It also shows that despite 81% of babies being referred to children’s social care during their mother’s pregnancy in many of the case files reviewed, the parents’ learning disabilities or difficulties were not identified until cases reached court.
Late identification of learning disabilities or difficulties is likely to severely impact parents and their children. It affects the support social workers and the local authority offers, as well as the court process – potentially having life-changing consequences.
During the pre-birth period, parents at risk of care proceedings should have the opportunity to access support services to help them learn or prove their parenting ability – and services offered by a local authority should be reasonably adjusted for people with disabilities in accordance with the Equality Act 2010. But if parents’ learning disabilities or difficulties are not identified, services are very unlikely to be tailored to their learning needs.
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