WIREDGOV

New research published recently shows that most parents with a child or children in care think that they are being looked after very well by the local council. But the parents also feel left out of their children’s lives, according to a new report by the Children’s Rights Director for England, Dr Roger Morgan.

‘Parents on Council Care’, is the first report by the Office of the Children’s Rights Director to solely explore the views of parents rather than children. It highlights the very strong emotions conveyed by parents about having their child taken away from them or living away from home.

Although the majority of parents (74%) spoke positively of the way their child was treated in care, many felt excluded from decisions about their offspring. Over a quarter (26%) had not seen their child’s care plan and some did not even know what a care plan was. Notably, around a quarter (24%) did not know whether the council planned for their child to return home.

Some of the parents reported that having a child in care was “a living nightmare, hell on earth” and “…a never ending battle. No one listens. No one understands.” Others said they had been “…made out to be a heartless monster…stripped of my honour, dignity, self-respect and identity,” and “I feel shame that I let the child down.”

The report shows that 44% of parents did not have a say in their child’s care plan while 38% did not agree with it. The biggest worries for parents were constant changes to plans, plans that weren’t detailed enough or plans not changing once the situation had changed.

Parents also felt excluded from their child’s life in other ways too, with two thirds (65%) reporting that they thought the council should tell them more about how their child is doing. A quarter (25%) said that they simply wanted to know how their child was doing generally – from their health, behaviour and progress at school, to how they were getting on in their placement.

Dr Roger Morgan, Children’s Rights Director for England said:

“Although weknow what professionals think about care,there’s been very little about what parents think about it. Given that the majority feel very strongly about having their child taken away from them, this report provided useful insights into understanding what parents go through and whether they feel that their child is being properly looked after.

Our survey has evoked some very open and honest responses from parents and we know that for most, there is nothing good about having a child in care. While some came to terms with the situation, others felt completely distraught at losing their child and the report highlights the sense of despair, guilt, anger and failure that many parents feel.”

Although children were in care for different reasons, over half of parents (59%) said that there had been no support from the council to help stop their child going into care in the first place. Over three quarters (76%) said that they were getting no or not enough council support including help toward the child being returned to them. Where support was given, it was sometimes the wrong kind, or came too late once a crisis had arrived.

Similarly, where major decisions were made about a child in care, such as during a review meeting, around a fifth of parents (17%) said they were not able to give their views and some reported that they had given their opinion but they were not listened to. A quarter said they would not know who they would go to if concerned or wanted to make a complaint.

However, underneath these findings, many parents (74%) reported that their child was looked after well or very well, largely because they had a good carer. Over half of parents (57%), thought their child’s placement was the right one, mainly because it met their needs and also because they were placed with a good family.

Around two thirds of parents (61%) spoke at least once a week with their child, and the vast majority had attended a review meeting (86%). Some parents supported the decision that their child was in care and said some of the best things about how their children were being looked after included the child having a good routine, skilled staff and carers looking after them and opportunities for trips and activities.