Dorset Council Exposed Woman To Risk Of Abuse From Father

• Published date: 16 August 2022
• Subject Matter: Family and Matrimonial, Family Law
• Law Firm: Ian Walker Family Law and Mediation Solicitors
• Author: Ian Walker Family Law And Mediation Solicitors

When a local authority has concerns over the welfare of a child it will usually assign a social worker to get in touch with the family and investigate the matter.

When this happens, it is of course essential that the parents are able to speak freely and frankly to the social worker, in particular without fear for their personal wellbeing.

But a problem can arise when the parents have separated, or where their relationship is such that one parent may not want the other to know what they have said to the social worker.

The problem was illustrated in a recently decided complaint by a mother to the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman, regarding the actions of a Dorset council (it should be noted that the complaint predated the establishment of the present Dorset Council in 2019 - a different council, which was abolished at the same time Dorset Council was established, took the action complained about, although Dorset Council took responsibility).

Sensitive information

The complaint concerned a family who had been under investigation by local children's services, due to concerns related to the father's violence towards the mother and children.

In 2018 a social work report was prepared, following an assessment by a social worker, which included confidential and sensitive information about the mother that the mother had given to the social worker.

The social work assessment confirmed that the father had been violent towards the mother and children, and included a lot of information about the mother's background and childhood, about the father's background, and information related to children living in the family home.

The report was hand delivered to the family home by the social worker, despite the mother specifically asking the Council not to disclose the information to the father, in the light of his violent history.

Upon finding out about this the mother rushed home, in an attempt to intercept the report before the father read it. Unfortunately she was too late. After reading the report the father subjected the mother to verbal and emotional...