To think that A child living in a house without a toilet, Bath, Central heating and Hot water

[beanieb]

is not grounds for calling Social Services?

What do you think?

Absolutely proverbial, totally agree.

The biggest effect of poverty at the levels we experience in the UK is the absence of choice.

Most people agree with you, proverbial, myself included, and that's why the majority of the posters say it's not automatically a case for SS by any means.

Although I don't think the desire for accomodation with a flush toilet, bathing facilities and hot running water is materialistic.

I suppose my point was that from some of the things I have read on here there are some people who would call SS because of this kind of living arrangement.

I didn't mean materialistic in that sense, just as a particular extreme lifestyle choice that some people may choose. I don't count my toilet (all 3 of them) as a luxury!

Would I call SS because a child didn't have a shower/bath? Not if they were clean, if their parent had an alternative way of keeping them clean and thought and cared enough to do it. But there are plenty of kids who are dirty despite having enough facilities, because their parents don't care enough or think enough to keep them clean anyway.
Neglect/abuse is not about what you have, its about how you use it and your intent and your actions. You could live in a tree and be a better parent than someone living in a mansion.

I think if you have some kind of a toilet outside in a shed on your own property that's = having a toilet in my eyes. I don't think hot water matters much, surely it can be heated? Central heating is nice but if you have a radiator of some kind of a log fire, also ok.

No, I don't think those are ground for calling SS really. The kids can still be well looked after and cared for and clean but it is not a comfortable life if you are used to having all those things.

If you live in a flat though with no toilet in the building you can use, I would find that a problem. But is that ever the case?

yes, water can be heated, but have you ever lived without it? it's a HUGE PITA, IME and you need fuel, of course, to heat it somehow.

no, I#ve never had to live without any of the things mentioned in the OP. Who knows what the future holds though eh?

Rather not know.

It can be heated, yes of course that's what everyone had to do in the past. I don't think it's more than a right PITA though, not a reason to call in SS

Yes, but the infrastructure of their lives was different wasn't it?

We still ahd (didnt use, just there) an old bath when I was a kid- size wise, the difference to fill with water was immense to a normal fitted bath. heating and filling a proper bath is simply undoable- you can of course fill a sink and strip was, but the ability to haev a bath is very basic.

Likewise laundry: many washers need a hot water inlet (ours dioes). My Mum had to wash all our stuff in the bath in water boiled on the stiove, I know the absolute drudgey reality of that.

The real point opf course is why some people have more toilets than family members and others have a sahred one. But hey ho.