Are my children mine or property of the school

[tesslayton]

I'm at my wits end with the school. I'm a mum to 5 children 5 mnths,3,5,6 and 7 year old. Had parents evening the other day they had nothing positive to report behind in Maths and English need to read more, need to be quicker when learning spellings the list goes on my children are not robots, they learn at the pace they do.. Then today to add to the mix go to pick up the children from school head master, teacher and social services in the office. My boy who's 5 has a pin prick of a bruise near his eye i've not noticed it but the story is from the proffs is that I did it with scissors or a pencil, his sisters have done it, fell onto the wall, tripped over a toy so basically 5 different scenarios unaware of any of it all social services say is i'll have to talk to the boss to see if further action needed. I was gobsmacked. Partner fumimg

Prime example of SW power gone to the head.

When my brother and I ran around all day, fell over, has stitches - my parents never had the worry of SW's.

I did my own research recently with a panel, 90%! ..... 90% of mothers have become reluctant to take their own children to doctors or A&E due to the interference of SS's

Look at these recent cases that they have got it wrong with their "safeguarding"

I know several SW who came out of the profession due to some of the immoral goings on, pressure to get kids adopted under the age of 3

I'm sorry but the world has gone mad. Kids will fall & get bruises!

My sibling was expelled from every private school he went to, had play fights, covered in bruises from climbing trees, he now earns a 6 figure salary in the city.

My parents, born in the war??? Should they have all been put under children in need? Safeguarding?? Due to bombs falling on them?

And WHY every single time does someone on here say "comply with SW's, do what they say, be obliging?" - are you ALL scared of them then?

Can you give more information on your research Londoner? Any links? It's not a question of being scared of ss, I know that I'm not but I do think complying with ss is a good thing. They are there to protect children. If there's nothing to worry about they'll go away but there will be some children out there whose bruises are caused by foul play and this is why it sometimes needs to be looked at.

Teachers have to operate under safeguarding rules. They are at risk themselves if they don't report something they notice.

There might be SW who make some people's lives difficult for apparently no reason but they are doing their best in massively difficult situations. I've sadly been involved in some horrific child protection cases and have been largely very impressed by SW. They have an incredibly difficult job.

Twenty years ago kids had all sorts of bruises that were not looked into at all. A percentage of these were being battered at home. Better to be too safe than for abused kids to be ignored.

Another one who thinks SW do a good job in a situation where I'd never cope.

It is not power going to their head for schools (who see kids all day) and SW to work together to protect the most vulnerable.

The OP says it's an open and shut case and her kids aren't at risk of anything so of course she should co-operate. As you should with HMRC or the police or anyone who has to check that all is fine.

I would also like to know about this research. How many people were on this panel and how were they selected?

"Well we've nothing to hide and it will be an open and shut case then"

Don't go in with that attitude or it won't be an open and shut case.

Children are not property.

Facial bruises yes I would put a quick note in a home school book. They are going to flag up quickly and if it becomes sore (and a bruise to the face or a large bruise might) whoever has care of your child will need to know what you have already done and what you are happy to have done. (Ie ds bashed his eye on.... I have given Ibruprofen and iced it. It made need icing etc if it becomes sore again)

It sounds like you have hit accidentally the caught the wrong combination of events. Bruising unexplained time off. You are going to need to be bang on point for a bit, children fed watered and on time to school every day etc etc

It probably will be an open and shut case, but cooperation really is the key

So, people think that for a social worker to investigate a bruise on a child where one explanation given by the child has been that the parent did it "with scissors or a pencil" is power going to their head?! Not remove the child from home mind, just investigate the cause? I fucking despair.

Of course the school can/should ask the parents before contacting the parents!

Normal practice is to raise any issue with the parents and inform them that you need to refer to SS before you do unless doing so might put the child at more risk.

Most safeguarding policies would say that parents should be asked about marks or bruises first.

I suspect London has his/her own agenda.

OP, there have been a couple of high profile cases recently where schools have been criticised for not acting when it's clear that they should have done so.

Unfortunately this means they cannot afford to be complacent and a bruise in an unusual place will be noted. If there are other concerns that will build a picture rightly or wrongly of a possible safeguarding issue.

The fact that the SW said she'd have to talk to her boss means she isn't sure there is an issue here. It might be that they will just close the case straightaway if they think there's no problem.

If they do decide to do an initial assessment then just go along with it, many cases are closed immediately after this. I am not a SW but have worked closely with them in the past and no way do they accept every referral which comes their way as they don't have the staff, the time or the resources.