FII is named in the definition of physical abuse in KCSIE 2026 paragraph 26 and the Working Together 2026 glossary: physical harm may be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child. You may also see older names for it.
Most children with frequent illness or many medical appointments are not being harmed, and most parents who worry about their child's health are not fabricating anything. FII is rare. But schools see children every day, so they can notice things that health professionals don't, such as:
- a parent describing symptoms or needs that staff never see in school
- a child often absent for illness or appointments while seeming well in school
- requests for equipment, medication or adjustments that don't match what staff observe
- a child who appears to believe they are more unwell than they seem
What to do:
- Record what you see factually, with dates, and pass it to the DSL.
- Don't investigate, and don't raise your suspicions with the parent yourself.
- The DSL can share information with health professionals and children's social care, who lead on assessing it.
A chronology of absences, health information from home and observations in school is often what makes the pattern visible.