When ever I think of social workers, I cannot but think of the inhuman
treatment they dole out to children on a daily basis.
My story has already been published on this site [Father and Teacher] but since
I shared my story, I have been led to complain to those in higher authority,
through the UK Fathers web site.
I did this, emailing every single MP in the country, informing them that they
have played a part in the injustices perpetrated on my son.
I had some very reassuring comments back by email and by proper mail, none more
so than from David Cameron MP, whom you may have heard of. Always, I was advised
that parliamentary control means that my MP has to deal with the problem, so
they all passed notes to him.
Imagine that and giggle. I bet that got up his nose, but what he did next was
unforgivable. He passed it, like a slippery wet, rugby ball, to others, who
chased it and wrote to the Social Services. Eventually, they made contact but it
appeared they had wrong information about my son. To begin with, they took my
name, superimposed it onto my son and called him by the same name, checked into
it and found where he lived.
They showed him my letters and email, saying I want justice for my son and
shared that I wanted to see him again. Sounds good so far doesn't it? One would
think a happy ending was on the cards here, but as is the case with
incompetents, disaster was coming right round the corner at me and my wife.
The boy they had located you see, shared my name, lived nearby [5 miles away]
but had absolutely NOTHING to do with me. I received a letter addressed to our
MP sharing how this boy was at risk and at first, did not understand it.
Then, after reading it three times, the penny dropped. I had information in
front of me on a man who is considered a risk, who shares my name, whose son
lives in care and they were all complete strangers.
I contacted the head of the social services to complain and she said she would
'look into it.' All seemed to fade and settle until today, when there was a
knock on the door.
You've guessed it. The young boy in question, with foster carers in tow, wanted
to see his Dad, to sort him out once and for all regarding the question of
rejecting him in the first place. When my wife opened the door, they said their
bit and she got the idea and we sat them down and explained the whole stupid
episode.
They could not understand how it could have happened and neither can I.
I contacted the head of the social services again and spoke to her. She was
lovely; reassuring, sympathetic and shocked that one of her underlings could
allow such a travesty to happen.
The truth is that whenever I seem to rattle their corporate cages, the
nincompoops seem to emerge like ants out of the nest ready to see what damage
they can do next. This time, they even took my letter to the young lad, who was
fantastic considering, and explained to him that his Dad wanted contact, when if
they had checked, he didn't.
We have a verbal apology and a reassurance that nothing further will happen but
you know, I think as I am sat here of the words from Shrek, which say, 'yeah
right. Like that's ever going to happen.'
Only time will tell. Lesson number two is to never expect what you want from a
social worker because it will never come.
And lesson number three is never trust an MP to do what you can do better. My MP
was informed of his mistake by mail and never even bothered to respond. I have
now made it my mission, my reason for living, to see the back of him at the next
election. He tells me to 'drop it and move on' and expects me to roll over and
take his advice. Not a chance!!!
Perhaps, with a different government in place, we may see a law change or two
that goes in favour of the parent and once again, common sense and justice can
prevail.
J. S.
