Subject of A Complaint
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Social Worker's are well aware of the risks associated with a child dying or being killed. They are also generally familiar with the threats of violence, blame and public criticism.
But as well as the risks mentioned, there is always the additional risk that a service user may lodge a complaint about you, which could seriously jeopardise your livelihood.
I discovered how anxiety provoking it can be, when the parents I was working with, whilst undertaking parenting assessments of both parents, led to them making a number of complaints about me, to Social Work England.
I can't now recall the precise wording of their complaints, but it was clear, that they were very serious about doing what they could to stop me and other professionals, who had been involved with their case, to cease being employed.
Although the complaints were ultimately not substantiated, it took about a year before the outcome of the investigations became known...and that is a long time to live with that uncertainty.
There are always some cases that stand out, sometimes for positive reasons, where the outcome is great. At other times you remember the family for reasons which are far less pleasant.
I knew almost as soon as I began interviewing the parents, especially the mother, that working with them was going to be highly challenging.
The mother made it clear to me from the outset that she detested professionals. She was vitriolic in her manner, but what really disturbed me was her habit of smiling when making the most unpleasant remarks.
Both the mother and father of the children whose parenting I was assessing, considered that social work professionals were very dangerous people, responsible for harming their children.
They considered that one of their children who was in her late teens, was being sexually abused by a person they referred to as the 'child abuser.' They considered this individual was extremely dangerous and had infiltrated the core group, and was controlling members and influencing them to abuse them.
I was informed by both parents that this person had contacted each person in the core group, and that there never was a child protection plan made, it was just something that was made up to harm or weaken them as parents.
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What became clear to me after working with the parents for a short while was that nothing that they stated could be verified in any way. For example no member of the core group was able to confirm having any involvement or knowledge about the person they referred to as the 'child abuser.'
In addition, they claimed that the social worker had now admitted that they had completely misjudged them as parents, and was penitent concerning the error of their earlier conclusions.
Once again my enquiries with the social worker confirmed that the parents beliefs and views, were not based on what professionals recognised as reality.
It was very clear to me that the parents were suffering from a form of mental ill health. Unfortunately neither parent had the required insight to grasp this, and I knew before I submitted my assessment report, that they would very likely make a complaint about me, as they had about an earlier psychologist who had been involved with them - someone who they claimed, if not proudly boasted, they had ensured was relieved from his duties permanently.
This was just one more claim the parents had made which I was unable to confirm was the truth, as I was unable to speak with the psychologist concerned.
As mentioned earlier I was not the only professional they made complaints about. In fact it appears they made complaints about pretty much every professional who failed to see things their way, and did not recognise them as being exceptionally good parents.
One of the points that was probably helpful to me whilst documenting my report was that both parents talked openly about getting rid of the professionals and ensuring they did not work again. Whilst listening to the highly derogatory way they discussed the professionals, I was in no doubt that they would make the same type of complaint about me, and I mentioned it in my report.
It helps I think to provide clear evidence of the way such parents behave, which totally supports your views and conclusions.
The threat of a complaint is just one more stress or pressure that social workers live with on a daily basis, whilst trying to provide the best possible care to the most vulnerable members in our society.