I honestly feel that given the known heath condition of the father the social worker should have raised the alarm right then and there when nobody answered on the visit. If anything, at least then the second alarm raise might have got a quicker response from the police and I do wonder what exactly was said when they called the police - for example did they tell the police about his health and the fact it had seemed to be worsening or was it only a basic outline.Poor Bronson's story is heartbreaking. I hope that he didn't suffer too much.
If anyone is to blame then on the facts available it feels more like the police than social worker tbh, in any instances where I know people have requested a welfare check, the police would normally attend that day/ the next day, not 5 days later. I guess the police considered it a low priority, that it was more like the parent trying to evade a SW visit than anything more sinister. However if the SW had made them aware of his health conditions (assuming they knew) then you'd have expected it to be taken seriously.
However also what was the situation when the SW attended on Jan 2? Did they just knock the door once, get no answer and leave? Could they hear anything from inside the property like Bronson crying, or other noise that suggested occupancy? (as if so I'd say police should have been called then). Also as above presumably the SW would have been aware of the dad's very poor health and potential for him to have been taken ill? (although as has been said, if his health was that bad should he have had sole care of a toddler anyway?)
Nothing changes the outcome for that little boy though
I think SS failed on this one, it shouldn’t have taken so long for something to be done, and the fact the family also failed doesn’t negate that. Especially if the reason the mother wasn’t allowed near/to contact was because SS had advised that.
