Does mumsnet report safeguarding issues to the police?

[yellowbadgeblue]

Hi I have a question prompted by another thread, that has raised a wider issue I'd like to ask about.

If there is a thread that is clear safeguarding concern, where abuse of a child is described, would mumsnet themselves report it to the police or SS? Or does the duty to report lie with the individual who started the thread ,or with us as mumsnetters to report the thread to the police?

I'm not sure if they can because how would they trace you?

Bumping you anyway because I'm curious too

I can't see how they would know who you were or if your post was true.
On the other hand I think they probably have a duty to.
Interesting question

Mumsnet can in the background I'd have thought - or the police can if an issue is reported?

But people can make up throw away email addresses and use VPNs as well as just simply lie.

I suppose they can review any other posts made by that user and see if they identify a pattern, but if they reported it all to the relevant authorities (keep in mind that it's a global site), it would occupy far too much time and waste police time. I think it's just too big to monitor all the time.

That's not quite the question I'm asking though. I'm asking does it sit with us or mumsnet to report where we see a description of abuse

Hi there @yellowbadgeblue

It's rare that this happens but from time to time we do get posts where we feel we have a duty of care to report to the police, particularly if a child's safety is involved. That said, often we don't have many details to be able to pass on, so we would have to leave that in the police's hands and let them do with it what they can.

Occasionally we are also contacted by the police regarding safeguarding issues and of course, we would do all we could to help in that case.

Hope that answers your question. If you're ever concerned about something you've seen on the boards you can always let us know by hitting the report button and we can look into it at our end.

No I know, but I don't see how it can sit with either as you quite simply won't know who to report it to or if it's true.

Cross post!

Well, it's not for me to make a determination if it's true is it? That's for the statutory authorities?

Its unlikely there would be enough information on a post to be able to.
Would Mumsnet the site do it, pretty doubtful, would members of the group, almost certainly if there was enough to go on.

Thanks for replying @HebeMumsnet

I'm going to report to the police when I'm concerned in future (and in the case that prompted this thread) and it's then up to them to investigate and hopefully they'll be able to do something.

I can't sit back and be complicit in enabling continuing abuse of a child. It makes me feel sick to think of it. This has helped me work through my thinking, as I was assuming that MNHQ would themselves report every time there was a safeguarding concern brought to their attention.

If the thread is the one I'm thinking the op has already done it after the child was fetched home .

Well I've done it anyway, but thanks @TheMissTerry that sets my mind at rest a little anyway. Hopefully the youngster is safe now and the proper authorities are taking appropriate action.