I complained this woman and it may result in the police being called..

[Fisharefriendsnotfood]

Dropping the kids to nursery this morning I saw a woman leave her dc aged about 4 in the car while she brought younger dc in to nursery. She left the car window open and the engine running!!!

I nearly said something but she looked so angry I chickened out though. So, this afternoon I had a word with nursery manager about it and she said that she saw this herself one day last week and had a word with the mother but obviously nothing has changed.

Nursery manager is going to have another word and failing that we agreed that the police should probably be informed.

So, am I an interferring old cow? Car out of sight and mum gone about 5 mins.

What crime is she committing?

Surely she is not safe guarding her young child if the engine is running?

YANBU. Something needs to be done to stop some poor car stealers ending up with a kid they hadn't bargained on!

Seriously though, she is being massively irresponsible, and downright lazy. She needs telling and if police is what it takes then police it has to be.

I wouldnt do this and would be a bit cats bum mouth about it but not sure what ringing the feds will do, im pretty sure they have, like, crime and shit to sort out

No I don;t think you're being unreasonable. To leave a child in a locked car within sight whilst at a cash point, fine IMO, I did this yesterday. But a young child in an open car witht he engine running screams at best lack of education/ not coping and at worse outright neglect. Clearly she needs to understand how risky this behaviour is. It would be worse to say nothing and then something happen.

"the feds"? WTF???

Yes it IS illegal!!!

I had 4 kids under 5 and often left a in car on nursery runs ok not the car running but... she probably uber stressed and ploice would be the worst thing ever someone reported me and it makes you feel like the worst mother and word gets about and some parents agree that they do it when at shop etc but some just make you feel awkward. Have you tried chatting to her/offering to take child in keep and eye on other child

If the police seel concerned wnough then they can refer to childrens social services for a follow up, or you or the nursery can refer. Please refer in writing tho, if you chack the councils website there should be a form you can complete.

I think leaving the keys in the ignition of a car is a crime waiting to happen, so best for police to take preventative action than her car is stolen with baby inside.

I would do this...

I'm not really impressed with the engine running, but leaving a school age child in a car for 5 minutes is a risk that she is entitled to take. Plenty of people let their children play out at that age, plenty let them run little errands where they let the child out of sight.

We don't have paedophiles or spontaneously combusting cars on every corner. We do have road accidents, failure to check smoke alarms, trips down stairs: other everyday risks are much higher (in terms of probability and with similar impact).

So you are being totally unreasonable if you're objecting to child being left in car for 5 mins. The engine running puts a different slant on it though, as he/she could get into trouble.

never heard of the Feds, All? Im down with the kids ya know....

Having engine running and not being in charge of your vehicle is the offence here. Leaving unattended kids not so much, but a vehicle, yes. Weird old world

Altinkum.... Yes,it is an offence. Do you drive?

From the directgov website:
There is no legal age limit for leaving a child on their own, but it is an offence to leave a child alone if it places them at risk. Parents can be prosecuted if they leave a child unsupervised ?in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health? (Children and Young Person?s Act).

You told the School Manager and it's up to him I suppose what he does. Not sure if he police will do anything about it though.

"the"

Oh ffs.

Altinkum, how can you say she is safeguarding her child? She is clearly not safeguarding her child at all! Or does car theft never happen on your planet?

It's the engine running that I just couldn't believe, I think it's bloody disgraceful. I really do. As for offer to help I have 2 under three myself this morning I did wait till she came out again before driving off though.