Kirstie Allsopp brands complaints about her 15-year-old son going interrailing 'absurd'

27 August 2024, 15:30

Kirstie Allsopp
Kirstie Allsopp. Picture: Alamy

By Henry Moore

Kirstie Allsopp has branded complaints made to social services about her 15-year-old son going interrailing across Europe “absurd.”

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

The TV presenter found herself at the centre of a social media storm after revealing her son, 15, went travelling across Europe with a 16-year-old friend this summer.

Upon his return, Allsopp was informed by social services that a file had been opened due to complaints about her son’s welfare.

Taking to social media, she slammed her critics and said the complaints "made me very angry".

Read more: Double heartbreak for Mariah Carey as mother and sister die on the same day

She said: "If anything it's a distillation of where we have got to, but... the main issue is that so many people seem to think the world is a more dangerous place to travel in, yet modern communications, safer transport and better emergency health mean it's a safer place to travel in.

"Oscar's birthday is in late August, so he is summer-born. This means he was always going to be 15 not 16 when doing post-GCSE activities.

"The obsession with this age boundary is bizarre."

The Location, Location, Location star added her son is “proud” of his trip.

"I hope the silver lining of all this fuss is that a debate has begun about how we best help teenagers become confident, capable adults, and how factually and realistically we perceive risk," she said.

Speaking last week, she said officials did not understand that she had been targeted by someone falsely alleging neglect, describing the intervention as "Orwellian" and "absolutely outrageous".

"I just felt sick - absolutely sick. Then I was cross. I was very, very cross," she told the Mail on Sunday.

"It was just so extraordinary. I was in a parallel universe where they were actually taking this seriously.

"I have broken no law and nothing about allowing my child to travel around Europe is neglectful."

Allsopp said she was not told how the referral had been made or who by, with the social worker insisting every referral must be looked into and questioning what safeguards were put in place for her son's trip.

They also confirmed a file had been opened on Oscar, and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC), her local council, could keep the file open "in case there was another referral and we needed to come to your house and look into this further".

EUROSTAR Train at Waterloo
EUROSTAR Train at Waterloo. Picture: Getty

"For me, that was the sucker punch - the idea this file might continue existing," Allsopp said.

"What (the official) said to me was, 'if in six months there was another referral and we needed to come to your house and look into this further, it would be important that we had kept a note of the first referral'.

"That was the Orwellian moment. The fact it was maliciously done wasn't coming home to her."

A spokesperson for RBKC told the paper: "Safeguarding children is an absolute priority. We take any referral we receive very seriously and we have a statutory responsibility for children under 18 years of age."

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

woman in military uniform holding happy daughter at home

Military families set for housing boost as Defence Sec pledges to ‘stop the rot’

Actor Haley Joel Osment attends the 2025 PaleyFest LA - "Poker Face" event at the Dolby Theatre on March 29, 2025 in Hollywood, California.

Oscar-nominated ‘Sixth Sense’ actor Haley Joel Osment charged with public intoxication and cocaine possession

Commuters walk along a packed platform after a single train arrived during the morning rush hour, at Waterloo Station in London on April 8, 2024.

Millions set to face heavy disruption in Easter travel plans due to engineering works, strikes, traffic and flooding

Luigi Mangione, the suspect indicted in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson arriving at the South Street Helipad in New York City on December 19, 2024.

Luigi Mangione indicted on federal murder charge over CEO killing as US pushes for death penalty

Firefighters are battling a major blaze at a historic First World War airfield - as residents were warned to stay indoors due to fears over asbestos in the smoke.

Firefighters battle huge blaze at historic WWI airfield as residents warned of asbestos in smoke

Far fewer women today would prefer to switch gender than they once did, according to a study.

Fewer women would prefer to switch gender than they once did, study shows

More than four in five (81%) teachers feel the number of pupils exhibiting violent and abusive behaviours has increased, according to a poll by the NASUWT teaching union.

Teachers are being punched, kicked, shoved or spat at by pupils

Harry Maguire secured one of the most jaw-dropping European wins.

Harry Maguire seals Europa League semi-final spot for Manchester United after thrilling comeback

David Lammy has said Russia must agree to an “immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire” after meeting counterparts from the US and Europe.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy says Russia must accept ‘unconditional ceasefire’ after US-Europe talks

One batch of the medicine Lercanidipine, made by Recordati Pharmaceuticals, is labelled as containing 10mg tablets when it in fact contains 20mg.

Patients on common blood pressure drug urged to check pack amid labelling error

"It is a weekend where I want to perform, I want to do well," Norris said.

Lando Norris planning to try new things to get ‘comfortable’ with his McLaren

Beatles fan mail to be showcased in new exhibit featuring dozens of letters sent to Ringo Starr's home

Beatles fan mail to be showcased in new exhibit featuring dozens of letters sent to Ringo Starr's home

The Prison Service will investigate whether frontline staff should be given protective body armour.

Prisons service reviews protective gear for guards after Manchester bomb plotter attack

A woman who helped her husband die has said she has "no regrets" despite facing a police investigation.

Woman who took her husband to Switzerland for an assisted suicide says she has 'no regrets'

Rubbish Piles Up In Birmingham As Refuse Workers' Continue Strike Action

Birmingham Council is offering free 'rat extermination' as backlog of bin waste piles up in the city amid ongoing strikes

Florida State University students wait for news amid an active shooter incident at the school’s campus in Tallahassee, Fla., Thursday, April 17, 2025 (AP Photo/Kate Payne)

Sherrif says gunman who stormed Florida State University was son of one of his deputies