Family living in a car

[BlueBug444]

I hope I've got the wrong end of the stick completely - but I think I need to report this to social services and I don't know where to begin. Do I just ring the council and they will put me through to social services?

I walk my Dog through a park most mornings and afternoons/evenings. On the carpark there's a car that's been there for several weeks. At first I thought it had been abandoned then I saw a dog in it one morning. Having kept an eye on it for the last few weeks it seems there's a couple with a young girl (maybe 10 or 11 years old) living in it + at least two dogs and some birds in a cage. I've seen the girl wandering round the park during the day several times now. Usually on her own - then she goes back to the car. It never seems to leave the carpark or be driven anywhere. I heard the man shouting at the woman the other day that "this was is it now and at least we're not on the streets". I feel awful for them that they have seemingly been driven to such desperate measures

Yes of course. There are some places like Dogs trust I think that will foster dogs whilst people get themselves sorted. My friend fosters dogs regularly for people who are fleeing domestic violence.

And have your child sleeping in a car with two adults and dogs, no access to washing facilities etc?

You would actually have your child live like that? In winter? For weeks? Rather than your pets be fostered?

If so, shame on you

I don't have any young kids. I guess I was just thinking what I would do for myself. Apologies for any shock caused.

As adults every single one of us has a duty to safeguard children. I'd imagine she isn't getting fed properly and is off radar as not attending school either.

Report every time. I can't imagine how anyone would want to post on a public forum than social services.

I’m a social worker
can you please immediately called your area Children’s Social Care emergency duty team, and then the police asking for an immediate welfare check via 999 tonight as soon as you read this

Please report this to Childrens Services and ignore any advice on here not to because a child can't be living in a car especially in this weather. Google your local council and call the number for Childrens Services who have a duty to find accommodation for the family as they have a child. You could report to police who will do the same thing.

Ha no they won't! I was homeless for 7 years before being informed by the council I wasn't in fact homeless despite sofa surfing pregnant then with a newborn

You were homeless with a newborn and the council wouldn’t provide housing for you?

Absolutely report it, goodness me there’s no other option surely?

Nope! Had to stay with family then private rent

Have you reported OP ?

@Ballycastle was the issue that they didn’t class you as “technically” homeless. When this happened to my friend when she was pregnant she had to get written statements from her family that she was not able to stay there. Once that was in place she was categorised as homeless and emergency housing provided.

@Ballycastle in England, local authorities have a legal duty to house homeless families with children and homeless children under 18
. Under the Children Act 1989 and housing legislation, councils must provide accommodation to "children in need" regardless of immigration status, and to families in priority need.

So you’d rather your child lived in a CAR so that you wouldn’t be separated from your animals?

This absolutely should be reported to the authorities. If the family won’t put themselves forward for emergency accommodation because of pets, the daughter should be removed to a place of safety.

I deal with car dwellers occasionally through my job. Most commonly men who can't afford housing following family breakdown but also families (usually in vans or caravans rather than cars). This can be through choice, homelessness or because it's safer/preferable to emergency accommodation (a room in an hmo with ex offenders, addicts etc is terrifying if you're a lone woman with young children). I would flag it to the local council and they can send a homelessness person to offer support

So you’d let your child live in a car instead?

There is a guy living in his car in a car park near me. He appears to be 'ok', working, and by himself. I haven't seen anything on the usual local gossipy 'town' pages so maybe nobody has noticed. I thought about an anonymous call to 101 for a welfare check but I've decided not to as they might just make his life more difficult by moving him on etc. I imagine he just wants to be left alone - I would.

I would report to 101 anonymously but only because they have a child (and personally for me, the animals too). Surely they would be eligible for emergency housing? I love animals 100% but you can't have a 10 year old sleeping in a car so you can stay with your dog.

Then you wouldn’t be considered homeless as you had somewhere to stay.

This is pretty common in some parts of the world that you would least expect it and social services do know about it and this bugger all they can do. They can’t pluck a house or a B&B out of thin air if there isn’t one.

For the love of god please report this to all relevant authorities immediately. Why wouldn’t you.
Living in the uk means that this family can be off other options. Maybe not amazing ones but better than having a child living in a car in winter.

I would definitely report. You don’t know if they’re lying under the radar.
Hopefully it’s nothing similar but I’m still chilled by little baby Victoria who was found dead after her parents (Constance Martin was the mother) slept out in a tent during the winter to avoid SS removing the baby from them. That poor little baby.
If they’ve ‘just’ been evicted from their property or something then hopefully the authorities would be able to support them.

Contact children's services immediately. No child should be sleeping in a car. Too many people ignore issues and then complain when something happens to the child.
Or look on the website for the local authority where this is. There is usually a form that can be completed about rough sleepers. They do ask for your details too, but it will be investigated by the appropriate person at the local authority.
I've done this twice BTW where I live.

Sorry but yes they can find temporary accommodation. I spent over 25 years as a homeless officer, it's often difficult but we never had children sleeping rough. If the family is eligible, homeless and in priority need then it's a duty to provide temporary accommodation.

OP, could you make a Streetlink referral?

https://thestreetlink.org.uk/about

This.