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Original poster

Would you leave baby alone?

379 replies

Mississippilessly · 28/11/2018 10:10

I have agreed to go and pick up a parcel for a friend tomorrow. DS is 10 weeks. I am going to have to take my DH so someone can stay with the baby - the parcel is too big for me to take him in. This seems crazy. Could I lock the car and run in? I have only just thought of itm

OP posts:
Nicknacky · 28/11/2018 19:55

red That’s exactly my point. There is no law and it depends on the circumstances.

Parent popping into shop/petrol station and there is an accident? No crime.

Child left ill/distressed/whatever while dad goes into bookies for ten mins and something happens. Very likely an offence committed.

Don’t post stupid, unfounded scare stories.

Redskyandrainbows67 · 28/11/2018 19:56

Frog that sounds a bit of an offensive post directed towards me....? I thought you shouldn’t post to make others feel bad? Or is it just ok when you do it?

EwItsAHooman · 28/11/2018 19:57

Example scenario.

Child is left in car on petrol station forecourt. Another car hits that car, only a shunt, but child is taken to hospital to be checked over as a precaution and the Health Visitor is informed of the visit as per hospital policy.

No further action would arise.

Know why?

Because you could explain to the HV that you risk assessed the situation and judged that being safely locked in the car, in your line of sight, was safer than them walking across the forecourt and encountering the various hazards there.

(And before anyone extrapolates this to say "well what about....?" the above scenario excludes children who are already on the "at risk" radar)

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Families
Redskyandrainbows67 · 28/11/2018 19:57

But nick if there was an accident at the Petrol station - there would be a crime - because clearly the child HAD been at risk. If nothing happens then no crime.

Tinawithtwoboys · 28/11/2018 19:58

I don't think there's a problem leaving baby in the car. Can you see the car from post office? You'll literally be a few mins. I wouldn't worry, as long as you can monitor the car. I always leave my kids in car at petrol station. But only if I can see them!

Otherwise, I'd agree, ask your husband to collect

Xx

Redskyandrainbows67 · 28/11/2018 19:58

Ewits- I think in your scenario there would be an investigation and it would always be on your file that that happened

Nicknacky · 28/11/2018 19:58

red Stop. You are embarrassing yourself.

You said yourself. Accident.

If the parent was in the car the accident would still have happened.

MynameisJune · 28/11/2018 19:59

Redsky, you realise you’re not actually proving your point right? That there is no law on age, it’s just advise from the government?

And if an accident happened the parent would not be blamed for leaving a baby in a car for 5 mins. You realise that most people aren’t even prosecuted when their babies die in hot cars? Because it was an accident.

You’ll take plenty of risks with your kids and just not be aware, which is waay worse in my opinion 🤔

frogsoup · 28/11/2018 20:00

If you say you never take preventable risks because you love your kids sooo much, then you take the preventable risk of someone pointing out that that's a monumentally, monumentally stupid thing to say.

Redskyandrainbows67 · 28/11/2018 20:01

My name is - of course a parent is investigated and prosecuted if they knowingly leave a child in a car and it dies
It’s when they do it by accident they aren’t
Op/others are knowingly leaving their child
Stop say I take unknown/preventable risks with my child - you don’t know me or how I parent at all

HauntedPencil · 28/11/2018 20:01

It wouldn't be a crime.

You are taking nonsense.

EwItsAHooman · 28/11/2018 20:01

Your child is at risk of all sorts 24/7 simply by existing. It is impossible to live a life that is 100% risk free.

Sensible management of risk, weighing up options and choosing the one that you consider to be the least risk for you and your individual family, and learning to consider risks. These are healthy.

"I never take risks, I love me kids too much, I would never do that". This is not healthy and in my experience the kids who are bubble wrapped are the ones who don't learn to manage risks.

Nicknacky · 28/11/2018 20:03

red Parents are not routinely prosecuted after a death. You only neeed to look at the inquest of the little girl that died after being immersed in a river when mum left her in the car for a couple of minutes.

She wasn’t prosecuted. You don’t know what you are talking about.

EwItsAHooman · 28/11/2018 20:04

it would always be on your file that that happened

Not my FILE!!!! Shock

What file is this!? There's no such bloody thing as a magical file that follow you around forever.

Redskyandrainbows67 · 28/11/2018 20:04

Never take ‘preventable’ risks - not just risk
No I don’t let my kids in the kitchen when I’m cooking, I always hold my child’s hand crossing the road, don’t let her use her scooter on the road, don’t leave out marble or small objects they can choke on. Etc...
Tbh it gives me a sense of security that so many of you do these things - it’ll be your child that ends up in intensive care not mine.

HauntedPencil · 28/11/2018 20:05

That was a really tragic accident and I believe what had happened was that the handbrake wasn't engaged properly and the car had rolled into the river.

No she wasn't prosecuted.

PattiStanger · 28/11/2018 20:05

How would never taking a preventable risk actually work, what on earth do you do an a day to day basis, how do you even get up in the morning?

I assume you can't go out for a walk or drive anywhere.

Redskyandrainbows67 · 28/11/2018 20:05

Ew - well actually there is it’s called a safeguarding hub file and anything reported stays on there whether proven or not

MynameisJune · 28/11/2018 20:06

Okay I give in, you can’t argue with stupid. Think what you like but I will guarantee you will take preventable risks with your children.

Everyday we wake up and get out of bed, we are taking risks.

I’m sorry but you really should learn to think critically before spouting scaremongering bullshit at new parents.

Nicknacky · 28/11/2018 20:06

You don’t let your kids come in the kitchen when you are cooking?! That’s nuts.

EwItsAHooman · 28/11/2018 20:06

At most, it would be in the child's medical record that they were involved in a low speed collision and no injuries were sustained.

The HV would have a note in her file that she made a follow up phone call due to hospital visit and that no concerns were identified (because unless there is a major safeguarding incident that places your child in immediate danger, they must notify you if they have concerns).

And that's it.

Nowhere would it be noted that "ermagahd,.the child was in the car alone".

frogsoup · 28/11/2018 20:07

You take preventable risks with your child because it's physically impossible not to Confused

Redskyandrainbows67 · 28/11/2018 20:08

Nick - tell that to my oh who has a massive burn on him that he got when he was 5 and pulled a pan of boiling water on top of himself...

EwItsAHooman · 28/11/2018 20:09

I don’t let my kids in the kitchen when I’m cooking

Then how do they learn to cook!?

actually there is it’s called a safeguarding hub file and anything reported stays on there whether proven or not

Only if it actually triggers a safeguarding concern and the scenario I described would not trigger the completion of a safeguarding proforma in either of the NHS Trusts I've worked for unless there were other more obvious concerns, nor would it have triggered my Ofsted safeguarding policy.

No one is out to punish parents for making perfectly normal parenting decisions.

Nicknacky · 28/11/2018 20:10

red But it’s common sense to be safe in the kitchen. Not ban kids altogether.

Your risk assessment is totally off kilter.