“I’ll give it a go!”

2.5 years into this journey since my husband was arrested, last week I heard the best analogy about Social Workers, I’ve ever heard.

A Professional who has a vast amount of experience of working with online offenders, talked of the lack of training and experience Social Workers have when it comes to online sexual offending.

One of my friends recently has had a Social Worker who has admitted she has no training or experience of dealing with cases whereby a Parent has committed an online sexual offence, unrelated to their own child. Yet she states she has capacity to assess risk and safeguard.

This Professional described it as someone coming out to fix your boiler. “Well I’ve never seen one like this before” they admit, but “I’ll give it a go!”

What’s the worst that can happen? They blow up our house?

What’s the worst that can happen if an inexperienced social worker is making detrimental life changing decisions in a child’s life?

They blow up the family?!

Probation and Police have no concerns of my friends husband returning home. Seeing the rehabilitation work he has partaken in since his arrest and sentencing, they do not assess him as being a risk to his child. They have no concerns.

He has recently completed the Horizon course inside prison prior to release, he has identified the reasons why and how he offended, he is committed to his rehabilitation, for an offence that was now, many years ago.

My friend suggested that an independent risk assessment is carried out by a trained Forensic Psychologist who specialises in robust risk assessments.

The social workers response?! She is ‘just as qualified’ to carry out this assessment as he is.

She had continued to do so. She has came in and worked with my friends husband, interrogating him about the offence and what he was thinking at that time.

This is not only offensive but it’s actually dangerous. She is messing with something she has no idea about. She is poking about that boiler she is not qualified to deal with. Mob handedly bashing with her big hammer.

This is just one example of a recent story. I can assure you that there are many more social workers up and down the country who feel that they are in the best position to assess risk.

If you’re a social worker and you’re reading this, please, be led by the professionals, police and probation. They are the experts in assessing risk when it comes to re-offending. Or better still, allow a professional Forensic Psychologist to assess properly.

Also, think about the child, you are supposed to be there to protect. You are creating further trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences in removing their father from their life.

Social care love to tell Non offending partners that they ‘minimise risk.’ well in contrast, they ‘Maximise risk’. Let’s allow the professionals to make these decisions.