What would you do? (serious subject) and long, sorry.

[ChicChicChicChiclana]

You are driving to the supermarket along a busy main road which is a red route and has a bus lane and turn off to the side road to get to the supermarket car park and are amazed to see a toddler, naked except for shoes and carrying a glass lampshade, heading for the main road.

You stop the car (not park) jump out and stop the child from heading for the main road. The child looks old enough to be able to speak and understand (maybe about 2?) but doesn't seem to understand what you are saying things like "are you cold" "where are your clothes" "where is your Mummy, where is your Daddy".

You ask the child to stand still so you can get back to your car to get your phone but the child doesn't understand and is toddling off.

You flag down a person driving past (who has nearly bumped into your car because it is abandoned in the middle of the road on the corner) and she gets out to help. Now there's two of you, one can keep an eye on the baby and the other can look around for signs of parents. A flat is found, with the back door open. Person 2 goes through garden to back door and calls out for anyone inside no answer. By now about 5 minutes have passed since person 1 stopped the car to help the child.

Person 2 is about to go into the flat through the back door, when a man comes out of the side door of the flat just next to where person 1 is standing with the child. He speaks quietly to the child in a language which is not English and says "thank you" to person 1 and walks round through the garden and into the back door. There is no sign of anguish or panic or even annoyance with the child for nearly walking into 3 lanes of traffic on a busy city street.

Person 1 and person 2 stay outside on the street debriefing for a few minutes. Person 2 says they might report to social services but "they'll have a think about it first". They say their goodbyes, noting that the back door to the flat is still open.

Wwyd now, if anything, as person 1 in this scenario?

When I was 17 I nearly ran over a 2 year old while reversing on my friends road. He came out to meet me and when I told him he just shrugged and said "he's always out he only lives over there". I was shocked but all the kids who were out seemed to think it was normal so I forgot about it.

A few months later I heard that he'd gone missing and was found by the police over a mile away at the park. He must had crossed at least 4 busy roads to get there and was all alone. He hadn't been reported missing by his mum who only noticed when they brought him back. They knew who he was as she was known to the police and how she kept custody of him I'll never understand. Maybe if more people trusted their instinct and made reports more children would be safe.

I think if you ever have to question making a report you should - if there's nothing to worry about ss will make that judgement. Better to be safe than sorry

I would have picked up the toddler, put them in my car, asked them questions and phoned 999.

999 and pick child up. Regardless of social distancing.

Could do easily have been one of the kids on this estate. Yep wandering out into main road. Problem is no one ever reported it that saw it and SS aren’t made aware. They can only safeguard what they know about.