he had had enough disruption in his short life and being moved from pillar to post was not in his best interests. The social workers in that instance were an absolute pleasure to work with.
In my own experience, to be told your not fit to be a parent because you have had cancer (or are blind, poor. slow, or vulnerable in another way) is just deplorable. I get angry when I hear of children being removed for no reason, and even more so when i hear of how SS have failed a child, which has resulted in the extremist of consequences.
I have experienced both the good and bad, and feel that something MUST be done, to proect children in danger, and to protect the social workers responsible for removing these unfortunate children. I am not ignorant in my views and have kept a very open mind on the subject (well i hope I have) I dont feel its at all necessary to remove children with NO evidence.
Cheers | |
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| Social Services - Abuse of Power?
Posted: 1/20/2007 8:46:35 PM | Well, My mum had a lovely social worker when she contracted Cancer, i was being too annoyed with what happened to my sister to mention it earlier. She was fantastic, helped my mum and dad get the forms and so on filled out, got her a specialist matress to try to help my mum sleep (although she got too hot on it, i have since found out that extreme hotness when suffering with cancer can be a sign that its the beginning of the end), helped with a lot of things.
Flibbert, i am sincerely sorry for offending, that wasnt my intention at all, i am sure you do your very best to ensure that you do your job as well as the system will allow you to do.
I think it is such an emotional thread, so again, i am sorry if my comments were harsh
(i dont say sorry on here much, so no one emailing me laughing at me for turning soft ok?????????  ) | |
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| Social Services - Abuse of Power?
Posted: 1/21/2007 1:57:22 AM | OP that's a very stereotypical and judgemental view you have of social workers, something that social workers leave behind when carrying out their work
It's like saying that all police abuse their power etc etc yes some do but there's a hell of a lot that dont, and lets not forget the complaints procedure, its the first thing that i social workers have to give to you nowadays, so if you were that unhappy about the way you were treated why didn't you make a complaint
Although i can see why they were concerned to let a 17 year old neighbour look after a 2 year old, 17 is still a child you see, now if you were 18 it might have been a different story | |
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| Social Services - Abuse of Power?
Posted: 1/21/2007 2:20:40 AM | The system is crap
If the so called "care" that youngsters/children get was up to the "protection" the courts say the child needs it would make a difference.
And as for social workers, dealt with them on a proffesional level--they have their own language like the cops...the script is always the same...I have worked with many kids who came from the "care" system........it is an absolute shambles and utterly disgraceful....
the kids are controlled and manipulated not cared for or nurtured.
The rebellion when "looked after" children become teenagers gets many of them...not all.. in very serious trouble, my trouble being it was mailnly those I dealt with. | |
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| Social Services - Abuse of Power?
Posted: 1/21/2007 3:19:15 AM | I believe anyone that embarks on a career that will have power to affect people's lives adversely should have stringent psychological evaluation first to weed out unsuitables. Social workers, law enforcement, teachers, medical staff, MPs etc etc. Too many people that need power trips, lack empathy, sound judgement & even basic common sense are in these proffesions IMO. There are rotton apples in every line of work...but the consequences such influential people can have can be devastating. Along with lack of support, funding, resources, training etc etc.
I'm sure anyone else that has worked in scenerios that involves major impact on individuals lives has noticed how infested they are by tyrants, dictators, bullies & general not rights. it's shocking, & makes the job so much harder, in some cases impossible, for the capable, caring & responsible people.
Anyway. My stilletto is stuck in my soap box.  | |
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| Social Services - Abuse of Power?
Posted: 1/21/2007 11:30:25 AM | | I want to say there is alot of misinformation on just what exackly is a "social worker", at least in the United States...I have a masters degree in Social Work(MSW, LICSW) and am often called a "social worker" but I do not work for DSS (thank goodness) nor do I work in a social services agency...I work as a therapist in a mental health clinic and provide counseling/therapy...I do have contact with DSS workers and it is really a mixed bag for me...Some are good to work with, some arent...some have good boundaries, good training and instincts and are professional...others are overcontrolling with not alot of education and let their personal problems dictate what should happen with their cases, unfortunately....Many, like most I work with in the system , think I can do far more than reality allows and have unrealistic expectations and so there is definitely a need for education for both DSS as well as the public | |
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| Social Services - Abuse of Power?
Posted: 1/21/2007 11:44:50 AM | GEILGULD - OP that's a very stereotypical and judgemental view you have of social workers, something that social workers leave behind when carrying out their work
It's like saying that all police abuse their power etc etc yes some do but there's a hell of a lot that dont, and lets not forget the complaints procedure, its the first thing that i social workers have to give to you nowadays, so if you were that unhappy about the way you were treated why didn't you make a complaint
Although i can see why they were concerned to let a 17 year old neighbour look after a 2 year old, 17 is still a child you see, now if you were 18 it might have been a different story
BEFORE YOU COMMENT, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE READ THE POST FULLY. OTHER WISED YOUR HALF HASED ATTEMPT AT TRYING TO APPEAR INTELLIGENT FALLS ON IT a*** | |
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| Social Services - Abuse of Power?
Posted: 1/21/2007 11:51:03 AM | I believe anyone that embarks on a career that will have power to affect people's lives adversely should have stringent psychological evaluation first to weed out unsuitables. Social workers, law enforcement, teachers, medical staff, MPs etc etc. Too many people that need power trips, lack empathy, sound judgement & even basic common sense are in these proffesions IMO.
Lily, you hit the nail right on the head there. | |
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| Social Services - Abuse of Power?
Posted: 1/21/2007 11:53:13 AM | ^^ why have you quoted all my post then not put anything worth saying underneath it? i did read your thread and I must be 1000 X more intellegent than you to realise that not all social workers abuse their power
by the way aren't you intellegent enough to use the quote facility?
do you like my avatar? it's the sign i saw down the local social services office  | |
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| Social Services - Abuse of Power?
Posted: 1/21/2007 12:07:30 PM | woooohhh --stop ---no flaming please --don't want this debate to get the mod hit.
One word "controlling" very apt.....another "strereotype" even better. The SSW script is basically the same, it's not their fault as they have been "taught" to read from the script.
I say the scrip is out dated, out moded and down right wrong. The claims...we treat "them" as individuals --huh back to the script then.
And to the person who has all the letters after your name...I know what you mean...sincere, well meaning, they taught you that didn't they at the same time they told you not to get "involved"..........the best social workers we have are usually from a low/no income background, have brought up their own children, have that life experience, but unfortunately because they don't have the necessary accademics the door is shut.
I am sorry that I do not hold the belief that you can be "taught" in certain area's...this being one of them........it is an entire life experience and a hard life that gives you all the qualities to "see" what needs to be seen. | |
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| Social Services - Abuse of Power?
Posted: 1/21/2007 1:23:09 PM | IMHO the OP is using VERY loaded language here to paint a picture not unlike the WWII propaganda picture displaying
<div class="quote"> the "SS" spearing babies with pitchforks king herod stylee.
i think words like
<div class="quote"> gypsies [/quotes] and [quotes] the "SS" [/quotes] tied in with words/phrases like [quotes]brutally removed [/quotes]newborn baby "confiscated" [/quotes] and [quotes]babies snatched at birth [/quotes] paint a 'kiddie catcher' image that is frankly scare mongering. as someone else said it is infact extraordinarily difficult to legally and permanently remove a child from it's birth parents.
with regards to this
<div class="quote">removal of children whom they consider to be merely "at risk" makes unecessary lightness of what 'at risk' may actually mean. i don;t work work social services and have little experience of it BUT one might reasonably assume 'at risk' to me those with a more than usual chance of expose to abuse, neglect or harm for example the children of those known to have longstanding substance miss use problems or those with a history of violent relationships. i know it's a film but does anyone not remember the dead baby from trainspotting? if we want real example lets see who remembers
Ainlee Labonte, two, was starved and tortured to death by her parents, Leanne Labonte and Dennis Henry. The couple, from Plaidstow, east London, were jailed for manslaughter for deliberately punching, scalding and burning the toddler, who had 64 scars and bruises on her body when she died. She weighed just 9.5kg (21lbs), about half the normal weight of a child that age.
Lauren Wright, six, was found dead after suffering a fatal punch or kick from her stepmother, Tracey Wright, which caused her digestive system to collapse. The woman was found guilty of manslaughter
Rikki Neave, six, was found strangled by his coat zipper in a wood near Peterborough. His drug addict mother, Ruth, was jailed after admitting cruelty towards Rikki and two of his three sisters. She hit them, burned them, threw them across the room and locked them outside.
The list sadly goes on but in each case all of these children were known to social services and all were classed 'at risk' and yet all reamained with their birth parent/s and all eventually were killed by them. There is no
<div class="quote"> merely "at risk" to belittle it in this way seems to suggest that we need to wait for a child to be beaten, molested, maltreated, before we sould have concerns for their health.
closing the stable doors after the horse has bolted springs to mind.
also this
<div class="quote"> adoption industry is interesting and seems to suggest that there is some production line of the evil social services worked handing over babies to all and sundry. i'm sure all the childess couple out there will be most relieved. it isn't of course true. at the moent my two best friends are applying to adopt a child and i have been nominated as one of their charactor references. having filled in their 10 page application form asking some particularily sensitive and invasive questions about my friends i will now be interviewed further and have my own social situation checked as i may possibly come into contact with a child placed with them. this will be repeated for all of my friends relatives and friends who may come into contact with a child. my friends will go through a rigourous series of interviews workshops and tests they will have every aspect of their lives poured over. in every single step social services have been very very clear to make us understand that they will only remove children from their birth parents if it is the only option.
so final answer to the OP - nope by far abnd away not enough abuse of power in my opinion. | |
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| Social Services - Abuse of Power?
Posted: 1/21/2007 3:41:11 PM |
children whom they consider to be merely "at risk" makes unecessary lightness of what 'at risk' may actually mean. i don;t work work social services and have little experience of it BUT one might reasonably assume 'at risk' to me those with a more than usual chance of expose to abuse, neglect or harm for example the children of those known to have longstanding substance miss use problems or those with a history of violent relationships.
And what about me then? What concivable risk to me would there have been from my mother actualy being a Pagan? It was an entierly false and baseless claim made by a woman who was known to the police and social services from previous false acusations and yet the mere acusation was enough to get us taken away from our mother without evidence for something that is totaly ludicrus. How were we at risk just from a member of our family having an alternative lifstyle choice to the norm? All I can say is thank gads that there was litteraly not a court in the land that would support the claim. | |
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| Social Services - Abuse of Power?
Posted: 1/21/2007 11:24:55 PM |
And what about me then? What concivable risk to me would there have been from my mother actualy being a Pagan? It was an entierly false and baseless claim made by a woman who was known to the police and social services from previous false acusations and yet the mere acusation was enough to get us taken away from our mother without evidence for something that is totaly ludicrus. How were we at risk just from a member of our family having an alternative lifstyle choice to the norm? All I can say is thank gads that there was litteraly not a court in the land that would support the claim.
These are the circumstances in which Social Services should not abuse their power.
It would be like forcing a muslim child to eat pork for the nutrician benefits, or condemning a parenting for bringing a child up vegetarian for not allowing them the protein that eating chicken offers.
MSG 3
I haven't had any dealings with social services and I'd be horrified if a social worker came knocking on my door So would many people, but then
MSG 3 again
I can assure you, that in this day and age, that social workers dont take people's children off them willy nilly,
So why would you be "horrified" if a social worker came knocking on your door, if you are so certain they are good?
The point many people have tried to make, is Social Workers have more power than any other profession in Britain, and the system has to be overhauled and re-thought. | |
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| Social Services - Abuse of Power?
Posted: 6/9/2008 12:12:33 PM | let me just say that in this day and age SS do take children out of homes...at least in Italy ( where I am ) they do.
...for me it's a total abuse of power.............these shrinks need there own shrinks.
....I know, I just went to court last week to defend my right to mother my own child.
stuck in Italy,
trying to keep my son | |
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| Social Services - Abuse of Power?
Posted: 6/9/2008 1:43:04 PM | They do here in Britain still.
and as stated earlier in the thread, it is done to meet targets. ALso they get extra money for the children in the registers. As far as i am concerned the ones in the children and families teams i have dealt with have been bullies and on power kicks.
there is a group mentioned earlier in the thread called FASSIT i have referred families on to them, they are amazing.
just google Fassit in to the search engine. | |
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| Social Services - Abuse of Power?
Posted: 6/9/2008 2:09:00 PM | 41 postings and only 5 people show their faces.
Social workers...W*nkers the lot of them...Worse than Jehovahs Witnesses
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| Social Services - Abuse of Power?
Posted: 6/9/2008 2:39:37 PM |
41 postings and only 5 people show their faces.
how true, could this be because most people would think that this whole thread is a load of old bumf...?
people speak from their own experiences, and people who don't take good care of their children will have had bad experiences. | |
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| Social Services - Abuse of Power?
Posted: 6/9/2008 2:53:34 PM | | i know a family who took there daughter to doctors and hospital as thay had genuin concerns thay were told thay were to over protevtive then social services were involved and the child placed on the at risk register then the child was taken in to care as thay kept going to the doctor 12 months after the child was taken in to care the ss took the child to hopital and low and behold the child was diagnosed with cerybrel paulsey nothing to do with the parents been unfit it tore the family apart and social services couldent even be botherd to apologise so dont tell me thay dont remove kids for no gud reason thay do thay go for the easy target and not for the true problem parents but may also say that the ss is very over stretched and under mandand need to meet targets you see its all about targets and productivety im afraid | |
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| Social Services - Abuse of Power?
Posted: 6/9/2008 3:17:03 PM |
people speak from their own experiences, and people who don't take good care of their children will have had bad experiences. .
I think that is a very poor comment to make, your saying that people who take care of their children, who's children have in no way been in any danger, or harm, or have ever been to a&e have never had to deal with SS? | |
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| Social Services - Abuse of Power?
Posted: 6/9/2008 3:29:47 PM |
41 postings and only 5 people show their faces.
Social workers...W*nkers the lot of them...Worse than Jehovahs Witnesses
That's because the thread is very old & most of the profiles no longer exist.
This is what I said 18mths ago ...
I believe anyone that embarks on a career that will have power to affect people's lives adversely should have stringent psychological evaluation first to weed out unsuitables. Social workers, law enforcement, teachers, medical staff, MPs etc etc. Too many people that need power trips, lack empathy, sound judgement & even basic common sense are in these proffesions IMO. There are rotton apples in every line of work...but the consequences such influential people can have can be devastating. Along with lack of support, funding, resources, training etc etc.
I'm sure anyone else that has worked in scenerios that involves major impact on individuals lives has noticed how infested they are by tyrants, dictators, bullies & general not rights. it's shocking, & makes the job so much harder, in some cases impossible, for the capable, caring & responsible people. | |
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| Social Services - Abuse of Power?
Posted: 6/9/2008 3:52:20 PM | I totally agree. I'm a social work student and I've just finsihed my second year at university, I have another year to go. I have been in a work placement with a children and families social services department.
What I've learnt is that social services do their best to keep the child with its parents. It is only in extreme cases that a court order for protection of the child is required. | |
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| Social Services - Abuse of Power?
Posted: 6/9/2008 4:06:14 PM | | Ive never read so much cr@p in a very long time. the ignorance displayed on this thread in the majoriy of posts is shocking | |
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| Social Services - Abuse of Power?
Posted: 6/9/2008 4:10:46 PM |
I think that is a very poor comment to make, your saying that people who take care of their children, who's children have in no way been in any danger, or harm, or have ever been to a&e have never had to deal with SS?
that's not what i am saying at all. there are many children who are perfectly safe and loved who have been involved with childrens services, because they need support in other areas.
i am saying that people who have had involvement with childrens services because they didn't provide safety or protection for their children, will obviously not have enjoyed the experience and will therefore think of it in a negative light. | |
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| Social Services - Abuse of Power?
Posted: 6/9/2008 4:45:43 PM | | Tbh the social services are dammd if they do and dammd if they dont. and its such a big organisation mistakes will always happen | |
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