to be furious at Social Worker disclosing to my neighbour that I reported safety concerns about her?

[ChickenVindaloo]

You may have read my thread about being concerned for my elderly neighbour (early 90s, frequently falling, failing to wear emergency buzzer, screaming and crying in distress at all hours). The unanimous verdict was yes, report it to SW dept. I did so.

Today I got a missed call and a ranting text from my neighbour's daughter about "how dare I" report her/her mother? I was at work and could do nothing. I was scared they would be battering my door down or goodness knows what.

I phoned SW dept. They admitted they revealed my name and the full details of my concerns. They suggested I email complaints@(sw depts) about the breach of confidentiality/data protection.

AIBU to be furious and think they are not taking any of this seriously and should I report to information commissioner/press?

I am home now and all is quiet so far...I live alone.

Thanks.

I'm not going to go to the press. Thank you for advising me in that regard.

I'm minded to still report to the information commissioner though, so someone independent can look at this.

I'm a social worker op. We do get taught about confidentiality and we have regular training on the issue. However mistakes are made, clearly in this jnstance the social worker fucked up. She will get a bollocking from her manager I can assure you but only if you actually follow complaints procedure...

Social services are regulated by independent bodies already such as Ofsted and The HCPC they are not regulated by the local press who has no clue what the average social worker does in their day to day life nor is aware of policy and procedure.

Well people need to know then, that what they say and their identity is going to be revealed. They may then decide not to bother making a report to SW.

tbh the Fail are probably already reading this and drafting the -clickbait- article about incompetent public sector workers getting paid to ruin people's lives.

I suspect the IC will tell you that you need to follow the social services' complaints procedure first. This is what happens in our area. But YANBU, of course.

I am sorry but going to the press before you have even attempted to complain is ridiculous.

You want to be left alone, do you imagine you will be left alone of the neighbour and her daughter end up in the papers?

This is awful. I suspect you will have to follow the formal complaints procedure but I would certainly contact the information commissioner and keep/forward the threatening text to the commissioner as well

I hope this sorts the problem out in the long term, agree that the daughter is probably frustrated about it and taking it out on the wrong person.

If the social worker wasn't told that the OP wanted to remain anonymous then they haven't personally made an error.

It's completely standard and normal in adult services to tell a person who has referred them to social services unless there is a very good reason not to. Usually that is explained in the initial phone call. If it wasn't that is where the OP has a right to complain.

To be fair, people have a right to know who their accusers are. How would you like it if "someone" living nearby complained about you? If you're not confident to argue the case out with the person you are accusing, keep your mouth shut.

Anonymity encourages people to come forward. Unfortunately they come forward with lies as well as facts. Knowing who your accuser is is a basic legal right. Even in rape cases, where the accuser is anonymous in the eyes of the law, the person they are accusing has a right to know who they are. How else can they defend themselves?

SW dept haven't spoken to the elderly neighbour (her dementia is too far gone for this to be appropriate). They spoke to the daughter.

I reported my concern online. Although I've lived next to this woman for 10years, they didn't even bother to phone me first to discuss the information I'd given them or the procedures before phoning the daughter and telling her about me and what I'd said. I was blind-sided by the daughter therefore. Had no idea she knew.

There should at least be a button which you can click to remain anonymous! Or a warning or a courtesy call.

To be fair, people have a right to know who their accusers are. How would you like it if "someone" living nearby complained about you? If you're not confident to argue the case out with the person you are accusing, keep your mouth shut.

Don't be so ridiculous. Who's accusing anyone of anything in this case? Have you read anything on the thread at all?

I wasn't complaining about anyone. I was trying to do the right thing.

I HAVE spoken to the daughter about my concerns. Her response is to leave her mother living alone crying for 12 hours a night.

WLF

The OP is not accusing anyone. She has reported an elderly woman's distress and lack of coping when she's alone.

X post

You should have specifically said that you wanted to remain anonymous btw.

IMO, you are absolutely right to complain about this - though as others have said, you may need to exhaust SS's own complaints procedures before the IC will deal with it. If neighbourly concerns go unreported because caring citizens are worried that they'll be victimised by having their identities revealed, that makes our society a worrying place. As a general public, we need to know that we can if necessary make anonymous reports on behalf of vulnerable people.

I'm very sorry to hear what has happened to you.

While you shouldn't have to do this, I wonder whether it's worth writing a note to the daughter saying how sorry you are that she feels upset because your only intention was to be helpful and kind, that you felt very worried for her mother.

It just may help to calm things down for everyone.

in the end, chickenvindaloo, decide what you want to face.

If you report, fuckups might happen. And do. But if you don't then a possibly - abused old and defenseless woman will be steamrollered.

Talk to your conscience and decide what you can live with. Then take action.

The online reporting form for raising adult safeguarding alerts with my local authority has a tick box after you have filled in your personal information asking if you wish to remain anonymous. It's next to the tick boxes asking if the person is aware of the referral and if they have consented to the referral.

Good practice is that you should have been called to verify the information you were raising before someone went out.

I've been out on plenty of safeguarding alerts where the referrer has asked to remain anonymous. We will try and maintain that anonymity wherever possible if it is appropriate but often families can make pretty good guesses anyway. It usually isn't hard for them to narrow it down.

You did the right thing regardless OP.

You sound a bit full on OP, when you were reporting it online and filled in your details didn't you think maybe I'll just stick in a fake name? It wasn't an anonymous report so probably you can't expect confidentiality. I would personally have approached the daughter with my concerns first if you didn't already, and would now apologise for causing upset but explain you concerns. This is a lesson in meddling with people's affairs. You have to think it all the way through

Meddling in people's affairs???

Thank God people meddle in the affairs of vulnerable people.

Thank God people meddle in the affairs of vulnerable people.

Well, exactly.

A family member of mine made a malicious call to Social Services about another family member. She chose to remain anonymous but basically SS gave enough information to identify the caller by giving away the area she called from, etc. It has caused an overwhelming rift in our family and although I suppose it makes it easier to know who your enemies are, I can't help wishing I didn't know as I have had to take sides which I didn't want to do.

I sympathise with you ChickenVindaloo, your information should have been kept confidential but at least you have done the right thing.