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?

Safeguarding is everyone’s business - mention to school .

I phoned the police about a couple who were pulling their primary aged child like a rag doll - domestic !
It was rush hour and a busy road . The number of people that walked on by and ignored it was shocking !!!!!!!!!
Fortunately they sent an emergency response out .

No four year old should be out alone. Let the school know.

Yes. It's good for them.

Not four year olds. But 9/10 year olds yes, if they're confident to do so.

I would have taken her to her door to speak with the parents and what in the F
its neglect absolutely shocking!
she could have been taken, injured, all sorts!

I would also have taken her to the door to speak to her parents as it's possible they had no idea she was at the park alone. They may have thought she was doing something innocuous, like visiting a child next-door, when she was actually doing something she wasn't allowed to do.

I recall my daughter doing something like that when she was very small. I would walk her to the school for her half-day preschool program and leave her at the door, confident that she was attending class. I didn't find out until later that she would sometimes turn around as soon as I walked away and go to the park across the street instead of going to her classroom. Her teacher saw her do this but she didn't think it was important enough to retrieve the child or to contact me until our scheduled conference weeks later. 😠

I would mention it for sure. There may be a pattern of neglect, and your example will help with evidence gathering.

You would ask to speak to the Safeguarding Lead (usually the Headteacher).

I work in a primary school and if I saw this, I would report it as part of safeguarding.

Tell the school. This is a safeguarding concern, and the school needs to know so they can provide that little girls family with whatever help or services they may need. I work in a primary school and am a qualified social worker - mentioning it to the school does not make you a busy body in any way, you could actually be preventing something really bad from happening.

Completely agree.

It’s so funny how the responses to this vary so wildly. I have a 9 year old who I’ll happily let walk to her friend’s house on her own. She has to cross one road.

A four year old, well, no probably not. But actually the UK and the USA have some of the most over protective parents in the world. There was a documentary on ITV a few years back called Planet Child. It’s a brilliant watch and shows how kids as young as 6 or 7 navigated their way through London without parents.

It certainly won't do any harm to mention it to the school.
Schools have a very important role in child protection and safeguarding in local communities. They can put your observations into pastoral notes for this child, which can be passed onto social services if deemed necessary.

100% report.

Her parents may not be aware she was left on her own to navigate this. She could be being neglected in other ways. Leaving a 7 year old in charge of a 4 year old is ridiculous.

Also if you can follow a child home so can another adult that doesn't have your wholesome reasons for doing so.

Schools have children for 6 hours a day ….
aocial sssbicss are often tipped off from schools / nurseries !

Those not in the school system don’t have the protection - and children missing in education is a major concern . Whole new topic .
Im not saying your child’s is vulnerable / accusing you of anything but who checks / protects home educated kids ?

@Jenkibubble the answer is parents are responsible for their kids in the UK regardless of the different legal jurisdictions.

Your neighbours, strangers, schools, healthcare workers, the police, social services and the courts only should get involved if they see something were the child is being harmed or at risk of harm.

The reason I mention neighbours is I know from the jobs my SILs do/did and friends do, that neighbours are most likely to report you as a parent to social services. I also just read a report of a neighbour rescuing 3 children from a fire where both parents were absent.

If the op can give a decent description / name or rough address then they will inform social services.

A 4 year old unsupervised out of the house surely constituted risk of harm though !

How is that home schooling going ?

I am gob smacked someone would leave their 4 year old alone in the park. 100% tell the school, but if ever a next time phone social services you can refer her yourself.

I'm all for kids playing without parents breathing down their neck but 4 is too young to be alone in a park unless being watched by a teenage sibling at the very least.

The main risk is traffic more than kidnapping (honestly kidnapping of kids by strangers is so incredibly rare that it makes the News for literally years when it does happen)

I would be hesitant to get any authorities involved for a one off however although if ut becomes a pattern it's something that might need to happen

You should report it to school - but not make assumptions that you know the whole story.

It's equally likely that the 7 year old was supposed to be supervising the 4 year old and walking her home (still not ideal but less awful) but that is still something that needs to be addressed.

4 year olds are still very tiny. I wouldn’t like the approach in Switzerland another poster was talking about where they are walking to school at 4/5 but I also think we baby our children too much at the upper end. My 8yo would be more than capable of walking home by herself to potter at home while I’m working but I don’t think she’ll be allowed until year 6.

I would report to the school- reception children need supervision. It’s not a grey area like a 7/8 year old. There is no way a 4yo should be alone in a park.