Kirstie Allsopp reported to social services for allowing son, 15, to travel abroad

Kirstie Allsopp has responded to Britain's overly cautious nature by sharing that she was reported to social services for letting her teenage son go on an Interrailing adventure.

The TV host mentioned that she was contacted by a social worker after she shared online about letting her 15-year-old son, Oscar, travel in Europe. The social worker informed her that a file had been opened due to concerns about child protection.

She mentioned that her son was one of the younger students in his year and he was going on a trip with a friend who was also 16 years old, after completing his GCSE exams.

Sharing a photo on Instagram early Sunday, the TV host, 52, mentioned: "I found his journey to be motivating, and I never imagined that a call from social services would happen, it's been a big surprise, especially for Oscar."

Allsopp mentioned that a social worker from RBKC refused to disclose how the referral was initiated or by whom. She also noted that officials seemed unaware that she may have been falsely accused of neglect by someone.

She mentioned that the social worker explained that they have to investigate every referral and asked about the measures in place to protect her son during the trip.

In a conversation about how the referral was managed, Allsopp expressed to the Mail on Sunday: "I felt really ill - absolutely sick. Then I was angry. I was extremely angry. It was just so unbelievable. I felt like I was in a different world where they were truly considering this matter. I have not broken any laws and there is nothing neglectful about letting my child travel across Europe."

A representative from RBKC told the Guardian that they are still investigating the accusation and it is their duty to thoroughly examine all claims.

Allsopp mentioned that the social worker had created a record for Oscar and that they would leave it open just in case they received another report and needed to conduct a more thorough investigation.

She explained to the Mail on Sunday that the thought of the file possibly still being in existence was a hard blow for her. The official informed her that if there was another referral within six months and they needed to investigate further, it would be crucial to have a record of the initial referral.

That was the point where things felt Orwellian. She didn't realize at the time that it was done intentionally to harm her.

Allsopp shared a post on X about her son's recent trips on Monday. He just celebrated his 16th birthday.

Sharing a photo on Instagram on Sunday of Welcombe beach in north Devon, near her vacation home, she wrote: "We purchased Meadowgate as a fixer-upper right before Oscar was born, 16 years ago. Since then, we have spent every August bank holiday here with numerous friends and their children."

This is where a lot of them experienced their first sense of freedom, strolling to the beach by themselves or exploring the rocks and coming back safely with their finds. This year, we only have 5 young people with us, and they are not exactly kids anymore. The rest are out working, traveling, or studying, living on their own as they should be. It is our responsibility as parents to raise our children to eventually leave home, despite the high cost of doing so.

Allsopp, who just came back from Switzerland, mentioned that her trip showed her how much more careful Britons are with children compared to people in other parts of Europe. She noticed that the UK and the US are becoming more afraid of taking risks. Her stay in Switzerland taught her a lot. In Switzerland, like in Japan, children are independent and are allowed to walk to school by themselves. They are taught to be self-sufficient from a young age and are trusted to make smart decisions.

I noticed that there wasn't as much freedom and trust at home, which intrigued me because of the research conducted by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt and others. They suggest that there is a correlation between decreased freedom and trust and an increase in mental health issues among young people.

"Oscar, like many other young people, decided to go Interrailing after finishing his O-levels, and now after GCSEs. Even though he is young for his school year being born in the summer, I found his trip to be very inspiring. I never expected that children services would become involved, causing a significant shock for Oscar."

She mentioned that she wished the positive aspect of her experience would make people reflect on the freedoms they had as children, and consider the potential consequences of the restrictions and fears they are placing on their own kids.

A representative from RBKC stated: "Protecting children is our top priority. We treat every report we receive with the utmost seriousness as we are legally responsible for children who are under 18 years old."