Aibu to feel very sorry for Ben & Marina Fogle who were wrongly reported to social services by a neighbour

[Autumnalove]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13787467/Marina-Fogle-reveals-husband-Ben-wrongly-reported-social-services-shouting-children-amid-row-Kirstie-Allsopp-sons-interrailing-trip.html

I really like the Fogles, so sorry they had to endure this stress.

Ah. Fair enough.

If providing a summary means one less person clicks and gives the Fail advertising money, my morally superior work here is done.

100% this. There is very little reason to worrying about ‘being reported’ if you’re not doing anything wrong.

I agree with this. If parents are daytime drinking beers outside in a council estate with their kids shouting, raising hell & running around barefoot & semi naked as would be called... If a middle class family were doing the same but insert rosé for beer they would be patting themselves on the back for their outdoorsy lifestyle while admiring their barefoot, semi naked "spirited, little wildlings" noone would bat an eyelid...

No it's not all good. I had a malicious report done by an adult social worker when DS was a few months old. I knew that it was malicious and there was nothing to be concerned about but even still it was one of the most traumatic things I have ever gone through. The 'what ifs' tormented me for weeks, until child services told me they were closing the case. I had to have therapy to get over it.

consider yourself policed, Op!
(and don't feel you have to defend your actions)

I think the Fogles are being unreasonable for having horrible plastic grass. I thought he cared for the environment.

I wonder how many tattoed burly 6 foot males with a bull mastiff ,SS have "investigated".It seems to me that interviewing high profile wealthy couples, is a soft option ,Meanwhile many children from difficult back grounds go undetected, due to involvement of police senior SS workers and so on .

But until they've investigated (in this case made a phone call), how do they know which reports are malicious and which are not?

There are a great number of malicious calls made, SS know this and, when it's obviously a malicious call, the case is closed. But they don't know which are which until they've looked into it.

They can't just decide its malicious because the person is a household name from the telly. I'm amazed anyone cant work that out for themselves tbh.

Money and fame don't guarantee you're a good person. Surely we've learnt that from numerous examples over the past few years!

What

Minus the bull mastiff and three inches, my DP fits into two of those boxes (and his best friend into 3 by virtue of his height) so you think they’re more likely to be child abusers than a wealthy couple based on what? How they look?

yes.you are.
what a boring read."one day nothing very much happened and everyone was fine"
social workers doing there job really shouldnt be wasted as a headline. i know first hand the impct of social workers doing their job really badly,relentlessly with devestating results.
put that on the bloody news.because im not alone and its on the daily.
as for kirsty-i expect she did make a measured decision before allow.encourage her son to go on tour.
seems to me the actual "safeguard fail" continues to be overlooked and despite it not being her intent...she singlehanded advertised two young/therefore vulnerable lads ,unaccompanied were off on their travels...as a parent in the public eye these details could be potentially dreadful for info in the wrong(criminal)hands.

It’s good that the social services investigated. The allegations were false but it was good that this was checked up on. Money and fame was not a factor in the check by social services. They didn’t say oh wealthy family so it must be ok.

You can get trained if you think you'd be braver or more effective.

SS aren't in the habit of investigating anyone unless a report has been made against them. If a referral is made, they will investigate, regardless of their appearance. They don't target people at will based upon said appearance

So, on the basis of two incidents you've read about today - one recent and one historicai, you've decided that SS departments across the country have turned their attentions to high profile middle class celebs?

I doubt it. The entry requirement to do a Social Work degree is 3Bs at A level...

Until they check, how do they know?

I think KA should be jailed forever! Not for letting her son travel through Europe though, but just because I cannot stand this horrible pompous twat of a woman and I think some jail time with some of us peasants would do her the world of good 😄
Ben Fogle is an absolute darling of a man and I won't hear a bad word against him 😊

Well I'm sure it wasn't a pleasant experience for them but it was all sorted out quickly and I think it's good that Social Services will check out any worrying report even if you're rich and famous! The Fogles have dealt with much worse than this 😔

Wet Bandits .Apologies! Of course thats not what I meant .Simply that there seems to be a spate of investigating famous well off parents .Obviously many men fit your DH appearance, and are perfectly good parents .Simply that if there was someone more macho in appearance, to a gentler look both suspected of child abuse they often seem to go for the softer option!

We shouldn't be glad when fictional reports are made, no.

Is there are a spate... or is simply that the vast majority of cases aren't newsworthy? You hear about the famous people are the worst cases. Not the thousands of daily stuff.

This attitude baffles me.

Malicious reports are very stressful, it isn't a small matter.

How would you feel if a neighbour reported you maliciously and you were investigated, including upsetting interviews with your children?

There was a female MP reported to social services completely maliciously but it will remain on the children’s records.

I’ve had an SS call after a trip to A&E, I’m glad they check up, all it took was for me to explain how the situation happened and what steps I’d taken to prevent it happening again and the matter was closed, no doubt it remains on record.

Im not sure what outcome the person reporting Kirsty Alsop was expecting, SS are hardly likely to intervene for a 16 year old, what would they do, put him into a children's home where he'd be less safe?

Oh no @HotPotato123 i have a crush on Ben Fogle 😂 love the twinkle in his eye😊