‘We lived in hell for five weeks when protection plan was put in place’
TODDLER’S FRACTURED SKULL WAS DUE TO UNDIAGNOSED CONDITION
A mum had to live under tough restrictions imposed by social services after her 14-month-old daughter suffered a skull fracture from an innocuous fall in the garden.
Nicola Allen has described her horror at finding herself at the centre of an investigation into potential child abuse – which was dropped when the child’s injury was attributed to a previously-undiagnosed brittle bone disease.
Nicola, 37, said she had to reluctantly accept limits on the time she could spend with her children while she remained under investigation.
Her daughter Faith’s injuries aroused suspicion, initially because doctors did not believe a simple fall could have caused the injury, she said.
After the accident, in September, she said her toddler was seemingly fine, until a week later when Nicola discovered a soft spot on her head.
The youngster had been going to nursery and had not shown any signs of being in pain, but her mum took her to A&E on the advice of 111.
Unbeknown to her, staff at Leicester Royal Infirmary admitted Faith for a child protection review after discovering the fracture.
Nicola said she told staff of her daughter’s fall but was informed it was considered too minor to be the cause of her injury.
Meanwhile, during her stay in hospital, it was noted by a geneticist, who was checking on the toddler’s existing tooth condition, that she had indicators of osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) – or brittle bone disease.
Despite this, Nicola’s family remained under restrictions while the toddler had further tests.
Nicola said that while she understood the local authority’s duty to investigate any suspected child abuse cases and therefore agreed to the plan, she believed it was unduly harsh and felt she was “treated like an abuser”.
The county council said it was dealing with a complaint Nicola has since made and that it considered all “relevant evidence” when preparing a child protection plan.
Nicola, who is also mum to offspring aged 23, 19, 17 and seven, said she was distraught when she found out her daughter had fractured her skull.
She said she was met by the social worker the day after her daughter was admitted and had to agree to the 24-hour protection plan.
That meant she was not allowed to be alone with any of her children for more than five weeks. It was only during that meeting that she said she was informed of her daughter’s injury.
“When the social worker called me while I was in hospital I was beside myself thinking ‘what the hell is going on?’. I was crying but she wouldn’t answer any of my questions,” she said.
Nicola, of Sileby, became more concerned when she learned Faith might have a condition that would affect her for the rest of her life.
Nicola’s mum, who lives in Australia, had to make last-minute arrangements to stay with her to help out.
Nicola also had to enlist the help of friends, who organised a rota to stay in her home throughout the protection plan period.
Her 17-year-old son had to temporarily move out to make space.
“I was fretting every day because I thought my children would be taken away from me,” she said.
“We lived in hell for five weeks. We had to have child protection meetings. My children were traumatised.”
Nicola said her eldest daughter, who had recently lost her dad and was already suffering from anxiety, began having nightmares that she could effectively “lose another parent”.
Each of her children had to be separately interviewed and their schools were informed of the plan.
Nicola was also restricted from working while the protection plan was in place, due to the nature of her job, which we have agreed not to specify.
She said: “It was absolutely mortifying. I felt sick and horrified that people could be thinking I was abusing my children.
“There was nothing untoward that (the social workers) had to go on and even after my daughter showed clinical indicators of OI, it still carried on.”
Nicola said a full skeletal X-ray, CT scan and other tests carried out on her daughter’s admission to the hospital showed her toddler had reduced bone density, a blueish colouration of the whites of her eyes and small irregular bones within her skull which, as well as her existing tooth condition, are all signs of brittle bone disease.
Nicola said one woman told her “‘I’m assuming you’ve been down this route before”, which she said was unfair and “already passing judgement”, despite having just met her. “There had never been any previous concerns before with me or my children,” she said.
“I understand the importance of safeguarding children and that’s why I agreed to the order but there should be a non-judgemental approach until you have the facts.” After what felt like an endless wait, Faith was officially diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta in November.
Nicola has since connected online with other parents of children with the condition, who have been through similar ordeals, and hopes to raise awareness and build a support network via social media.
“Doctors should be more aware of this condition and be able to recognise what the signs are.
“This could happen to anyone,” Nicola said.
She added that she hoped social workers would be “more professional” in future.
She said she has since received an apology from Leicestershire County Council’s child protection and safeguarding services after having the protection order removed but is left with the heavy burden of her “traumatic” experience while navigating the difficulties of her daughter’s condition.
A slight knock or a twist could leave Faith with broken bones.
The toddler is now awaiting an appointment with specialists in Birmingham to find out if she can be given any treatments.
I was fretting every day because I thought my children would be taken away from me
Nicola