Emotional Day

Today is my granddaughter Amelia-Rose's 2nd birthday, and it's the 2nd birthday I have not seen her, or celebrate her birthday with her.. Just a little bit of background for you, here is the letter I wrote directly to a judge a few months ago: Ms Caroline Elwood-Stokes 128 ******** Crescent Sheffield S* 7** 27th July 2017 Dear Her Honour JUDGE CARR QC Re: My granddaughter Amelia-Rose Price Mother to Amelia-Rose ***** - G******** S*****, D.O.B ****** Address - Father to Amelia-Rose (though I recently was told by Social Services he's had a DNA test done and he's not the biological dad but the courts have allowed him to be) S***** P**** Address -Confidential Paternal Aunt - S T***** Address - Confidential Both my daughter and her boyfriend who use drugs and alcohol are/was allowed contact with their child, in who is in long term care, but me and my partner, who are law abiding grandparents have no rights to see our granddaughter. Yes, I admit, I have made huge mistakes in the distant past. But these mistakes was made during a time when I suffered severe Mental Health issues (Depression) as well as being a victim of Sexual Abuse, and as at that time, I never opened up to anyone about the severity of the depression, I suffered alone hence making my mistakes. But now, I make no mistakes... I just think this is unfair that I cannot see my only granddaughter and love her. I understand that; Children's Services can refuse contact urgently if it is necessary to safeguard or promote the child's welfare but this can only last for a maximum of 7 days. I also understand that Children's Services must explain their reasons in writing. To refuse contact for more than 7 days Children's Services must obtain a court order I am desperate to see my granddaughter and will do anything and everything that I can, I have contacted every possible authority to ask what I need to change to have contact with my granddaughter, from the local Government Ombudsman, to Sheffield Social Services! I have asked Social Services many many many times, what I need to do, but questions have not been answered and it appears my correspondence has been ignored! I have tried rectifying mistakes made by authorities, especially a comment made by my GP in which I was informed of what I class as a serious misjudgement of my medical information in which I believe could have contributed towards the permanent loss of contact with my Granddaughter – I say 'could have' because I don't know the full truth as to what granted the outcome of the court case regarding my Granddaughter Dr T***** of M********* Medical Centre gave a report to Laura Sharp, Social Worker for my granddaughter, after Laura requested it. This request was regarding my medical history in relation to me putting myself forward to be sole carer for my granddaughter! The comment made by my GP was - ''I therefore feel that because of the sexual addiction and chronic depression that I have concerns for Caroline to have children in her care''. In this same report, Dr Turner also stated ''In June 2014 she was diagnosed with Psycho-Sexual Dysfunction''. I feel that my concerns surrounding this is fully justified; Psycho-Sexual Dysfunction -v- Sex Addiction Sex Addiction - Sex addiction is typically characterised by compulsive sexual thoughts and acts. Like all addictions, as the disorder progresses over time the negative impact on a sufferer's personal life is likely to increase and the addictive behaviour will intensify as it begins take more and more to achieve the same results or 'fix'. Considerable research has been conducted in this area, most of which points to the fact that the addiction develops in a similar way to alcohol and drug addiction. Psycho-Sexual Dysfunction - Psycho-Sexual Dysfunction is the inability to become sexually aroused or achieve sexual satisfaction in the appropriate situations because of mental or emotional reasons. As you can see, Sexual Addiction & Psycho-Sexual Dysfunction are at totally opposite ends of the 'spectrum'. I cannot describe how Dr T***** could get this so wrong in which, as I have stated previously, could have contributed to a disastrous outcome with my Granddaughter? As a qualified General Practitioner, I would expect that Dr T***** would know the difference between Psycho-Sexual Dysfunction & sex addiction and to use the correct terms when assisting legal cases as such with my Granddaughter. Having a Grandchild is the most magical feeling in the world, and I have been robbed of this. I have been robbed of loving and cherishing my granddaughter, robbed of sharing family history, robbed of seeing her learning to crawl, to walk, to recognise who I am. I miss her, I miss her so terribly much. Since October 2016, I have; Sent 48 Emails to various Authorities in which I have kept all copies, including letters in the post Received 46 Emails back from various Authorities Requested written info approximately 13 times and only received answers to 3 questions, all of my questions are below Below are the people I have contacted and how many times I have had to contact them.. Sue McNulty - Service Manager 5 times Bradie Pell - Solicitor 2 times Jayne Ludlam -  Executive Director 7 times GrandparentsKK 1 time Carly Speechle 1 time Christine Bennett - Principal Social Worker 3 times Danielle Frith - Interim Executive Personal Assistant to Jayne Ludlam 7 times Amanda Adams - Executive Personal Assistant to Jayne Ludlam 7 times F*** L** 16 times Joshua Slater 1 time Local Ombudsman 1 time Rebbeca Munro - Research and Information Assistant  1 time Lisa Duke - Management Support Officer 18 times Nikki Bond 6 times Sophie Hicks 3 times Louise Haigh MP 12 times Laura Sharp 1 time Mark Storf - Senior Fieldwork Manager 1 time Katherine Dennis 2 times I asked that for an explain in writing why contact would not be in Amelia-Rose's best interests? I also asked what I would need to change to address Social Workers/the Court's worries, and what they need me to do differently to be able to have contact with Amelia-Rose. I stated to Social Workers that; Government’s guidance to Children’s Services about contact says:  ‘the interests of the majority of looked after children are best served by sustaining or creating links with their birth families including wider family members…. contact, however occasional, may continue to have value for the child even where there is no question of return to his or her family’.  ‘grandparents and other relatives can provide a sense of family history and continuity where the child cannot live with his/her birth parents yet contact may easily be lost if the child becomes looked after’;  One of the key principles of the Children Act 1989 …is the presumption that there should be continued contact between the child and their family while the child is in the care of the local authority;  the first weeks during which the child is looked after by the responsible authority are likely to be crucial to the success of the relationship between the parent, the social worker and the child’s carers, and to the level of successful future contact between the parents and the child.  placements made in an emergency require special care if parents are to be reassured from the outset that they have a continuing role in their child’s life and to minimise distress for the child. Early visits are essential though parents may need help to cope with both their own and their child’s distress. What does the research say? Like the government’s guidance, research evidence highlights the fact that most children who do not live with their family do better if they can maintain links with their parents and other family members. It also says that:  Continuing contact is the key to children returning home early from the care system.  Continuing contact helps to protect children against the more adverse effects of public care. There are fewer breakdowns of foster placements when contact is maintained. It is more possible than many social workers believe to find foster carers willing to encourage contact. Barriers to contact stem more from the attitudes of social workers than foster carers. Children need contact with important people from the past in order to develop their sense of identity which is essential for their well-being.  Continuing contact with grandparents is almost wholly beneficial, and is particularly important for older children I received a letter from Sarah West, Solicitor at Sheffield City Council which says if I continued to contact any social worker or their manager, they will be instructed to call the police and report me for harassment – All I wanted and still want is contact with my granddaughter. My granddaughter's Step-aunt has been given full PR. Social workers said its the Court who has stopped me seeing Amelia but the solicitor said it is the social worker and aunt who's stopped me, so someone is lying to me to stop me from having contact.. I made a complaint to Social Services which is copied below; I know Laura Sharp of Children, Young People & Families East, Block D, Stadia Technology Park, 60 Shirland Lane, Sheffield, S9 3SP, to be the Social Worker allocated to the care of my granddaughter Amelia-Rose Price, In approximately March 2016, I was made aware that Amelia-Rose had been taken from my daughter's and her boyfriend's care and was currently in the care of her paternal Aunt. I informed Laura Sharp of my intention to put myself myself forward to the court to become Amelia-Rose's full time carer should she not be allowed back into the care of her parents! My relationship with ********* had broken down due to various reasons and I felt that under the circumstances, I could not communicate with her nor S****t. I explained these circumstances to Laura and she told me that had informed her of various false facts about myself. My complaint is; Laura Sharp visited my home address where a meeting took place in front of my partner. Laura explained the situation regarding Amelia-Rose living with her Step-Aunt and that Laura will need to carry out a Viability Assessment on myself and my family. It was apparent to myself and my partner, listening to how Laura was verbally communicating with myself, that she had been manipulated by G******** & S***** to their own advantage. By this, I mean that, by manipulating Laura, Laura was led to a false sense of character of me and this showed in Laura's Viability Assessment where she has quoted many statements from G******** & S*****. I would like Social Services to answer the following; 1. How can Laura Sharp be manipulated in such a way by G******** & S*****? Even after Laura's own admission that G******** is very good at manipulating Authorities to her own advantage. 2. Why has Laura Sharp been allowed to write many quotes in the Viability Assessment when a) She did not approach me nor ask me if any of G******** & S***** comments was true, b) Laura was clearly manipulated 3. Why had Laura already made a prejudgement about myself before she had even had a meeting with me for the assessment? 4. Why has Laura's judgement about me stopped me from having contact with my granddaughter Amelia-Rose? Children need their grandparents 5. Has Laura in fact breached my and Amelias' Human Rights? I had a meeting with Mark Storf -Senior Fieldwork Manager, regarding my complaint.. At the start of the meeting I told him I would be recording the meeting to pass onto my solicitor I had previously been informed that as long as I had permission, then I have a right to record a meeting! Mark refused for me to do this and a few minutes into the meeting he openly admitted that due to the Social Services' error in not informing me of my right to appeal for parental responsibility of my granddaughter and the court case is now over, it's too late to appeal for supervised contact.. This now means ill never be able to see my granddaughter ..  I ask you with great desperation that as this is a massive error with massive consequences caused by not only the Social Services, but my GP too – that you allow me to have contact with my granddaughter.. I want to see my granddaughter, I need my granddaughter and she needs me. .. Please please please, allow Amelia-Rose to have a family history, a family who love her so much, a family torn apart by the loss of contact with her. There is a huge emptiness in our hearts, in our home and in our lives where Amelia-Rose should be. Please, for the sake of Amelia-Rose, please give us this chance and let us prove to you that we are not bad people. I have other young children in my home, which surely shows I am worthy to have children in my care. Yours Sincerely Caroline Elwood-Stokes