Left my toddler in the car yesterday. Will I be in trouble?

[LivelyLion]

Yesterday, my 21 month old had just fallen asleep in the car as I was on my way home. I needed to call into the supermarket to get her some food, so parked in the closest possible parking space and ran in as quickly as I could and was gone for a couple of minutes tops.

When I returned, what seemed to be an employee was taking pictures of the car and rightfully gave me a telling off for leaving her in the car unattended. Now I can’t stop feeling guilty and can’t stop thinking about the consequences. Is this a social service matter or even a police matter if he passes those photos on? My child had woke by the time I got back which makes me feel worse and I feel like it makes the situation seem worse. What are the possible repercussions?

You need to read about children dying in hot cars.

You could be arrested, you will likely have a social worker visit.

Why would you do that OP?

www.gov.uk/law-on-leaving-your-child-home-alone

Social services are very stretched.
You may get a call you may not.
Sounds like you have learnt your lesson and won’t do it again, so if you do get spoken to that will likely be the end of the conversation.

How on earth did you think this was acceptable. I do hope you are reported because your risk assessing skills are not where they need to be.

I strongly suggest you engage with a parenting skills course because it sounds needed.

Is the father aware? Because I suggest you make them aware prior to someone else.

You should NEVER leave your child alone in a car out if sight.

I didn't like leaving mine when paying for petrol, and took them in with me quite often

I wouldn't even call at our Sainsbury's local this time of year if I have my dogs in the car. 10 minutes is enough to cause damage. Its tough being a parent to a young child, but for the sake of being able to wake them to take them in with you it just isn't worth it.

Yeah sorry I would never do this.

Wait to go to the shop later or wake them up.
Nothing is worth the risk

Unbelievable. Why would you do that? It takes a minute for a person with bad intentions to smash the window and take your child. I can't believe you'd think a supermarket trip ranks higher priority than your child's safety. Wake them up, or get an Uber Eats grocery delivery.

I've been in that position plenty of times, and either transferred my toddler into her carrier, the pram, or woke her up.

I don't even leave my five year old unattended in the car whilst I go into the shop.

Used to let ours sleep on in their car seats on the drive at home but we could see them through the window and left car window down too. Even then not in hot weather.

Thank goodness nothing happened to your child, cars get very hot very quickly. There’s a big difference between running in to the Tesco express for two minutes and doing a big shop with a trolley. The former is more forgivable on a cool day.

putting all the risks aside for a second, my toddler would be emotionally distraught to wake up in a random car park with me gone from the car. How would he possibly know when I was coming back or how long he’d been there? I can’t imagine being that desperate for any item from the shop to make it worth it.

I know a lady who left her child in a car to sleep outside her home….neighbours reported……they duty social worker visited…..she was asked to sign an agreement letter that she wouldn’t do this again….and if she did was told childrens services would take it far more seriously next time…..but it was all done an dusted then and referral closed….although she remains on record for any future refferals

This is madness.

Your daughter woke up to a strange man looking at her next to the car.

I hope social services WILL be involved.

The photos won't prove anything to social services or the police, so don't worry about that BUT hopefully it has been a nasty reality shock and you rightly won't do it again. Absolutely unacceptable.

It something I would not do
Also it's never a couple of minutes ...
Also what if you had an accident or some medical issue and nobody knew you'd left a child in the car ...

This is wild. Why would you do that? The amount of time I wasted sat waiting for my son to wake up from a nap before we could go in the shop was ridiculous! But I'd rather that than leave him. Maybe the shop worker won't report it but you do need a talking to from SS if you think this is okay.

You only care that someone saw?

If they hadn't you wouldn't even be bothered now.

please dont do this

Lol at some of the replies, back in the day people used to park their kids outside shops in the pram and go in.
The second hand resale on a toddler or baby is very poor so you don't have to worry about smash and grab, but I agree that the additional risk of heat is a worry.
I don't think it will go further, you might get a call from a health visitor or something to check if everything is ok.

Yeah and people used to let their kids roam about all day without a clue to their whereabouts until it was time for tea, but the world has changed, and things that might have been acceptable like parking your baby in a pram while you nipped into the greengrocers in your local village are acceptable no longer.

@johnd2

Back in the day lots of things happened that shouldn't.

@Willmafrockfit

Who are you?

No you don't leave children unattended in cars - why -

The car could get broken into
The brake could fail
Someone could hit your car
The child could over heat
The child could become distressed
You could become ill/injure yourself on route or in the shop and no one would know you had a child left in a car
The child could be sick and choke
And many other reasons

Either wake the child or don't go to the shop and it doesn't matter how close to the shop you park the child is still out of sight and hearing and locked in a car.

Likelihood nothing will happen from this but that doesn't mean it's not a dangerous thing to do

That sounds fair