Referral to social services after A & E visit

[Worriedmummya]

Hi everyone,

I’m worried sick!

I noticed blood in my 20-month-old’s nappy and took her to A&E. They immediately admitted her in and sent us by ambulance to the children’s hospital.
It turns out she has a small laceration in her privates that had bruised up - the doctor asked me if I knew how she could have done that and I said I had no idea, they asked if anyone else looked after her and if she went to nursery (no to both), a few more doctors came to check and we were told it could be from anything but that the doctor believes it could be from scratching herself as she had scratch marks on her belly too. She said she had no concerns and we could go home that night but that as it’s unexplained injury she had to refer us to social services (she did say she would write in her report that she had no concerns) as it was protocol.

I’m freaking out! Will they believe someone abused her? Are they going to take her away?

Thank you! I’m definitely overthinking this

Regarding her itching ,have you checked for thread worms ?
I caught them once from my child and i felt extremely itchy.

Are private GPs not signed up to child protection or did I miss something? What a weird response.

I’m surprised that blood in a nappy warranted such a response eg a&e and ambulance. My baby had bloody nappies over and over and the GP didn’t really do much about it. It went on for about 2 months and eventually stopped

A waste of time? Until it's not and a child who needs help receives it.

OP doesn’t need to be careful how she presents herself. She has done nothing wrong and her child will not be taken away over a scratch. She should go to A&E or her GP if she needs to. It is standard practise to report certain injuries in young children. It’s not fair to scaremonger

Waste of time, why? Someone that abuses children doesn’t walk around with a sign saying that they do! I’m not suggesting for one moment that this child has been abused but how could you possibly know that they haven’t?

It’s like an idiots guide on how to fly under the radar. Very worrying.

I absolutely disagree with the PP saying to be guarded about your responses and to use private GPs and being cautious about hospital visits. Please be transparent about your relationship with your child. Show they are well looked after, protected and loved. Answer all questions to the best of your ability. Being guarded could be seen as hiding something, which I’m sure that you’re not.

Back to the social services call… we had lots of A&E visits with our son (Covid and rsv meant sucking in chest, head needed stitches, big bump on his head, egg allergies… etc etc) and we got a call but they understood the reasons and it was just precautionary

I was completely honest about it all. Said he got the head cut because he fell down part of the stairs. I told the complete truth, my toddler backed it all up!

I totally get that it is something that can put your head in a spin - but honestly, I am sure it is just due process, you'll get a phone call and if anything they will ask if you need any help or support from them. It won't be accusatory.

They absolutely are by virtue of their registration with the GMC and doubtless whomever they work for has additional safeguarding protocols too.

A weird AND ignorant response. (Not yours - theirs!)

It is standard. People won’t want to hear this but it is pretty standard to get a call at least if a child presents with an injury at a&e, particularly if the parent doesn’t know how it occurred. It’s a good thing.
Never let this deter anyone from taking their kid to a&e for any reason.

Relax. I was told SS might call after we presented with my DD presented at Minor Injuries with a burn. No-one ever called.

This is bullshit dangerous advice. As said, this is standard procedure, if she isn’t being abused you have nothing to worry about. If you avoid seeking medical advice when she needs it like this poster suggests you’d be of more concern to SS. Not to mention putting DD in danger.

My baby had bloody nappies over and over and the GP didn’t really do much about it. It went on for about 2 months and eventually stopped

Mine too. GP put it down to constipation. She was a few months old. Prescribed brown sugar water. It was a long time ago. Must've done the trick though.

I had a SS visit once after I went to A&E with my toddler twice in a weekend. I was/am an extremely anxious person and can spiral quickly and imagine the worst - thankfully my child was completely fine both times and drs confirmed so, but they said because of coming twice in the same weekend, they had to raise it. SS came a few days later, asked to see the house, talked to me, talked to my child, and all was fine. I was not worried at all about their visit as I knew there was nothing for me to hide, and frankly, I'm glad that this safeguarding system is in place and is actually enforced.

This is borderline suspicious advice! Why would you be careful with the amount of info you give if you have nothing to hide?

My kids were under SS radar for about a week when my ex was given a pin note for harassment. I spoke to them over the phone and it was all pretty good. We have had a couple of visits to A&E since due to various sports injuries and nothing.
We have private health care through my work and unsurprisingly lots of private consultants also do a few days for NHS.

I’m a foster carer. I don’t know of any children currently in care in my area because of one unexplained scratch. Don’t worry, she won’t be taken into care.

Hi OP, in one of my parenting groups a couple of years ago, a mum found glass in her child’s nappies which was a fault with the manufacturing from what I can recall. It’s more likely to be your DD scratching herself as the doctor advised but just something to be aware of and maybe check the nappy pack to be sure.

Your suggestion sounds more likely to arouse suspicion than anything else.

They won't. There aren't enough foster carers for children that really need them apart from anything else.

File the nails...if you think this is the case. Does she stays without clothes for a long time, how she can scratch her privates....how much was the blood? Could it be some pussy spot?

My GP raised a safe guarding concern for a similar situation. I was super nervous too. All that happened was we were called in to the GP with very little notice (we had to be there in 15-20mins but they had mapped the journey so basically gave you time for a wee and to put your coat on) and have a review. They asked us lots of questions like who has access to the kids, do we have any concerns, any knowledge of how the injury happened and just observed us as a family. 10-15mins and they said it was no concern, saw the outcome and they said they think it’s a medical issue so referring us to a consultant etc. But from a safe guarding concern all closed quickly.