I know a parent who is struggling with mh issues; money issues; all sorts. She won't tell me directly so I have this info second hand from reliable people that she speaks to about it directly. WWYD?

[Dreardre]

A parent at school is really struggling but is in denial that she needs help. She is not good at dealing with difficult situations and her responses are paranoia. She won't admit it to me at all and we have cheery chatty conversations when I see her. I have the detail of her problems and the effect on her kids from someone closer to her who is pretty desperate about it but just tries to fix everything herself.
I tried when they were younger but had serious health problems myself. I have MS and cannot offer her the flexible support she needs.
TBH the situation needs professional help. Any help we give papers over some big cracks. Her children are suffering from her terrible paranoia.
Can I contact SS about it - I am encouraging the person who hears it all directly to contact SS about it. Better than third hand from me.
I don't want to give too much detail for fear of outing us all. The kids are 8 and 10.

Speak to school rather than ss unless the children are being harmed.

I don't know the extent of school involvement already - the parent is pretty paranoid about them too.

Is the other parent on the scene? Are you able to speak to them at all?

As for harm to the kids, she's not physically harming them but they have health issues that could be sorted by an hcp (she has a paranoid explanation as to why they have these issues). She is certainly messing with their heads and has threatened to send one away. There is no partner on the scene and no family.

There is no other parent. Circs of her pregnancy never made clear. I feel so sorry for her and for them but don't know what to do.

Speak to school. ask for safeguarding lead.

She relays her paranoid fantasies to her kids - I'm going to die; our electrics are rigged to kill us; the school hates me and many more. She has serious money problems but can't keep a job (always extremely late all the time). One of her kids has serious social anxiety but is desperate himself to make more friends. I have the wish for more friends from him directly.

I think I will speak to the school as you suggest. I can't watch this car crash anymore. They are currently at primary school with my dc. No idea which secondary they'll go to and whether it will be easier for her to avoid help.