Am I out of order if I report this to child services?

[Em94]

For background my job involves safeguarding and if this was discovered through work I would 100% be reporting but in this instance I’m not sure it’s my place.

I have bought something off Facebook market place and been to collect today, upon arrival no one answered the door so I waited in the car and tried again.
a boy aged 9/10 answered the door & i asked if there was an adult home as I was here to collect something. The boy got the item for me let me look at it and told me his parents were in bed. (I didn’t go inside, this was all at the doorstep).
he was dirty, unclean toe nails, the house smelt and you could see the clutter everywhere. No curtains open.
I can’t stop thinking about it and unsure whether it’s my place to do anything

His instinct wasn’t to go get either of his parents when the OP asked for them, which may indicate he knew that would be pointless, or he’d be in trouble for doing so. Everything combined you were right to report.

If it’s nothing then social services will check up and say all is well. TBH even if he is being neglected they probably won’t do anything/much.

Do report. There may be no problem, in which case no harm done, but it is best to be on the safe side, especially where children are concerned.

If the boy's parents were in bed, did you call very early in the morning? I am sorry if you already said, I've only read first page.

The biggest safeguarding concern is that a child is opening doors to complete strangers. Don't parents or school teach them about stranger danger anymore?

You were absolutely right to report.

On these threads there are always people arguing against it for reasons that are frankly a load of shite.

You did the right thing.

Yes, 100% report.

You know what you saw. Whether it's a safeguarding issue is hard to say purely from the description - the parents could have worked the nightshirt, lots of houses are messy and dirty toe nails could be due to something innocent, but you were there, if it seems wrong report and leave to the experts

Yes report as there was a boy in france who was left alone for 2 years as his mum got a new boyfriend. The reason h was never reported was he was still going to school he was to small to reach the heating so kept warm with 3 duvets. If nothing comes from it least you tried and if anything does least the child will be better looked after!!

You should indeed report it. It isn't your place to make decisions, but reporting concerns so that social services have a full picture is both responsible and helpful.

You absolutely did the right thing. I am retired now but when I worked, my profession also had safeguarding responsibilities. It was made clear to us by our professional organisation that the responsibility did not end when we left work for the day.

You should know from your safeguarding training that absolutely you can and should report what you saw.

It's pieces of a jigsaws puzzle, and the more pieces that the authorities have the more likely they are to be able to help that child.

Please report.

I mentioned this too. It wasn't that he couldn’t reach, he never even had electricity so even if there was gas for the gc heating it wouldn’t have worked anyway. The mind boggles, what actually goes through peoples heads

If you have genuine concerns about a child, any child, it is always your place to do something about it.

This

Report it. As already noted above, child welfare is everyone's business.

Report it. But nothing will be done.Alfie Steele’s grandparents and extended family reported things 64 times before he was killed.

REPORT

Please report it, to social care and NSPCC
If your gut instinct is telling you somethings not right then somethings not right, please report it.

Block her on Facebook before you report and then deactivate your profile.

Call social services or police and ask for a welfare check. Most are useless but you never know you might speak to a good one.

Report

What kind of safeguarding does your job involve that you're genuinely unsure of the answer to your own question? Of course you should report it. Immediately. Without hesitation. Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and if you've had safeguarding training through work you should know that.

This

Yabu not to act here. Report.