Dear Forum..Social Worker Questioning Sexuality

[Dear Forum...]

A girl has a social worker. She is 13 but a very young, rather immature 13.

 

Recently the social worker asked to have a private word with the girl.

 

Whilst having this private word she asked her "What is your sexuality? Are you gay, straight or Bisexual?

 

This freaked the girl out who confided in her grandmother.

 

To me this is a very odd thing to ask an immature under age girl. Why would a question like this even be relevant? Is this a normal question?

 

I am not sure if this is relevant but the Social worker has on multiple occasions told this girl that she (the social worker) is gay herself. The girl never asked the social workers sexuality, she just seemed to freely give out this information, for what reason I do not know.

 

Can anyone shed any light as to weather this is a typical question?

 

Thank you.

[Mister M]

Maybe if the social worker had an inkling that her client was gay, and to encourage her to open up disclosed her own sexuality, then perhaps dropping it into the conversation would feel okay.

However doing so on repeated occasions, and in the way that you've described, doesn't sound very professional to me.

Given that you have knowledge of this girl's situation, you could get the name of the social worker, and request that she gets transferred to another social worker.

[wornout53]

This rings alarm bells. If the child was made uncomfortable and worried by this then I would contact a senior social worker asap.

[El Cid]

There is more of it about these days, sounds normal to me.

[Ridgewalk]

Who is the “ social worker” employed by ? Why does the child have a “ social worker” ? What is the context of the professional contact between the child and the Social Worker ? Aren’t all thirteen year olds “immature” ?

 

Don’t jump to judgement one way or another, a couple of replies on here are very reactive and presumptious

 

I think a thirteen year old would not be considered as having “ capacity” to understand everything that is going on by virtue of age therefore a responsible adult would need to ask any questions .

 

Could a responsible adult make a Safeguarding enquiry ? There will be a telephone number available at Sheffield Social Services staffed by a Duty Officer who should be able to address concerns

[hackey lad]

Who is the “ social worker” employed by ? Why does the child have a “ social worker” ? What is the context of the professional contact between the child and the Social Worker ? Aren’t all thirteen year olds “immature” ?

 

Don’t jump to judgement one way or another, a couple of replies on here are very reactive and presumptious

 

I think a thirteen year old would not be considered as having “ capacity” to understand everything that is going on by virtue of age therefore a responsible adult would need to ask any questions .

 

Could a responsible adult make a Safeguarding enquiry ? There will be a telephone number available at Sheffield Social Services staffed by a Duty Officer who should be able to address concerns

 

All 13 year olds are immature ,yes but there can be a massive difference . When my daughter was 14 ,she was very quiet but some girls in her class were sexually precocious

[Ridgewalk]

All 13 year olds are immature ,yes but there can be a massive difference . When my daughter was 14 ,she was very quiet but some girls in her class were sexually precocious

 

 

This child is thirteen and will be considered as lacking capacity in certain areas.

[hackey lad]

This child is thirteen and will be considered as lacking capacity in certain areas.

 

Sorry , 13 or 14 ,not a massive difference . Maybe the child in question was 13 and 10 months

[ratter71]

Who is the “ social worker” employed by ? Why does the child have a “ social worker” ? What is the context of the professional contact between the child and the Social Worker ? Aren’t all thirteen year olds “immature” ?

 

Don’t jump to judgement one way or another, a couple of replies on here are very reactive and presumptious

 

I think a thirteen year old would not be considered as having “ capacity” to understand everything that is going on by virtue of age therefore a responsible adult would need to ask any questions .

 

Could a responsible adult make a Safeguarding enquiry ? There will be a telephone number available at Sheffield Social Services staffed by a Duty Officer who should be able to address concerns

 

In this case I would read the term "immature" as relative, ie comparative to her peers.

 

Capacity and consent arent exclusively a parental issue in minors, see "Gillick competent"

[Penistone999]

Sounds like standard political correctness from the Diversity obsessed public sector departments we all have to suffer this day and age.