Neighbour leaving children at home for hours

[ChampagneChanel]

I've name changed for this as it's a very sensitive subject, today it's come to my attention that my neighbour has left her 11 year old and 2 year old at home today for 7 HOURS

My elderly neighbour knocked on my door around 12pm to say that she saw said neighbour and her husband leaving this morning at 7am, he works full time and she is a SAHM, she then went on to say that she leaves them alone for up to 4 hours several times a week. I'm flabbergasted, we debated on getting the police and I decided it would be best to phone them, she rang them around half 12 and I had to leave for work at 2pm and the police still hasn't arrived so I checked on them but they didn't answer the door, I have spoke to my elderly neighbour just now and she said the police did come but she was home by then and she doesn't know what's happened. In what world is it appropriate to leave a toddler and 11 year old home alone for 7 hours??

Do you speak regularly to these neighbours to know their work situations? If you’re close enough to know these details could you not mention your concerns rather than going straight to the police?

No, sod that. If someone is leaving children that young alone all day then of course you report it to outside agencies.

The police came and checked it out, if it was an issue they would report to social care.

It might not be an issue, there could be eg. a grandparent in house with children that you did not see arrive

My point was that OP must be familiar with these neighbours to know their work situation, so could easily enquire as to their concerns about children being left alone.

Obviously it’s not ok to leave these children alone.

I would absolutely assume a grandparent or something was also in the house?
I'm a single parent and often leave by myself in the mornings during the holidays to work from a coffee shop etc. my sister will arrive very late the night before and sleep on the couch. Now worried my neighbours will think I'm leaving DS alone solo 😅

It's unclear form your post but did you or the neighbours actually knock to see if there was anyone else in the property? I would imagine there was a grandparent or other adult at the house with the two children and your elderly neighbour just didn't see them arriving.

If the parents are leaving their 11 and 2 year old at home alone for 7 hours please report to Children’s Services. They’ll most likely need the full names of both children and parents, including their address.

Is the 11 year old not at school (half-term this week in most areas), so unless the 11 year old is homeschooled, then the children can't be left on their own during the daytime, several times per week. Unless the Mother is leaving both children on their own, once the eldest is home from school? We're you aware your neighbour was leaving the children on their own? Or is this information purely that you were given by the elderly neighbour? I'm not saying the elderly neighbour isn't correct, but sometimes other people don't always get all the facts. The matter has been reported to the police. Presumably, they spoke to the Mother, and they would make a decision as to, if social services need involving. It's now out of everyone else's hands.

I could see the children playing in the front garden (in the rain) for an hour before I left for work, I could also see in the living room window from my driveway and both children were sitting on the couch watching tv, no adult was visible. According to elderly neighbour, who absolutely keeps tabs (spies) on everyone in the street that no adult comes or leaves from said house.

It's not my business at all but if children so young are getting left at home for hours and hours a day then I have right to be concerned

Seconding a PP, is the 11 year old not going to school? The school would be noticing if they aren’t.

This is not ringing true. I don’t get why you aren’t talking to the parents if you’re as concerned as you claim to be.

It’s half term with us this week so could be the same for them.

@greencrab
I think the police came when the children’s mother had returned home. So the children weren’t alone at that point.

Mmmmm
Are you sure the neighbour didn't miss the arrival of a relative or friend. Or the return of the mum or something. If they left at 7am then maybe someone arrived at 6:45 and neighbour was still in bed at the time. Still quite early in the morning

she then went on to say that she leaves them alone for up to 4 hours several times a week.

If this is true then it’s clearly not just half term so would be at school.

The 11 year old is home schooled, the 2 year old doesn't go to nursery yet. I have since spoken to the neighbour on question and she was adamant that she has been home with the kids all day. Utter lies.

In that case I would be contacting social services as well as the police. I wonder if the husband knows the children are being left alone?

Could the mum have mental health issues and be struggling?

Contact social services, if neighbour has nothing to hide etc etc. don't take the risk you would never forgive yourself if something happened. This is maybe a bit big brotherish, but if any of the neighbours have a ring camera it may show coming and goings

You and neighbour have done the right thing. Hopefully SS will do a check, might be the wake up call parents need.

I call bs. Totally dripfeeds in response to what posters saying