Child protection - would you "rat" on your neighbour?

[milkchocolate]

If you were concerned with the welfare of some children in your neighbour hood, would you call social services?

Say you knew an 11 year old boy was left home alone in the evening when mum goes out drinking? When he hasnt got a key to his own home and is hanging around outside his front door till at some point mum comes home? If he is left home alone when mum travels on a daytrip to the sea side with friends? If he is hiding behind your bushes with bare feet in his pj while mums boyfriend is abusing her?

And then his 16 year old girl moves back home after having lived with the father some time, and she and mum are having fistfights in the street in the middle of the night?

If you had neighbours like this, would you talk to social services? And what would you expect them to do?

yes without a secnd thought. I see too many kids live with abuse while everyone else keeps quiet for an easy life.

When I spoke to SS they also said I should call the police next time any arguments or disturbance between mum and her boyfriend is taking place, and mention there is a child protection issue, as the police would then assess the situation specifically with the children in mind.

But, can I call the police when mum argues with her 16 year old (she may not even be that old, she could be just 14)? That is starting to really get out of hand, even the neighbour hood kids playing out infront of our houses were commenting to me. Pushing and shoving, shouting and swearing abuse at eachother. Who is to say this is actual disturbance? A mum and teenage daughter arguing? I mean, when mum argues with the boyfriend, abuse IS taking place, so making the call is "easy" (have done so in the past, once when she ran out of her house to us, and he beat her up on our doorstep)

How well do you get on with this family? I would feel inclined to befriend the boy, so he had someone to turn when locked out of the house, etc.

Not very well, I am afraid not well enough to take her kids under my wings. I think mum has mental health problems. She is throwing rubbish out of the door onto our property, and she has attacked me in the past threatened to have somebody come bump me off, that was because I objected to her throwing a take-away carton on me. This is why I am taking quite a risk when I reported it a few weeks back, she will "know" it is me....

I agree with letting the boy know he has somewhere safe to come if required.
Could you raise concerns with his school first, as perhaps they can help and may contact SS.