Professional Accountability for Safeguarding Referrals Involving SEND Families
The Issue
What I want the Government to do as both a SEND Parent and a former SEND teacher:
Require organisations working with disabled and SEND children to have a clear accountability and review process when a professional provides information in a safeguarding referral to Children's Social Care that is subsequently alleged or found to be knowingly false, materially misleading or seriously inaccurate.
Where concerns about the accuracy of a referral are substantiated, there should be a transparent process for correcting inaccurate records and considering whether professional conduct procedures are appropriate.
Why this is important:
Parents must be able to advocate for their disabled children without fearing that disagreement with professionals will lead to inaccurate or exaggerated safeguarding allegations.
Professionals must always be able to raise genuine safeguarding concerns in good faith, and nothing should discourage them from protecting a child who may be at risk.
However, this protection should not mean there is no accountability when information is knowingly fabricated or materially misrepresented.
Safeguarding referrals can have a profound impact on children and families. Inaccurate information may remain on records and follow a family for years, even when allegations are not substantiated.
Families should have a clear route to challenge demonstrably inaccurate information, have records appropriately corrected or annotated, and request an independent review where there is evidence that a professional knowingly supplied false or materially misleading information.
Safeguarding children and holding professionals accountable for the accuracy and integrity of information they provide should not be mutually exclusive.
Our most vulnerable children deserve a system built on evidence, transparency, collaboration and trust. So do their parent carers who often, are running on fumes, putting their own needs last to provide safe and appropriate care for their disabled child with limited support from services if any.
Thank you
43
The Issue
What I want the Government to do as both a SEND Parent and a former SEND teacher:
Require organisations working with disabled and SEND children to have a clear accountability and review process when a professional provides information in a safeguarding referral to Children's Social Care that is subsequently alleged or found to be knowingly false, materially misleading or seriously inaccurate.
Where concerns about the accuracy of a referral are substantiated, there should be a transparent process for correcting inaccurate records and considering whether professional conduct procedures are appropriate.
Why this is important:
Parents must be able to advocate for their disabled children without fearing that disagreement with professionals will lead to inaccurate or exaggerated safeguarding allegations.
Professionals must always be able to raise genuine safeguarding concerns in good faith, and nothing should discourage them from protecting a child who may be at risk.
However, this protection should not mean there is no accountability when information is knowingly fabricated or materially misrepresented.
Safeguarding referrals can have a profound impact on children and families. Inaccurate information may remain on records and follow a family for years, even when allegations are not substantiated.
Families should have a clear route to challenge demonstrably inaccurate information, have records appropriately corrected or annotated, and request an independent review where there is evidence that a professional knowingly supplied false or materially misleading information.
Safeguarding children and holding professionals accountable for the accuracy and integrity of information they provide should not be mutually exclusive.
Our most vulnerable children deserve a system built on evidence, transparency, collaboration and trust. So do their parent carers who often, are running on fumes, putting their own needs last to provide safe and appropriate care for their disabled child with limited support from services if any.
Thank you
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Petition created on 16 July 2026