If I report carers to the police for neglect will they do anything?

[Perzival]

Ds was badly let down in a safeguarding incident recently by his two carers. He has multiple disabilities and require 2:1 care when out. The carers are provided through a company and paid for directly by the LA.

They have already been sacked as there was cctv footage of what happened. Lado are investigating/ involved but we're not really being told much as to what is happening. We was told by the SW tat it's unlikely the police will be involved as no harm was done (he was in a position where he could have been harmed and members of the public/ setting staff had to step in. Ds is incredibly vulnerable). If we report to 101 will they be able to do anything?

I want them put on te barring list at dbs and if possible I want them to be convicted I just don't know what that would be of.

Is there anything we can do apart from wait out the ladoinvestigation? I have no faith in our LA at all. They have been involved in a national scandal covering up much worse cases and we've had to pursue pre action letters and tribunal over education.

Should we get a solicitor? I've looked but te specialists seem to cover the professional being accused orfamilies that are under child protection which we're neither.

I would very much value any proper advice as I cat find much online.

If they are sacked on the grounds of gross misconductit should be reported to DBS.

The LADO should check up that this is done - they are there to make sure nobody shortcuts the system e.g. letting offenders resign and not following up with investigation/dismissal in absence/reporting to necessary bodies.

I personally would leave in LADOs hands now.

I understand that you are angry. However, for the police to get involved and the carers to be convicted, there needs to be evidence of wilful neglect, i.e. that the neglect was intentional or reckless (i.e. they didn't care whether or not your son was harmed). If it was simply careless or thoughtless, that is not an offence.

You could report it to the police yourself if you think a criminal offence has been committed. The only point in getting a solicitor would be if you think you have a case to pursue them for damages. However, as you say no harm was done, that is unlikely.

Unless they were doing it on purpose, with malice, it's not really a criminal matter. It's basically they broke their rules of employment, so it's gross misconduct and they've been sacked. By all means tell the police what happened but I think they might say no crime took place.

^ This ^

It very understandable that you are angry, but you cannot dictate the outcome for that very reason. If the reporting threshold is met they will have a report made to the DBS, and where appropriate that concern will be logged. But that doesn't mean that they are barred from working - it means that a prospective employer will be notified of the incident and they will have to make up their own mind whether that is a matter of concern to them.

Even proving neglect in criminal terms is a high threshold to meet - in crminal law it is very exacting and a single instance of "misjudgement" where no actual harm happened is not at all likely to meet that requirement. It doesn't excuse what they did at all, but if every person who made a stupid judgement when responsible for a vulnerable person was reported to the police they would be doing nothing else but taking reports. That is why there are processes to review both individuals and organisations actions and improve them.

They threw foam blocks at his head (although this could be seen as playful) then left him facedown covered in blocks and went out of sight (they couldn't see him), a member of the public panicked and thought he was unconscious, a crowd gathered and staff and public pulled him out of the foam pool. He has limited communication and wouldn't have been able to tell us if anything happened to him. They reported it to management and us as someone had tried to leave with him and they intervened. It's all on cctv.

I can't see the Police getting involved at all with what you've outlined. Especially when it's being dealt with appropriately internally.

This is so upsetting. Also having a disabled child, it makes me feel so sick and angry. It’s a willful abuse of trust, and they deliberately put your son at risk. If it was me, I would report it to the police - though I would have low hope of anything coming of it. He did not (luckily) come to physical harm - but it may well have left him feeling less confident and secure, which is also harmful.

I was sick when I saw the footage.

I can't believe we don't have come back on this or that they could be able to work with other vulnerable people. It's awful. I believe one them works in a sen unit.

They shouldn't be allowed anywhere near anyone that they could put in danger.