AIBU to feel nervous about my 10-year-old DD walking home alone around Latymer Upper Road/Latymer Road station?

[GentleMintCat]

DD has just started Year 6 and a few of her classmates already walk home on their own. They’ve instantly become the “cool ones” in everyone’s eyes, and now she also wants to walk alone.

It’s about a 20-minute walk, going past Latymer Road station, under the Westway, and along Latymer Road. While I do trust her and I want to empower her to become more independent before secondary, I feel really anxious about her walking alone through all that, especially given the level of crime, antisocial behaviour, and groups of teenagers around.

Am I being unreasonable to feel this way? Any thoughts or experiences?

P.S. I made mistake in the subject, it's Latymer station and Latymer road not Latymer upper!

I live nearby. I wouldn't let a 10 year old child walk home alone under the Westway, no, especially as it's getting dark soon. Around Latimer Road tube's usually fine but not always and there's too many places under Westway for the occasional dodgy person or bunch of teens, to be unseen by other passers by. What is the alternative?

Why ask? You know it's not safe, from what you wrote. I used to walk home by myself around that age, and met all sorts of men doing all sorts of things to me, or trying to do something to me. No, it's not safe. I was scared and stressed, and had to think of ways to escape so many times. I wish my parents had walked me.

No, I would not. I try never to overrule my gut feeling just because someone I normally trust is doing something different. Given the facts you already have about the area, I cannot imagine taking the risk

No way would i let my kids walk home alone in year 6. Sorry I don't know the area but if you are able to collect your child from school please do. Just say no to your child stick to what you already know is right. Your child will whinge and complain but be strong stand your ground.

I disagree. London is no less safe for children walking home from school than anywhere else. If someone “asks” for a phone, you hand it over. Ideally she shouldn’t have it out at all.
They’re also less likely to threaten to stab a girl.
All of that said, one of mine has just started Y7 and I let her walk home alone with an Air tag on keys and school bag but I may rethink it when it gets dark.

I’m not a parent but absolutely not!

Given what you saw two days ago, do you seriously need to ask what people here think?

Nope. Couldn’t give a shit what anyone else is allowing their kids to do. I would not allow my ten year old child to walk in a dodgy area, particularly in winter when it gets dark early.

Is this not your answer?

I have no idea what area that is but it's normal to walk to school from y6. Our primary really encouraged it in preparation for secondary. Surly, you don't want to do the school runs when your DC starts y7. You have to start somewhere.

I’d feel even more anxious letting her walk home alone now seen as you’ve shared to a load of strangers the location that a lone 10 year old girl could be walking

Noooooo!!
London seems to be getting more dangerous but I don’t have the stats to prove it.

No.

Try Open Street Maps for very detailed street mapping, showing footpaths/ cycle paths as well as roads.

Find a busier diversion from the dodgy / less populated bit and teach her the safer route.

Edmonton is very sketchy as you know so I’d absolutely not allow a 10yo to walk alone in that area. No way! It’s probably one of the worst areas in the whole of the UK, let alone London.

Not just yet OP, keep her safe.
I'd delete this thread as well to be on the safe side for all other kids who have to walk that way to the school.

Sorry if I’ve got the wrong end of the stick but is it wise to advise the whereabouts and time of your child when they’re without an adult? Just a thought.

Nope, dangerous times we are living in, as much as we want our kids to be independent, times have changed. There is little or no penalty or police response to any kind of assault and the criminals know this. You’re still in charge of her safety and even if she was walking with another 10 year old, that wouldn’t stop a gang of bullies or predators in a van.

I grew up there and work on Latimer road. It is absolutely not something I would let a child 12 or under do. While it would be fine most days there are lots of crimes under the west way and in the surrounding areas. I regularly used to get heckled by boys in that area when I was a kid (especially in Summer when they are all out which everyone thinks is the safest time of year). It is also a 5 min walk from St Charles mental health centre and there are many inpatients and outpatients who are in distress walking those streets. I just wouldn't risk it for a 10 year old.

Having said that when I was 14 and older I would ride around alone on my bike from the flats near Latimer station under westway and up Latimer Road to North pole road and never had a single issue.

Not unreasonable at all. A lot could happen in those 20minutes.

I don't know the specific area well, though I am not that far away in London. Is there a bus she could take to avoid the less pleasant bits of the route? Bus travel will be free for a ten year old.

I grew up in Ladbroke Grove, I know north pole road/Latymer well. I wouldn't let a 10 year old do it either. I was violently mugged by 2 older kids when I was 13 on St Mark's Road, not too far away, in the middle of the afternoon when walking to a friend's house... that was almost 20 years ago and the Westway area and Scrubs is still rough as hell in parts in the evenings. Public transport is ok, buses/tube are always full of schoolkids and hammersmith hospital patients/workers. But I'd wait till secondary to be honest and even then I'd insist on my year 7 kid travelling in a group straight from school to tube/bus, no wandering round the area.

For those who don't know the area, it is worth saying that it is NOT representative of London as a whole. Both my girls walked home from school in Y6 with no problem, but this particular route is spectacularly dodgy.

I don't see why there is any risk in OP asking about this route on here. There are unaccompanied children everywhere in central London at 3.30 - no need to get intel on a particular one - and pedos would also be at risk under the Westway..

Maybe don’t write her route home from school on the internet alongside saying that she’s 10 and will be alone?

Basically advertising where she will be and when and that there’s no adult with her….