Off the top of my head (I'll try to find some links later) it would depend a lot on the age of the child, to what extend the child is affected by Downs Syndrome. Some people have severe learning difficulties and complex medical needs, while others are more stable health wise (comparatively) and live independently as adults. There's a huge spectrum
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Taking notes, thank you! As far as you know, would the assessment include supervised meetings with the child?
The child in question has learning difficulties that are not too severe - does well in school with a personalised programme and a support teacher, and is fairly independent - and is generally in good health, aside from hearing issues that require the use of a hearing aid. I assume that would make it marginally easier for her sister to have her custody.
I'm chiming in to agree with bookwormsarah. Friends of mine living in Devon had their daughter taken into care about four years ago, and while she has behavioural difficulties rather than Downs Syndrome, the steps taken were pretty much as bookwormsarah describes.
Um. She was taken into care as an emergency - so to start there was almost no assessment at all, which was scary for everyone. She was given over to her boyfriend's mother for a couple of weeks - the lady hadn't had checks run on her and certainly couldn't cope. After that, she was put into a temporary foster home, and proper assessments were made that went on for several weeks; I got the feeling that once it was determined the child did not want to go back to her parents, and she was at least in a place of safety, there was no real urgency. I'm guessing if anybody had been pushing for a faster outcome, then things would have moved more quickly, but it still would have been weeks rather than days.
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The child in question has learning difficulties that are not too severe - does well in school with a personalised programme and a support teacher, and is fairly independent - and is generally in good health, aside from hearing issues that require the use of a hearing aid. I assume that would make it marginally easier for her sister to have her custody.
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I'm chiming in to agree with bookwormsarah. Friends of mine living in Devon had their daughter taken into care about four years ago, and while she has behavioural difficulties rather than Downs Syndrome, the steps taken were pretty much as bookwormsarah describes.
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Um. She was taken into care as an emergency - so to start there was almost no assessment at all, which was scary for everyone. She was given over to her boyfriend's mother for a couple of weeks - the lady hadn't had checks run on her and certainly couldn't cope. After that, she was put into a temporary foster home, and proper assessments were made that went on for several weeks; I got the feeling that once it was determined the child did not want to go back to her parents, and she was at least in a place of safety, there was no real urgency. I'm guessing if anybody had been pushing for a faster outcome, then things would have moved more quickly, but it still would have been weeks rather than days.
Hope that helps a little!
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(Also, hope everything turned out well for the child!)
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