To report two infant age children walking to school alone

[ThePosieParker]

... to the head of the school.

This morning I saw two siblings (I assume) walking to school alone, the oldest looked about yr2 at the most and the youngest a reception child. I wanted to phone the school as there could be a number of reasons these children are walking alone, not all sinister but in my mind none good enough,. This is Bristol, a busy city, not the place to allow children to cross roads and negotiate traffic and people at the age of 6 or below, surely.

Posie Parker, 'the risk is harm was evident' in your opinion, that's the crux, your opinion. Talking to school, one thing, talking to ss, another. You do not know the parents/carers/schools situation, you've just jumped in with your opinion.

Of!

Yes boohoo, the three adults I know that have been hit by cars in Bristol and the countless that have been hit off their bikes is clearly because Bristol traffic is soooo slow and quiet.

wait....no I made a phone call.

you phonesd SS

The mother might have been walking way behind them (my DM admitted she did this with me a few months ago)

Phoning SS is way over the top for this.

I phoned a duty of care children's team, the mother was not behind.

I'm just waiting for the irate AIBU from the mother of these two when she's contacted to find out why they were alone...

and if ss deam it to be a risk they will assess and act accordingly.

I have a friend who became disabled following an asthma attack. Her dh did a job that meant that he had to leave the house early in the morning, so consequently my friend and her eight year old daughter were in the house. Her dd would get up, make her breakfast, and get ready for school and a childminder would then collect the daughter from the house and take her to school.

Somebody reported them to ss because they felt the mother was not looking after the child properly. Ss became involved and the parents were told that the daughter should not be responsible for making her own breakfast at eight and they recommended she be taken into care.

As a result my friend's dh has had to quit his job and they are now living on benefits because otherwise they will lose their dd.

If ss don't consider it appropriate for an eight year old to be making her own breakfast then they sure as hell wouldn't consider it appropriate that an eight year old walk to school on their own.

You dont know the mother wasnt walking behind them.

Wouldnt it be ironic if you received a visit from Dibble because you have been reported for asking two small children if they were on their own.

I wouldnt keep adding to this now.

The OP knows she is being provocative and controversial by virtue of her name alone.

I quite like the name PoseyParker but not what it signifies. If you thought you were totally right, you wouldn't call yourself it. It's attention seeking. She states she wanted to get back to her housework not go into school, so she made a phone call. If she could make a phone call, it should have been to the school not ss. If she still thinks she's right after all these discussions, she wouldnt have to keep justifying herself and her story. Attention seeker methinks. Don't give it credence any more.

Y2 and reception age? NO, this is too young to walk to school on their own.

If they are in fact older, then no harm done reporting to SS although I would have rung the school instead.

All this nonsense about "If they are sensible'' what a load of crock. They are kids who could be abducted. Where would sensible get them then?

Lazy parenting.

DD walks to school on her own, about 3/4 of a mile from home. She's nine. She crosses a road, she judges the speed of the traffic, she's very responsible and calls me when she's at the school gate from her mobile.

I also send her down the road to the local shops from time to time.

She learns independence and responsibility. She's happy, so am I.

OP - phoning SS is extreme and uncalled for.

Oh, and the posters going on about the risk of abduction - firstly, the odds are miniscule. Secondly, I don't believe that there's a cut-off age whereby potential abductors look at a child, decide that perhaps they're a Junior, rather than an Infant, and decide, 'oh, no, I won't abduct that child today'

OP has no idea what age the children are, she is guessing based on her own childrens size, my daughter is now wearing 7 year old clothes, especially in the leg length, she is 5. Children OP have reported to agency could be the opposite!!!

Not really sure why the concern about the "rough" area the children were walking through, does this area make them more vulnerable?

Yes you are being extremely unreasonable.

I cannot believe someone would be as up their own arse as to phone Social Services to report that someone doesn't parent in the same way you would....which is essentially is what you have done.

Mind your own business you meddlesome crow!

Do you know this family OP