My son has recently been diagnosed with a genetic condition that causes learning difficulties and autism. He has a diagnosis of autism as well. He is living with his father as I could not cope with the difficulties and not being able to access support for him. His father has been really abusive towards me over the years and I have felt too frightened to co parent/advocate for my son on my own. I am getting help for the abuse. But I am still really struggling to co parent with him and advocate for our son. The abuse my ex did to me seems to be being extended to my son as well. He is locking him in his room every night and refusing access to support for my son. I keep trying to deal with it through social services, but they dont seem to be taking it seriously at all. Every time I tell agencies about him being locked in his bedroom at night they raise safeguarding concerns about my son, but it is not helping him to get access to care, but it just results in social services attacking me! It has been a terrifying ordeal and i dont know how to make the abuse stop.
Hi Lucy
These links maybe of some help …
Protecting children - Citizens Advice.
What is advocacy in social care? Advocates in social care are independent from the local authority (local council) and the NHS. They are trained to help you understand your rights, express your views and wishes, and help make sure your voice is heard.
You could make a compliant to Social Services that you don’t feel listen too.
I have done all these things! I have got lawyers on side too. But still they are not listening to me
It is NOT acceptable to lock a child up like that! Google “deprivation of liberty”. How old is your son?
I know and I get a law firm to send them a very stroppy letter about it, but they still do nothing. My son is 11 years old now and I did some research and found that DOLS can even be applied to children as young as 12. I have reported it to the police and social services and they wont do anything. SS even wrote a report stating that he was being locked in his bedroom and left to fall asleep on the floor EVERY night. When I queried it they told me it was a family matter and not for them to deal with !! The condition he has has sleep apnea as a symptom and my ex is telling everyone that he doesnt have it and that he sleeps through every night without a problem. I am staggered by their behaviour towards this situation. I really am staggered. SS say they are taking it “extremely seriously” but they arent actually doing anything to get help for my son. I have begged and pleaded with them to get him away from this person and when I raise the concerns with other agencies they raise safeguarding concerns, but they dont do anything to stop this from happening. I think its got worse during covid because the agencies are in a state of panic and cant deal with these issues while everything is closed. I think that even if they wanted to remove him from his fathers home theyve got nowhere to take him to. I am so angry and upset…