Children’s services contacted me today

[Caramelbiscuit]

Just wondering about this.

My eight month old was injured at the weekend 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!

It is standard procedure. Every time a child or young person attends A&E, a copy of the details inc. reason for visit, how many times visited before etc etc. is forwarded to the HV office (or school nurses if over 5). This is for any reason at all, not just injuries.

In my area, these are checked once a week during an allocation and any injuries that aren’t “typical” are followed up, or if a child has attended multiple times for instance.

Fevers, head bump in a 3yr old, sickness etc are usually just filed. It is a bit unusual the SS called without you being warned of this though but I assume that’s just poor communication.

Oh I remember when DS1 banged his head on a skirting board age 2..the people in A&E filled out some sort of form that scared the crap out of me..I felt awful at the time but nothing came of it, just HV visit

We've never ever had this, and we've been to A and E multiple times with babies and young kids over the years, most recently for a head gluing. I think it depends on how on the ball your health visiting team is.

@Nargunandthestars

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.

A spiral fracture isn’t always non-accidental, but should be investigated because so many are.

I had a phone call from our HV after some of our hospital visits. Just procedure. Hope LO is okay now.

@ThirdElephant

We've never ever had this, and we've been to A and E multiple times with babies and young kids over the years, most recently for a head gluing. I think it depends on how on the ball your health visiting team is.

Mine thought there was something odd about a child who could run into the side of a radiator head on to be fair we thought it was strange too but it happened at the nursery so it was documented as not being our "fault" plus the nursery was in one area and we visited the hospital in another (right by our family) geographically it made sense minor injuries less than ten miles away rather than a walk in 30 miles away but we technically crossed districts so it raised a few red flags plus no one actually could work out how he did it he ran full force (and face first) into a radiator bolted to the wall the nursery nurse was like who the HELL does THAT?

Allow me to introduce my son the master of destruction

megan2018 youre probably right, resources will probably have a huge part to play in this. I think its great they call to follow up and check everything is okay, its a shame it isn't across the country!

My health visitor rang after DS was admitted with HFM, obviously no worries about abuse with that illness, they're just checking everything is ok.

It can take years to establish that a DC has multiple injuries from a parent or carer. It's just screening really. If the explanation is logical and obviously an accident then no problem.

Both of my children have been to A&E countless times and we've never had anyone follow up. I figure the NHS think they see enough of us as it is 😁

@GoodnightGrandma

Have you had previous incidents like it ? They don’t normally make contact after one visit unless there’s reason to.

Wrong

Any child injured at home does get referred to CS, sometimes it’s followed up, sometimes not.

I half expected a call last week (wouldn't worry if they did as I know it's protocol) My 3 Yr old fell and hit the furniture and split head open last week. 2nd head injury! first was spinning round in circles lost balance and fell onto a brick fireplace that had a Yankee candle on. Broke the glass of it. The bump came immediately and was huge no cut though amazingly. That was at a relatives house.
She's also been 3 times for limping and not weight bearing. No injury just suddenly leg gave way then can't walk for a few hours and screaming.
She's very accident prone. She injured herself at a play park today and at a theme park yesterday. Bull in a China shop!

I think it's a good thing they call and check as hopefully it picks up on anyone that hasn't had a genuine accident :/

DS had an unexplained bruise as a small baby which I noticed when he was having his baby vaccinations. The HV doing his jabs said she had to report it so we went to the children's ward and saw a social worker. Had a quick chat with her and that was it, they can tell very quickly who is of concern and who isn't (I have multiple family members who work in child protection roles, I may have mentioned this when talking to the social worker ).

I once had to take my child into hospital as she had what looked like a bruise near to her vulva. I was beside myself with worry and obviously your mind races to the worst possible scenario. The doctors were so secretive about the need to phone children's services. They kept implying a concern but never actually came out and had a straight discussion with me. Eventually I said to them that part of me bringing her to hospital was because if there was anything to be concerned about I would want them involved so could they please just hurry up and contact them so if something has happened untoward, at least it can be investigated. That totally threw them, but I had nothing to hide.

It turned out to be a skin infection and wasn't a bruise at all.

@Theunamedcat

Sounds like my 'little' brother, no so little now and still some how alive at 55!! He had no fear and TWICE split his lip by jumping off the window sill to the coffee table, missing and hitting his lip on it. I wold be walking into the kitchen and mum would say "your brother is being very quiet", cue - he would come out the living room, blood gushing away!

What really upset her was being questioned by the school about my other brother who had injured himsef AT SCHOOL. He somehow ran into the water fountain (one you drink out of).

@JaninaDuszejko

DS had an unexplained bruise as a small baby which I noticed when he was having his baby vaccinations. The HV doing his jabs said she had to report it so we went to the children's ward and saw a social worker. Had a quick chat with her and that was it, they can tell very quickly who is of concern and who isn't (I have multiple family members who work in child protection roles, I may have mentioned this when talking to the social worker ).

Sorry but I disagree. It's not easy to tell very quickly who is of concern and who isn't. And having family members who work for social services means nothing!

@JaninaDuszejko

DS had an unexplained bruise as a small baby which I noticed when he was having his baby vaccinations. The HV doing his jabs said she had to report it so we went to the children's ward and saw a social worker. Had a quick chat with her and that was it, they can tell very quickly who is of concern and who isn't (I have multiple family members who work in child protection roles, I may have mentioned this when talking to the social worker ).

Sorry but your last sentence is ridiculous.

Are you saying that you managed to persuade the social worker that because you knew people who worked in child protection roles, you suddenly weren't a concern.

@JaninaDuszejko

DS had an unexplained bruise as a small baby which I noticed when he was having his baby vaccinations. The HV doing his jabs said she had to report it so we went to the children's ward and saw a social worker. Had a quick chat with her and that was it, they can tell very quickly who is of concern and who isn't (I have multiple family members who work in child protection roles, I may have mentioned this when talking to the social worker ).

Protocol should be the same for everyone. There is no set profile of who is capable of being an abuser

My ds was badly burnt a few years ago, we were told it was protocol to refer all child accidents in the home

I was contacted by the hospital’s local child services but as we’d been transferred to that hospital because of the severity of ds injuries it turned out we were out of their area. They referred us to the local service in our area but that was the last I heard.

I completely understand and support this referral protocol.

My little one had an accident at nursery (broken bone). I was quite glad I had the accident report when I went to a&e as it meant they didn’t have to do as much of the questioning. The nursery had to do a lot of reporting for ofsted though.