Ex-MIL just accused me of neglecting my DC

[YetAgainTheReportsAgain]

For context I split with my ExH 4 years ago when my DC was a toddler (just 1 DC). ExH was violent and very controlling towards both me and DC, even when we split up. He took me to court originally trying to get full residency without visitation for me. He was awarded 1 night EOW and an extra night in the Christmas Holidays only.

He pays no maintenance because on paper he earns nothing and claims no benefits. That doesn’t bother me anymore and I’ve made peace with it.

I work part time and DC goes to a holiday club during the holidays. DC loves holiday club, always wants to go and I struggle to drag them away at the end of the day. Which is a good job as its quite expensive (£25 a day without wraparound, £35 a day with wraparound).

I wfh, and popped to the shop at lunchtime to get a break from work and being in the house. DCs at Holiday Club.

Bumped into Ex-MIL who shouted at me that I was obviously leaving DC home alone while I was off “stocking up and living a leisurely life”. And told me I’m absolutely disgusting because her son would love to see and spend more time with DC but I “don’t allow it”. She ended with “I’m reporting you to SS and when they see how neglectful you are leaving (DC) home alone they’ll take them off you and give them to me and you’ll never see them again”

I’m not concerned about SS, they’ll speak to DCs headteacher who will tell them she has no concerns for DC, that DC is always in school on time, progressing well and they tell their teacher about age appropriate out of school activities (can you tell I’ve been here before with SS reports?) and they’d then ask me where DC was while I was shopping/working and I’d give them the name and number of the holiday club who SS would contact and who’d tell them DC loves going to holiday club, joins in, helps them out and the only concern they have is that DC can be a bit sensitive at times (i.e. cries easily) which they’ve said given the situation the last few years isn’t unsurprising or unusual in DCs age group.

I’m still shocked though, that after 4 years they’re still trying this. It’ll be my 9th or 10th malicious SS report in 4 years, everytime they don’t bother visiting anymore, they call school and/or holiday club and close the case.

How do I stop this? A NMO hasn’t stopped the reports in the past as they switch to anonymous reports, police say it’s a civil matter and people with concerns about children shouldn’t be stopped from reporting given the recent high profile cases, and letters from my solicitor get ignored.

I can’t move away as the court order says I have to live within a certain radius of ExH, so I can’t get far enough away to stop this.

I probably AIBU to even be bothered by this now

Or when she says she's going to call SS you raise an eyebrow and say "What, again?" and glide off serenely.

It can't be nice though. If my maths is right you could have another 12 years of this sort of nonsense. Ugh.

I'd be tempted to go back to court, but I think your reasons for NOT wanting to do it are perfectly valid.

I'd report anything I could report to the police, even if there's not much they can do about it. Having them have a record of the incidents may be helpful down the line.

Can you travel in the opposite direction/farther away from her home to do your shopping or run errands? Shop/do errands at 'odd' times of the day, like later in the evening or in the morning? It may be inconvenient, but if it decreases the likelihood that you'll run into her it may be worth it.

As far as her creating a scene, if there was no way to summon Security, I'd just look at her calmly and say "Do I know you?" then turn around and walk away, even if it meant I had to leave a full trolly or get out of a queue.