One of our contributors suggested ALERT would be a good acronym for us to use
I thought of the acronym ALERT standing for.
Attention
Listen
Engage
Respond
Trust
Attention draw Social Services attention if you feel that there are children at risk or who need additional support.
Listen If the Social Worker is telling you something no matter how hard it is to hear, try to really listen and take in what is being said.
Engage Always attend meetings, allow Social Workers access to you and the child/ren involved. Show you realise how serious it is and engage with each step of the process.
Respond If you are asked to do something then act on it. If Social Services raise concerns about the state of your house, clean-up. Your drinking, seek help. A violent relationship, make steps towards ending it etc etc.
Trust trust that Social Workers aren’t involved as they want to steal your child, trust that they are working within a legal framework and most importantly trust that they are working in the best interest of your child, even if you disagree on what that is.