Police came to our house to do a welfare check on the children - advice sought

[BusyFrizzyLizzie]

This morning two police appeared at our front door at 8:00 saying they had had an anonymous report that we had been locking our children out in the garden and leaving them to scream for hours.

To be clear, this is entirely untrue. Never happened. I don't even remember when the children were last in the garden, given the recent cold and wet.

They asked if they could come in and take a look around. I was very shocked, and had nothing to hide, so readily agreed. The kids were in their uniforms having breakfast. Both very small (KS1).

The police looked about for 30 seconds and then said that they'd seen enough and were happy to leave. I asked if I should expect any further follow up from social services and they said no. They suggested it could have been a malicious report (I'm not sure that makes me feel better at all!). I volunteered mine and my children's ages and names, as it seems that it's for the best that they do any investigations they wish and find nothing untoward.

They were very apologetic as they left, and I fully understand their position. I would rather that spurious or malicious reports be investigated than children who are being abused go unidentified. However, I'm left pretty shaken by events.

Can anyone tell me if there are likely to be next steps, and if so what those might be? And is there anything pre-emptive I should be doing? Of course my eldest was thrilled that the police visited and was very excited about telling teachers and friends, so it will be all over the class by this evening 🙈... should I contact the school so that they're aware?

All very odd and I hope it's a one-off, but also don't want to sleepwalk into a bigger problems.

Thanks!

Op, maybe neighbours can hear them indoors if walls are thin. I could hear my next door neighbours’ kids through the walls until I had built in wardrobes installed on the wall between us. could this be the case and the neighbour fabricated some story about keeping them in the garden?

We had police turn up recently about 10pm at night asking if we had a young girl in the house as there had been a 999 call for this address. We were in bed, dh answered the door and when asked about the girl instead of saying no he said “what age?” !! (We do Have adult children) he said he was confused! Luckily they took us at our word and left.

Section 17 I’d imagine. Genuine threat of harm if they’ve been told there’s an intruder in the house.

We once had police hammering on our door in the small hours looking for a criminal (not us!).... we live in a very common street name (one in every town) and of course it turned out that they had the wrong town!

Meaning that the householder might not have been aware of the intruder? That makes sense.

This happened to me but my ds is neurodiverse so has explosive meltdowns, got reported for shouting (although weirdly enough it was at 11am when he was in school).
They took one look around the house and seemed embarrassed so nothing came of it. It has made our relationship with the new neighbours awkward though, they are elderly and lived next to an older couple before, so I'm assuming they don't like how noisy we are.
I've not once complained about their dog when it barks for hours on end though! Or the constant weed smell.

Do you have foxes or cats nearby OP? Maybe someone heard foxes or cats screaming or fighting and thought it was your kids.

It might also have been something that happened when you and kids were at school and work.

Especially if as you say one or both of your DC are young, they might not have realised they were school aged.

Thats what Im thinking

OP, an automatic report goes to social services which will be triaged and put on the system with NFA

I work with the police and feel very confident in stating that the police were probably responding to a malicious or mistaken allegation and they would've been very reassured by what they saw and your reaction to them. If there's nothing else going on (not mentioned in your post), you won't hear anything more about it.

School will already know….operation encompass and all that …..they find out the day after any incident involving police

Our neighbours all know our autistic ds who is very polite but still has the occasional meltdowns. When we had new neighbours I went over to explain and apologise in advance. Luckily it's never late because he goes to bed early so he would never wake someone up. But it sounds bloody awful wgen he goes bonkers and there really is nothing you can do..

@BusyFrizzyLizzie I think it's an adress error. If someone would have wanted to make a malicious call they would have made up something more credible- that your kids haven't been left out screaming in the garden is so easy to verify with the neighbours. I wouldn't worry about it.

Hi I'm a Social worker I live in the North West so not going to. Comment on specifics of l London but... I would chill
If there were signicant concerns the police would have gone back to the office and called a strat that's under section 47 of the Children's act where police SS school health have a discussion that happens next on the same day if there were significant concerns on the day they would have been back to talk to you

if there were low level. Concerns then the duty local team SS would offer consent based support at a s. 17 of Children's act. They would have called you to come and see you within whatever the local timescales are

The systems including police national computer will have been checked before they even knocked on your door

If SS if they have concerns they look incidents if any at your home provided by the police if the police feel the need to break consent to share info they don't just knock attendance records at school checked school nurse for upto date jabs etc look for pattern and trends all this is only done if thresholds are agreed

The children have to be seen that's the duty of the state and if they have a voice spoken to all depending that's the purpose of PACE

I've been reported my self my son is autistic he screams in the shower when he has his hair washed so I've had a knock on door the past neighbour recorded the shower like he was being tortured or sounded like from the backstreet

Nobody likes social workers I get it it's a shitty world out there and some shitty people where I live we have bin wars wouldn't surprise me if it's down to weelie bin coyld be anyone

I work in adults now I have a guy with learning disabilities calls the FBI up regularl from the North of England

Relax enjoy your Christmas maybe even get cluedo out far more fun if it was professor plumb in the dining room with
Lead pipe