Typically the soaps and media can mislead family law topics and distort the reality of a situation to the public; a quickie divorce that only took 3 seconds, a cheap divorce that only cost £500, quoting access and custody to describe contact between a child and their parent. But have they finally got some slight truth, albeit the wrong way round, in their script?
We have seen in EastEnders that poor Stacey’s children have been taken from her in the middle of the night as a result of a phone call to social services. The media coverage has seen the public slam the storyline indicating that this would never happen and a social worker would never turn up in middle of night, then the next day arrive with the police to remove a child. But have the public and media got confused and is there any truth in this situation?
Whilst social services are over stretched and typically may not take immediate action on every phone call, there is an underlying reality to Stacey’s situation. If there was a serious risk of child abuse, the police have been informed and they feel that the risk is warranted, then yes, they can attend under Police Protection and remove the child for up to 72 hours whilst investigations are being conducted.
Haley Farrell, Deputy Managing Director and Head of Family Care at Broudie Jackson Canter, comments:
“It is a scary thought that the public and soaps are distorting reality. For some families, this is an all too real situation that they have been placed in. They will not know what options are available to them and will only recall what has happen in EastEnders and how the public have stated that it is not a true reflection of the process. They may become lost in fiction rather than seeking fact and law.
Whilst social services may not take immediate action upon all phone calls that they receive, the police do have the power to take such extreme steps. What happens after this could lead to court proceedings to ensure the child’s safety. There are a number of different outcomes and orders that the court could provide to protect both the child and the relationship between child and parents. Emergency applications could also be made to the court from either social services or the parents to ensure that an order is sought to safeguard a child.
Whether you are worried about your child, had a child removed or require assistance with contact or where your child should live, the Family Law team at Broudie Jackson Canter are here to help.”
If you would like any more advice regarding social services, you can contact our Liverpool and Wirral experts. Please click here for a call back or message us your enquiry.