Advice please

[Spinhead]

We have a situation where a young girl (year 10)foster parents have accused my son of sending inappropriate and hurtful messages telling the girl to Kill herself. The girl has messaged my son to say she knows it isn’t him sending them but another boy who she has named. They are Snapchat messages and she has screenshot them as evidence as they automatically delete. The other boy just so happens to be the son of a guy who is best friends with the foster parent older biological son so they don’t want to drop him in it. The girl has told my son that her foster parents have got it in for him so they are being relentless with complaints about my son to the school. What action can I take as they are causing us a lot of trouble and what’s worse, is that school didn’t even inform us of this until a social worker bought it to our attention and she couldn’t believe the school hadn’t told us either. They have now said that if they contacted us every time the foster parents contacted them to complain they’d never be off the phone. The school has even told them they have seen evidence that vindicates my son but they don’t care. Can I issue a cease and desist letter or start proceedings for defamation?

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear Spinhead,

Welcome to the parents' board and thank you for your post.

You say that your son has been accused of sending inappropriate and hurtful messages by another child's foster parents. You say that the child in question has said that these messages are being sent by another boy, who is known by the foster parents, and therefore they 'don't want to drop him in it.' You would like these allegations against your son to stop and are concerned that you did not hear about these directly from the school.

Firstly, I would advise that you ask for a meeting with your son's school, including the designated safeguarding lead, to discuss these allegations and the steps the school are taking to address the issue. You may want to bring attention to the impact the allegations are having on your son. If you are not satisfied with the school's response, or with their lack of communication, you may wish to make a formal complaint. For further information and advice on this, you may wish to contact ACE Education's advice line on 0300 0115 142.

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer advice on issues such as issuing cease and desist letters or other civic law matters such as defamation. If you would like some advice on this, I would advise that you contact a solicitor, or you may be able to receive some advice from Child Law Advice on 0300 330 5480.

Best wishes,

Suzie.

[Spinhead]

Thanks Suzie, we have already done all you have advised and the school acknowledges they should have told us prior to speaking to my son about this. However, the school have said that the foster parents would be on the phone complaining if our son even walked down their street such is there spiteful nature. They are making up accusations as they go just for the hell of it. Not good really seeing as their eldest son is a teacher (different school) as it could end badly for him if he believes their nonsense. His son is a friend of our son. This is how malicious rumours spread like wildfire so I am keen to nip it in the bud.