Child protection

[Paulie82]

My 14 year old son assaulted me because I took his phone off him as a punishment. I told his school what had happened and said I shouted one of my daughters to ring the police but as it happened in the garden and the back door was shut they didn't hear me. However the woman from school contacted social services without telling me and a week after I got a surprise phone call from social services saying the teacher had told them that my daughters witnessed my son assaulting me and because of this they're doing a section 47 inquiry. I told them that although my son did attack me my daughters didn't witness it and I took appropriate action (locked my son outside and rang my mum to pick him up to remove him from the situation, made another appointment for Cahms) however they still did the section 47 because of what the teacher said and they concluded that they're at risk of significant harm and they're going to do the child protection conference etc. It's so frustrating that I've not been listened to, and how one teacher getting it so wrong can cause so much upset on my family. I've complained to the school but I don't feel I've been taken seriously. She even said he was punching me. He didn't punch me her rugby tackled me to the floor and put his arm across my throat and demanded his phone back. I'm so stressed over it all. I wish people would listen to what I said and got the facts right before referral x

Even if they didn't witness it, he is presumably still living in the same house as them - so the authorities will be concerned he is a risk to them as he is to you, especially as they were in the house at the time (and you did call to them to call the police, so they would have been very aware of what was happening had they heard you). So it sounds a not disproportionate response.

It's frustrating if the teacher has got the details wrong (though who knows what your daughters actually told her) but it does sound as if you could do with some support?

It doesn't matter if they witnessed it or not. What matters is there is an individual living in your house who rugby tackled an adult member of the household and put their arm across their throat.

And it doesn't matter that he is 14. There are other children in the house that may be at risk.

If the teacher made errors in some aspects then you can highlight that at the conference. The fact remains that she should have reported it and it should be investigated.

Awful situation for you though OP - all aspects of it. Good luck.

It wasn't my daughter who told the teacher as my daughters haven't a clue what went on three weeks ago. It was me who told the teacher because they can help with anger management. The social worker told me it was because the teacher told them that the other children had seen it which is untrue. I have arranged with CHAMS for anger management, he still hasn't got his phone back and he's had to paint my fence.

Interesting !