Check out some similar questions!

QLP · Oct 11, 2010, 07:50 AM

These people may be able to help if the voluntary agencies don't:

Children's Law Centre (Northern Ireland)

Third Floor
Philip House
123-137 York Street
Belfast
BT15 1AB
Tel: 028 9024 5704
Fax: 028 9024 5679

The Children's Law Centre helps young people and their parents. They can advise on laws that affect children and young people.

emul1 · Oct 11, 2010, 07:54 AM

I'll give it a go... I really appreciate your help QLP!

QLP · Oct 11, 2010, 08:16 AM

Will be going afk now, but in case you need more to be going on with:

You can also try the family rights group for information:
Family Rights Group :: FGC Projects

And if you are having trouble finding a solicitor the law society of Northern Ireland has a search function where you can put in 'family law children' and the location where you want to find a solicitor:

Find a Solicitor - Solicitors Directory

Good luck, will check back later to see if you got anywhere.

emul1 · Oct 11, 2010, 08:18 AM

Thanks QLP... Means a lot I prob won't be back on till tomorrow... thanks again!

emul1 · Oct 12, 2010, 05:20 AM

Tried contacting them... they didn't seem to be much help... seem to think I will have no choice but to let them assess us however advised to contact a solictor... :-S

QLP · Oct 12, 2010, 05:47 AM

Oh dear. Well I hope you find a helpful solicitor. If you have any fears about how social services will conduct the interview I would expect you could ask for your solicitor to be present. Of course that means another person present whilst your child is interviewed so it would be important to find a child-friendly one. It might reassure you that proceedings are conducted properly and would be an official witness should social services decide to take things any further.

It does seem to me that SS are being heavy handed here. Given that there is no evidence your child was really involved. My heart hopes that SS would have a quick gentle word, decide that there is no proof of the allegation, and quickly put things to rest. My head fears that it may not go that way, if SS are determined to look for problems. I would talk to that solicitor myself.

emul1 · Oct 12, 2010, 06:05 AM

I agree with everything that you said... I feel the same and I feel that this won't be easy as already I have been getting the impression from them that they think he is guilty. I myself probably did not make a good impression as when she made a comment about my child doing this I did not take kindly to her slandering him basically

excon · Oct 12, 2010, 06:23 AM

Originally Posted by emul1

I myself probably did not make a good impression as when she made a comment about my child doing this i did not take kindly to her slandering him basically

Hello again, e:

I'm still here... I think you should CONTINUE with that attitude. You're not going to change their minds by being conciliatory. In fact, I don't think you'll change their minds at all. We're ALL in agreement about one thing. They already have their minds made up.

So, while I don't think you should be aggressive with them, I certainly think you should play a solid DEFENSE. That would include OBJECTING when the questions were in an attempt to LEAD your son into admitting things... They're skilled at interviewing children. You need a person in the room equally SKILLED at defending your son...

excon

emul1 · Oct 12, 2010, 06:30 AM

Yeah see my problem is I know in my own heart and sole that he did not do this, it is completely out of his nature. He is a good child that works hard at school (to which the school have said also) however I feel that they will turn around questions and answers such as have you got any gf's or do you like anyone at school... plus for the fact that we do not know who is making this allegation. Therefore I'm wiery of what they could ask... I feel that they will ask questions to make it look like he has done something wrong... the big thing that gets me is that the child made the claim in June this year however could not remember who where and when it happen but all of a sudden in September my son's name was brought into it. The school have been keeping an eye and they themselves advised me that nothing was seen to happen at school and he is working hard. So to me it's all a bit fishy

emul1 · Oct 13, 2010, 10:36 AM

Update: Ive spoken with a solicitor and they advised to speak with them see what they have to say but they say social services (the cops) are making a mountain out of nothing... and that it has been completely blown out of proportion

excon · Oct 13, 2010, 11:07 AM

Originally Posted by emul1

that it has been completely blown out of proportion

Hello again, e:

It's unanimous, then. We ALL agree they're blowing it out of proportion... Nonetheless, and as strange as it seems, they ARE proceeding. Their proceedings must be defended against. You cannot let down your guard simply because the state is acting outlandishly.

Hopefully, your solicitor advised you to "see what they have to say", WITHOUT your child being present. Was your solicitor clear about what, if anything, you can DO, if you DON'T like "what they have to say"? What would that be? Certainly, if you DON'T have a right NOT to be interviewed, then there's NOTHING you can do.

If I understand the law correctly, instead of the solicitor advising YOU, he should BE AT the interview advising your SON, and protecting your sons rights. If that's not what he wants to do, keep on shopping.

excon