Wwyd

From experience in my workplace (Children's Services) the quickest way to get anything done is to involve your local Councillor or MP.

You may not necessarily get the response you want, but you'll get it fast.

I was in the same position, gd came to live with us age 7 and stayed then until gone 11. She was hyper active and wanted to do everything at 100 miles an hour even when she broke her leg and had a wheel chair for a bit she would race away in it as she was going to enter the London marathon and needed to train! I believe that your gd is just worried sick about the move back home. Be hard with SS they have a duty of care to both of you and the threat of a formal complaint works wonders. In my experience i found SS as good as a chocolate fireguard. Good luck

As a social worker is already involved have you asked if a taxi could do the school run? Taxis are used a lot so not an unusual request.

our nearly 8 year old had a bad time last year and part of this when her and her mum moved out of other granny's into their own flat.She changed froma happy smiley wee girl to cheeky ,not sleeping ,clingy.So when her dad also got his own place we decided she 'll still be half the week with us ...well as she says its her home she's been with us(and dad) since she was just over a year old .We'll take it slowly ,she has the odd night at dads and he takes her to school but she's happier to go visit him and come back to us and thats fine for as long as SHE wants

Your DGD says that she wants to live with her mum just as a homeless person says they want to have their own home but she, like them, may have no real idea of what that will be like or how to behave when it happens.

She must be aware that her mum was not able / suitable to look after her up to now and is probably anxious about whether things will be okay. She probably can't express her feelings about this, whether to you or to herself.

Does she know that you will always be available to her and that she can always talk to you about anything?

Would it be possible to give the child more say in her living arrangements?
You say she will live with her mum full time after the school holidays. Would it be possible for her to have the choice on whether to do that? Or whether to start by staying part of the week with mum and part with you?
I feel that your DGD is reacting to having confused emotions about a situation where she has no control.

It's so sad and frustrating when the team manager, after four years, says decision making for your granddaughter has 'drifted'. It certainly has. You all need proper practical and emotional support and it sounds as though there isn't a proper plan in place to make sure that happens.
The referral to camhs may help and it's usual for the child's main carer to go the the first appointment. That first appointment is where the camhs worker takes a full history after which, the appropriate help should follow. I hope I'm wrong but sometimes, involving more people makes thing more, not less stressful for the main carer.
Is there an independent reviewing officer? If there is, you'll have met them at the Reviews. There should also be a Review to help plan the return to mum. It may help if you phone the team manager and the IRO and explain how difficult things are. Your granddaughter is acting out because her emotions are too hard to handle. I do hope you get a positive response. Without grans like you, the whole system would grind to a halt.

Could I ask why she is living with you and not her mum (I fully understand if you cannot say), I am just pondering whether it might explain some of her behaviour in the time running up to her return to living with mum.

Some excellent advice above from others, but oh how I can empathise with this little girl, even after 60+ years! I lived with an aunt for approximately 4 years because my mother was sick after the birth of my younger sister and she was never really well again. Returning home was very traumatic for me. I just didn't fit in between an older sister and a sickly younger sister. When I discussed it with my father years later, he said he hadn't realised I'd been away for so long. It shaped all my family relationships. My bonding had been with the mother figure and I was torn away from her. When I think of those childhood years, it is of her cottage and the things we did together. I think what eased it was spending some weekends and holidays with her. Perhaps you can talk about that as FarNorth suggests?

It must be very emotional for you all, so please take good care of this fragile little girl and her granny too.