To report to social?

[notsurewhattodoforthebest]

I'm not sure what to do for the best. I'm concerned about a neighbour and their child but I'm also not in the business of reporting people and spilting up families.

This particular child was outside last night (they are 8 by the way for context) playing with a sharp kitchen knife stabbing rubbish in the street. I saw what was happening and asked if there mother knew. She shouted out the window "it's fine I said they could."
When I say kitchen knife, I mean a very sharp one that could easily kill someone.
This child is allowed to do whatever they like, regularly plays with air soft BB guns in the street, climbs on peoples cars and damages them (has damaged mine in the past - yes I made their mother pay and rightfully so!) Basically just never supervises them at all can't even do the school run so they are known to the local police as the child does regular dissapearing acts.

AIBU to report this to social? I'm shocked and felt sick when I saw them to the point I watched from my window incase they stabbed them selves.

@mrcow and where has the OP said that is what has happened?

No where.

The mother has said she was comfortable with knowing the situation. There are plenty of parents who don't agree with how other parents parent - it does not need social service intervention - and if there was a risk to life, which the OP genuinely believed, there were two ways to deal with it at the time - intervene or report.

Wow just wow! Playing with a knife stabbing rubbish is not learning knife skills, even if the knife wernt sharp it’s still learning your child that it’s normal to play with knives. Maybe all these feral teenagers who go around stabbing innocent people have the same input from their parents like you, that it’s ok to play with knives! Absolutely shocked by your response!! I would feel exactly the same as OP. Do we wonder why the world is going the way it is with knives.

[quote WhaleyAwesome]@Imnewhere1991 it was you who brought up the fact it's bad to be in a minority in your view - not me.

@QuarantineQueen no I didn't I said in some cultures knife skills are developed a lot earlier than they are here - and thus parents are more comfortable with their children handling knives.

As several people have pointed out - if the OP was genuinely worried - she should have intervened or reported it straight away. This situation would not have concerned me, but if it had - I would have done either of those options.

Neither was done.[/quote]
Ffs I'm not saying being in the minority is bad. I'm saying it is dangerous and naive to allow your child outside with a saw.
Read it again. And again.
Have a good day.

Even if they are sawing wood?

Most people who stab people aren't playing with knives - they just don't realise the danger and consequences of stabbing some one - a lot of teenagers who carry knives don't actually intend to use them - sadly because they have zero understanding on how much damage a single knife wound can do, they are used, and people die, sadly usually other teenagers

This child is allowed to do whatever they like, regularly plays with air soft BB guns in the street

This is illegal, I'm surprised the police didn't confiscate it when it was reported to them.

yes I made their mother pay and rightfully so

And she agreed and just paid up?

@WhaleyAwesome

Most people who stab people aren't playing with knives - they just don't realise the danger and consequences of stabbing some one - a lot of teenagers who carry knives don't actually intend to use them - sadly because they have zero understanding on how much damage a single knife wound can do, they are used, and people die, sadly usually other teenagers

This 🙌🙌

I think I would report as it is in the context of other concerns. It all helps SS develop an understanding of the context.

Also SS don’t aim to break families up. They spend a huge amount of time and resource doing the opposite - putting in support to keep children safely within their birth family. So please don’t ever think that reporting would end up in that situation. This only happens when absolutely necessary and there are very lengthy legal processes to remove a child permanently. It’s really important to always act on child safeguarding issues.

This feels like a grey area but given the history and context I would report.

@Imnewhere1991 well I am not letting her use the bloody saw in the living room - sawing is messy business but I guess you have never used one.

Hell when I was 8 (and thankfully in a different current), I was sawing, screwing stuff, hammering stuff and making home built go carts to race down a hill... Im sure that wouldn't be allowed in your books either.

Yes report this. Do you really need to ask? No one needs to play with knives, least of all a child. Poor thing's severely neglected. Hurry up and ring.

WhaleyAwesome

@mrcow and where has the OP said that is what has happened?

They said that an eight year old kid was outside stabbing rubbish in the street with a knife with the clear permission of their mother.

And you seem to think it a sensible way for a small child to brush up on their knife skills?

You must report this

Unsupervised in the street with a knife?
Stabbing rubbish?

Wtaf?!

This is not learning valuable life skills, this is a major safeguarding concern.
Report!!!!

This isn’t a disagreement about parenting styles, this is neglect.

Stabbing rubbish jn the street is not normal behaviour nor is using BB guns and damaging cars. Sounds like the mum couldn't give a toss. Yanbu.

@mrcow believe it or not - that's not what I said.

I have never said they were brushing up on their knife skills (if I have please point out where)

I have said some children learn knife skills a lot earlier - and are confident (and so are their parents) handling them and using them, and knowing the dangers.

My kids did "knife skills" with scouts. Think penknife and stick whittling. They have also used knives for cooking from a young age (sharp ones).

Stabbing things with a kitchen knife is not a skill, and having a kitchen knife in a public place for that purpose is illegal. Whatever this little love's parent thinks.

have said some children learn knife skills a lot earlier - and are confident (and so are their parents) handling them and using them, and knowing the dangers

Any child who learned knife skills wouldn't be wandering the streets at night stabbing bags of trash.
I think you know that and I think you're taking the piss.

@ManifestDestinee nothing to say they were wandering the streets in the OP, was there?

Seems like they were outside the kitchen window, with a parent in the kitchen, within earshot

Hardly wandering the streets.

And no, I am not taking the piss - I think you coming up with these scenarios that haven't actually been shared are taking the piss though.

the air gun would actually worry me more than the knife. Though the knife is worrying too.

Some people don't take them seriously enough. In a city nearby to us a child was killed because another was playing with an air gun. Aside from that, they are illegal in a public space, Some people don't think
they are, but actually this is the case, if you don't believe me, google it.

@ManifestDestinee nothing to say they were wandering the streets in the OP, was there?

This particular child was outside last night (they are 8 by the way for context) playing with a sharp kitchen knife stabbing rubbish in the street

There you go....

@ManifestDestinee that does not say they were wandering the streets, I am afraid.

Definition of wandering is "travelling aimlessly from place to place; itinerant."

That is not what the OP has shared at all - it was one "street" not "streets" as you have interpreted. No plural.

The OP watched him from her window - unless her window over looks several streets all at once, i think it's safe to say they were in the same space. . .

(I mean particularly as the OP was worried about them stabbing themselves or that is was a situation where someone could easily be killed)