Parents I’ve never met have gone out and left their child here?

[RosesAndUnicorns]

Well not even ‘here’ but on the street really

DD11 went out with her friends earlier and came back with one of them who lives two streets over to play in her room
Fine, happens all the time
A few minutes ago I said to this child that one of us would walk her some soon as we had to do homework, showers etc ready for tomorrow, to which she said ‘oh my mum & dad won’t be home till 9:45 I can’t get in till then’
So she has to stay here until DDs usual bedtime because her parents aren’t in!

AIBU to be totally shocked! If this girl hadn’t come into my house to play I’d have called DD in and she would’ve been out on the street alone until 9:45!

I haven’t said to her that she has to leave or anything because honestly, something similar happened to me once as a child and the parents of my friend made it very clear they were furious and I felt so awkward and unwanted, so I’ve made them a hot chocolate and put Netflix on for them
But I am a little bit furious! This is not my child to be responsible for like this!

Lots of people have mentioned 111 on this thread. Not sure what they are hoping NHS direct could do?

🤣🤣🤣

Does she not have a key? Why would her parents not give her one? This is really strange.

Just call her parents OP.

Whoops, 101 🤣

😂🤣😂

This reminds me of when DD was about 10 and her friend, who lived up the road and was ALWAYS being kicked out of the house to play so as not to be under their feet, seemed to be in the street a lot more than normal. Not going in and out of her house as normal.

It transpired the parents had gone on holiday abroad (honeymoon) and left her 'in the care' of a family friend.
Family friend didn't live close. They dropped her at school in the morning. The child then walked home and played in the street outside her locked house and was then picked up at 8-9pm in the street by the people who were supposed to be looking after her, to be taken to their house finally, for bed.

We had to report our concern, the poor thing.

I would send OH round at 9.45 to tell them to come and collect her!

Why can't you ring her parents?

I would either call social services, ask to speak to the duty social worker for children and ask them what to do. They can involve the police if needed. This kid needs more help than you can give.

If you inform the school, they will refer to social services.

She has a phone with their jumper in it.

You're an adult. Grow up. Call them and ask what exactly they're playing at. They come get her now or you call the police as you have an abandoned child. Because that's what has happened. They left their 11 year old with no access to her home and no one to look after her until almost 10pm.

I'd call 111 now if I were you. Something similar happened to my mum in the 80s. She told our neighbour who told everyone and the street gossip got back to the parents who panicked and made a police report that my mum had tried to abduct their daughter and they'd been home the whole time worried about where she was. All easily disproved at the time but cover yourself, the kid has been abandoned.

I'd call 111 now if I were you.

Why? Do you not think the NHS are busy enough?

Contact the school and report this as a matter of urgency.

This isn't the first time the child has been left to her own devices.

This used to happen to a girl who moved into our street after her Dad went to court to get her removed away from her Mum and abusive stepdad.

Her Dad worked lates and didn't know that his partner was turfing the poor kid out til all hours - effectively replacing one abusive step parent with another. It came to a head one night when the really gobby family at the end of the street clicked what was happening, confronted the step mother and said step mother got lamped in the mouth.

Never a dull moment in our street.

Can you try do some more digging? Ask her where they are, if she’s lost her key and what she would have done if your DD was busy tonight? Seems such a strange one especially as it’s the first time they’ve played together!

I w

Has she got a phone? Or know their number. I’d want to ring them. It’s very late for the girl to stay and parents not know where she is. I’d see what they say but at this point I’d definitely be thinking of flagging up with school tomorrow.

This is absolutely mad, personally I wouldn't call or confront the parents in anyway. If they truly are negligent enough to abandon their 11yo Like that then they could be very unhappy (to put it mildly) with her exposing their neglect.

I would call 101 or direct to SS/childline tonight (you can do this for most if not all councils). I would then approach the school safeguarding lead tomorrow. That way they can work out the best way to proceed and if she did turn out to be lying to stay longer then she'll have learnt a hard lesson about fibbing!

Sounds like there's more too it, ironically her parents will be home exactly at your daughters bedtime. Have u actually seen the text from her parents. I know this would be something I would do when I was younger to get to stay out longer.

Good on them!

9.45 on a school night! My 12 year old is in bed by 8.30, I would not be impressed with having a random, uninvited child around until late evening.

I'd take her home just to check they aren't really in. Cld u leave ur other kids with 24yr old if u will only be away a short time.

I would just say oh surely ur mum n dad aren't letting u out until that time c'mon I'll take you round. If they aren't home you can just come back with me. That's really awful though if they really are letting her out until that time it's so dark and cold anything cld happen to her.

14yr old!

Is it possible she told her parents you’d invited her over for the evening? I’d call or text them and find out what’s going on.