Should I report my neighbour for "man handling" his child?

[theneighbour]

My Ring doorbell captured a neighbour aggressively grabbing his toddler's arm ( she looks about two years old) multiple times. She clearly did not want to walk, and attempted to sit down, at which point he kicked the back of her legs to keep her upright; the kick itself wouldn't have been hard to an adult, but would be for a toddler.

His DD ended up sat on the ground, he wrenched her arm to get her back on her feet a few more times, then hit her on the side of her head when she refused to stand. After that, he walked away leaving her on the ground crying.

He could have easily lifted her up, and carried her home, which is what I often had to resort to with my DS when he was having a tantrum, or just refusing to cooperate.

So, should I report this to social services, or is there another body I can speak to who might best advise me? Also, I'm uncertain as to whether there would be a data breach in sharing the doorbell footage with the relevant authority.

YABU - Mind your own business. He was probably having a bad day.
YANBU - Of course you report it. No harm done if SS deems he acted reasonably.

I would report this to the police. That poor, poor child. IME they will prosecute him, and so they should.

I think unless you’ve seen this repeatedly you mind your own business.

I think most of us have had to wrestle a child into a car seat or pram, or pull them up when they've fallen over. However, this sounds like unnecessary force and the hit to their head is inexcusable. I think I'd report in this situation. Poor kid :-(

Report to the police then they can decide - defenceless child

I’d report it yes ,if you saw and adult do this to another adult would you be concerned ? Of course . So a helpless child absolutely would be too!! You could call the local children’s services number tonighy or the police. If didn’t want to do that you could also Prehaps call nspcc for advise and take from there ? The helpline number in uk is 0808 800 5000- open again at 10am tomorrow.
On their website they also have a reporting form .

Oh God. At first I thought I might sympathise a bit; the stressed out parent with a tantrumming child. But reading that made me feel sick, especially the slap to the head.
I would report.

He kicked the back of her leg and hit her in the side of the head.

REPORT, NO QUESTION ABOUT IT AND NO DELAY.

Poor baby.

Report to Police immediately. Also Local Authority Child Protection Team. Don't interact with the abusive parent.

Please report it.

That's child abuse and I can't believe pp saying to mind your own business.

I've recently watched a case of child abuse on Court TV and seeing what the father did to his son was heartbreaking.

Just Google the treadmill murder case.

Don't ignore it.
We ask have a safeguarding responsibility. I wouldn't hesitate to report it.

You could start with contacting the child abuse phone line, if you're unsure about calling the police. They will advise you on what to do.

That poor little girl.

If he does that in public, what does he do behind closed doors.

Absolutely report to the police & Local Authority children's safeguarding dept. I can't believe that 'blacksheep' has suggested minding your own business 😱

I have a toddler I have to battle every single day, with every single thing. Honestly, I get kicked, punched, scratched… it’s awful, but I would never use this amount of force or backslap to the head no matter how frustrated I am.
I’m not ready to say this man is some kind of evil, irredeemable child abuser, but it definitely needs to be reported.
He may be a very frustrated, worn out, exhausted parent with lots of things going on in his life. If that’s the case he needs professional help to teach him manage his anger. This needs to be reported regardless.

What, kicking a 2 year old and hitting her in the head?

You need to call the police OP, definitely not just ignore a violent assault on a small child!

I have a toddler (waiting an autism assessment) he's a fucking menace, won't (maybe can't!) Listen, hits, kicks, punches, pulls my hair.. I'm covered in bruises this past week, so I can fully understand losing your cool, but kicking them? Hitting them? No, that's not right and needs reporting.

Poor child deserves so much better, and if this is happening outside of the house, what's happening inside?

Report it.

Children suffer because not only due to their abusers but because people keep silent. And then we have a Serious Case Review on the news and wonder how it could all have happened without anyone intervening. Do the right thing OP

You have evidence of a young child being assaulted and abused. Please, please, report. Goodness only know how much worse is going on behind closed doors.

This is how abused children end up dead, by people ‘minding their own business’.

This is clearly abuse, you should report it to the Police and provide the video evidence.

It does sound abusive but I'd be inclined to watch very closely and think it through. Are you 100% sure what you saw was unprovoked? I had to manhandle my DS1 frequently and was hit, scratched and kicked many a time, sometimes just to stop him running into traffic or to take him home after he refused. I'm sure from the wrong angle it could have looked like something else. If you are really sure it was a slap and kick not a defensive move then yes I think report.

I have no idea what went on before my doorbell captured them, but the footage clearly shows him hit her, pulling her arm repeatedly, and kicking the back of her legs.

Thanks for your responses. I'll contact the NSPCC, and see whether they advise me to report to the child protection team, or police - I'd prefer the former than the latter; the police might refer me to my local authority in any case.

With the evidence you have on video, The Police would investigate it as a crime and bring in Social Services. Each force has a child protection team.

Make sure you save your doorbell footage - if it does get referred to the police it can take them ages to request it....

Poor kid. I would definitely report, especially with the evidence that you have! That would hopefully mean that something will be done about it.

I've reported my neighbours more than once and fuck all seems to come of it. Constant shouting, screaming and swearing at the kids and right in their faces. I've seen them smack them and shove them over in the garden. Can hear thuds followed by kids crying through the walls. I know they're known to social services because they've had their 4 older children removed, but somehow been allowed to keep the 4 youngest children who are all under 5. The mind boggles. We're looking at moving because I just can't listen to it anymore, it's so upsetting.

Please report this and keep the footage to show the police.

Don't forget that the footage will be presented as evidence should things progress that far. Could your house be identified from it? What do you know about this man and his reaction towards you?

That's awful @Anddddwhyshouldicare if older kids are in care I can't understand why younger ones are not. If anything they are more vulnerable. Poor things. Totally understand why you want to just leave.

I would speak to NSPCC see what they say.
If you're in England, it's not illegal to hit your children. Making it illegal has been raised repeatedly and rejected by the Tories. This is what hitting children looks like.