Mine my own business or report to social services?

[GoneSeaFishing]

My dd aged 10 goes to a weekly club with children of a similar age. There is a family that attend whose daughter joins in with the activity and then mum, dad and younger sibling approximately aged 5 wait around for the 90 minutes. A few times I’ve not liked the way the parents have dealt with the younger child’s behaviour, swearing at them, I’ll give you something to cry about in a minute, that sort of stuff but never anything physical.

Last week there was an event the kids were participating in, you had to buy tickets online in advance, it was a great experience for them to show off what they’ve learnt. This family hadn’t bought tickets and came in and sat in another families seats, when asked to move the mother kicked off, swearing, punching the seat in front and acting totally inappropriately for a child’s event, her behaviour lasted well over 20 minutes delaying the start of the show. Security was called and they were removed from the theatre, as they left the father was dragging the younger child up the stairs by the top of the arm shouting and swearing at them.

Yesterday evening during the class the parents were arguing, lots of swearing at each and the mum told the younger child to shut the fuck up. On the way back to the car the younger child was lagging behind, dad went mental at them swearing, slapped the child across the head and then dragged the child crying to the car. He opened the door dumped them in the back seat, slammed the door shut still shouting got in the passenger seat and they left. I managed to get the number plate and I know the older girls first name but not her surname, what school she attends, where she lives or the parents name. My question is with the limited information I have and the incidents I’ve witnessed is it worth calling social services? I know the parents behaviour is wrong but I’m not sure I have enough information for the family to be identified and helped.

Yes. Hope the children are ok

Yes, your call might add to a piece of the puzzle they need. Chances are if they were ejected from the event for example the organisers would/should have reported them but it all helps build a picture. If you have concerns then yes it's always worth reporting and letting them decide if they deem it relevant etc- these don't seem like questionable parenting choices but like abuse.

Yes - please report this.

Yes, definitely report asap with the info you have, including details of the weekly club - that could help identify them.

You can report to the club, they should have a safeguarding lead and will have additional information about the family so they can identify them.

Agreed @Chocolateship My concern is I only know the little girls first name and the car (if it’s theirs) number plate, is that enough information for the family to be identified?

Oh yes I totally forgot I can give the name and phone number for the club and the time of the child’s class. Thank you

Can you report it to the club organisers? They will presumably have the child's full name and parents details, and I perhaps someone responsible for safeguarding?

You'd have been better off ringing police when you saw all that yesterday to be honest.

Today, report it to the club, they will have the child's details and be able to make a proper referral to the right social services.

Children's social care do not have the facility to track people down by reg plate unfortunately.

Didn't even need to read the post. The title is enough - report.

Speaking to the club is a good idea, and hopefully they will report. But please report directly as well - don't rely on the club doing it.

slapped the child across the head

This is the piece of information that means you should report to SS, because it’s legal. I live and work in a context where I witness the shouting, swearing kind of behaviour every day, but slapping is where I would make the call as a bystander.

• illegal 🙄

If ever in doubt, always report. I always think if that kind of behaviour is what happens in public, imagine what goes on at home.

I intervened in an assault (far more than slapped round the head) on a young child in a supermarket car park. Outside of what was going on, the family appeared comfortably off and well dressed, nice car etc.
All I had was the cars number plate, and a description of it and the family, and my allegation of what I'd seen, heard, and done.

Based on the statement I made, the police traced the family via the car registration and went round and did a welfare check. They also automatically referred to SS.
What I intervened in was much more violent, but as explained to the police, the most troubling part was that another child and the mother were utterly unfazed at the level of brutality being meted out and doing their own thing during it.
The man tried to justify a serious battering by shouting at me that the child "disrespected his wife."
Police were in agreement with reporting it as a crime and requesting a welfare check on the child even with just a number plate was correct, as they had the power to link the number plate with the family in the course of investigating my allegation, which social services don't.
They were only able to act because I contacted them and subsequently made a formal allegation of a crime and a statement, put my name to it and stood by it, giving them what they needed to trace the child concerned.