Reported to Social Services - devastated

Thurinius

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I am absolutely devastated. I had a phone call from social services yesterday saying someone had phoned them with concerns I was neglecting my boys.
Apparently they are worried I'm not feeding them and they don't have appropriate clothing for the weather.
I have two boys, the eldest is 9 and autistic and the youngest is 7.
I'm assuming this is all about the younger one, since my autistic son isn't one for leaving the house much.

We live in a quiet cul de sac so now my youngest is 7 I thought I'd give him a bit more freedom to explore and play outside without me supervising him. He's had a terrific summer running round in his shorts exploring the bushes and trees and having adventures on his own or with some of the kids down the road.
He's enjoyed the terrific rain storms we've had, he calls it his expeditions and plays in the water, splashing and enjoying the deluge.
I grew up in the countryside and it's the sort of childhood I had, just playing outside all day.
I thought I was doing the right thing, encouraging a bit more independence (he does not leave the street and I check where he is at regular intervals) and letting him exploring nature. Apparently not.

Despite being a massively picky eater he gets plenty of food. In fact i've had to ration crisps and other junk food because on lock down he was eating far too many and has put on quite a bit of weight.
We make pancakes most days together and we bake cakes and biscuits and stuff like that. The other day I drove 4 miles to a petrol station Subway so he could get a sandwich he tried on holiday and liked.

I feel massively judged and I can't believe that anyone would think I wasn't feeding my children. That I would neglect them in any way. I am just absolutely devastated by this and I can't stop crying.
 
How awful for you. Assuming you do not have any sort of enemy/feud with anybody, it doesn't sound like a malicious call as such. My bet would be on some busybody neighbour who has put two and two together and made four billion.

Social services will have to follow it up and presumably will visit you, but as long as you are compliant and polite, answer all their questions, make sure your house is relatively clean/tidy, with food in the kitchen and fresh bedding on your boys' beds, I don't think you have anything to worry about. They will have seen/heard it all before.

I see this post was a couple of weeks back, so maybe this is resolved already? Hope you will update.

I don't have any experience but I do have terrible anxiety and this sort of thing is one of my worst fears so I can only imagine how it will have made you feel!
 
Yes thanks it was resolved. I was interviewed over the phone about how often I fed them, what I fed them, when did I bath them, how did I dress them etc. Did they attend school regularly and on time.
My husband got the same.
They spoke to the school.
And then rang back to say case closed.

It still upsets me now and I haven't let my son play out since.
 
I'm so glad it's been resolved now. Don't let it stop your son playing out :hugs:
 
You haven't done anything wrong and clearly the social services agree since they closed the case. Don't let a nosy neighbour stop you from letting your son have fun. You sound like you are doing a good job!
 
Your son has an idyllic childhood! You're a great mom! Keep your head up!!!
 

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