What Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection ?

Freefromdebt_2

My child had a nasty experience with another child in a public library which I made the library staff aware of. It was of a sexual nature and I was disgusted by it - and silly me I thought the library staff would have been too and would do something about it......like report it to their Designated Child Protection Officer. But no - what did they do ? Absolutely nothing ! and they wont be doing anything about it because this incident was not witnessed by their staff and it is too late now (said incident happened in late October/early November)
So anything can happen in a public library and it will not be reported unless a member of their staff witnesses it.
I am absolutely disgusted by their blaise attitude towards something as serious as this.

Old_Git

report it to the police

motorguy

Old_Git wrote: »

report it to the police

+1

First thing i would have done.

tommie

motorguy wrote: »

+1

First thing i would have done.

Yes..

and wouldn`t have waited 3 months to find out if its that serious

Freefromdebt_2

This was reported at the time to the primary school also and Social Services have received a referral. However as stated previously I was told because no library staff witnessed the incident even though it was reported to them by me by phone they can't guarantee that it actually happened. It's their blatant lazy attitude I am disgusted by. This happened in our local library and when I contacted another branch and gave them the scenario, they said that the incident should have been recorded and passed to their Designated Child Protection Officer. I have learned from this experience never to presume just because something is written in a policy that its carried through.

irishjohn

Freefromdebt wrote: »

I was told because no library staff witnessed the incident even though it was reported to them by me by phone they can't guarantee that it actually happened.

Perhaps a visit to the library to report the incident in a face to face meeting may have persuaded them to give more credence to your story. Phone calls are a very useful time saving method for us in many ways but sometimes a phone call just won't do.

suki1964

Can someone help me understand what's happening here?

Am I assuming that op 's child was assaulted someway in a public library three months ago and is now only just kicking off three months after the fact that nothing was taken seriously ?

I'm thinking if that was the case I'd be calling the police that day and be letting them deal with ii

Or have I read it all wrong ?

casey

I'm also confused by this. Were you with your child at the time? Did your child go with school or another adult??
I don't think that you should have expected the library staff to report the incident on your behalf-you should have got in touch with the police straight away.
If your answer to my question is that it was a supervised visit by the school then you could have raised concerns with them and then gone to the police at the time.

BillyB

Reading your original post, that sounds quite alarming. Between children and of a sexual nature, I would have reported it to the police as well as expecting the library to report it to a Child Protection officer. Depending on the age of the child, they may be a risk to others and if they were very young I would question that behaviour as well.

Freefromdebt_2

I don't think I have explained it quite right. My dd was with a male pupil and he enticed her to commit a lewd act with another female pupil. I reported to the library where it had happened and presumed (which I now know was silly of me) that they would refer it on to their DCPO. I also contacted the school who passed it on to SS. This male pupil is known to SS and so I presumed that it would be followed through. I understand that this is a very small part of a very big picture where this male pupil is concerned. My dd is fine now, and she has no contact with said child out of school. In my work we receive Child Protection training on an annual basis and so I am aware that once a referral is made it becomes highly confidential. In my stupidity I assumed because it had been disclosed that the library staff would record it and pass it on. I've learnt a lesson - never assume because something is in a policy that it actually becomes a reality.
What brought this to my attention was I contacted the library to find out about the referral. I was told that they hadn't made the referral as they hadn't deemed it serious enough. So no, I didn't leave it 3 months to report, I reported the incident to where it had happened and the school and presumed that they would follow through.

Freefromdebt_2

There is a very interesting article on the BBC website this morning about agencies etc ignoring the warning signs of abuse.