Is this actually a safeguarding issue ?

[Zaradelorio]

Just wondering about the reasoning behind this. I am a parent to child 1
Child 1 attends a primary and at one point there were issues (unfounded on investigation) that caused a ss referral

Child 2 joins and gets on well with child 1. Play dates etc all going ok.
Then it stops. The school had ‘advised’ the parents of child 2 to try to distance themselves and ‘discourage’ the friendship due to ‘previous safeguarding issues’ no more disclosed but it was justified in the basis of child 2 being adopted classes as ‘looked after’ so the school had a right to pass on this vague info under safeguarding ?

Seeing as the concerns were not found to be anything to actually worry about why should it then affect a child’s friendship ?

Sounds like school are keeping a watchful eye out considering the situation went far enough to get a referral to social services. Perhaps they think there's still issues that managed to scrape past whatever investigation happened?

It was totally unfounded and cleared up after one visit. We just feel that this is not fair to do this to a Child’s friendship when there were no issues and are no issues. I feel they overstepped the mark

Not meaning to sound blunt but having one issue dismissed doesn't mean you won't be on the schools radar as a family with issues. Perhaps child 2's history means it would be too much of a risk to that child to be socialising with a family that has such issues.

If everything truly was unfounded and there's no wrongdoing on your part then in your shoes I'd be getting legal advice.
Ss have deemed you are fit to retain custody of your child and that's as far as the school needs to be involved. They shouldn't be implying to other parents that there is something wrong with your family if that's not the case. Damaging friendships for your child is not good. And who is to stop that other parent from gossiping about you on the playground?
No, I'd want legal advice on this.

It’s just such a shame. I feel that it’s so unfair given the circumstances and I’m surprised it even met the threshold for a referral - we had one visit and the sw spoke to the gp wrote a report and it was all cleared up she even said the school could have resolved it themselves but as they’d had the referral they couldn’t leave it

The school advised the family, but it was child 2 parents who chose to stop the contact. You may feel it unfair, but it's their decision to stop the visits / play dates.

It was surrounding an issue with low attendance if that makes any difference , not anything more serious. We got referred as we didn’t supply a drs letter for one absence as per the agreement in the previous meeting but it was because the gp was charging £25 per letter then told us we couldn’t have an appt just to get a letter only if an appt was clinically indicated and as far as they were concerned it could be managed at home we didn’t need an appt just to verify So the school referred.

This was back in December. I’ve only just found out now from another parent what had been said. I’ve been able to tell my daughter obviously she can’t see anyone due to lockdown but when they go back to school I feel sad for her as this is the friend she misses most

This sounds odd. The only circs I can think of anything like that happening is if part of the concerns were due to Child 1 showing ‘inappropriate behaviours’ which could potentially put child 2 at risk.

Yes absolutely their decision. Just very sad it ruins a nice friendship ☹️ Nothing I can do but such a shame

A social services referral because an absence without a doctors letter? I'm guessing there's more of a backstory and that's what the school was warning the family about.

Surely the school breached child 1’s confidentiality in even referring to previous safeguarding issues to child 2’s family.

The sw said they had to look into it but they did query why didn’t the school speak to the dr as it could have been cleared up without their involvement.
No other problems. Just a sudden run of illnesses last year and lots of time off.
I wondered that but they didn’t specify anything and I wondered is it allowed due to looked after status that they can do that?
Just a shame

I don’t really understand. I can’t imagine why ordinary levels of low attendance would trigger social services referral. Educational welfare perhaps, but SS sounds strange. Why don’t you confront the school and ask if they said this and if so why they think have disclosed private information legally...

Have you got letters / reports showing this ?? If so I'd be showing the other parent..........I also think the school massively overstepped the mark

Data commissioner may be able to advise

There’s clearly more to these concerns than you are telling us. A school would not refer a child to children’s social care because they missed school without a doctors note. If the school have concerns about the adopted child mixing with yours, then they have a duty to share that information. There must have been considerable absences for the school to hold a meeting in the first place.

Yes we had 2 meeting with ESW in the March then the July and we had an agreement about drs letters
Then it was End October we couldn’t get one for one absence which broke the agreement and caused the referral. That’s been the only issue we’ve ever had with the school

It is becoming more common for schools to threaten safeguarding and social services to families with low attendance even when there is a medical reason. I help out on a support group for these issues.
OP you need to to a sars request to school for all information on your child and members of your family. If necessary do them for G.P and local authorities too.
After you have this information consider making a complaint. Go through the school complaints process all the way up and above if necessary.
Lots of solicitors give 30 mins initial free legal advice too if needed.

This was back in December. I’ve only just found out now from another parent what had been said.

It seems odd that the parent has now suddenly decided to reveal this information 5 months after it happened. Why now?

Also do they have proof this came directly from school, or could they have potentially have heard it through parent gossip?

Yes there were lots of absences all due to illness it was sheer bad luck one thing after another. Absolutely no previous issues, nothing more than that and nothing after as things improved mid jan and had been no time off till obviously school shut!

They had chatted to another parent who told me
All play invites had been declined suddenly from mid dec I thought something was wrong but wasn’t sure what and my dd said at school they had moved the places around and she was sad not to be on the same table anymore and they’d only moved her

I was surprised they referred tbh. But pleased after as the sw cleared it up quick
This issue is just niggling me though As feel sad for my dd

@Foobydoo I hadn’t ever realised it was something they could refer for I thought was only serious matters. It did seem over the top

They had chatted to another parent who told me

So it's all hear say, she said, he said? Is there actually any proof the school told them this?

I am deputy safeguarding lead in my school and am astonished that Family 2 were told anything whatsoever about Child 1.
Even if Child 1 was displaying inappropriate behaviour, to have "warned off" Child 2's family is so far from the "rulebook" of what should happen as to be almost unbelievable. If you are 100% sure the school are responsible for this, and it's not just family 2 finding an excuse, then I'd be seeking legal advice immediately, asking (in writing) for a meeting, and copying in governors and LEA.