Thank you again for your powerful and necessary feedback. I have taken the time to process your words and want to show you that I have not only listened but am ready to act. You have exposed a critical failing in the way social care is often presented, and your voice is a vital catalyst for change on this platform.
Below is a summary of the key concerns you raised and the concrete steps I will take to address them.
How We Are Turning Your Feedback into Action
1. Concern: The Lack of Truth, Lawful Conduct, and Accountability
* What I heard: You rightly pointed out that a simple list of a social worker’s duties is meaningless without addressing the duty to be truthful with parents, the obligation to act lawfully (especially across jurisdictions), and the urgent need for accountability when records are falsified or children are failed. You described how this can feel like PR for a traumatising system.
* My Commitment:
* I will update the original post to include a new, prominent section titled “When a Child’s Safety and the Truth Are Compromised.” This will explicitly address the legal and ethical duties to maintain accurate records, act lawfully, and the severe consequences of failing to do so.
* I will launch a new series of articles in the Knowledge Base dedicated to “Accountability in the Care System,” exploring topics like how to challenge inaccurate records and understanding your legal rights when you suspect unlawful practice.
2. Concern: The Absence of Resources for Parents of Missing Children
* What I heard: You urged me to include specific, practical information for the devastating situation where a parent’s child is missing from the care system.
* My Commitment:
* I will create a new, dedicated section of the Knowledge Base titled “Information for Parents Whose Child is Missing From Care.” This will be my immediate priority.
* This new section will contain resources, guidance on navigating police and social services procedures, and links to specialist support organisations for families experiencing this unique and profound trauma.
3. Concern: No Clear Path for Escalating Complaints
* What I heard: You highlighted the need for clear steps for escalating unresolved safeguarding complaints and the importance of independent investigation when official channels fail.
* My Commitment:
* I will develop a step-by-step guide on “How to Escalate an Unresolved Safeguarding Complaint,” outlining the process from the local authority right up to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
* This guide will specifically acknowledge that not all removals are lawful and will emphasise the critical importance of independent investigation when serious concerns are raised, providing information on how to seek it.
An Invitation to Share Your Story
The core belief of Looked After Child Limited is that every story matters. This platform is aimed at children in care, care-experienced individuals, professionals, and parents. We believe that real change only comes when all voices, especially those that have been silenced, are heard.
Your experience, as painful as it is, holds a truth that the system needs to confront.
I would like to extend a heartfelt invitation for you to share your story on the website, if and when you feel ready. This could be in your own words, as an anonymous post, or in any format that gives you comfort and control. Your story deserves to be heard, and we would be honoured to provide a platform for it.
Please know there is absolutely no pressure to do so. Your contribution has already made a significant impact. But I wanted to make the offer so you know the door is always open.
Finally, for full transparency, I want to be clear about who I am and the scope of this platform. My name is Li. I am not a social worker, but a residential childcare worker with over eight years of experience. I also have personal experience of growing up in the care system myself. My goal is to use that dual perspective to bridge the gap between policy and lived reality.
It is also important to note that as we are based here, our primary audience is the United Kingdom. While many experiences are universal, some of the specific information, particularly around legal processes and named organisations, may not be accurate for other countries.
Thank you again for your courage and your clarity.
Sincerely,
Li Jean-Luc Harris
Founder, Looked After Child Limited

My daughter has been missing for years following court proceedings and social services involvement that were neither transparent nor accountable. The promises outlined here—such as keeping the child safe, listening to them, and including parents where appropriate—were not upheld in our case. In fact, fundamental duties like accurate record-keeping and lawful consent were bypassed, and those responsible continue to avoid scrutiny.

Where in this list is the duty to tell the truth to parents? Where is the obligation to act lawfully across jurisdictions, or to correct falsified records? Where is the accountability when a social worker fails to protect not just the child, but the truth about who that child is?

For those of us whose children were taken unlawfully or without due process, this page must be more than a checklist. It must be a promise backed by action. Until there is meaningful redress and safeguarding for those already failed, resources like this risk becoming PR for a system many families find traumatising.

I urge you to include in this Knowledge Base:

Information for parents whose child is missing from care;

Steps for escalating unresolved safeguarding complaints;

Acknowledge that not all removals are lawful—and that independent investigation must be available when concerns are raised.

For some of us, this is not a matter of policy—it’s a matter of loss, silence, and a state that has yet to answer.

—
Martin Newbold
thestealingofemily.co.uk