Daughter fell and Social services now involved

[any009]

please help I’m so worried. My daughter fell off sofa last night while I turned my back for two seconds. She was perfectly fine after 2 minutes but I panicked about her going to sleep so I called 111 just to get some advice. They said everything sounds okay and she is aloud to go sleep but someone would ring me within two hours.

someone called within 30 mins to ask me to bring her in at 3:30am for a face to face appointment. I explained it’s not really necessary for me to wake her up in middle of the night and let her wait for ages in hospital when she’s fine. I asked if it’s ok for me to just take her to go they said it’s up to me.

so I woke up in the morning to call gp and while I was on the phone social services called me. I answered and she asked why I hadn’t taken her to hospital when it was advised but I said she was perfectly fine I just panicked and rang 111 for some advice. She said she is deeply concerned and I have to take her to doctors asap to make sure she’s okay I said I’m in the middle of that so that’s fine.

20 mins later social services are knocking at my door asking to assess my daughter. They checked her body for bruises marks or anything but she had nothing and was perfectly fine like I told them. I then went to the gp and the doctor ALSO said she is perfectly fine and he will put this in the notes.

social services called back to asked what doctor said I told them he said she is well and fine and they said okay will do another visit soon.

I’m so scared and worried my daughter is going to get taken off me I’ve been crying all day it’s all I can think about. Has anyone got any advice? Will they take this further?

Don't worry. It will work out just fine. They play better safe than sorry.

An excellent reason to avoid calling 111 unless someone is dying/ or is dead.
Before everyone jumps on me for this comment, I have dialed 111 previously and had first responders and an ambulance here within minutes. And it required an emergency admission via A&E and AICU

Many people get contacted by S&S when a child has been to A&E (or I suppose in your case referred to them). It doesn’t mean your child will be taken off you. It’s just part of a process.

You called for medical help, you were worried and the advice was that they wanted you to have your baby checked and you didn’t so that’s a red flag. How did you know she was fine? How old is she? it is protocol and they are just being cautious.

ss prob will speak to your gp and health visitor and likely if they are happy with how you parent they’ll drop the case but it’s better to cooperate and move on. No need to cry and why would they take her off you for no reason. Change on flat surface on the floor and don’t leave her on beds or the couch to prevent this happening again.

How old is your DD?

How old is she?

I’ve heard of this a few times when you don’t take them to a&E if 111 tell you to when they are young. There have been threads on here about it over the years.

I called 111 when dd was a 6 months and had croup, I just wanted a slot at children’s emergency care but they insisted on sending an ambulance, which was overkill as we were a ten min drive from hospital and ready to go. The woman on the phone said that if I refused an ambulance, she would have to report to SS, which was bizarre.

Try not to worry, I’m sure they’ll just check your dd again and then leave you alone. When they’re there try to stay calm, repeat that you panicked hence 111 call, you checked your dd was ok, you checked on her while she was sleeping. You could see no evidence of broken bones, head injury or distress in your child.

How old is your child? Any previous social services involvement?

Oh lovey, stop crying, they absolutely won't take her off you.

its a right of passage to roll off a bad or sofa!

They haven't got enough foster care for children they know are being abused, let alone a baby who has just rolled off the sofa!

it was all a huge misstep by someone. It'll all be ok.

i wouldn't be dragging a well child out in the middle of the night either

have a nice cup
of tea & try to relax. DD is fine @ all of this will be fine too xx

Have social services been involved before now?

Every child that goes to A&E with an unwitnessed accident is referred to the health visitor/SS to follow up. It's just routine, I wouldn't worry.

Not taking your child to A&E as advised is a red flag we had an ambulance forced on us once (or twice) waited 8 ish hours because my son had tonsillitis on a Friday instead of giving me an out of hours appointment (five minutes away) they demanded I wait for an "emergency" ambulance if it had been meningitis waiting that long for treatment could do major harm and a doctor (five minutes away) could have seen and triaged him faster we were threatened with all sorts if we didn't wait wouldn't even let us drive to A&E (30 minutes away) ridiculous computer says no organisation

I realize that felt over the top and as if you were being accused of neglect or abuse, but it is good that they followed up on it.
The most important thing is that your dc is ok.

Sorry all this happened, but try to view it like this - there will be another child whose life is saved by social services following up like this. They are literally just doing their job, trying not to let children down.

In all honesty how much social services will follow up depends how old your child is …

They also had to make sure that no-one was preventing you from taking her to get checked over.

Children have died in these circumstances. They did the right thing.

Anyway they will check with your doctor that you have been seen and nothing bad is suspected and not bother you again

I might have mentioned it before but I have a very clumsy child who was always (still always) getting sick especially on a Friday night he is a teenager now and nearly vomited tonight for no reason 😳 I've had the odd phone call but my Dr's smooth things over because there is nothing there to see

How old is your daughter? Obviously there is a difference between a 2-month old baby falling off the sofa and not being taken to A&E and a 2-year-old.

Your baby's age is relevant, op...
I'm flummoxed at your insistence that she didn't need to be woken for a face to face appointment, though.
How on earth do you know she's "fine"?! Let's hope she actually is.

Of course they're not going to take her away from you. I'm sorry you're anxious and glad your DC is okay. Try to let it go now. They're just being cautious.

It’s crazy isn’t it? When the ambulance delivered us to children’s A&E, the nurses were rolling their eyes and saying all sorts of negative things about 111. They could have just given us a slot, we could have been there in ten minutes, but instead we had to wait a hour and a half for an ambulance, taking it away from an actual emergency, just to go and get steroids for croup. Such a waste of resources.

This sounds very strange
Especially the speed of social services turning up.

Properly better off calling 999 in those circumstances...

Sadly the processes are in place because for every 20 innocent accidents/illnesses, there's one more sinister case of abuse. It's important that they check to see which it is.

They will be checking if you have any previous flags for abuse or crimes, and if not, they will likely close with no further action.

It must be worrying, but just keep reminding yourself it's to save the little child who is being abused, more than to harass caring parents.

She will not be taken away from you, it takes a lot more than this to remove a child from thier home.

But in future it's best to either not call 111 in the first place if you think she's fine, or call and follow the advice given.

Mine also rolled off a sofa x