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AIBU?

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Original poster

To alert LA/School/Social Services

140 replies

Usedphone · 14/02/2025 15:40

Yesterday while I was doing the school run I witnessed a dad shouting horribly (and horrible things) to a poor little boy. You could hear the boy screaming from a block away. I was in a rush, and really didn't want to confront this angry man, so just kept walking with my son.

Today, I saw the same boy (I didn't see him yesterday, only heard him) but he had the most horrible black eye and the rest of his face was incredibly swollen.

I'm sure both are connected but I have no evidence. Who can I alert about this?

OP posts:
Ang3leyes · 14/02/2025 19:23

Well you’d better do it before the bruise heals

Original poster
Usedphone · 14/02/2025 19:23

BusyMum47 · 14/02/2025 19:19

Please report ASAP - to the school - they'll be able to spread the safeguarding net from there. (I work in a Primary School.)

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Who checks the emails / voicemail out of hours though? The social worker said the head, but I'm not too sure.

OP posts:
moonsunandstars · 14/02/2025 19:23

Usedphone · 14/02/2025 19:17

Yes, during pick up. I even asked my friend if it was really a black eye and not me being blind.

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But this is the part I don't understand....there's no way school would have ignored such extensive injuries on a child.

lnks · 14/02/2025 19:22

This reply has been deleted

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BusyMum47 · 14/02/2025 19:19

Usedphone · 14/02/2025 16:12

I know his name and year, he went to nursery with my DS.

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Please report ASAP - to the school - they'll be able to spread the safeguarding net from there. (I work in a Primary School.)

Original poster
Usedphone · 14/02/2025 19:18

newyearnewme2025 · 14/02/2025 19:16

111 is NHS by the way not the Police... just for future reference

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The non emergency number 101... I'm just trying to multitask here

OP posts:
Original poster
Usedphone · 14/02/2025 19:17

moonsunandstars · 14/02/2025 19:13

Where did you see the little boy today? At school?

If he came to school with a black eye and a swollen face, school would have immediately contacted SS and probably wouldn't have released him to his parents.

It all sounds a bit.....weird?

Yes, during pick up. I even asked my friend if it was really a black eye and not me being blind.

OP posts:
MrsPeregrine · 14/02/2025 19:17

I work for a local authority and I know we have an out of hours emergency social services number. If this child has a black eye and swollen face the day after you heard him screaming and his dad shouting at him, then that would make me concerned that his life is in imminent danger. I would ring social services again and be really insistent that they take action.

newyearnewme2025 · 14/02/2025 19:16

Usedphone · 14/02/2025 19:13

They logged against his first name, which is why they asked me to email the school.

I had already left a voicemail earlier today, so it was basically the written form.

When I once called 111 because I saw a man physically assaulting a woman, they still logged it even though I had no idea of the identity of these people, so what you're saying makes no sense either.

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111 is NHS by the way not the Police... just for future reference

Bigfellabamboo · 14/02/2025 19:16

Gosh how awful, especially with it now being half term and that child not having the safety of school. Well done for reporting

Original poster
Usedphone · 14/02/2025 19:15

newyearnewme2025 · 14/02/2025 19:10

i dont think anyone has suggested its nothing to do with the school? you would think that as a parent (which OP appears to be), that has witnessed 2 separate issues regarding the safety and well being of a child, the very first thing they would have done, is to go to the office at the school and tell them immediately what they have seen or at the very least, phoned the police and ask for advice. not leave it for a day or 2, mull it over, and then and only then ask the WWW 'what should i do?'. in this day and age, with everything going on in the world, its got to be impossible for a parent not to know what to do in an event like this?

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To answer this

a) I talked about it with my other "mum friend" and I told her what I witnessed the previous day. She assured me the school would be on top of things as the bruising is obvious. I wasn't as sure thus this thread .

b) I didn't do it immediately because I had to get back home for a meeting at work, once it had ended the school had closed.

OP posts:
Sassybooklover · 14/02/2025 19:15

I work in a school and we have mandatory safeguarding training yearly. The one piece of information that is drummed into us is 'safeguarding is everyone's responsibility'. If you see something that doesn't sit right with you, report it. In this instance you know the child's name, and class. You report exactly what you have seen, factually. Find out who the designated safeguarding lead is in school and speak to them. Unfortunately, now it's half-term, but the bruising/swelling would have been seen by staff at school today, and they would have asked the child about it, and even call home to ask too. Once you have reported what you saw, it's down to the school to decide how they proceed.

Lilactimes · 14/02/2025 19:14

Lilactimes · 14/02/2025 19:06

It won’t hurt for her to do this. I agree there are Nat guidelines and frameworks but it won’t hurt for her to also notify the school surely?
Who knows how smoothly they work in every area. A concerned mother pushing organisations to act could be literally the difference between life and death x

Edited
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Ignore this @inks ivw read more of your thread … and can see you think this may not be real.
I hope you’re right.

moonsunandstars · 14/02/2025 19:13

Where did you see the little boy today? At school?

If he came to school with a black eye and a swollen face, school would have immediately contacted SS and probably wouldn't have released him to his parents.

It all sounds a bit.....weird?

Original poster
Usedphone · 14/02/2025 19:13

soupyspoon · 14/02/2025 19:08

Another saying this is made up because the police wouldnt have a person to log this against, as they dont know the child's full name. I can tell you that the police dont go phoning around trying to get details of someone if they dont know the details of that person.

They logged against his first name, which is why they asked me to email the school.

I had already left a voicemail earlier today, so it was basically the written form.

When I once called 111 because I saw a man physically assaulting a woman, they still logged it even though I had no idea of the identity of these people, so what you're saying makes no sense either.

OP posts:
Dontbeataroundthebush1 · 14/02/2025 19:12

1000% report what you heard. They should be concerned. Poor little boy

MyrtlethePurpleTurtle · 14/02/2025 19:11

lnks · 14/02/2025 19:01

I've reported the OP now anyway to MN

Edited

Why announce the reporting and why repeatedly troll hunt? Genuine question

newyearnewme2025 · 14/02/2025 19:10

southenglandartist · 14/02/2025 18:56

Don't know why others are saying this has nothing to do with the school .. if you don't know his surname then of course the school are involved, to help identify the boy?! Bizarre others are suggesting otherwise. Well done, if it's a coincidence, it'll be easily explained. If not, you've definitely done the right thing.

i dont think anyone has suggested its nothing to do with the school? you would think that as a parent (which OP appears to be), that has witnessed 2 separate issues regarding the safety and well being of a child, the very first thing they would have done, is to go to the office at the school and tell them immediately what they have seen or at the very least, phoned the police and ask for advice. not leave it for a day or 2, mull it over, and then and only then ask the WWW 'what should i do?'. in this day and age, with everything going on in the world, its got to be impossible for a parent not to know what to do in an event like this?

soupyspoon · 14/02/2025 19:08

Another saying this is made up because the police wouldnt have a person to log this against, as they dont know the child's full name. I can tell you that the police dont go phoning around trying to get details of someone if they dont know the details of that person.

Isittimeformynapyet · 14/02/2025 19:06

Widgets · 14/02/2025 18:59

Contact school, tell them date, time what you heard / saw etc…

Contact the mash / front door / emergency duty team, called different things in different areas but they are part of children’s services at your local council (Google will give you the number)

They will both work together to protect this little boy.

Please please please report. Don’t ignore

At ease @Widgets

You're way behind.

Your opportunity to be the hero that persuaded the OP to do the obvious has been and gone.

Lilactimes · 14/02/2025 19:06

lnks · 14/02/2025 19:00

Nobody said it has nothing to do with the school.

However it is SS who would be speaking to them and 'joining the dots', they wouldn't be asking the OP to do it. There are national childsafeguarding frameworks that must legally be followed so there is no way what the OP is saying is true. There is also no way school would discuss another pupil with her.

Show quote history

It won’t hurt for her to do this. I agree there are Nat guidelines and frameworks but it won’t hurt for her to also notify the school surely?
Who knows how smoothly they work in every area. A concerned mother pushing organisations to act could be literally the difference between life and death x

southenglandartist · 14/02/2025 19:05

Inks I'm well aware of how SS work. Also how schools work. Whilst they wouldn't discuss another students detail with OP, their DSL should be available even out of hours to respond to concerns. The school will be an important part of piecing together the identity of the child. Although agree it odd that OP has been told to forward the statement. That surprises me.

Lilactimes · 14/02/2025 19:04

Usedphone · 14/02/2025 18:54

Think whatever you like, it's definitely not BS. I've done what I think is the right thing.

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Schools, Social Services and Police are supposed to work closely together. It may be more smooth in certain areas than others - but you have done the right thing @Usedphone telling the school too. Heads are often incredibly important part of the jigsaw in these cases. You did great and I’m sure it was horrible … poor poor boy. Just think of him if/ when you wobble and keep chasing up xxx

lnks · 14/02/2025 19:01

I've reported the OP now anyway to MN

lnks · 14/02/2025 19:00

southenglandartist · 14/02/2025 18:56

Don't know why others are saying this has nothing to do with the school .. if you don't know his surname then of course the school are involved, to help identify the boy?! Bizarre others are suggesting otherwise. Well done, if it's a coincidence, it'll be easily explained. If not, you've definitely done the right thing.

Nobody said it has nothing to do with the school.

However it is SS who would be speaking to them and 'joining the dots', they wouldn't be asking the OP to do it. There are national childsafeguarding frameworks that must legally be followed so there is no way what the OP is saying is true. There is also no way school would discuss another pupil with her.