My friend boyfriend beat her up

Yes, SS and the police should take it seriously.

Your witness statement is evidence.

The police will likely take a view based on previous police involvement. After a while it is taken out of the hands of the victim as to whether the perpetrator is arrested & charged. There are strong policies in place to help police deal with domestic abuse because it is absolutely typical for women to want to cover for their abusive partners.

Better to potentially save a child's life than save a friendship.

SS always try to help by putting a plan into action. They mignt tell her he can't stay there with her 2 year old. Are you confident if she was told she had to see bf away from house and he can no longer live there with 2 year old she would agree to it? She should kick him out.

You become an enabler the moment you sit back and do nothing. This child needs you to step up and speak out.

And I get that completely. You do need to call SS though.

Yes I'm afraid I agree, if she cannot protect her kids then you do need to report. If this man is this violent at such an early stage he seems very dangerous and the kids could get hurt too.

Where are her parents in this, if he beat her up at their house? Can they help?

If she has a black eye currently then if the police visit or social services visit they will see the evidence even if she denies it.
She’s making appalling decisions, moving him in after 2 months? When she’s already involved with SS and knows they are watching her?
Protect the kids.

Well we don’t know why SS are already involved but usually they will work with the Mother to try and keep the DC with her.

If you’re hesitant to call the Police at least call the NSPCC. They will be able to advise you. Then call the SS.

I would also have a read of this advice from Women’s Aid.

You 100% need to report this to both police and social services as a matter of urgency.

You are leaving a small child in danger if you choose not to report.

I'd be more worried about the welfare of the children

Call the police immediately. A two year old wouldn’t survive an attack like that! Is she one of those women who are desperate for male attention?

If nothing concrete comes of it and she shuts the OP out OP can do nothing further to protect the children.

Why do you care more about her shutting you out than the safety of her kids? Those children are the most important thing here, not you.

The child is the most vulnerable one here.
Put them first. Even if it means the end of your friendship
This guy sounds dangerous. Very dangerous. If this kid ends up on the news and you hadn't at least tried, you'd never forgive yourself.

Your friend is putting a piece of shit she's known 5 minutes above her child. You need to try to be the parent she is failing to be.

Don’t tell her it was you reporting her. But also, safeguarding the child is the priority… you need to do it.

Report the incident to police and notify social services ASAP. They wont remove the child as the first course of action but will see what support they can provide.

This is really serious and the child is in real danger.

Even if it were true that he "didn't mean it" (it's not - you don't beat someone up by accident), you need to look at the impact, not intention.

Do you know the biggest risk of death and harm in toddlers and babies comes from step fathers

Report - do you have the messages still? Do you have images of the bruises?

Sadly your friend is unable to see sense and protect her child so then you should step in and contact SS

OP you should report this to the police and social services. Her children are in danger, as she is too obviously. But if she chooses to keep that man in the house, over her children's safety then you really need to act if she won't. Imagine something happened to one of her children, you'd never forgive yourself.

She's an adult - she has a choice whether to be with him or not. They are vulnerable children and they don't have a choice.

Social services will offer her help and support but they can (and should) remove the children if she refuses to make him leave.

They are already giving her support if they are involved. She needs to be guided to do the right thing. Police can arrest him, they will then send a report to social services who will support her to protect herself and her DC. They won't swoop in and take them without trying to help her first. Disclaimer, I don't know how much support they have already offered, or what stage of intervention they have reached.

She is putting her child/ren in immense danger. Social services are not going to favour her if she’s willingly causing this safeguarding issue by staying with her partner.