To ask if/how you can report someone to ss if you don't know their name?

[Wannabestepfordwife]

I was wondering if someone can tell me if you can report someone to ss if you don't know their name or should I mind my own business.

Often round town I see a woman with a little girl who's around two who is always strapped in her pram whilst her mum is sat around drinking cider with the local alkies.

I've seen the mum drinking as early as 10 and the little girl is always strapped into the pram being ignored.

The little girl looks clean enough but she looks completely vacant like nobody interacts with her and I've never heard her make a sound.

I'm really concerned about the little girls welfare what would happen if she got out the pram or would her mum notice if she was snatched.

Is there anyway I could voice my concerns to ss or would I be best off ringing the police on the non emergency line and explain people are drinking in a non drinking zone with a young child?

Any replies would be greatly appreciated.

honey, the child's mother is sat drinking cider in the street at 10am. That needs looking into regardless of how well OP knows the woman because its not exactly great is it?

I am normally anti the "report everything" brigade but even as an isolated incident, it is concerning. As a student social worker, I would be concerned if I saw this happening in a family with whom I worked.

I completely understand your point honey but I have seen it on more than one occasion which I thinks concerning.

I might be being an over anxious busy body but the police don't just walk around here and I'm concerned as what would happen if the mothers friends got agressive or if the mother got so drunk she fell while pushing the pram.

I might be making a mountain out of what I have seen but I think it needs looking into.

The thing with child welfare/protection is that its liker a balancing scale...ss have to collect a lot of evidence to create a picture of a child's life...it could be that a piece of information like this is the weight that tips the scale so that this little girl is recognised as (what she sounds like) 'a child in need'. This could mean that the parents may be given extra support, like some play worker sessions to teach them how to have fun with their child, or the child could be given early free nursery sessions if the parents are not coping. Imagine what a difference some security and positive interaction could make to an isolated little person.
Pre-school children are particularly vulnerable because they dont have the regular interaction with a teacher or assistant who might notice neglect or abuse,
If the OP is wrong to be concerned very little will happen, and no harm done.
I believe it's our responsibility as a society to notice these children and to try in any little way to help. You might never know what you've done, but your phonecall or information could rescue a child or a family from a terrible situation....sorry for the rant...cause close to my heart xx

It is illegal to be drunk in public whilst responsible for a child under the age of 5. It has been for decades because, even before the State became as involved in protecting children as they are now, it was obious that this is a bad situation for the child. Please call the police next time you see it, they can deal with the immediate situation and inform SS for longer term intervention.

If she's already known to SS it will add information to their case. If she isn't it is important for the child that they become known.

Honey, Cider is an alcoholic drink and coffee is not. If you need to drink Cider at 10 in the morning you are probably more than likely an alcoholic or alcohol dependent, is that person likely to be someone who can competently care for a 2 year old during the day?

Op a similar situation occurred near my DP's office, as the day went on the group of drinkers became more rowdy and aggressive, firstly towards each other but then the aggression was directed at the toddler in a pushchair. My DP's Director called the Police and they came straight away.