Should I mention this to school or mind my own business?

[GreasyChipButty]

I took my son and dog for a walk to the park yesterday evening and as we approached, a little girl said she knew my son and they are in the same class. My son is 4 and he is in reception.

The little girl was with an older girl around 7 for about 5 minutes before the older girl left, leaving the 4 year old completely on her own.

I let them play for a while, thinking someone would be along to get her but no one came.

I said we are leaving the park now, and would she like me to walk her home. She said no thank you.

The park sits completely opposite some houses, there is a road inbetween though. I assumed she lived in one of those but as I changed direction in order to ensure she got home safe, she lived some distance from the park.

Now, is it just me or is this batshit? Allowing your 4 year old to go to the park on their own and cross 2 roads to get there?

I watched her walk back into her house but couldn't help but think how easy it would have been for someone to just scoop her up and take her away. The world we live in nowadays is not safe for this to be happening. Or am I behind with the times, and it is actually fine to let a 4 year old walk a short distance to a park.

I mentioned it in work and people are telling me I should tell the school! I am not a busy body but at the same time, I do wonder if anything is going on at home for this to happen, seems like neglect to me but of course I could be wrong.

Just wondering what others think?

@Nafotdbs Northumberland

It is lovely. It's a pay off as you have to be Mum/Dad taxi a lot of the time when they're older (nearest swimming pool is over 30 mins drive away for example), but the freedom is worth it.

Definitely report it to the school. This is serious neglect.

I completely agree with this. Report, then it is up to professionals to decide

But like @NoMumLeftBehindLiz says , what exactly is anyone going to do- I'm interested in what people think will actually happen

It's not though is it.

This makes me happy, we're moving to that area next year due to DH's job. I was really hoping you'd say that!

Appreciate not all villages are made equal even in the one region so might not be so lucky, but what you've described is the kind of childhood I want for my DC. I'm okay being taxi :) Feels like an okay trade. Wouldn't let them out of my sight until secondary where we currently live, which is just not the vibe I'd like for our household.

I agree, she was much too young to be out alone. Even back in my day, kids didn't do that at four.

Read the post 🙄.

Nor a 7 year old. Id be inclined to report to school as a concered parent. What are some parents thinking 🤦🏻‍♀️

How is it not?

i don't get why so many grown adults think schools are in charge
a normal response would be possibly non emergency police as obviously your right to be worried

all this safeguarding talk thrown around all the time, teachers are not in charge 24/7(although they think they are)
parents have responsibility as well

as soon as a child leaves the school gates then that's it
it should be nothing to do with the school but no, safeguarding is used so much
to me is a form of control

its a public park outside of school hours what on earth is it to do with the school?

social services or the police should be the first thought but no schools and the system had conditioned people to think schools/teachers are in charge of everything

i don't know if its because i home educated from day 1 and never been involved in the schools system as a parent but to me they have way to much say in every day living

im so glad i opted out of this control and never enrolled my kids in to control 24/7

4 year old can’t judge traffic speed or distance.
Nor can they escape anyone who did want to scoop them up.
Def school should know.

@YOOHOOITSMEEE this is not about schools being in control for goodness sake. It's about a child's safety. If the school already has serious safeguarding concerns about this child there may already be social work involvement and the fact she is playing out alone is just one more piece of information that can help build a picture.

That's mental, she's 4 years old, like basically a toddler. I would definitely phone the school or let someone know what happened

No it's not ok, I definitely wouldn't leave a 4 year old alone in the park even if it was opposite the house.
School probably won't do anything but it could be worth mentioning anyway because they may already be aware of issues with that child/family and know there's ongoing involvement with SS etc so being made aware of this could be useful

Sounds exactly like the family who live in my road, their little girl is 4 and she goes to the park on her own, has been since a year ago. Absolute madness!

Where on earth does it say a 7 year old can not take their 4 year old sibling to the park?

Your thoughts and opinions are not fact, I don't even leave my 16 year old in charge or my 6 or 3 year old (non of the buggers can be trusted, bunch of windup merchants) but throwing around 'neglect' like that really diminishes that of those that faced actual neglect and set a false precedent for what it is leading to care assessment backlogs.

Im saying school because there might be further issues with family and this can be added to. But yes also the non emergency police line too just to log it. Its utter madness a child under 10 going to a park alone

I agree with the consensus, yes tell the school.

I'm so surprised at a 4yo being able to roller skate though. My (agile and athletic) 9yo is only just able to skate proficiently now and she's had skates since she was about 5!!

Its utter madness a child under 10 going to a park alone

You are joking? Madness for all under 10's to go to the park alone?

There is more and more research showing that the mental health crisis is because children are coddled.

Yeah I'd mention it to your DSL at school and let them decide what they do with the information. Keep it factual.
It might form part of a bigger picture if you pass on what you know.

Don’t leave it to the school OP - this is YOUR responsibility. You are the one that saw it, you should report it.
The school can only say that GreasyChipButty says that she saw…
You can actually tell them what you saw and they can ask questions.
Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

Are you joking? So its ok for under 10 aged kids to go out of sight of home across various roads to a park?? Are you mad?? Do you have children of your own? 🤷🏻‍♀️😂

It's pretty normal for 8-10 year olds in my experience.

Yes I have children, yes they go to the park. Yes I'm in England .

Year 4 at my school are allowed to walk home from school (age 8-9)

I appreciate areas are very different but 7+ at a local park, residential roads or actual crossing is completely normal where I am.

And as said previously, our roads are much safer now (statistically) than ever before