I can’t see why children’s services is getting involved after Kirstie Allsopp allowed her son to interrail - Yorkshire Post Letters

I have just read an article in the Guardian by Kirstie Allsop after Children's Services in Kensington & Chelsea contacted her after allowing her almost 16 year old son to interrail in Europe. I can fully appreciate her annoyance. Further to add to her annoyance the powers that be then stated that her file would be kept open for another six months in case there was a further complaint.

After holidaying abroad, she reports that other countries are far less risk averse with regards to children's activities, encouraging children to walk to school on their own and be self-sufficient.

Of course there needs to be safeguarding of children but it must be tempered and appropriate at times. After all, we are not blessed with superb public services, so taking up time to look at Kirstie Allsop's case probably deflected them from looking at far more serious issues.

I do wonder that we are becoming so dependent on the state to get involved in our affairs that we often forget that parents have a big responsibility to effectively look after their children and safeguard them. That is what being a parent is all about. If you are not up to that challenge then don't become a parent.