Incident Description

A parent found her 11 year old son with 3 different fake accounts on the app ‘Meet Me’. He is presenting as a 17 Year old female, a 28 year old male, a 36 year old male. In one set of messages he makes lots of sexual references. In another he talks about self-harming and in another he is empathising with someone considering taking their own life.

Guidance for Safeguarding Response

• Referral made to Children’s Social Care who said it did not meet threshold but advised Early Help
• Referral had already been made to CYPS. School updated the referral with the new concerns
• Parent refused Early Help but accepted support from in school family support worker who supported the parent and child developing a plan around parent controls and internet and device
• Child’s voice was sought at least on a weekly basis and progress monitored against the online safety plan
• Concerns recorded on children’s safeguarding chronology under the category of Online safety: outside of school

Agencies Involved in this Incident

Referral to Children’s social care.

Early Help lead aware of parent’s refusal to engage with Early Help and discussed possible support with in school staff.