Should I report this school mom?

[user65613468478]

Name changed for this and not really an AIBU but I need some advice.

I have noticed one of the school moms at DS's reception class has needle marks on her body. Without giving away information about myself I know that these marks are drug related. Her children are 1 and 5. Should I report it?

Shocked at the judgement on here

But we're not the ones judging her...

Ridiculous. You can’t be sure the marks are drug related.

Surely you can't know they're drug related.
You can only know they are from needles.

Well you can't know they're narcotics-related

No. Does the child look well cared for?
Could have been a genuine medical scar.

I know they are drug marks because of the industry I work in

are you her dealer?

Yes of course you should report this, in the first instance I would speak to the Head of the school . Not to do so, in my opinion would be immoral.

I snorted

If I had concerns about the DCs (looking uncared for, looking scared etc) then I would talk to the school. I wouldn't talk to them based on needle marks on her arm.

Op, I think you need to explain youtself better. You work in this field, so can you explain how you know that this is illegal drug use and not due to an illness or condition with a medical need where she has to inject? There are plenty

I think once you explain how you know, then it will be easier for people to respond.

I wouldn’t, because even if I recognised needle marks, I wouldn’t know what had been injected (or if blood had been taken). So unless I had concerns for the child, or knew for certain it was drugs related, I would mind my own business rather than speculating. I would think that if drugs were an issue the school would already be well aware. Teachers do pick up on these things pretty quickly.

Could they not been from medication? I wouldn't immediately jump to drugs. YABU.

pretty concerning that you claim to have professional knowledge of ivdu but aren’t aware of the fact that most users actively hide the marks for obvious reasons

Well, that avoids needle marks I guess!

I'm sure anyone looking at me a few years ago would have thought I was a drug addict. I had had so many cannulas put in in hospital all my veins were damaged, but I was still needing frequent blood tests, which usually took multiple attempts as my veins were so poor, and I was injecting myself with blood thinners so everything bruised even more. Oh, and I'd had infections, and reactions to the drugs I was being given, so had some nice red tracks up my veins too, and some were obviously thrombosed. I also looked pretty terrible generally, having been very ill. But yeah, I expect some people who didn't know me would have jumped straight to the junkie assumption.

IV drug use that is not done medically is vastly different to the marks that are left when blood is taken and also if you were injecting yourself daily with prescription medication they look very different too, unless you deliberately did it the opposite to what you were told to do by your doctor.

of course you should raise a safeguarding concern and no, you do not need all the facts or to ‘get your facts right’. That’s the safeguarding officer’s job.

it’s funny how everyone gets up in arms when something liek baby p or Daniel pelka happens. ‘Why didn’t Someone do something?’
i dunno guys. Why didn’t someone do something?

If you're concerned, then contacting the school would be the first step forward. If it's a longstanding issue, the school are likely already aware and monitoring the situation.

So many on here yet again don't have a clue about safeguarding. It's not about being certain she's definitely using - if you have a concern, you should report it.

@soupdragon!!!!

Exactly! Absolutely nothing may come of it or it may explain comments or behaviours going on with the child. People on here are far to quick to shout it's none of your business. Safeguarding is everyone's business.

Should see the needle marks on me.... I inject daily

Never touched 'drugs' though

Yes you should report it to School but there is likely to be medical reason for the site marks

What @EgonSpengler2020 said. Safeguarding will look to ensure the children are safe. Hopefully they are and no action needs to be taken. However if mum is using iv drugs then there are potentially numerous risks to the child’s/children’s welfare

Yes OP you should report this.
I never cease to be amazed that on a parenting forum, so many people seem to stand by and watch situations in which kids may be suffering.

There was a recent thread by a woman who smelt alcohol on a school mum, and she was told repeatedly to mind her own business, it might be hand sanitiser, aren't mums allowed to have a drink etc. Sure enough she updated some time later to say she had been right, and it had spiralled since she first posted.

What is this obsession with standing by and doing nothing? When only today a woman has been jailed for killing her adopted baby? I don't understand.

I did IVF so had daily blood tests, and if someone had seen them and reported me, I'd have simply explained what the marks were. No drama.

If there's an innocent explanation then it'll be quickly sorted. If it's drug abuse and you say nothing, then who knows what might happen.

Now those are great comebacks, and they made me giggle which doesn't happen much these days - so thank you @SoupDragon and @girlmom21 xx