VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

Child protection - legal, ethical and practice issues. A case study

Episode - After the visit

Notes


Sam: I'm sorry to keep you waiting, Michael. [sound of door shutting] You'll never believe it. Just as you and Gina left to interview Sharon Donnelly, Sheila called to say that her doctor had sent her off for the next two weeks. I've had to cancel all of our appointments; there has been no time to do any of the usual inquiries. Anyway, how did you get on?
Michael: Gina says she's sorry she couldn't wait; she had to go and see that toddler in the nursery. Anyway, we were just saying it's been a while since we've met someone quite as angry and hostile. Wow.
Sam: Yeah well, these investigations are never easy, but this one was particularly difficult then?
Michael: On a scale of one to ten, I would say about twelve!

I don't think either of us expected to find her in, so no surprises when there was no answer at the door. But, you know how you sometimes get that feeling when you know that someone's in, even though there's no real noise? And sure enough, just as we were going down the stairs, she opened the door a crack.

Right from the start she was pretty aggressive, saying that we had no right to harass her. I suggested it might be better that we'd talk inside the flat rather than the close, and after a bit of "to-ing and fro-ing" she eventually let us in. Told us we had to be fast, as we had no right to be there, that she had done nothing wrong.
Sam: Hmm, yeah. You can't really blame her, but we've got a job to do, and we've got to follow up these allegations. So, what happened when you got inside?
Michael: The flat was a total bomb site. Not so much dirty, though pretty grubby. A total cowp. Dirty dishes everywhere, two vodka bottles lying on the floor, dirty clothes, used nappies, filled ashtrays, the smell of old hash. I must have looked a bit taken aback, because she started screaming, who do we think we are, poking our noses in? I fear a bit of the usual abuse.
Sam: And what did you tell her about why you had come 'round?
Michael: Well, the usual really: what we'd been told, the fact that it was anonymous -- and that really got her going. She started poking me in the chest and screeching: "And you believe that bastard, my ex, before you even talk to me?"

It took a bit of time, but Gina eventually calmed her down, saying that we had to take the allegations seriously, but that we believe nothing, and we had to talk to her to get her side of the story.
Sam: Was there any sign of the children?
Michael: Every time an investigation like this happens, it's easy to get caught up in the adults' world. Anyhow, I noticed that Gina was trying to get my attention, making it clear with her eyes that she could hear noises in the bedroom. I asked if I could only speak to the children, and nodded in the direction of the bedroom door.

Sharon stepped in front of me, saying we had no right to do that. And she looked really angry. Gina gently tried to point out that we just wanted to make sure that the children were safe, but she was having none of it. She started screaming at us to get out of the flat.
Sam: Hmm. And that's how things were left? You couldn't see the kids?
Michael: Well, we had to leave, didn't have an option, really. But before we left, I told her that we couldn't leave things like that, that we hadn't had a chance to talk to her properly, or the kids. [sigh] That just made it worse.
Sam: OK, let me sum things up then, but stop me if I've got it wrong.

We've got an anonymous call about a family, alleging the mother has got a serious drug problem. Also alleging that she's a prostitute, leaves the children alone, and also that the children are seriously neglected, and may be at risk of worse.

The family, they're known to us, we've had the plaintiff contact in the past, but nothing for quite a while. The two of you visit to follow up the allegations, and you are prevented from seeing the children by their mother. She's angry, abusive, and uncooperative. There are indications of drinking and possibly drug misuse. The house is a mess, bordering on unhygienic.

She ends the interview by telling you... Or she tells you to leave. [beeping sounds] Oh, I'm surprised we've got as long as a few uninterrupted minutes; that's the summons I've been waiting for.

Listen, Michael, you've been through these things before, you know the score. Can you make the usual inquiries, and we'll meet back here in what, about an hour, and we'll decide on our next move. OK?

[Michael walks out of the room, sound of door closing]