Long-term fostering, why?

[Flames]

About two years ago, my sister had a drinking problem and was part of domestic violence. My sister then started to try get support and help about this and the best support they could give us was taking her daughter off her.

The social services then started making demands that if she wanted to get her daughter back, she would have to get off the drink. Sadly there was a waiting list for the detox.

So, my sister finally got on a detox and then when to rehab. She was in there for about 10 months. Knowing she wasn't going to get her back yet, she appealed at court and the reason that she couldn't have her back yet is because my sister hasn't showed any independence yet, since she was still living at the rehab.

Now for the last 8 months, shes been living on her own, kept out of the bad crowd, got a job, been to college - done everything they said. She's a completely changed person!

My sister than appealed again and this time their decision is to put her into long-term fostering and cutting off all communication apart from writing once a year.

Throughout these two years, my sister has seen her once a month and my mum every week. My mum was due to have a contact last week with my her and they cancelled it because the foster carers were taking her on holiday (they didn't even get permission of my sister) and offered my mum her last contact (when she should have 2).

I really don't understand why they have done this? My mum recently had cancer and hasn't had the clear yet - if worst comes to worst, that could be the last time she could see her. My sister has done everything they asked for. It's just stupid.

My niece is now 7, so how exactly is this best interest for the child?!

Thanks for reading, any replies would be grateful

[Tara.]

I don't understand either. By now they should have significant evidence that she is capable of careing for her daughter. I thin it's time for your sister to get a lawyer and investigate.

[Flames]

Thanks for your reply

My sister has a solicitor (Which I think is the same as a lawyer in the US) and we still haven't had any look.

For some reason, the social worker has taken a disliking to our family. My mum had regular contact with her in a small room. My mum then put a complaint in to the social workers manager and she said there was no need for a supervised contact and even told my mum the social worker seams to have taken a disliking to her.

A few months later, my mum was having contact with her and my niece needed the toilet. The nearest place was a pub so my mum took her there, got them both a coke and ice cream. This social worker then said my mum was taking her to unsuitable places and put them under supervised contact.

She's also twisted a lot of things. When I'v gone to see her I'v had a few laughs with her - such as playing piggy in the middle. I caught the ball and got my niece out and got my contact cancelled with her because I play "unfairly" with her.

So we've discovered that the social worker has a disliking towards us and twists the stories - and it's our word against theirs.

I personally believe that the only reason the social worker is putting her into long-term fostering is because she knows how close my sister is to getting her back, meeting all the demands she thought my sister would never met.

According to the social worker, removing all contact with my mum, whos been the only person she has seen on a weekly basis is the best interest for the child.

[Palmolive]

This doesn't seem fair atall. To me, it sound's like you're sister has come really far and has got herself back on her feet again. The social worker shou;d be trying her best to try and keep the child with the mother, obviously, if really unsuitable, the child will be taken away, but it seems like your sister is in a good place too look after her. Even if she was kept in foster care for a bit longer, but started to have visits, and then go on to staying a few nights a week etc.

I think you need to go in futher and investiagte more.

[Flames]

Thank you for the support

My mums going to get a solicitor - her friend is a social worker too, so she's going to give her advice (but can't represent due to her career). So with a bit of luck, we will be able to find out the real reasons