Allegation.

Yesterday my phone rang, this would be about 1 pm.

I was told there had been a complaint about someone in our family by a looked after child.

Now I was not told what the complaint was or who was complaining.

A child might be saying they were 50 p short in their pocket money or that we were running a child prostitution ring.

Neither is true I hasten to add but basically they are looking into something but we were not to know what.

Those who lead normal lives might be thinking goodness me....

Those in the know will know it is not uncommon.

A foster carer can expect a complaint every 6 years or so. It is usually made against the best skilled carers and most will not be working 3 years later despite around 98% of complaints being groundless or even malicious.

Fortunately none of the children have been removed (that happens too including birth children) but one or some of our household are accused of something but we are not entitled to know what.

They cannot investigate you for pinching cars without you knowing or being allowed a defence but even the trivial with child care is like investigating Al Qaida all smoke mirrors and inference. Admittedly there is no torture or Guantanamo bay but that's not something to say too loud as you might give them ideas...

You might also think that if you have done nothing this is just a minor irritation but I have witnessed time after time cases thrown out by the police pursued beyond the point here it is clear there is no case and on into the end of a career with no recourse or redress.

Three times yesterday management just wanted to throw in the towel, bear in mind this is three children who have called here home for up to half of their lives. How good would that be in terms of meeting their needs, to have run an investigation that ended up not protecting them but leaving them facing an overnight and unplanned move?

Now as it happens I am pretty sure I know what is being investigated and I am pretty confident I can predict the outcome.

I think the casual reader will be alarmed, after all the noise about Climbie and Baby P, the talk of improvements to services to read how well even regulatory bodies follow procedure...

R