Hi, everyone.

I hope all is well. I thought it was about time I updated you all.

I haven’t got much news regarding my work situation and the HPC.  I’m busy collating as much supporting evidence as possible for my defence which has to be submitted to the HPC by the 11th of February 2011. I’ve seen my treating consultant to confirm I’m fit and well, and I’m seeing my former consultant, Dr Chris, for an evaluation. Fingers crossed, this new evidence will help the HPC decide that “there is no case to answer”, my registration will return to normal and I can go back to work.

Child Protection Review Conference

As for Notts County Council, I don’t think they will ever cease to amaze me.  I attended a child protection review conference recently which was held to decide if the child protection plan that my daughters are on should continue. Both the girls have told social workers that they don’t feel a need for a child protection plan, they don’t feel at risk and never have, and that they don’t want social services visiting them. My eldest daughter has tactfully said that she feels that social services should be looking after those children that need them and reassured them that she is old enough to seek help if she needed it.  My younger daughter, however, is not quite as polite, and told the social workers she wants nothing to do with them. She has voiced her anger, saying it’s wrong that she was originally told that she didn’t have to see social services and was then later told that she does have to see social workers, whether she likes it or not.

In attendance at the conference were two representatives of my younger daughter’s school, one for my elder daughter’s college, the school nurse, a social worker, the chairperson, my treating consultant and me.  School, the school nurse and social workers exchanged and shared reports with everyone, and the chair opened the conference once they had been read. The college representative spoke first, saying that Laura is doing well at college, has plenty of friends and that there is no cause for concern about her. The chair asked if Laura could access counselling, and the college representative replied that she could. The chair asked if Laura had done so, and the representative said, “That information is confidential and no one can be forced into counselling”.  The chair was not happy with this response and could not accept that Laura is nearly 18 years old.  The college representative went on to say that Laura has applied to university and that she will support her with her application.

Nurse:  no concerns

The nurse spoke, saying there were no reported concerns with either of the girls, no reported A&E attendances and health records showed nothing different from the first initial child protection conference.  The nurse also confirmed again that Jennifer has refused to see her and that she has said she doesn’t want to see a counsellor.  The chair’s interpretation of this information was that Jennifer doesn’t want to see professionals because she’s frightened of being taken away from home. I couldn’t believe the chair wouldn’t accept that Jennifer didn’t want to see anyone because she didn’t need to!

“Persistent” misrepresentation of the truth!

The social worker went through her report briefly, and confirmed that both girls don’t feel a need to see social workers, and neither do they want to. She then went on to say Jennifer has presented with persistent knuckle injuries, one of which was a fracture. She also said these injuries were deliberate and a clear sign that Jennifer was suffering with stress and emotional difficulties. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Jennifer has hurt her hand twice since July 2010. The social worker also reported that this had been reported to the school nurse. However, the nurse had just said there were no concerns and no new information. The school representative went on to say that since the summer Jennifer has presented to them with numerous knuckle injuries. At this point I exploded and demanded to know how many times this had happened. The school confirmed “twice”, which were the two occasions everyone knew about. So I addressed the chair, saying, “There is an awful lot of weight being carried on two previous knuckle injuries that happened in summer 2010.  The two incidents have been changed to ‘numerous’, to ‘persistent’,and  then to ‘none’ by three different so-called professionals. Perhaps when people have decided if, when and how many injuries have  occurred, we can then decide if Jennifer is having any emotional difficulties.”

School then went on to confirm that everything at school was fine, and that there were no problems to report. The social worker went on to say she had not been able to meet with me and my husband as I wouldn’t speak to them and my husband was at work when they called.

The chair concluded that she felt the girls should remain on a child protection plan. I was furious, as I knew this decision would upset my daughters no end. I told the chair that her decision would only cause stress to the family and that it is not helpful in any way. Laura’s college representative also raised an objection, and said Laura was old enough to decide if she felt she were at risk or not. The chair would not listen to anyone. I told her that the only person putting my girls at risk of any harm was her. She wouldn’t listen, and said the plan would last for a further six months, although Laura would be taken off the plan in April when she turns 18. What madness!

The girls were initially angry. However, they were reassured when they discovered they do in fact have rights, and they have instructed a solicitor to act on their behalf. I obviously cannot be involved with their meetings with their solicitor, but I will continue to support their decisions. A social worker has been hassling the girls by letter, and by text message with Laura. Hopefully, a solicitor will help put a stop to this.

My daughters harassed while an abused two-year-old dies unchecked

It’s absolutely shocking that Notts County Council complain that social services are under-resourced, yet they can afford to spend money on two social workers visiting a 16- and 17-year-old who state clearly that they have never felt or been at risk, and if they did they would do something about it. It’s even more alarming that only 24 hours after the conference, a 2-year-old has died from severe cruelty from her parents. The parents have been sentenced to nine years and life. The family were known to social services, and even though reports were made to say the child was in immediate danger no one visited. Social services claim that they were under-resourced and couldn’t visit the day the child was found dead. Maybe the media should know how services prefer to spend their money!

My last posting talked about the support I’m giving to the charity NAPAC. I invited anyone to email me if they wanted any information regarding the charity. If anyone is willing to display a sticker on their wheely bin please email me your address and I will send one out for each bit. angela.bayley@hotmail.com

I will be in touch soon to let you know how things are going.

Take care, everyone.

Love and best wishes

Angela

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