Is it okay to leave a child in the car to pop into a shop?

[loveisanumber]

Local mum.

She has a baby/toddler who's recently celebrated her 1st birthday.

I've noticed on a few occasions now that she leaves the baby in the car whilst she pops into the chemist for prescriptions, pops into the little Tesco for a few bits etc.

Most of the time she's roughly a few minutes but the reason I'm starting this thread is because today she was talking to me whilst waiting for a prescription. We were standing there for a good 15 minutes before her name was called because mine was called just before

When I was walking by me said bye again, she opened the car door to get in and was saying 'It's okay darling, I'm back' and I heard the baby crying

AIBU to think it's wrong?

Oh you missed alien abduction.

No way is it ok I would never do it with our 4 to many stories car being thieved child in car, child dies in car etc etc defo a no no from me

Definitely not someone could hit the car, try to steal the car, car could get overheated. It's a risk assessment and personally I think it's not worth the risk

@Norwen - agreed that it's an unlikely scenario in Feb in UK, but car temperature fluctuates very quickly as it's basically a glass and metal box. The temperature will drop to potentially very cold outside temperatures very quickly - and in direct sun even on a relatively cool summer day can get dangerously hot surprisingly quickly - and dogs can and do die or become unwell with heatstroke in hot cars, so a child strapped into a highly insulated car seat, etc is also at risk - even in 15 minutes, even just a quick pop to the shops, when the risk may genuinely not be obvious to the parent.

static.vets-now.com/uploads/sites/3/2017/08/VEN2550D-Heat-Stroke-Infographic-A1-PRbleed21.pdf

www.vets-now.com/summer/dogs-in-hot-cars/

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How have you noticed on a few occasions?

I suspect many, many parents have done it without fully understanding the risks.

It's illegal where I live to leave a child unattended in car

Same. Animals too. Around here the police would be called if there was a kid or dog locked in a car with no parent/owner in sight and also photos posted on the local Facebook pages so the rest of the community can throw in their outrage too.

I never left my kids in the car when I went to a shop but I did when paying for petrol. Don't think I would these days though with the post I see on fb when someone sees you do it and the police being called instantly the minute someone notices.

I live in a small sleepy town with a marketplace.

If I can park immediately outside the pharmacy then I may run in, with one eye on the car.

I would never pop into a supermarket with a little one in the car on their own!

It's fine. If the car is outside of the door and you can see it and teh temperature is ok.

It's not neglect!!!! If she was in a bedroom of a house it would be the same distance away.

Mind your own business

This is bs. Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Standing by while children are at risk of harm because ‘it’s an adults right to do whatever they want’ is a dick move. Leaving a child (of this tender age especially) in a car to pop into a shop is neglectful at worst at stupid at best.

Very dangerous if the child can get out,not so much being one but if mobile still possible.
A few years ago I spotted a 3/4 year old get out of a car parked on the side of a road and went to cross the road. I spoke to him for a few minutes to distract him but had I not been there he could have easily been run over (narrow but busy road, the boy would not easily have been seen)or I could also not been a nice person too and taken him.
Turns out his grandma was getting a prescription from a chemist across the road and hadn't thought this could happen.

Problem is that people underestimate how hot it needs to be for the car to get dangerously hot, and overestimate how long it takes for a baby or child to be in danger. As the UK heats up you'll have more and more days when this is unsafe.

Nobody means to leave their child in a too hot car to die. Sometimes they underestimate the impacts (thinking it's not that hot), sometimes the kids get into the car without anyone noticing, and sometimes they tragically forget the child is still in the car. Normalising leaving children unattended in cars is poor behaviour.

I wouldn't generally but did for fuel (pay at the pump wasn't available widely then)

I've done this when mine have been soundly asleep. Always local/ small shop or petrol station when I could see them. Never on a sunny/ warm day. And never to do the weekly shop or anything that took more than a few mins.

I currently have no choice but to leave my 6yo in the car for a few mins as I cannot get her to wear anything other than a dressing gown (SEN).