Worried about a neighbour's child - what should I do?

[echops]

My parents live next door to a seemingly respectable couple in a very nice road. The couple have a little 5 year old daughter.

However, since they moved in 4 years ago my parents have reported that the '
mother regularly screams and shouts at her little girl (to such an extent it can be heard quite clearly through the walls).

I too have heard her going ballistic at her daughter for hours on end - her language is foul and the little girl is often heard crying her heart out.

Last week my mother heard her call the little girl "dirty little bitch" following what seems to have been a bedwetting incident.

The shouting is very regular (at least 5 times a week), and despite having fantastic toys in the garden (swing / wendy house / trampoline) the little girl is never seen playing.

I called the NSPCC last year to 'report' our concerns and ask for advice but nothing has changed. It just makes me so sad that this little girl's experience of childhood is of being screamed at.

Should I do anything else or let things be?

Do you feel you could approach the mother to discuss things? Has any thing happened that you know of that could be making her very stressed? Does she have mental health problems that you know of that may be not well managed at the moment?

At the end of the day if neither you nor your parents feel able to approach her then maybe a call to social care?

op, I posted a similar post this morning about concerns over someone's children and the fact they scream at the constantly, and was told to mind my own business.

So tbh I'd keep out of it.

Anotherdomestic, I've just posted on your thread too. I disagree, I think you should do something about it if you have concerns.

Other people telling you to mind your own business should NEVER be a reason to leave a child suffering. echops, if it were me I'd be talking to social services.

If it's loud enough for neighbours to regularly hear and be concerned about then it's worth a call to social services.

I would suspect extreme emotional abuse and report to SS immediately

do not 'mind you own business'
and certainly don't approach the mother

how very sad
but also very difficult for SS to collect enough evidence in this type of case
give them all the information you have
turning a blind eye would go against all my maternal instincts

I would write a letter to your local SS department and ask for feedback if they can give it. So you know if they have investigated.

That poor child. 5 years old and being made to cry regularly is not on.
Could you find out what school she goes to and contact the school nurse?

I would not be able to just mind my own buisness. Couldnt sleep at night.

Thanks so much for your comments. I'm going to write to SS and also try to find out what school she goes to and probably contact them too - just so that they can keep an eye on her.

When I called NSPCC last year I did ask if they could feed back to me what they'll do but they said due to data protection they were unable to do that.

I did wonder if they would be able to tell you anything.
Sounds like a good place to start.

Hi all. I called social services again and stressed just how concerned we are due to the fact this has been going on for years. They said they'll look into it but can't give me feedback. Thanks for your advice.

Please don't let this lie. Contact the school, social services again - whoever it takes. That poor child cannot defend herself and we all know from various high profile cases of child abuse that terrible things happen because people think they shouldn't get involved. You sound like a really decent person x

sounds terrible for the poor little girl, she needs someone to speak up for her, well done for doing the right thing