Reporting neighbour to social services

[Chnagedname]

Hi i want to ask if you would as I don't have children but I am concerned however I do not want her children to be taken away so please tell me if they would be if I reported.
However if you believe it's the right thing as mother's yourselves let me know.

My neighbour is a girl in her early 20s. She goes out a lot leaving her kids with baby sitters. She smokes weed in her kitchen but doesn't allow the kids to come in there when she is.
Her house is disgusting, often piles of washing up, food and dirt on the floor, toys everywhere, bin always over flowing and she wonders why she has a rat infestation also ants. The kitchen is the main place which is disgusting I would never eat from there.
She has 3 kids. A 15 month old, a 5 year old and 7 year old.
The 5 and 7 sleep on a bed no headboard no covering just a bed duvet and pillow
Her room the baby sleeps in which is dirty but the cot is okay.
She brings guys over to her house I am not sure if the children are there when this happens.
There is often no food in the house.
I have heard her shout at her 5 and 7 year old but they seem to love her as well as the baby who follows her everywhere

She doesn't seem like a bad mum but she is dirty and the weed bit I don't like.

What would you do? And what will happen if I do report? I will feel terrible if her kids get taken away

Of course it matters if there's food in the houseconfused

No, it doesn't matter if someone literally shops daily as long as the DC are fed. The one Kiev business hadn't been mentioned at that point.

Admittedly I missed the rat infestation thing in the OP, even though I was trying to go through point by point but this is why I was later saying "leave out irrelevant stuff about headboards and visitors" because headboards ARE irrelevant to welfare and "ooo she has a lot of boyfriends but I don't know whether the DC even meet them" DOES sound gossipy.

Just talk about the filth of filth is the main and most concrete problem.

No it's not

The weed will be a problem and lack of food as a knock on effect from that! Part of assessment used to be looking in fridge/cupboard to see if food was there

No one on here is in any position to judge what the conditions are like for these children.

The bottom line is, the OP has concerns. Therefore, she should speak to a Social Worker as they are the experts in safeguarding children.

Okay, filth and substance abuse, then.

But without the long net curtain twitching waffle.

Rat infestation may not be her fault though. We had a mouse infestation because we lived near train tracks and the landlord had to get rid of them. We've also currently got a bed bug infestation and have had for about a year despite having pest control out numerous times and replacing furniture - the building needs knocking down and burned tbh but we're stuck here.

With the rats, do you know if she has been on to her landlord or pest control to come and sort them out or use she been ignoring the problem?

Rats can carry some nasty diseases

Hi everyone have read replies and I am going to report I would feel bad if I didn't, I don't think she is a bad mum but she is clearly struggling, I just don't want to make her stressed out anymore which is why I was on the fence but hopefully they can help her

They can help with getting charity donations for bedding plus maybe food bank if required.

I think you are doing the right thing and I hope she gets some support.

Nei she has but the council have tried to get rid bit they keep coming back, it's likely because of food left out, on the floor and bins not being taken out. Same with the ants. She is on the ground floor as well.

For the ants she needs to get diatomaceous earth.

Yeah, if pest control have come out for rats and they return, it's definitely the food in her flat rather than the general state of the building.

I think you're doing the right thing.

How do you know all these details about NDN?

Are you a friend who visits often. Just wondered. Apologies if answered already.

Nosey cow op

I think it's OK to call social services. They won't just take her children for some dirty plates and an occasional joint. They'll assess if the children are taken care of and safe and if she needs any help. Obviously children deserve to live in a safe, clean and loving environment and it doesn't sound like she's ticking most of those boxes for whatever reason. She probably just needs help and social services can help find support for that.

Also you do seem to know an awful lot for someone who then doesn't want to help her out. Why go over so much and listen to her stories if you don't want to assist in tidying up or bringing some dinner over? Sounds like you might actually want her kids to be taken for the drama. But as I said social services will just want to help her and her children, they would never want to separate them for no reason.

The only thing that is really, really bad is the rats . The rest is all not great but def not ss stuff

@Becca83

I am a sw and I would suggest that you listen to snowglitter, she has offered excellent advice.

Please ignore the people who are minimising your concerns, it's those kind of attitudes that lead to tragic circumstances.

Also a SW and second this. Snowglitter’s post was excellent.

I would definitely report
It.doesnt look great.
The thought of children in that environment is irritating me
Rats, dirt. 1 chicken kiev is simply not enough for 2 kids.

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ZOMBIE THREAD FROM 2017 Why???

@BorisStopOffendingYourBarber

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ZOMBIE THREAD FROM 2017 Why???

Arrgghhhhhhhhh

I decided many years ago that If I thought a child or adult was at risk I'd make the report and then let social services (who are qualified) work it all out. What leads to them acting is usually a cluster of reports, you won't be the only one. And they very rarely just take the kids away.