Feeling very uncomfortable about what I've just seen

[thatverynightinmaxsroom]

It's a really miserable day here today - wet, windy etc. Just driving home and saw a little girl (7ish?) walking alone down the street. I slowed down because it's unusual to see kids of that age alone outside round here and unusual to see anyone outside on a day like this!
She was followed by a little boy, similar age. She turned into a front garden and I thought she was going in but she just looked through the window. The boy sat down on a mat on the pavement outside the house (there was quite a lot of junk in the front garden).

I turned the car round, put the window down and asked if they were okay. At that point a man out his head out and yelled at them to come in.

I know it's not massive, most of us have probably seen worse, but I can't get the image of the little boy sitting on the sodden mat out of my head and I'm just wondering if anyone would do anything about this.

Report by all means but I'm not entirely sure exactly what you would be reporting?

"2 children who live at 23 Mumsnet Lane, were out in not very nice weather. One of them sat on a wet mat and the guy in the house shouted them in."

I'm really not sure what else you could say confused

^^ what worra said. I'm not sure what you'd be reporting too. It could just be coincidental that the man shouted them back in at the same time you'd checked they were okay.

My son belted out in the middle of storm Doris recently just to play in his new scooter (birthday present). I'm sure someone would have been concerned for him until they noticed me ambling up the garden path to call him back in too. All done in a mere five minutes.

Sounds like they'd been up to granny's house up the road to be honest. If they were left sitting on the doorstep maybe I could see the issue but I'm struggling with the info given tbh.

*on not in.

My DS has a social worker, due to my alcohol issues and an abusive ex. It's deemed as a fairly serious situation, but I've lost count of the times that meetings and appointments have had to be cancelled because something more serious has arisen. SS are seriously overstretched - they simply don't have the resources to follow up on every 'gut instinct'.

It's difficult. For all you know it could be they had walked from a home a few doors down, neighbours or family, and the little boy was sulking that he didn't want to go home.
But I always say follow your instinct, better to make a call and be wrong that not make it and you were right. Only you can decide that not people on here.

Don't you Gah ?
I don't know what to say really. People reporting stuff is kind of expected.

You could probably report it online worra if it isn't an emergency. Maybe do that in future.

Maybe he yelled then in because it was raining and they were meant to be home 20 minutes ago? Maybe because they were told they could go out but to come home if it started raining? Maybe he didn't answer the door to them immediately and they didn't see him through the window as he was on the loo?

You know no details of this situation!

I think it's very possible he called them in because he was watching from the window and saw a strange car roll down the windows. As a child we spent our life out in the rain getting soggy. Isn't it what kids do?

But SS are overstretched no?

Its not much of a leap surely to question if people reporting not very concerning situations is contributing to that? I cant be sure obvs but it does seem nowadays people are extremely quick to judge others because they have a messy garden and k7ds out in the rain.

I still thinkmif the garden was pristine ops gut would have said jack.

Last week I stopped to pick ds (9yo) up from school on the way back from work because it was pouring with rain.
He said he wanted to walk with his friend anyway. So I told him he had to be home by 4:00 as I was picking his dsis up then.
At 3:55 I phoned him and he told me they were trying a different route home and it was taking longer. So I told him he needed to come home but I would be out for 15 minutes now picking his dsis up, or I could come past him and pick him up. He said he'd rather walk.

I arrived home to a soaking wet boy (without coat because he was hot) sitting on the doorstep looking pretty grumphed off.
I opened the door to let us in, and turned round to see him having walked up the road speaking to someone we know with a dog. I called him to come in.

That would fit pretty much all the OP could report.
Little boy out on own walking up the street/sitting on doorstep, shouted at to come in.

He had enjoyed himself no end.

Don't be daft just what are you going to report, you have only an inkling of these kids lives.

I think you saw children walking in the rain. The man probably didn't hear the bell/was on the loo, saw you talking to his kids and thought you were potentally a wierdo and so called them in. Not everyone has a tidy garden. (I do but I think people can be judgy sometimes.)

Was the door of the house shut?
I personally wouldn't let a child of 7 out alone but I have neighbours who do and as there is no law on it wouldn't think of doing anything about it.
It's different parenting to yourself ( and me! ) by all accounts but doesn't sound like anything else

BarbarianMum

Instinct is useful - up to a point. Because we also have social conditioning and bias, "following your instincts" can also amount to "embrace your prejudice " or "reinforce that stereotype."
Yes, I take your point.

One person's idea of yelling could be someone else's calling out. There's a woman on my street who screeches like a banshee for her daughters when she wants them in but she's got hearing problems

DD (6yr) sometimes chooses to sit around the front of our house in the freezing cold so she can chat to a neighbour (8yr old). So the situation you describe would not cause concern for me.

That would not conern me , ,but a strange woman, turning round her car and speaking to them WOULD !

And whomever sad Jeremy Kyle/Benefts Britian types , , Fuck OFF . So no middle or upper class go in for child abuse ?? Bollocks.

Still that is some on MN all over ... Superiority .

Yes but Rachel there was quite a lot of junk in the front garden!!!!!!!!!!

I totally get it op. I can think of countless situations where I've wanted to scoop kids up and hug them, give them a meal or whatever but that don't constitute neglect or abuse.

I think it's just a sad fact of life that some kids are being brought up in situations we ourselves feel deeply uncomfortable about, but that no laws are being broken or action needing taken.

There's not much you can do, except hug your own kids and be grateful.

And a MAT, clearly put there because the boy regularly sits outside because hes not allowed in the house because there isnt enough room for the children because the Dad is a drug dealer and needs the room for his homegrown.

my gut tells me this

Jeez junk in the garden !!!!!!!!!!!!!

SS being overstretched isn't down to people reporting their concerns Gah
If anything the people are being encouraged to report more.

I'd suggest reporting to 101 rather than SS anyway

Oh for heavens sake I wondered how long it would be before that was suggested. You really think it's a police matter???