To alert LA/School/Social Services

[Usedphone]

Yesterday while I was doing the school run I witnessed a dad shouting horribly (and horrible things) to a poor little boy. You could hear the boy screaming from a block away. I was in a rush, and really didn't want to confront this angry man, so just kept walking with my son.

Today, I saw the same boy (I didn't see him yesterday, only heard him) but he had the most horrible black eye and the rest of his face was incredibly swollen.

I'm sure both are connected but I have no evidence. Who can I alert about this?

i do agree with this.. normally injuries are hidden, or of course the parents are able to give a really believeable excuse. If the child had such extentive injuries, surely he would have been in considerable pain which would have been picked up by the school anyway?

Either call police or social services NOW

I agree 100%.

Op, don't delay.

nah, the police would not have an issue finding this child. they are pretty clever with stuff like this you know and chances are if this child has such extensive injuries, it will have come to their attention on previous occasions anyway.

I don't really understand the purpose of the thread then?

Of course you'd start with the school, unless you happen to know his address.

Are you still in touch with anyone else from nursery? Maybe they might know the surname?? Then call literally everyone- police, social services etc.

OP , you said in your first post that you witnessed the dad shouting at the little boy and then, in the same post , said you didn't see the boy yesterday , only heard him . So you didn't actually see what was happening ??

I am really concerned that if this is true (and I'm not sure it is), there is a badly beaten child out there and nobody is doing anything to help him.

If the OP doesn't come back then what can we do from our end? Is there anything MNHQ can do to locate the OP and then the child? I know it's very easy to track someone based on their IP. This might sound like a vast overaction but I'm genuinely really worried about this child

I didn't see his face, I saw his dad and him getting in the car. At least I don't remember seeing his face. That's what I meant

Have you called the police?

Well,that is your answer. Report to school immediately

Considering you didn’t manage to contact the school I would contact the police.

Someone from the nursery must know his surname.

as bad as it sounds, i do really hope that this isn't real!

Your reaction is exactly what other people will feel, and that means there's a number of people who will now worry about this poor child!

You have to ask.. a) why would someone post this, if its true, knowing it will upset people, and b) why would somone make this up?

this is the downside of MN. i really hope this is real and that the OP has taken onboard all the advice given and is in fact right now on the phone to the police, and i keep my fingers cross that this little boy is safe and well.

I sometimes think that I'm living in a twilight world !!!!!

So the duty social worker knows the child's first name, his year and nursery.
(thanks to your help, OP)

Yet she's incapable of contacting the police or nursery owner for a list of children with that name in that year?????

The mind boggles.................
This truly shows how children are slipping through the net and being murdered.

OP, please put a complaint in about this duty social worker.

@Petitchat i completely agree - my head had already gone to finding the registered owner or manager of the nursery, and from there the child’s name. None of that is rocket science for either social services or the policy. The lives some children are living in this country is utterly shameful.

Deep breaths Inks.

You said yourself there's a chance this could be a little fantasy drama and I'm inclined to agree with you.

We can be sure that somewhere not far from each of us a child is being abused right now. Those children are as real as the boy in this thread. We can't live in a state of perpetual anguish.

And, before anyone accuses me of not caring, if I had heard or witnessed anything like this I would have dropped everything and pursued it immediately.

OP report to the police and to the school. That poor little boy.
This is your chance to change the course of his life hopefully.
Do not delay. Be Frank and firm and follow up to confirm they took action (though appreciate you would not be advised on this - though you are a witness if needed)
May that coward of a man rot in hell for subjecting his little boy to such violence.
Be the change OP

Oh this is sad. 😢

I'd call 101 and ask their advice if the duty social worker was so rubbish.

Whether the police are proactive or not, go into school on Monday morning and tell them. The shouting and the bruise. Although it sounds like they've seen the bruise? I'd still tell them both things because they are pieces of a puzzle.

Not sure on the kid's ages but would your child know this boy's surname? One of my kids would know (he's like a spy the info he gathers and remembers lol) and one wouldn't have a clue.

Also I am really really hoping it's not half term for you on Monday. 😢 But even if it is you can email the school and hopefully someone will see it.

Another option: does your school use an app like dojo?? If it does you could message a school member of staff on there maybe and state you have a safeguarding concern regarding a pupil.

You need to share your information with the police OP. Was the child being took to school when you saw him today? Tell the police everything - name, school, year, previous nursery, injuries, describe Dad, describe his car. You've informed DSW. Inform school on Monday. Ring SS again on Monday.

Does your child know the boys surname? It anytime else that you know at the school? I'd you asked the name if the boy who who had a black eye? It's not like he'll have gone unnoticed.

I really think some people's lives are so empty that, sadly, make believe is all they've got.

Your attitude sums up why children slip through the net. Safeguarding is EVERYONE'S business, not just social care. All the SW could do is pass on to the Police what op has said. Op is the better source as the actual witness with some identifying info. Honestly, responses like this make me despair.

Reported to police who will get in touch with the head of school.

Send my witness statement to the school too via email

I don't think there's much more I can do, but I hope this boy is OK.

So any situation like this contact the police OP because a child is in danger.