Kirstie Allsopp has been reported to child protective services for permitting her 15-year-old son to travel across Europe by train with a companion – but she has firmly stood by her choice.
The host of Location, Location, Location revealed that her son, Oscar, journeyed across Europe with a 16-year-old friend this summer. However, upon his return, she received a call from a social worker who informed her that a case had been initiated due to concerns regarding child safety.
Allsopp provided an extensive explanation on her Instagram page, expressing surprise that child services would intervene.
She remarked: “I was aware that we were evolving into a more cautious society in both the UK and the US. My experiences in Switzerland have been enlightening. There, as in Japan, children independently walk to school and are encouraged from a young age to cultivate self-sufficiency while being trusted to make prudent decisions.”
Although she anticipated some individuals might question her choice to allow her young teenager to explore Europe unaccompanied, she expressed hope that “the silver lining of this situation is for everyone to pause and reflect on the liberties we enjoyed as children and to consider what danger might arise, not from the freedoms, but from the constraints and apprehensions we impose on our children”.
Previously, she explained to The Mail on Sunday that the communication from the council left her feeling “nauseated” and then “extremely irate”.
On Monday, Allsopp tweeted that Oscar had returned from a nine-day train journey through Europe, expressing on X that she was “very proud of him”, adding: “If we let our fear dominate, our children too will live in fear; if we release our hold, they will soar.”
Despite receiving praise from some quarters, she has faced criticism for granting her teenager the autonomy to travel alone.
Allsopp conveyed that the social worker “inquired about the precautions taken for your son’s travels,” which led her to feel “outraged,” prompting her to inform the official that it was none of their concern and that she was ending the conversation.
The television presenter explained that officials failed to comprehend that she had been targeted by an individual making false claims of neglect. To date, she has not been informed of how or by whom the referral was made.
A case was initiated on Oscar, and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC), her local authority, stated that the file might remain active “in the event of another referral requiring us to visit your residence and investigate further”.
She expressed to the Mail: “For me, that was the gut punch – the notion that this file might persist.”
“What (the official) conveyed to me was, ‘if in six months another referral arises and we need to visit your house for further inquiries, it would be crucial to have documented the initial referral’.”
“That was the Orwellian moment. They did not seem to grasp that it was malicious in nature.”
A representative for RBKC informed the newspaper: “The welfare of children is our utmost priority. We take any referral we receive with the highest seriousness and we are statutorily obligated to protect children under the age of 18.”
They stated that it is “standard procedure” to retain records until a child’s 25th birthday.
