To tell the school they don't use carseats?

[CapnSquirrel]

My DD started preschool in September. Since starting I've noticed that there are two mums who regularly don't have their children strapped in their car seats. They have the seats in the car and the DC are sometimes strapped but often the child just sits in the seat without the belt or even sits in the front seat unbelted.

These children are only three years old and I wince every time I see it. There are also two other families who I assume don't drive, and oftentimes they and their DC get lifts home with these mums and have their child on their lap in the front or just sitting in the backseat.

I know it's none of my business, I really do and I don't want to begrudge anyone a lift home in the rain but I'm just concerned for the DC. My best friend is an occupational therapist and has told me of some harrowing repercussions due to children not being restrained properly in cars, so it's just something I'm hyper aware of.

WIBU to mention it to the preschool? I'm not sure if it would be in their power to do anything but I was thinking perhaps they might send a generic email out to all parents or something? Or would that be a really busybody thing to do? Any thoughts appreciated!

[Mirandaqueenbee]

Yes report it

[Cornishclio]

Are you sure that they actually drive with the children unrestrained and it is not just that they have unbelted themselves when the car has stopped? It seems strange that they have the seats and yet don't belt the children into it. My 4 year old granddaughter can unbelt herself and does when the car is stationary but my DD or SIL or we would never drive without her being strapped in.

[Mynotsoperfectlittlefamily]

I know how you feel op. But exactly the same but I frequently walk past a car on the school run with a baby left in. If I knew who the parent was I would inform the school.

[waterbottle12]

police with the numberplate and where/when they can be found. I have done this and they take it seriously

[JoyceDivision]

"Dry snitching" and suggesting "advice" "to her face" ??

Christ what a twatty reply to a genuinely concerning issue. Yeah, make snidey digs to stop op doing anything, let's not bother doing anything to keep kids safe, eh?

[LangSpartacusCleg]

Skip the school, they have enough shit to deal with and they are not ‘car seat police’.

The people who are ‘car seat police’ are the actual police. Contact your local police station on the non emergency number and say that you have seen this happen outside School Name. They can arrange to have some advise/inform/inspect/observe/cite/ticket/charge parents as they see fit.

[MintyMabel]

Is that a joke? Do you think they’ll say, “Oh thanks for letting me know. I didn’t realise it was illegal or unsafe!”

You think the response they would give to the school would be any different?

OP, if you must intervene, report it to the police.

[Thehop]

Report to police on non emergency line.

[Toomuchtrouble4me]

I'm presuming (understandably Imo) that you don't want the confrontation. I would ask the school - they may be able to pop it onto the newsletter or similar.
Alternatively you could prepare an unsigned note at home and pop it onto the windscreen when they leave the car unattended?

[BronteSisters]

Tell the police. They'll know when to expect them. Maybe a fine and a police bollocking will make these stupid people think in future.

We have people like this at our school. One guy picks up his nursery child and sits him on his lap unsecured to let the child "drive" away.

I'll be popping into the school about that bit because they shouldn't be driving up that road anyway as it's not a parking area. It's for teachers, the kids taxis, visitors and the disabled and the school needs to remind the parents.

[Seaandsand83]

Dry snitching are you 12??

OP you can definitely report it to the school as any report about a child's safety will come under their safeguarding policy.

[Thinkingabout1t]

I would mention it to the preschool and suggest an email to all parents. You're not being a busybody, you're trying to save lives.

[Tombakersscarf]

School can't do much other than put it in a newsletter/put a sign up. I wouldn't tell them as I would want to tell the police and would prefer they didn't know who it was, to be perfectly honest.
The talk of snitches from some posters better to be a snitch on a neglectful parent than a bystander to the potential injury or death of a child.

[KellyHall]

Unfortunately people's responses to this are indicative of how little people are willing to intervene in a lot of child safeguarding issues.

To those eho gave a totally unhelpful response: What if you found out your childminder didn't bother properly restraining your child in the car, would you still brush it off? Or is it only ok for other people's children to be unsafe?

Report it to the police.

[campion]

Don't bother asking for an email to be sent. They'll ignore it. Contact the police and they should come round at a suitable time to ...err...advise.
This happened at a school where I taught. Some parents got a fixed penalty and warning. They weren't happy but - tough.

[Fishfingersandwichplease]

The school will have a duty of care/safeguarding...l would def tell them rather than approach the parents who you have no idea how they will react. Much better to come from the school in my opinion.

[Frustratedandworried]

I reported to the school and police when we witnessed this repeatedly from a parent. The first time I assumed parent had ( still unwisely ) unbelted them as they entered school premises but before stopping. Then I saw them turning in off the dual carriageway child stood between the front seats

Parents were known to be violent so I decided against speaking directly to them. Preschool were happy to be notified as it built a bigger picture of a difficult home life and I hope enabled parents and kids to get some support

[VivaLeBeaver]

I would and have reported exactly this to a school. It’s a safeguarding issue so the school should deal with it.

[Piixxiiee]

Contact school that's a safeguarding issue . Then contact police too. School will contact relevant council dept that collated any other bits of info a out the family in case theres a case of neglect etc. You may have a final piece of the jigsaw which may really help one of those children. Dont hesitate.

[SnugStars]

I can’t believe all this bullshit about snitching and karma! Do those kids not deserve people to speak up for them when they see they’re safety being neglected like this?
I’d speak to the pre-school and the police personally. I think the pre-school need to know in case there are other concerns, and I think it’s serious enough that the police need to take action.

* In a 30mph crash, an unrestrained child will collide with something in the car – the seat, the door, the dashboard – with the same force as hitting the ground after falling from a fourth floor window.*

[Bowerbird5]

Contact the pre- school or school. Ask to speak to whoever is in charge or the safeguarding officer. Apart from sending a note out there isn’t a great deal they can do but they can work with the police. We have asked for an officer to attend before or after school. Surprising how many parents suddenly conform we do have a few cheeky ones who stop on the zig zag lines. The police then have a word. No fines initially as it is done to educate the parents. Ask for this.

[HuggedTrees]

FFS @GinDaddy dry snitching?

OP of course you tell someone. You report them to the police or SS or the nursery. Kids die or get injured because people turn a blind eye or assume others do it.

Again, dry snitching???

[HuggedTrees]

@Lipperfromchipper I’m pretty sure that if a parent is happy to be seen by others driving with unrestrained kids, then telling them that it’s illegal is not going to go down well as they don’t give a shit.

[DippyAvocado]

Yes, tell the school. It comes under safeguarding which is within the school's remit to act. Their safeguarding lead will know what to do with the information.

[Lifeasweknow]

Dry snithcing
Next you'll be telling us that stitches get stitches. 🤨

I would defo report them to the police. It makes me so sad that people would play chicken with a childs life.
I think that if they're the type of people who consistently ignore car safety, they're not going particularly care if you mention it to them. They need to be told by authorities and action taken.