To report sister to social services after latest revelation from niece?

[FUNM]

In short, there have been several questionable incidents and the latest one has me reeling and wanting to report her to social services. My toddler nephew was holding his finger and grizzling, and I noticed a small scar. So I asked my niece (who is just under 5) what happened, and she said 'he cut it on daddy's razor and it bled a lot'. My first reaction: disbelief and speechless. So I asked her exactly what happened. She said he picked up daddy's razor and cut himself on it. There was a lot of blood.

What the hell do I do with this? There are other incidents: left alone in bath, left alone to watch TV while mum sleeps upstairs, ... Is this none of my business or should I just report?

It was an accident, why don’t you support your sister rather than unleash a shit stor:m by reporting her to Social Services?

We need more
Context reallly OP

A one off cut , unfortunate
Systematic neglect . That's a worry

I don't think people can advise on the basis of a one off incident

Without context it's impossible to say that you should contact SS. I wouldn't contact SS because someone's kid cut themselves on a razor...that just seems bonkers.

Was it anything a plaster couldn't put right?

You've posted about this before. Months ago. So what support have you offered her since then?

"They do not exist to enforce an arbitrary standard of 'good' childcare."

Quite.

Do posters really think this is a ss matter?

There must be more to it than this.
OP what else is going on?

And cutting himself on a razor is not a 'revelation' - it's a common and unremarkable trivial accident. Good parents absentmindedly leave razors out in the bathroom too.

2 of my children have tried shaving and cut themselves. I remember my dd crying at the top of stairs saying Mammy I touched the bad thing. She had cut her foot. It was an accident. She hasn't done it again.

I am a vigilant parent. The other week DP and I were both doing bath time and had an 'oops' moment when we realised DD was waving my razor around (thankfully with cover on) that I'd left in the shelf and forgotten to put back in the child locked cupboard. It was an accident, and it happens!

The left alone in the bath thing would be enough for me - but I'd have to be very certain that it happened and wasn't just exaggeration.

Do you have kids yourself? Most people who do know that accidents happen. My dcs have had fingers trapped in doors and x rayed, bumped heads, the usual. Being left in the bath is the only thing that would make me worry from what you've said. And that would depend on whether it was a split second and also the childs age.

I cut my finger on a razor blade last week

Toddlers get onto all sorts. They especially like to seek out activities and objects they've been refused.

What you've described doesn't even sound close to SS threshold. But if your sister is struggling and so tired she's sleeping during day why don't you offer to have them for a few hours to give her a break?

I would certainly not be reporting a relative to social services on the basis of a child's account of a minor accident involving a razor, which I had not witnessed. Ditto the bath issue and anything else tbh.

Are the children clothed? Fed? Loved? Or are they covered in excrement, wandering around half naked and being beaten?

Speak to your sister. Ask her if she needs help. This is not, at present, a social services matter, unless there's a massive drip feed in progress.

I am a SW and can say quite categorically that the things you have outlined do not warrant SS intervention. I can see you are concerned about these children but it would be better to offer support yourself than report your concerns.

With you as family maybe she does need some support!!

Don't be ridiculous, this isn't a ss matter just an accident.

It was their father's razor, your sister may not have even had a chance to avoid the accident happening.

You do sound as though you're itching to "report" OP. Do others agree with your assessment of care? Have you offered help?

Report? NO - Support? YES - your sister may well be feeling overwhelmed. If all you are going off are the words of a 5yo, all you will get is the perspective of a 5yo.

If your Dsis is going to bed in the afternoon maybe she is depressed or still having sleepless nights?

With you as family maybe she does need some support!!

^This

Have all these revelations come from the 4 year old?

Is there a back story with you and your sister? As calling SS for something so trivial isn't what I would regard as "normal" sibling behaviour.
I'd get more information before causing irreparable damage to your relationship with your sister.

I left my razor on side of bath once my dd was about 4 almost 5. She was in the bath and I was pottering around uostairs putting some clothes away and things. Could still here her and kept popping my head in every few mins. Anyway she managed to shave one of her legs completely. I said what are you doing she said shaving my legs like you do. It was an ok well maybe not at your age and a whoops I shouldn't have left that there. No she didn't cut herself but I was surprised seen as I seem to everytime I shave my legs 😩.

Things happen doesn't make them bad parents