Letter of complaint regarding JUSTINE MANNING IRO - Oxford Social Services

22 June 2016

Comments and Complaints Service
Freepost RRYR-XTBE-GBTZ
County Hall
New Road
Oxford
OX1 1ND

To whom it may concern

Re.: Complaint Regarding Justine Manning SW54349 IRO for Children's Services

I write to make a serious complaint regarding the Independent Reviewing Office assigned to my case, Justine Manning SW54349.  Who has been the IRO in my case since 2011, yet who I first heard of and met for the first time in March 2016.

Before I make my complaint I would like you to be aware of one fact.

I still have parental responsibility for all my children, HHJ Corrie confirmed this in his Conclusion to the Fact Finding Hearing held in 2011.

I make my complaint based on the information found in the article on the Family Rights Group website, however, this is just a guideline to give my complaint evidential support.

http://www.frg.org.uk/images/Advice_Sheets/11-powers-and-duties-of-local-authorities.pdf

Justine Manning, not only breached my Human Rights but also the rights of my children.  I strongly believe that this breach ultimately leads to the death of my daughter whilst under her care.

“The IRO therefore checks that Children’s Services have done what they have said they will do in the care plan, and makes sure your child is safe and well cared for whilst they are in the care system. Note the court does not have the power to check and monitor what Children’s Services does once the care proceedings (if any) are finished so the IRO takes on that role instead.”

Now in accordance with the ruling and conclusions made by HHJ Corrie in the fact finding hearing in 2011 I retained my parental rights and the right to have indirect contact with my children 3 times a year.  I was also to be included in all discussion regarding my children’s care, placements and plans for future changes.  This has NEVER been done.  The first time I heard of Justine Manning and met her was at a Serious Case Review Meeting on the 24th March 2016.  She has never and nor has any of my Children’s Social Workers contacted me to discuss care, placements and plans.

“Before the review: the IRO must:

1.       speak to your child in private and be sure they understand their right to have an advocate with them at the review. They must also explain to your child what an advocate does and how they might help them;

2.       speak to your child’s social worker;

3.       involve you (the parents and others with parental responsibility) and make sure your views are represented at the review. You will normally be invited to the review but in exceptional circumstances you could be excluded if the IRO and social worker thinks it is not in your child’s interests for you to be there.

4.       If this happens they must give you written reasons for refusing to allow you to come to the review and they must ask you to give your views another way for example by letter or tape;

5.       Ensure that all relevant reports are available before the meeting.”

Now given the simple fact that I had never heard off nor met Justine Manning in the 5 years she has been the IRO for my case and children, how did she achieve points 3 & 4?

·         I have never been allowed to be involved,

·         My views have never been represented

·         I have been excluded from attending or given my views another way

·         I have never had any written reason why I have been excluded

·         I have never had any reports/documents/paperwork before or after the meetings have taken place

“At the review: The IRO chairs the meeting. Children’s Services must consider all aspects of your Child’s case, including:

1.       Changes in circumstances since the last review

2.       Whether decisions from last review have been implemented

3.       The arrangements for your child to see or keep in touch with you and other members of your family

4.       Whether the placement continues to meet your child’s needs

5.       Any need for change in your child’s legal status.”

Now given the simple fact that I had never heard off nor met Justine Manning in the 5 years she has been the IRO for my case and children,

·         I have never been included in any decisions from any reviews, nor do I know what they are or how/if they were implemented

·         Social Services and Justine Manning have intentionally and wilfully neglectfully withheld and prevent contact to or from my extended family.  My Children have no idea how much their grandparents, Aunts and Uncles love them and want to see them.  This is “Corporate Kidnap”.

·         I found out in March 2016, that the placements my children were in had been changed on numerous occasions.  This was never discussed with me.  I believed my children were happy and settled in their original placements.  Supported by people I had met during the Fact Finding Hearing.

·         One of my children was moved completely out of county to Wrexham, a fact I was not made aware off until her death.  It has then taken 3 years for me to find out the exact details and circumstances of her death because Social Workers, Managers and the IRO refused to tell me and intentionally withheld information they had.  Making what was already a heart-breaking situation worse.

“The IRO must also:

1.       Make sure your wishes and feelings (and those of others with parental responsibility) are taken into account;

2.       Make sure the social worker has explained the implications of any permanence plan to you (the parents);

3.       set new timescales they should check back on to make sure that any things that should have been done get done;

4.       make sure that the person who is responsible for implementing decisions of the review are identified.”

Now given the simple fact that I had never heard off nor met Justine Manning in the 5 years she has been the IRO for my case and children, how did she meet the criteria of this section?

·         How did Justine Manning make sure my wishes and feeling were taken into account when she had never asked me what my wishes and feeling were?

·         What is a permanence plan, this has never been discussion with me?

·         Who’s responsible for implementing decisions, this has never been identified to me or anyone else in my family.

“After the review: The IRO must:

1.       Prepare a written record of the review decisions or recommendations within 5 days and a full

record by 15 days (This is still the case, even if a meeting did not take place);

2.       Distribute this record within 15 working days to everyone who attended the child part of the review.

3.       If you didn’t attend or attended only a part, then the social worker and IRO should discuss whether in your particular case it’s in your child’s interests for you to have the complete record and if not how much of it you should get.”

Now given the simple fact that I had never heard off nor met Justine Manning in the 5 years she has been the IRO for my case and children, how did she meet the principles points 2 & 3 of this section?

·         In 6 years (in reality it’s been 16 years) I have never had any information.  No LAC reports, Care Plan’s, Case Conference Minutes, Review Minutes/Notes.  They have intentionally been withheld from me despite numerous requests for them.

What is a permanence plan? And why have I never been included.  What information should be given or is given.

What is a Life Story?  What information should or is given and how if no one has ever spoken to me or my extended family is it completed?

I seriously feel let down, I am horrified at how a “professional” can so intentionally neglect mine and my children’s human rights.