Police referred us to social services because I reported my neighbour for harassment

As you absolutely know what has been going on my life for the last few decades and that of my DC for the last few years you are clearly able to make a fully informed comment.

Some social services staff - I wouldn't call them professionals - are unable to do their jobs properly even when they have people within their departments who are willing and able to get them up to speed, and prefer to rely on ethnic/racial stereotypes that is until they are challenged. Once they are challenged they then lie until they resign and their bosses cover for them as it implicates on their department.

The neighbour will have a social services referral to deal with himself though as the police found and confiscated "a load of drugs" from the flat when it was searched on Saturday. They have a child who stays, but I don't think lives with them FT.

Not necessarily.

It depends how linked up/over burdened your local SS team are and what perception they have of your "delightful" neighbour.

Unless you are a private tenant I would still go ahead with reporting him to your landlord/freeholder for harassing your children especially if you can get a crime reference number.

But that’s a complete waste of resources, surely!

It isn't anything personal, its any time police are called to a house and there are children. I had this when my elderly neighbour had a heart attack and died right on my doorstep. Obviously police and ambulance turned up. I was told that they had notified SS but no action was needed. I was horrified at first, but they explained it was just a formality.

If they hadn't, and something was wrong they'd have been wrong to have not followed up.

Also, in DV situations it would give a victim an advantage in have the unexpected opportunity to speak out.

I'm sorry your past experience has caused you continued anxiety.

If it helps, I've had two calls from SS after taking DS to A&E with genuine, but unusual injuries. Try to see the positive.

Sorry still not seeing the link, neighbour threatens me. I call police, police then call SS to update them that I have an aggressive neighbour - what can SS do about my neighbour? Nothing, they have no powers to act at all. So what is the purpose in them being involved?

The link is as I said in my first post.

The OP reporting harrassment from a neighbour, which could be just that or could be other things.

It's not a singular crime like a burglary where there's a clear criminal and victim, it's a social complaint where there may be a crime being committed or may not and there can be complex reasons and some of them can include the alleged victim reporting may have difficulties and issues themselves, which may impact on the DC in the home.

If you've been on MN for a while you'll know there are numerous neighbour complaint posts where the OP may not be in the right but makes complaints about the neighbours doing normal things because they cause them stress, but also, sometimes posters don't see that their neighbours complaints about them are justified.

It only becomes a crime if threatening conduct or a pattern of conduct which could potentially amount to harrassment.

And is something that most Police forces encounter every single day. And most often, it isn't criminal but if DC are in the house, that means they are potentially being exposed to the neighbour dispute and there should be steps taken to at least check if everything is okay at home and if they're potentially suffering from it.

And if there are no other concerns then it will be closed. But if there are additional concerns, it could result in DC and families being given the support they need.

No I haven’t missed the point - the police don’t just randomly refer anyone in case they’ve been in contact with any of the services you refer to above - that would be like saying, the OP’s house was burgled, police better report to SS in case she’s ever been in contact with SS/school etc? There is no link.

You've missed the point - the Police don't know if there have been any previous concerns about the OP from CYPSS, the school, healthcare or elsewhere till they put in a referral to CYPSS.

But that wasn’t the case here was it - the OP reported the incident to the police, the police then reported that incident to SS, unless you are suggesting the police reported a different situation to SS?

It's not a waste of resources because it could be a case of child abuse including homes with DC where drug dealing is happening where the OP is attempting to deflect and get in first by complaining about the neighbours in case they've reported the family/house to Police or CYPSS.

" Next door said there's loads of noise and my kids are always crying and people coming in and out all hours? rubbish, he's a prick complaining about normal DC noise, i've already reported him for harrassing us"

Or it could be a Mum with MH problems who has a history of unfounded complaints against neighbours/the school/whoever; and needs help.

In this case, there were no other concerns about OP but the Police aren't to know that, so they put in a referral so CYPSS can check the family and see if here or have been other concerns or reports.

It's child safeguarding. Which most people seem to think is important till it applies to them.

I once called the police on an abusive partner. They came and he answered the door and said " ignore her she's drunk", I wasn't. I was stood at the top of the stairs, they could see me, and they walked away. I got another beating before they'd started the car.

but who are you distrustful of?
Doesn't sound like you trusted the neighbour anyway.
As others have explained the police probably didn't get any choice in submitting the referral and the idea (albeit it didn't happen) was to protect you and your kids rather than being a concern about you.

I can’t edit anymore it seems sorry (and didn’t actually find a previous thread), but just wished to apologise (without derailing the thread hopefully) @Lizzie67384 I think I may have misinterpreted your message, which seemed directed towards SS (which is my field in a general sense) investigation, while I responded to the police aspect - so overall yes I agree with your reply, I meant that given the context OP really shouldn’t see it as personal (as hard and understandable as it is given her past experiences) given that the police would definitely have been duty bound to report an issue with a clearly very suspected drug dealer involving her children (if I have understood the situation correctly in any case).
So, it’s definitely not a reason to lose trust this time, as evidenced by SS not furthering anything (they could try to help accommodation wise theoretically, but realistically it’s nowhere near any current threshold)
(And this is why I usually just read more than post while on sleep deprived mat leave !)

I wish you the best OP 💐

As they raided his flat, and yes as you mentioned they can’t investigate random people otherwise I agree, it doesn’t seem like he was a completely random unknown person - OP’s call might have been the opportunity to go ahead with it (the added aspect of harassment of neighbor’s children). But I don’t know at all, hence my recommendation for OP to just ask (through proper channels) for hopefully future peace of mind in general.

Edited to add : I’ve only just seen a mention of a past thread on this, so I may be completely beside the point on some aspects

But they have no investigating powers relating to random people - so what powers would they have to approach the neighbour?

It would likely have been because they clearly had quite some information on the neighbor, but not enough, and jumped on the opportunity to investigate him.

Given the context, they would reasonably definitely have to inform SS, although I agree with all PPs that it is in no way a reflection on you OP - and agree with the advice for going forward on trying not to let this incident color your (very understandable, although unfortunately you’re definitely far from the only one, so try not to see it personally - sometimes they get things right, sometimes they don’t) views on authorities.

In this case it seems they did do overall what they were supposed to (while I work in a related field, I couldn’t possibly comment on an individual situation that I don’t know the specifics of), and I would also second the advice of trying a free legal consult (and also data requests from your past experiences) to make sure you have all the facts, it might help reassure you. Aside from that, you’re entirely in your rights to ask the police ( just go for 101 rather than 999 though I would think, and just keep it to specifics re your neighbor’s home being raided right after your call basically) about how your privacy has been protected regarding your neighbor’s situation. (This is only my personal, not professional opinion though, I hope you get rid of your neighbor in any case !)

Yes, very strange! I had to take my son to a&e when he was 2 (he’s now 7) as he’d fallen and knocked his head - I was fully expecting a call from someone or a follow up but heard nothing.

It seems like a complete waste of resources for SS to be called in this case; there’s clearly absolutely nothing they could do - they woudnt have any powers at all relating to the neighbour and you’re not doing anything to your children so what could they say to you?

That makes a lot more sense than OP’s situation, what on earth can SS do, force OP to move? Nope. Force the neighbour to move? Nope. So what was the point of them being called, they literally can’t do anything about this situation.

I'd be interested to see if you get any further with the council/if they're any help OP

OP harassment by neighbour is something you could legal advice on how to deal with it. How to record harassment etc.