Putting up 6ft pool in public park - no garden

[itsgettingweird]

I really can't work out if I am or not!

I live in a street that's not quiet but not busy either. There is a public park that has loads of grass and a small play area and also lots if public open spaces.

Someone from flats adjacent to park has put up a 6ft swimming pool in the park. It's close to the play equipment meaning parents can't sit on bench by swings when their children play due to SD.

It's unsupervised and currently about 6 local kids in it (not sure if owner of pools kids or just locals or mixture of both)
It's not the mixing that concerns me.

But AIBU to think this isn't safe anyway but you really shouldn't do this as you then take over a public space when the whole family is there like they did yesterday evening?

There is a space that's a bit no lands land between park and flats that has a wooden fence (just like the single barrier) around it and I think if they'd put it there it wouldn't be so bad?)

I'm completely torn between thinking the kids need some fun after lockdown and constantly looking out of my window to check they're safe as no other adult around and the effect this is having on me relaxing.

So AIBU to think they shouldn't put it there?

But some perspective that it's a paddling pool, likely pretty much empty after a day's playing and it's likely bright blue and plastic. I doubt anyone's confusing it with a public pool and it's not a "large body of water" as someone else posted.

Unless you're trying to argue that 75cm of water is not deep enough for children to drown in (clearly it is) then your imagined perspective is pretty irrelevant @Todaywewilldobetter

A million times over. I'm stunned at the people almost falling over themselves on here to prove they are right, when actually they are so wrong. So very wrong. It's not safe. Kids can die.

It's quite worrying really.

As for supervison, a small pool is not much of a drowning risk. Even very young children will remember too breathe, its instinctive.

A relative of mines small child drowned in a bath with a couple of inches of water in it. Left for just a few seconds.
Drowning is a silent killer not the fuss and screaming you see on tv or in films.

'Remember to breathe' if you are breathing in water it's not much help!

I really couldn't understand that breathing thing either.
Don't worry, kids instinctively breathe ... underwater. Erm, not really a good thing! I don't think she came back to clarify did she? I thought maybe she meant hold their breath or something.

call 101 and notify police.

If you do nothing and some child drowns, you'll never forgive yourself.

I'm stunned at the people almost falling over themselves on here to prove they are right, when actually they are so wrong. So very wrong. It's not safe. Kids can die.
I think it's awful, but I'm not stunned that people on here are saying ignore it.

People's idea of safeguarding on here also includes:

• don't speak to the school/social services if you have a concern because it's none of your business
• speaking to an appropriate professional about concerns means it's your fault if a family get ripped apart
• buy medical products for your child's friend such as skin cream and don't tell the parents
• you should offer to have your DC's friend move in with you if you're concerned and if you wouldn't do that then you're only stirring trouble
• social services remove children for absolutely no reason
• school should never pass safeguarding concerns to social services for advice without speaking to the parent first.
• It's unprofessional for school staff to follow safeguarding requirements
• only some children can be groomed
• if you're concerned about your neighbours' children then don't be because everyone has had days and who said you're a perfect parent

I'm glad the OP has reported the issue

@Veterinari

But some perspective that it's a paddling pool, likely pretty much empty after a day's playing and it's likely bright blue and plastic. I doubt anyone's confusing it with a public pool and it's not a "large body of water" as someone else posted.

Unless you're trying to argue that 75cm of water is not deep enough for children to drown in (clearly it is) then your imagined perspective is pretty irrelevant @Todaywewilldobetter

My point wasnt that it's not dangerous - it is and its grim and full of horrible germs. My point was the hyperbole around people reaching as far as it being mistaken for a public swimming pool! It's the silliness of the reaching that detracts from a genuine message and gets people's backs up!

It's a plastic paddling pool that peole were allowing their own and other peoples kids to use unattended. Deal with those people.
OP said herself half the water had splashed out.
It's dangerous but still, youd have to be a certain type of Wally to think the council had bought and filled a plastic pool.

@LolaSmiles

Sadly you are not wrong.

It's quite worrying really.

What's worrying is, parents seem to want to remove any element of risk from their children's life rather than raising them to live with risk and learn how to deal with it.

Any child old enough to be out by themselves should be able to assess the risk from being around water, let alone a small paddling pool. Statistically, the person who is far more likely to drown in a rogue paddling pool would be an adult who for some reason falls in to it and is unable to get out.

Someone else said that 3 people have died in pools in the last year. Which is very sad. But let's compare that to the number of children who die in cars. Yet you still take them out in cars. The pool is far less dangerous than those cars. But you don't report people for taking their kids out on unnecessary car trips.

@BubblyBarbara

Someone else said that 3 people have died in pools in the last year. Which is very sad. But let's compare that to the number of children who die in cars. Yet you still take them out in cars. The pool is far less dangerous than those cars. But you don't report people for taking their kids out on unnecessary car trips.

Less children are alone in pools than are taken out in cars though. If you want to use comparative statistics please make them at least a bit similar.

What's worrying is, parents seem to want to remove any element of risk from their children's life rather than raising them to live with risk and learn how to deal with it.

No, the true problem is parents not bothering to asses risk at all.

Any child old enough to be out by themselves should be able to assess the risk from being around water, let alone a small paddling pool. Statistically, the person who is far more likely to drown in a rogue paddling pool would be an adult who for some reason falls in to it and is unable to get out.

You are assuming every parent is able and sensible enough to wait until their child is old enough to go out alone before letting them.

Sometimes there are 3 year olds out without an adult. You can't base your thoughts about risk based on normal, sensible parents. The risk is to the children of parents who simply let them go out alone before they are ready.

@MintyMabel

Unsupervised pop up pool put without permission in a public place may have a low(ish!) risk of a child drowning. But the risk is a child drowning!

Crossing the road may have a low(ish) risk. But the risk is a child being knocked down and killed.

Gonna stop crossing roads?

You don't let small children cross the road on their own!

Kids weeing in it then other kids getting in. Nasty. Needs emptying.

Sometimes there are 3 year olds out without an adult. You can't base your thoughts about risk based on normal, sensible parents. The risk is to the children of parents who simply let them go out alone before they are ready.

So because there are a small number of people who have no idea how to raise children all risks must be removed from all children everywhere?

You don't let small children cross the road on their own!

Another one who can't comprehend a simple risk v consequence example. No wonder kids are being raised unable to do anything for themselves.

So because there are a small number of people who have no idea how to raise children all risks must be removed from all children everywhere?

I’m not seeing how this is a good argument in favour of leaving a big paddling pool out on public land for several days.

Loads and loads of of public parks have paddling pools

Cassiobury in Watford has a giant one. Can’t really see the issue at all with a little paddling pool being set up when public park already have paddling pools with no life guards.

@MintyMabel

If you are using that silly road question to mock my post, surely considering that this thread is not about adults but is about unsupervised young children in water your question should be "going to stop young children crossing roads alone and unsupervised?"

Children are still killed crossing roads supervised.

But that wasn't the actual point. The actual point is we don't avoid doing stuff just because the minute risk is that a child could die. If you don't like the "silly road" example. Children die in car accidents. Children die eating food. Children die in all sorts of scenarios but we still carry on doing those things. We don't say "there is a vanishingly small risk that something bad will happen, we need to ban that activity" We educate and take appropriate precautions.

Yes. We do take adequate precautions. Like, oh, let me think, supervising young children doing activities with a risk of drowning!

Loads and loads of of public parks have paddling pools

All of which are treated with chlorine and have to undergo Health and safety/cleanliness checks. The water is either from sprinklers or drained out at the end of the day the list goes on! It's not the same as a paddling pool someone is topping up from the garden hose!

You are also responsible for supervising your child when they are using the splash parks. Most have fencing round them and are separate from other areas but all are for use under parental supervision only.

There is nothing wrong with water and kids playing in water but it has to be done sensibly and safely a large body of unsupervised, unclean water, open to animals ect

It's like saying there are swimming pools everywhere so it's safe to swim in the park pond.

I think 101. Council will have gone home by now.

If the paddling pool was there beyond a day - problem with cleanliness.

A one off? No problem.

Honestly I would leave it. As long as your children aren’t in it then I would leave situation alone.

Not ok at all. It's a large pool and presumably there is no permission to put it in a public park. Kids in and out of it unsupervised is clearly an accident waiting to happen.

The princess Diana vast play water paddling fountain
No chlorine

Post a picture please!