To have reported concerns about nighbour's kids?

[Gingerkittykat]

I had a family move next door about 4 months ago, it's a single mum with two daughters around 7 and 3. I'm worried about the kids and sent a text to my housing officer today because I didn't know the kids names or schools to report anywhere else, she said she will report it to appropriate athorities and in the meantime if I ever hear the mum hit one of the kids again to call the police immediately.

The oldest kid has constant meltdowns, I have no idea if she is neurodivergent or not, I'm worried I'm going to be piling pressure onto a stressed single mum if the kid is disabled in some way. Her outbursts have included screaming at her mum "you think you're a good mum but you are not" but a lot of the time I can't work out what she says most of the time.

These meltdowns can happen past midnight, the kid can also run about at midnight outside screaming.

Mum constantly screams at kids and I have heard her hit what sounds like the youngest kid.

I saw them at the bus stop once meaning the oldest kid doesn't go to the village school but most of the time she isn't at school and is just at home during the day screaming.

I've no idea if I've done the right thing or not here.

Yes, you've done the right thing.

You had a concern, you shared that concern and passed it up the chain to people who are qualified to assess whether that family needs support.

There might be rational explanations for everything you've witnessed and nothing more will come of it or there might be children/a family in need of intervention in which case you've brought them to the attention of services able to provide that.

I think you've done the right thing. Children at that age should not be running around screaming outside. Even if they are not being abused or neglected, the mum is clearly really struggling and hopefully will get some help. Well done you for not turning a blind eye.

This mum may need help and support. If you flag the problem someone can help her. Safeguarding children is something we all need to do, otherwise kids die- that is the serious reality in some homes. This mum may be lovely, but struggling, you don’t know her and you don’t know the situation so report it and the authorities can investigate.

You’ve done the right thing.

Whether the child is ND or not, the family clearly need some help so don’t think of it as anything other than that.

Sorry - I mean running around outside at midnight!

Thanks for the reassurance.

If it is distressing for me to listen to, it must be distressing for the kids to be experiencing it and a 3 year old doesn't have the ability to have a voice if she is being hit.

I've still got a niggling feeling I have done the wrong thing but hopefully the family will get some support.

You've done the right thing. Poor family

Sorry if I’ve missed it but how do you know she hit the youngest child?

Surely you can’t hear a hit or slap from next door?

I did hear the slap from next door.