AIBU to be angry we were subjected to Social Services Section 47 Investigation?

[Morbihanmum33]

Long post - sorry: My husband and I have 4 children, 14, 11, 7 & 2. No prior involvement with social services whatsoever. No ‘risk factors’ - criminal records / addiction issues / mental health problems / domestic violence / no issues at schools. Both of us have enhanced DBS. Professional jobs.

Our family recently had to endure the considerable distress and intrusion of a Section 47 child protection investigation.

Our 2 year old had light bruising across his thighs. Both my husband and I saw it but did not know how he’d done it. We flagged it when we took him to nursery, he is very active, trying to keep up with his bigger brothers. In the last 6 months at nursery, the nursery has filed 6 accident reports for incidents in their care, so they know what he’s like.

They rang me to tell me they had a statutory duty to report the bruises as they were unexplained and on a part of his body not normally associated with bruising. However, they assured me it was routine and nothing to worry about. They told me they made it clear on the referral that they did not believe we were responsible for the bruising.

The next morning a social worker called me and told me I had to take my son for a medical examination. This had to be done at the hospital - 45 mins away - immediately. I was due at work and had an important meeting so asked if it could be another time. I was told they could take my son into care if I did not go.

My son was given an examination by 2 doctors and I was interviewed at length. While waiting the social worker told me this was a Section 47 and that they would also have to see my other 3 children, and could go into their schools that same day if necessary to interview them! They also told me they had chosen not to involve the police at this stage!

The Drs found no evidence of non accidental injury. This was communicated to me and the SW at the time.

Despite this, the investigation still had to run its course over a number of weeks, with a visit to our home and interviews with the other 3 children, and them speaking to our GP and schools.

We all found the whole process deeply distressing and a total invasion of our privacy. I was fraught with worry the entire time. We were made to feel like criminals, with SS adopting a ‘guilty until proven innocent approach’. I’ve been left traumatised by the whole experience.

Having read up on this I understand that bruising in a non mobile infant under 6 months is always a major cause for concern, and some local authorities authorise automatic Section 47’s for referrals like this. However, government guidance is that (even with a non mobile infant) an initial enquiry or assessment should be made with the family before initiating an investigation.

Secondly, my child is fully mobile and the original referral explicitly said the bruising was not considered suspicious - so I do not understand why this was escalated in this way.

The cases (against all 4 of my children!) have been closed, but I’m so angry we were put through this. I also understand the fact an investigation was carried out will stay on file for a long time. I’m considering pursuing a judicial review on the basis an initial assessment should have been carried out and the lack of medical evidence did not warrant an investigation.

AIBU to feel like this - or should I just let it go?

You don’t want to believe it. That’s all. It’s hardly impossible, is it?

In the same we we wouldn’t want to believe a NICU nurse or a doctor could kill a child, or a ‘loving’ father could annihilate his family… it still happens.

Except it’s not . How do you think the op and others in her position now feel ? They have nil trust in social services , they will probably be dead scared their child will ever hurt themselves and even more scared to look for medical care . The theory you are trying to impose as an excuse is the same police officers use to stop and search people of minorities , they only alienate people more and people loose trust in the services . So yes those investigating should have to explain why they think it was needed and understand the damage that often last over a generation , as now the children will be to scared of SS too .

@Cucucucu

I work in vaguely similar type of organisation and I agree a bad culture can set in, but that's not sw fault its that pressure of the ticking boxes and over stretched services...

It needs freeing up again from this entrenchment.

A call to SS confirmed she had been under their radar for years but they didn’t have enough staff to deal with it as it would be such a complicated case

I assume the designated safeguarding lead then escalated the case through social work to the Head of Service and the local councillors? Firstly I don’t know any front line social worker who would say “it’s too complex for us” or any team manager who would let that go and secondly I don’t know any safeguarding lead who would let something so serious go without raising merry hell. And I don’t know any Service Manager or Head of Service that wouldn’t find the resources to deal with a case of sexual abuse - no matter how complex.

Which is a long way of saying I don’t believe you.

Innocent families comply with everything and dont make a fuss. Great for getting boxes ticked and targets met. my DP’s mum complied with SS, went to the weekly HV clinics, attended parent and baby groups, did everything that was being asked of her.

DP was made disabled due to his injuries, initially explained as an accident by the mother, and ultimately both he and his three other siblings were removed into permanent care. In fact his youngest sister was removed at birth and adopted.

The mother came from a well-to-do family, we’re talking middle class in the 60’s.

So the whole argument that if someone complies they’re innocent holds no water. In fact a lot of people will comply if they know there’s a chance that SS will stay on their back they’re wise.

DP’s mother never bothered with the kids again after that. The father (who was equally abusive) did for a few years but then he disappeared. Hopefully he’s dead.

I received apologies from the CEO and the Director of SS. If I had to do it again, I'd engage a solicitor immediately to deal with them. Fortunately this was 9/10 years ago and dd is now well.
Why would these people issue an apology because their staff followed protocol?
You surely don't have to give permission for an incident to be reorder to ss??

But this is why it’s a good thing that OP and her family were investigated.

There will absolutely be parents on MN who abuse their kids.

None of us know OP and she could post about how worried she was etc but none of us would know if she was abusive or not or she may be telling the truth and it’s her DH or a family member who is abusive.

It should always be a good thing that kids injuries are taken seriously as so many are abused.
So many children are abused every day that some fall through the net.

Of course it’s so distressing for OP and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone but I would want to know if my child had been harmed by someone.

We moan about SS not doing their job when a child dies but then moan when they ‘waste time’ on an innocent family - but they only know they’re innocent because they’ve done an investigation.
If OP was abusing her child then it wouldn’t have been a waste of time.

My friends baby was killed by his dad and she was investigated for his abuse and murder.
It was awful because she was in shock because she didn’t realise her DP would do this, in mourning, her other child wad taken off of her and she was being accused not only by the police but also lots of people around her where wondering how she didn’t see the signs.

Fortunately, she was cleared of everything and her mum was so angry that she was ever a suspect but the police or SS didn’t know her and she could have easily been just as abusive and responsible for his death.

i dont think you should complain, obviously it was an awful experience
but it is the system
you should be confident that correct procedures were followed

@Jellyx

I don't understand your comments.

I think when sw form an actual relationship with people eg that tustin woman and she's all sorry for herself struggling with her dc and now her new son...

I can see why sw are more open to emotional manipulation. Same with baby PS mum. Then she think she great " mins engaging with services". And believe their lives... It's much easier r to be rigorous and harder with stranger

Maybe from SS point of view, it is easier to investigate professional people, than those living in shit conditions, druggies.

Looks like they prefer through investigations of easier cases. Otherwise at some point in this case, they would have decided to stop the investigation when they found nothing suspicious.

Oh I got you.
I guess you always want to see the best in people.

I think 'disguised compliance' is more likely in those kinds of relationships.

This is probably a bit outing but I have an example of the dangers of believing everything you read on here.

There's a parent who I recognised a while back from real life. I'd actually worked with them in a job and lived nearby. The stuff they posted was ridiculously identifying so there's no doubt it's them.

They have talked extensively about the treatment they've received from social services, how they've been bullied, lied about, all the allegations were false and made up and how social services tore apart their family.
I'm sure some of that might be their perception but I categorically know this to be untrue.

Their child was harmed and at significant risk of future harm. Most of what they posted was complete fantasy.

Now I feel huge empathy for this parent and their situation but this was being discussed as fact with all the associated outrage and sympathy from posters here. Slating the social worker and everyone else involved. Getting other people worked up about the injustice of it all.

Now, that might seem harmless, it's just social media right. But actually this stuff just fuels that suspicion and lack of trust in professionals who care about kids and families, who want to support and keep families together.

So be very very careful what you all fall for!

This is my experience of having boys too , i think i would attempt a complaint.
All the comments about potentially missing abuse cases i understand but there is clearly no consistency in ss protocols as so many seemingly obvious cases shamefully get missed.
I would be very annoyed that they arrogantly ignored medical opinions in your case.
You have nothing to lose in calmly and eloquently telling them how their behaviour caused you and your family so much distress , someone with a bit of sense could read what you write and future situations may be handled in a better way.

i remember dm's friends dd being upset when they were questioned when their dc fell over the table while sitting in the car seat,
that was the right thing to do, to question them

We once had a horrific nurse report us saying our daughter had fallen six foot and “you clearly need more support at home as I’m going to get it for you” when she’d fallen 6 inches max (couldn’t have told that nurse more times how far she’d fallen so it was just a lie not a misunderstanding on her part!) Thankfully the paediatric team put in a new referral with the correct information as the social worker later told us she was on her way to start the exact process you’ve described. I’m so sorry this happened to you; I remember how terrifying it was when ours got resolved very quickly.

@Summertiempo
If social work wanted an easy job they wouldn't be in social work

And in terms of evidencing risk and being able to take action - its actually easier to do this when there is lots of obvious signs that are associated with substance use.

This sounds like a disproportionate response by a SW who was determined to punish you. The original referral said that the bruises weren’t suspicious. I really don’t understand why the case wasn’t dropped when the doctors examined the child and said there was no evidence that it was non accidental.

The whole thing must have been intrusive, disruptive and upsetting for the child, far more than the minor injuries themselves. And the effect on the family was severe.
The whole idea of must report everything, must investigate everything is flawed if they take it to extremes like this. They are not applying common sense.

Unexplained doesn’t mean suspicious, and why should they have to report something that isn’t suspicious? I understand that there isn’t always clear distinction between suspicious and not, but sensible judgment should be applied, and surely if the nursery say they don’t believe it’s suspicious SS should accept that.

This could have happened to so many of us. Unless we almost literally wrap kids up in cotton wool, keep them away from each other so they don’t fight or accidentally hurt each other, stop them playing outdoors or with toys that they could conceivably hurt themselves with, and have eyes on them 24/7, kids will get bruises. Subjecting families to long, intrusive investigations because a child may or may not have bumped into a table is so damaging.

And just to add, I have never interacted with that poster, never disclosed I recognised them and just gave any thread or post a swerve once I realised.

If the nursery didn't think it was suspicious then why report?

And social work can make their own assessment if it's suspicious or not via their own specialist training.

@FictionalCharacter
Unexplained AND in an odd place AND on a 2year old (who can't explain well themselves and who should be supervised).

You need to look at all the factors that go into it.

We also had to go through a s.47 investigation. In our case it was due to a report from an estranged relative. The first we knew of it was when the police and a social worker turned up at our DC's schools to talk to them. We also have jobs that require a full DBS.

It quickly became clear that the report was a malicious one (and thankfully both SS and the police had come to that conclusion before we were even aware that the report had been made) but the investigation had to continue until the full statutory procedures had been followed. That included things like talking to relevant staff at the schools and our GP. We also had home visits and SS spoke to us separately as well as together.

It's fair to say that it was not a pleasant process but at the same time it was reassuring to know that if there had been any chance that our DC had been abused, it would have been taken seriously.

I wouldn't want to ever go through it again but I can't fault either SS or the police. They did the best they could with the information that they'd been given in that initial malicious report.

I think it would be unreasonable to try to take legal action because of it. We can't wring our hands about abuse going undetected and then complain when suspicions are investigated.

Like others though, I would be more concerned about the nursery manager supposedly crying over it. It would make me worry that further suspicions about other children at the nursery could go unreported.

Well to be fair we only have OP side of the story here

I'd absolutely want this reviewed, I'd be making an offical complaint. All this time/manpower wasted when it was clear there was no medical evidence to suggest they were injured by you. I'd also expect a formal apology and to have it removed from the record as a minimum. How awful for you.

You know the type of family who should be being investigated won't even be engaging in services or taking their kids to nursery. It's sad for them that all these resources are wasted investigating decent families where kids are well cared for.

One the doctor said no sign it was non accidental this was OTT and wasting resources that should have gone on children really at risk. Write a more in sorrow than in anger letter setting that out and also saying that this was harmful to your children. Then try to put it behind you.

Medical staff can't say for sure it was definitely accidental.

You can complain but totally normal and correct procedure to seek siblings views.

It was excellent practice.