AIBU To think I should have done something,anything to help this Family

[fluffyfanjo]

I've just returned from a city center shopping trip and seen (to me) the most heart breaking scene.

I was sat upstairs on the bus on the outskirts of town, as we stopped outside the City's Housing Aid offices. Outside there was a Family -Mum,dad two girls aged about 9/11 and a boy who looked about 3,stacked up beside them was what looked like everything they owned. The girls were perched on a suitcase looking bewildered ,the little boy was asleep laying on the fucking pavement.I have a DS aged 4 and I have tears in my eyes just typing this.

By the time I registered it, the bus had moved off,I did consider getting off,but what could I have done ? there were no shops nearby so I couldn't have got drinks or snacks for them, suppose I could go back,but its a 40 min bus ride and they (hopefully may not be still be there)

I know the staff at The housing aid place will find them emergency accommodation, I just hope someone at least give the kids food/drink.

If anyone is passing Nottingham housing aid offices in the next couple of hours and has a spare packet of biscuits lurking in their bag, I know where there are three children who may appreciate them........

Awww op

You're lovely.

Well it is awful to see but you don't know where they are now and you don't know if they'd appreciate biscuits from strangers. Just because they're homeless does not mean they're starving.

We were almost in that situation a few months ago and we certainly weren't starving. I also don't think you should have named the office or the town it's in and invited people to take the family food!

Really sad. I'm trying not to say anything sweaty about our government at the moment

Sweary I meant!

You have no idea what their situation is or why they were there. If you'd spoken to them then fair enough but you have a snapshot.

Blimey. What a cold set of responses.

Op, how sad. I hope like you they will be ok and that strangers passing did offer help because they were in a position to (not on a bus). It would have upset me too.

you have no idea of the circumstances. I've seen posters on here advise other posters to turn up at their housing office with all their belongings and demanding they be housed, it's possible, likely even tbh, that this is what this family have done, and having young children will of course add to the emotional nature of their plea.

And I don't see how that's the government's fault without having more details.

I wouldn't assume they were in desperate need of a packet of biscuits, although I might be more inclined to assume they were using their children to gain favour with the council - why weren't the older ones in school for instance....

Flippin eck, the OP was expressing genuine empathy for other humans' suffering and doesn't deserve lambasting. Shit things happen. We don't know the circumstances & can't do much to help in the moment, but we can wish those in unfortunate circumstances well (no matter what lead them there).
for you fluffy and for the family at Housing Aid in need of help

Minnie it's not cold. The OP suggests people passing that particular office should look out for them and take them fucking biscuits! Just what you need when you're on your arse...some stranger giving you a packet of rich tea and explaining that your plight was being discussed on MUMSNET with mention of how many kids you have and the fact that you're at that office!

wannabe the older kids might be with their parents as having no home and being rehoused takes HOURS and the parents doubt they'll be back to collect them!

Wtf?

Op was being lovely and you meanies are just nasty.

How is it "lovely" to describe a family in a bad situation and then NAME THE OFFICE where they're seeking help ONLINE???

Yes indeed some very cold responses, sad really, this family was obviously in a bad position as they would nit have been outside the housing office with their worldly goods, and young child asleep on the pavement . I am sure they would have gratefully appreciated some kindness. Do to beat yourself up op, there is not much you can do now. But if your interested in helping similar families, why not volunteer in Shelter, or in a woman's refuge.

Op - many years ago I had to go to that very same housing office as I had been in a fire. The staff were great & did everything they could to help me & others involved. The family are in the right place to get help.

If I was cynical I might think the op posted this to get a set of "awwww op you're loverly" responses knowing full well that IF this family were in need of help the op did nothing about it but still gets an altruistic feeling.

OP your sentiments are lovely - thank you for caring enough for it to touch you - so many people would just shrug and go meh and move on

No one knows why they are homeless or if they like biscuits but FFS thank god some people still give s hit

It is not "cold" to show concern for a family who's privacy is invaded on the internet.

My goodness op just wanted to offload fgs not a blooming lecture!

We don't know anything about tge family Winnie, she did not name them and take pictures to post

No I dont know their circumstances - but I do know that there was a small boy asleep on a fucking pavement !!! perhaps I should just toughen up and not be moved by such a sight ?

I wasn't suggesting that the family were starving either - just that a treat for the children on what must be a difficult day for them may not go a miss - I expect the parents dare not move for fear of missing out on accomodation.

They were in full view of a major public road - I'm hardly breaching any confidentiality issues .

fluffy nobody is suggesting that it's wrong to feel sad or that the family deserves no sympathy but you've been very naive in posting the office they were seen at and suggesting that people take them biscuits! How patronising is that!?

Being in full view of the road is not the same as issuing an open invitation for people in the area to take them biscuits.

Thing is, you have to be literally homeless before you can be housed.
The family may have been under the threat of evicition for ages but you have to go to court and get evicted before you are considered homeless for the purposes of rehousing.

They have children, they are homeless, they will have priority for temporary accommodation.

Horribly stressful for them but hopefully they will be sorted out.

THis is going on every day, everywhere.

Its a disgrace.

As I said, we were ALMOST in their situation a few months ago, luck brought us out of it. If I had had to go to the office and declare us homeless the LAST thing I would have wanted is fucking biscuits.

We had money to feed our children, we did not have money for a deposit. That's all.

Devere that's right in many area...especially in the South. We live in the North West and it was VERY close...we had one day left of our tenancy and then nowhere to go. We'd had 2 months notice and tried our best to save some deposit money but agency fees were astronomical and we simply couldn't do it. The council found us a flat at the last moment.

If I was cynical I might think the op posted this to get a set of "awwww op you're loverly" responses knowing full well that IF this family were in need of help the op did nothing about it but still gets an altruistic feeling.

Actually I'm just fucking grateful that my 4 year old isn't that child sleeping on a fucking pavement surronded by everything we own and I'm not that mother wondering where we are all going to sleep tonight.