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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To call social services on dsis

88 replies

Throwaway6 · 02/08/2022 09:26

I'm going to have to change alot of details so this isn't outing.

Dsis is nearing on 40 along with her partner (not married). Dsis owns the house they live in. We as a family have never liked Dsis partner. I have never got a good feeling about him, he is the human embodiment of man child. He would never look after his own children when he was home, he would be plugged into some sort of device or gaming system. He hardly if ever contributes money wise to the bills whilst my Dsis would slave away with 3 jobs to keep everything going. Whenever we bring this up with Dsis she would always claim otherwise and defend him, why I don't know.

Anywas Dsis has had an alcohol problem for a while now and it's only getting worse. She is going out every weekend and bringing her drinking friends back to her house which I'm sure wakes the kids. She has become high disfunctional. Her house is a mess and is unclean. She says she has no money to do things but she manages to always has money to fund her nights out. The kids (last time I checked) sleep on really old Pillows with no bedding or covers. Dsis priorities are completely all over the place and self serving. If ever me or dm would try to get her to see reason about her drinking she goes into denial or shut down mode and says that she only drinks "once a week or only has a couple". It's gotten so bad that we are pretty sure she has been drunk at 12pm before. We also had to go around hers once when one of her 3 children called (dc must of been only 7 at the time) because she had collapsed on the floor from server alcohol poisoning. Me and dm rushed to her house to attend to her and dc. Dm refused to call an ambulance even though she clearly needed one. It was obvious why she didn't want services involved. This was a couple of years ago now. I know she isn't that bad at the moment and still gets up to her jobs but there is no saying when that may happen again.

But the worst thing of it all is Dsis and her partner argue all the time. Dsis can't stand him and allows him to sleep in her room whilst she sleeps in one of the kids rooms. Her children are 5 7 and 11. They aren't stupid and they know something is up. Dsis has been going off at nights and seeing other men which she has happily announced to us all. It all came to head when her partner suspected it and they had a nasty argument at 4 in the morning which woke the kids. Dsis has now said she has told her partner they are "over" but they do this all the time. Nothing has changed and he is still living there. I'm so so worried about the effects and damage this is all having on the children. SS where called on them once before for having a public display. Dm is reluctant to call SS again because of this. She is worried that the kids will be taken away. It's infuriating because I feel like all my family just Bury their heads in the sand about Dsis and the kids. I feel like dm is more worried about protecting Dsis rather than worrying about what is best for the children. No one is putting them first and god knows what goes on before closed doors. I know they have had physical fights and the children have said that they have witnessed daddy push mummy. I can't just sit by and do nothing. I've grown up with a messed up toxic childhood myself and I know how permanently damaging it is.

Dm said she will talk to Dsis again but I know she won't hear it and nothing will come from it all. So how long do we give her until enough is enough? I know in my heart SS should be called now but if I do that I risk my whole family never talking to me again. And then what if the kids get taken away and put into a home and it turns out worse for them. They aren't in any immediate danger. Dsis will never harm the kids neither would the partner. They get well and go out alot. They have family that love them. Its more their psychology welfare I'm worried about.

OP posts:
Crimeismymiddlename · 02/08/2022 14:52

You and your mother have seen this going on for years. The oldest one is actively telling you how bad it is, in the hope that two adults will help them. They are probably wondering how you haven’t noticed and helped them.
SS should have been told a long time ago.
Those children have no one looking out for them.

felulageller · 02/08/2022 16:26

Why is everyone overlooking the domestic abuse here?

That is the biggest risk to these DC's! (And mum)

Facts we know:
-DC witnessed Dad being violent to Mum

  • Dad financially abusing Mum
-Dad having some use of main bedroom with Mum relegated to DCs room -Dad not changing DCs bedsheets despite making no financial contribution to house

Do people not read between the lines that there's likely coercive control going on here?

He's likely told Mum that he'd take the DCs if she kicks him out.

What can she do? She had a "toxic childhood" herself and has no support network. It's not really surprising she has succomed to addiction as a maladaptive coping strategy.

What needs to happen is for someone to call 999 when he's actually abusing her and for the police to lock him up.

allboysherebutme · 02/08/2022 22:13

Call them. X

Throwaway6 · 02/08/2022 22:23

Ugh found out they have been arguing today and the children overheard it all.

They sad mummy and daddy where saying "bad words" to each other and that it made them sad.

I'm going to have to call ss

OP posts:
SparklingLime · 03/08/2022 07:57

Throwaway6 · 02/08/2022 22:23

Ugh found out they have been arguing today and the children overheard it all.

They sad mummy and daddy where saying "bad words" to each other and that it made them sad.

I'm going to have to call ss

That’s nothing new or surprising. That will be happening daily. What will it take for you to contact SS?

girlfriend44 · 03/08/2022 09:59

Have you done it yet?

felulageller · 03/08/2022 10:19

Call the police when the violence is happening. They will ref to SS, with actual evidence.

TheDepthsOfDespair · 03/08/2022 11:02

Ring SS.
doesn’t sound on the face of it that it would reach threshold for removal but hopefully they can put some support in place. It would be beneficial just to have them on SS radar.

Greensmoothie1 · 03/08/2022 12:12

Throwaway6 · 02/08/2022 22:23

Ugh found out they have been arguing today and the children overheard it all.

They sad mummy and daddy where saying "bad words" to each other and that it made them sad.

I'm going to have to call ss

Why haven’t you called SS already? You should’ve called years ago. The dc are neglected. They don’t even have somewhere nice and clean to sleep. The eldest 2 are probably permanently emotionally damaged. Look up Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and how early trauma impacts them as adults.

Coffeaddict · 03/08/2022 13:17

Throwaway6 · 02/08/2022 22:23

Ugh found out they have been arguing today and the children overheard it all.

They sad mummy and daddy where saying "bad words" to each other and that it made them sad.

I'm going to have to call ss

I'm calling bullshit wind up. You said the youngest is 11 ( and emotionally mature). In which case the other kids are teens. The chances of them calling them mummy and daddy and using the term " bad words" is non existent.
I grew up in a house where my parents hated each other and by that age you would be well aware of what was going on and be far more articulate. The actions you have described here sound more like an early to mid primary school child.

Troll

MojoJojo71 · 03/08/2022 13:45

Dsis will never harm the kids neither would the partner.

this is bollocks, they are both harming the children and have been for years while the rest of the family have allowed it to happen.

please do report them, I can’t believe you haven’t already

SalviaOfficinalis · 03/08/2022 13:53

Coffeaddict · 03/08/2022 13:17

I'm calling bullshit wind up. You said the youngest is 11 ( and emotionally mature). In which case the other kids are teens. The chances of them calling them mummy and daddy and using the term " bad words" is non existent.
I grew up in a house where my parents hated each other and by that age you would be well aware of what was going on and be far more articulate. The actions you have described here sound more like an early to mid primary school child.

Troll

Where did she say the youngest is 11?
She said it the OP they are 5, 7 and 11

NewtoHolland · 03/08/2022 13:54

Call them if you can.
If you express your concern about the drinking they should link dsis into recovery services, it might give her the wake up call she needs to make a change. If not you've helped the kids anyway.

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