would you allow a lost child into your house?

[buzzlightyear21]

grrrr i didnt want to sign up to mumsnet its far too time consuming, let alone if you can comment.

anyway, i need to know this. would you let a lost child into your house?

Yes, of course. But I can imagine some people might be worried that they may be accused of co-ercing or encouraging a child into their home. - The best bet then would be stay at the door step with them and phone the police/ non emergency police depending on the age of the child

Yes I would. I once stopped my car on the hard shoulder of the dual carriageway after spotting a young boy (aged 9, he'd run away from school) walking down it. I sat him in my car and called the police because I was worried if I drove him to the police myself some other driver would mistakenly believe I was abducting him.

Depends. If a child turned up on my doorstep saying they were lost I'd ask them in and call the police. If I came across them while out there wouldn't be any reason to take them back to mine. Weird question.

I think the OP means that using mumsnet is time consuming - ie you can spend hours on here - especially if you have signed up and are able to comment. Not that signing up is time consuming. She's saying she didn't want to sign up as now she'll spend even more time on here, as she can now comment. As for the AIBU, depends on the situation/age of child. Personally I'd avoid it if possible.

I think I probably would, but it depends on the age. In all likelihood I'd ask them to wait in the front garden, while I grab my cost, keys phone and child (would take 30 seconds) and then question them about where they live, who they were with etc. We live opposite a park and near a pub, so would go there first. (Park then pub, obv).

What do you mean, you sound line you're complaining you have to sign up to post - that's kind of normal on forums.

I love it when lost children turn up on my doorstep

No. On the occasion I found a lost 3yo as U left my house we sat on the doorstep while I phoned for help. Mum appeared totally distraught after about 20 minutes. If we'd been inside I wouldn't have heard her calling and been able to call her over.

What an utterly bonkers thing to say

"Please help me with my dilemma but I don't really want anything to do with this forum"

I would prefer to stand on the doorstep not least in case the parent / other person looking for them came by and spotted them. It would be a shame to be inside while they passed.

Unless it was very late / raining or we had another reason.

I think OP means that she/he didn't want to sign up because they're worried they will end up wasting too much time on here. But they really needed (wanted?) to ask this question, so they had no choice.

This is why good grammar and punctuation is useful, OP.

In response to the question, no I would not take the child into my house. I would stay with the child and call the police from my mobile. Two reasons for this:

1. If somebody is looking for the child (which is likely) then taking them inside would be highly counter-productive.
2. I'm a man, so I would be opening myself to possible accusations if I were to take them inside. And it's not like there would be any reason why they need to be inside anyway.

Never invite lost children over the threshold OP. That's how vampires get you. When you're out and about, never stop for an abandoned child seat. Bad things will happen.

It's lucky you signed up for mumsnet because you sound in need of help.

I would but would try and sort it out from outside.

I have taken a crying teenager in who fell out with her friends and paid for a cab fare home before now.

My DS went missing for twenty minutes once. Somebody took him in their parked car, fed him sweeties and called the police, who reunited us. I was of course more than anything happy that they kept him safe and stopped him from wandering away further, and I'm glad DS felt confident enough to trust a grown-up wanting to help him, but it has blurred the lines of how tobehave around strangers. If it had been me, I would probably have kept him with me outside the car, also to have better sight of a parent looking.

It's weird round these parts.

Probably but i live remotely so unlikely a parent etc is out looking for them. Also quite likely id know who they belong too.

Although saying that while I've let in / caught various dogs, I told the horse and cows to go home (and called the farmer/owner) so maybe I wouldn't treat all under 18s the same.

Depends how hungry I was.

'Would you give a dog a drink of water?'

'Would you give a stranger one pound?'

'Would you let someone use your phone?'

Do you see how some questions are unanswerable without context, OP?

Yes of course.

Absolutely not!!!

Against all my Child protection training.

I will stay outside with child, in full view of any other adults, passers by and call the police as quick as possible.

Do not take children into your houses you are putting yourself up for a lot of possible trouble and also the child.

I never get why people say it's their first post, but next to the title it actually says how many posts the op has made. Or have I got that all wrong?? It says 41 btw.

I found a child wandering around the housing estate where I used to live. It was early morning, she was in her Pjs. She had locked herself out after waking up and finding her mother wasn't at home. She took me to her house, I checked no one was at home/asleep then left a note to say I had taken her to my flat, leaving address and phone number. I then tried to phone social services and local police but ended up ringing 999. She was starving so I fed her.

Turned out her mother had gone out the night before, leaving the 5 yr old asleep, alone in the house, then got herself arrested and spent the night at the police station! She turned up at mine with police in tow, and tried to make out that I was the babysitter.

The poor little thing wasn't that bothered about being home alone or mum dissapearing but was really worried that she was missing school.

So yes, in some situations I would take a lost child into my home, but I don't think it would be appropriate in all situations!

No Id sit on the doorstep with them and get them a drink and call the police or whoever needs calling. If I get in touch with the parents , Id ask if it was ok to invite them in while we waited.

I'd sit on the doorstep/ ring for help etc. would only take inside once I've phoned police or if very cold/injured etc.