To think this is no way to punish a child!

[Justalittlelemondrizzle]

Neighbours arrived home. Dad shouting and swearing at 7yo lad. Don't know what he's done obvs. They went in house where their neighbour heard banging before the crying 7 yo is thrown out of the house and the door is locked. He's knocked on the door about 10 times. It's raining so he keeps going under a shelter in the garden as he doesn't even have a coat on.
Dads just come out to take football off him before going back in the house and locking the door so the kid is now playing with rocks. He's been out there 40 minutes now 😒 surely this isn't normal behaviour?

I can't believe you just watched it and the only thing you did about it was come on MN and start a thread about it! Fgs

Yes report to SS. They will do a few background checks, see if there are any other issues, possibly refer to family support regarding more appropriate means of discipline.

And if it happens again I would call the police (who would automatically refer to SS)

no obvious sign of abuse????

You literally just watched abuse!!! Wtf is wrong with you?! Call the bloody police

WTAF is wrong with people?

If I witnessed a child being abused I’d be straight on the phone to the police and SS not starting a bloody thread on AIBU.

You need to report this to the police.

If they are willing do to that to the poor kid in public, what the hell is going on behind closed doors? Please help that child.

Social Services have after hours numbers to ring. They can make a visit or decide whether to contact the local police with concerns.
For all you know the local SS office may already have concerns re this child/family. Call and make your concerns known and say you are worried about the safety of the child if the father is still angry.
Better safe than sorry.

You have an unanimous verdict (apart from one who thinks child abuse is “normal” 😞) OP. What steps have you taken to help this little one?

Op, what did you do? Please, let us know.

They’ll prob have a visit, parenting advice, on the outside be told to go on a parenting course. Sadly unless there is any other signs of abuse they’ll them be left alone but making someone aware is a good start, if you’re worried you can report anonymously.

It's child cruelty. It's abusive.

Report it.

Op, what did you do? Please, let us know.

Fuck all. That’s what she did other than post on here. But it’s ok because that poor little boy has gone in now, probably to be abused some more 😡

Hi op.

Perhaps you’re frightened of reporting the parents to the police?. Do you have a plan?

This happened to me regularly as a child.

Can still remember clinging onto the furniture and doorframe whilst being dragged to the front door crying my eyes out

Weirdly really close to my mum now but won't let her babysit dd because of shit like this

Please report, nobody did for me and at least 3 neighbours knew

That makes me feel sick. I'd call the police. He's so little.

If you are frightened about any comeback OP, then you can report it anonymously online on the NSPCC website. Unfortunately I was in a similar situation a few years so reported it this way. Nobody could possibly know it was me as there were lots of other neighbours in the area.

Please, please report this.

Please report OP. It does make sickening reading. Poor poor child.

No obvious signs of abuse but like you say.

That was abuse.

There is an obvious sign of abuse you have just witnessed it there is no justifying that behavior

Report them to the police. We all have a responsibility to report when we are concerned for the welfare of a child

Me too queen

My mum used to lock me outside as a punishment and also she would drive away and leave me on the pavement. I remember being hysterically upset.

Oh and its not punishment its cruelty.

You say you don't know what the boy has done, no point in scratching your head wondering...I can tell you now he's done nothing that deserves that treatment

Please report - a friend once lived for a week outside her parents house in a shelter, another time she was kicked out on Christmas Day until her mother spotted an adult talking to her. If they had been on SS's radar the abuse she and her siblings suffered might have been stopped - her father might have been forced into action.

Ring the police. That's awful.

dancer awful isn't it, makes you wonder what was going through their heads

This is such distressing reading. I don't want to judge you OP, but I don't know how you stood by and watched a small child left outside in the dark and cold... It absolutely IS abuse.

You have to report it.

OP definitely report it. School would be a start just to let them know but I don't think that is enough as they won't act on a random phonecall if they don't already have concerns. Will help them to build a picture though. Definitely contact SS too.