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Original poster

Children’s services contacted me today

70 replies

Caramelbiscuit · 26/08/2021 19:39

Just wondering about this.

My eight month old was injured at the weekend Sad thankfully is fine. Took him to hospital and all was fine.

My HV rang me on Monday. I hadn’t called her so I presume the hospital did.

Children’s services called me today. I know this must have been procedure but I’m wondering which - I don’t have any issue with it by the way, I’m just curious!

OP posts:
Megan2018 · 26/08/2021 20:58

We had contact from HV and Children’s services twice. Both were off the back of precautionary visits to a&e for minor accidents- it’s routine here. I’m glad they check up, both times were just phone calls.

Megan2018 · 26/08/2021 20:59

@ChuckMater

I've never been contacted afterwards the multiple times I took ds1 to hospital but thinking back maybe its because I always ring 111 first (that way I get an appointment time for ooh rather than having to wait in hospital) I've always expected a phonecall after but never recieved one.. strange
We have had them after 111 calls with a&e visits. It’s probably just a question of resources varying across the county.
cookingisoverrated · 26/08/2021 21:01

My three have had many trips to A&E and we've never had a call. Seems rather random...

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Original poster
Caramelbiscuit · 26/08/2021 21:08

It depends why, and the ages I would think. So going to A and E for a high temp is different to going because of an injury.

OP posts:
woodfort · 26/08/2021 21:13

We’ve recently had to go for my youngest due to an accident. Various doctors kept saying “can you remind me how this happened?” so I am expecting a call at some point …

GreenTortoise · 26/08/2021 21:13

@Caramelbiscuit

It depends why, and the ages I would think. So going to A and E for a high temp is different to going because of an injury.
It is exactly that. When I asked why she called as I was curious she said because it's listed as a head injury and my DS's young age. He was 3 months so wasn't going to get a head Injury on his own as a non mobile infant.

The phone all lasted about 2 minutes.

tillytoodles1 · 26/08/2021 21:24

I had a visit after my son fell off a seesaw and broke his wrist. I started to tell her what he'd done and she said it a rude tone " I was asking him". Nothing ever came of it so I presumed she was satisfied.

Dancetherain · 26/08/2021 21:24

Many years ago I had this with ds2. He had a couple of visits to A and E when he was 4. Unfortunately when they rang to ask how he was and see if everything was OK at home he had fallen down the stairs about 10 mins earlier! When i answered the phone and she asked how he was I was I went 'how did you know?'.

Nothing came of it although I was beginning to worry that I couldn't keep him safe! He's Still accident prone but has somehow survived to almost 16 Smile

Dancetherain · 26/08/2021 21:26

Aright she phoned to ask how HE was not I (although I was somewhat stressed)!

Crunchymum · 26/08/2021 21:28

Do what did HV and Child Services say @Caramelbiscuit

Crunchymum · 26/08/2021 21:28
  • So
WaterIsBest · 26/08/2021 21:29

Pretty standard stuff

Generalpost · 26/08/2021 21:31

It's normal. Don't worry about it I hope your ds is OK now

Original poster
Caramelbiscuit · 26/08/2021 21:32

They just asked how he was and how I was, we had a little chat. They were lovely, I’m not worried - just wondered how the procedure generally went.

OP posts:
Woolver23 · 26/08/2021 22:06

I had this once, years ago when 18 month old DD hit her head and I took her to A&E.
Four hours later, we still hadn't been seen, she was tired and hungry but still charging around like a crazy thing... and I took her home. I had to sign something to say I was discharging her against medical advice - and the next day we got a call from the HV wanting to know what had happened. So Jay must have been the hospital who had let the HV know.

PumpkinKlNG · 26/08/2021 22:09

Happened to me when my son got burned by a tea when my mum was looking after him, ss got involved because we had “visited hospital too much” they were including the times I had to go to the hospital to get the dressing changed 😑

TuesdayRuby · 26/08/2021 22:10

I had this after then 2 year old DD found something toxic at home and licked it so we took her to A&E for a check up. I think it’s just routine - any child with an injury or issue from home is followed up by the HV.

Jellycatspyjamas · 26/08/2021 22:11

An depending on the type of injury, injury to an immobile baby will generally mean the hospital contacting social services and your health visitor. It’ll be done either a vulnerable persons report or child in need processes, either of which can progress to a child protection investigation if there’s a sense of anything untoward (eg if the injury is inconsistent with what the parent said happened). It’s part of wider safeguarding procedures to identify where families might need early help and support.

TuesdayRuby · 26/08/2021 22:12

Oh yes but nothing after a few visits with DD and DS for temperatures. They must see so many toddlers with viral infections!

dryasaboner · 26/08/2021 22:14

There is a policy for things to follow up- depends on ages and what the issue is- obvs falls/head injuries in non mobile babies as well as burns etc, ingestion. As a HV I was most mortified how my toddler child had so many accidents which needed a trip to A and E

Nargunandthestars · 26/08/2021 22:16

Potentially non accidental injuries in immobile and young children should now always be reported to Children’s services as there have several serious case reviews where carers have attended multiple hospitals and a pattern of harm not established. A one off incident isn’t going to flag any huge concern, unless it’s something blatantly non accidental like a spiral fracture, but several reports of potential NAI will, and the only way Children’s Services can know is if health services make them aware.

Secretescape · 26/08/2021 22:23

I felt sorry for the HV who rang me the day my dd was discharged from hospital due to an infection after an operation.
The only info she had was that we’d been to a and e and she wanted to know what had happened presumably expecting a tale of a fall etc.
I know it wasn’t her fault but I was livid that this was felt necessary as a follow up when we’d literally spent the whole of the previous week in the hospital having been admitted via a and e! It really didn’t help that her twin brother had that morning come out in chicken pox!
I told her that unless her phone call was offering to come round and look after them both I really didn’t see how it was at all helpful (as they both wailed in the background!)

catlovingbeth · 26/08/2021 22:31

I had a visit from a HV the day after my 18 mo had to go to A&E with a high temp. It was an in-person visit during lockdown so I assume it is standard procedure!

CheersToTheWe3kend · 26/08/2021 22:41

They tend to say 'if they're not cruising, they shouldn't be bruising' so it would trigger a conversation with HV as he's so young. Unsure as to what other procedure would be followed

MargaretThursday · 26/08/2021 22:44

@Theunamedcat

Embarrassing phone calls with my HV she called to see how ds was i said oh is this about the bang on his head or the lump on his foot? There was a pause where she said um neither actually let's just rewind and I will tell you why I'm calling then we can discuss the "other stuff" there was literally a good explanation for each of his issues they just all happened within two weeks so children's services asked her to call and check all was well

You get used to it with a clumsy child and learn to catch fast

Friend's husband took a call from the HV. "Can I speak to Mrs X about the hospital visits for her dc?" He said "no she's out. She's at the hospital with dc who's just banged their head..." Apparently there was a very long silence, so he said "bye then," and put the phone down. He didn't twig that wasn't perhaps the best thing to do.

Tbf they had been to the hospital with head injuries three times in as many weeks. Which was a mixture of being over cautious mum and adventurous child.