How to rebut things which Social Workers tell you

[colin_1703]

It would be really useful to have a list of Frequently asked Questions but listed as Common phrases used by Social Workers when they are "trying" to support relatives.

For example: a social worker trying to help my two co-dependent aunties would often quote
powers she had under the National Assistance Act of 1948.

For example 2 : Has your Auntie made a will ( this asked when she went in to hospital)

[Chris From The Gulag]

The hymn sheet variety ?

Simply say that this meeting will be recorded , and a friend has taken your pet rottweiler for a walk but is due back soon.

Strange how that hymn sheet soon disappears ?

15 love to you ....

It's often the case of those in some form of authority quote chapter and verse at you just as their sign of superiority ?

No easy answer to the hymn sheet variety , especially if whatever is being quoted is factually correct.

Perhaps one should treat such a meeting the same as " Helping with our enquiries " ... either plead the Fifth or have one's legal representative present ?

For most social workers , pleading the Fifth comes before the usual " Good mourning " greeting ... in case it's the afternoon ?

For any social worker , their first priority is to be employed and put food on the table. Their employer , usually a LA , also have a first priority ... to balance the books and to cut services accordingly.

Put the two priorities together and any bets that 2 + 2 doesn't equal 4 ?

Care Act ? What has that got to do with overriding priorities ?

And don't let anyone tell you any different , it's what in reality is happening for so many.

If they do , tell them to put their money on the table and you will then take legal action ... score so far ?

0-1.

As far as " Has auntie made her will ? " .... my immediate reaction would be what's the motive behind the question ?

Hardly a purely out of interest question ... is it ?

If nothing else , your average social worker is very good at fishing ... quite often , not for fish ?

Don't fall head , line and sinker for that one ... some of them out there would put the Gestapo to shame !

[bowlingbun]

My best tip would be to read the legislation if possible, but certainly read the authority's own plan for the client group.

To the best of my knowledge I've never asked anyone to do anything that they shouldn't be doing anyhow.

So, to give a silly example, if the learning difficulties plan said "clients must go to the pool every week" and my son hadn't been to the pool, that would be a clear breach of policy.

Before important meetings I download the relevant page or section, then highlight it. Social workers are not used to clients saying "Page 25, paragraph 2, line 5 says...." it immediately shows you mean business and will not be fobbed off. It's a much better line of attack that "I think" or "I say", because it's their own policy and they cannot argue with that!

[John_1407]

From minutes I've read, the most common tactic seems to be:

"Mr.Green claimed that he was being treated unfairly".
"The social-worker stated that this was not so".

We 'claim'. They 'state'.

Don't think that any of our meetings have been minuted in five years. Certainly I've not seen any, even for reviews.