To wonder if I should report parent sitting in car with nursery child.

[wellstopdoingitthen]

I live opposite a primary school. There's a mum who collects her nursery child at 11.30 then sits in the car with her until the older children finish at 3pm. She usually sits there with the engine running which is right next to the playground. I'm not sure if I should do anything or if I'm being a busy body.
I know the little one is in there because I did ask the mum to turn off her engine during the really hot weather. I got an earful because apparently she needed it on because it was hot in the car.
Yabu- keep your nose out
Yanbu- you should notify the school/authorities

It is against the law to have a stationary car with the engine running for any length of time. This woman could be given a fine. Apart from that it's incredibly anti social to pump exhausts out for hours at a time outside a primary school.

Stationary idling is an offence under Section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

I’d be concerned that she has nowhere to go or is scared to go home so would raise as a concern with a kindly teacher rather than report.

I fail to see how this is illegal?! She’s in the car WITH her child!! I’m guessing in the summer she leaves car running for heat/air con ..

All I can say is with fuel prices the way they are she must be very wealthy to sit for 4 hours with her engine running.

I used to do something similar to avoid my abusive ex. You have no idea of this woman's situation. Just be kind and leave her alone

Maybe the child has lunch in the car then, sleeps until pick up. Maybe she has to keep the engine running otherwise the child will wake up?
I'm sure a lot of us have tried all sorts to get/keep a child sleeping!

Why don't you just be honest, say I see you sitting here from 11:30? Is everything OK? If you ever need to use the loo your more than welcome as it's a long wait, be kind see what she says :)

I’d report her. That’s awful. And illegal re the car. Must be costing her a fortune in petrol.

I'd phone the school even if it's to report the idling as that's bad enough to warrant a complaint alone.
However, i would mention this situation, could be nothing but could also be something. There's no harm in the right people knowing in order to do something about it.

Beggars belief how so many people on here can say its none of your business....any Welfare concern for a child is your business !! Too many people keeping mouths shut when they should politely try to do the right thing for a child. If there is a valid reason then fine the mum doesn't need to worry. I'd be concerned if she doesn't walk around the block/play in park/ feed the toddler etc. In this time frame- if she is that's different. Sitting in a car for over 4 hours daily ??? Not right

Wouldn't you want to help precisely by reaching out to her personally at least ? How is leaving her alone helping ? People in these situations often don't know how to get out and who to turn to...weird concept to just leave everyone to their own ....

Wouldn't that cost her a fortune in petrol!

Tell her no idling in the street

I used to pick DD up at 12 and work in my car for 3 hours whilst she slept 😂

I find it really bizarre that everyone seems to be concerned about the child sitting in the car for so long but not that the child I exposed to high levels of fine dust particles daily. It’s also concerning that the school hasn’t intervened so far and accepts that all children are exposed to the fumes.
I presumed that it was illegal to leave a idling outside a school since children are particularly susceptible to respiratory disease caused by traffic pollution.

Report for safeguarding , it could be nothing but they might need help.

So am I being stupid here ? Women sat from 11.30 am until 3pm with car running constantly. Read your thread 3 times doesn't say she leaves ?

I think the fact she leaves at 3pm is implied.

The kid must be asleep.
Why is this so unbelievable?

This! It would be practically impossible, surely?

I agree that if you have any concerns whatsoever about a child, then it damn well is your business. I’d have thought Star Hobson and Arthur Labinjo-Hughes (to name but two) would have taught us that.

OP disappeared ?

I would be worried that the mother is scared to go home/has nowhere to go.

Except if it was a welfare concern and everybody ignored it because ‘it’s none of their business’ ………….

what do they do all that time? Don’t either of them ever need the loo?

how old is the child? It could be the child he having a nap then they wait half an hour after child wakes up? It could be that and possibly the only time the mum gets to herself when kid naps? How do you know? It’s not illegal.

I would report it but I'd also be worried that if someone from the school said something to her, she would just go and park somewhere else and then if there was a problem, the toddler wouldn't get the awareness they needed. So I would be more tempted to speak directly to social services.

I completely agree, as I’ve already said.If everyone ignores a potential concern because it’s none of their business, think of the people we could be letting down. In another point- how can they afford to run the engine for so long what with the price of petrol. And don’t they ever need the loo????

Sorry , just read it as it states .