advice needed re: strange thing with neighbour

[candycane]

I've ummed and aghhed over whether to post this but decided that if anyone can help/reassure, it's you clever people! Our neighbours have been living here about 8 months. She has been married before and has children, who it seems she left with dad in order to move in with new man, with whom she now has a baby. At about 9.30 on Saturday evening a little girl knocked on our door. She was the woman's daughter who we have seen only to say hello to when she's been visiting her mum. She doesn't know us at all. She was very upset that mum's new man and her brother (who is a young teenager; the little girl is 8) were arguing so she had left the house and was refusing to go back. her mum was at the pub. Neither the man nor the girl's brother came to fetch her or to see if she was ok. I calmed her down. Mum arrived after about15/20 minutes apologising byt girl refused to go back to the house with her; she kept saying she wouldn't stay there anymore. In the end, we kept her till a taxi arrived and she and her brother went back to dad's. Neighbour has said nothing to us about this, not even thankyou. This is the second time something weird has happened; last time it was the woman who arrived at our door upset. We hear arguing a lot of the time, mostly her shouting at him. My mum thinks we should ring social services and I must say, I feel this too - dp thinks we should see what happens next. The fact that the girl and her brother don't live there makes it less clear cut I think. What do you all think? I haven't changed my name for this because I think if this woman happens to read mumsnet she maybe will see that this behaviour is very odd and think about it.

Very weird.
Is there any chance that you could casually ask the mother if things are ok,maybe even invite her in for a coffee? Her response might give you something to go on. She may tell you to f* off in which case I would worry more, or she may open up a bit.
I don't think that any of us can do nothing when we see young children so upset, esp. in or near their home setting where they should feel safest.

I know the James Bulger thread (to which I did not contribute) raised many points. The most chilling aspect of that case was the fact that I think about 30-40 adults had seen the distressed child with the two boys and although one or two had urged them to take him home, by and large, they had done nothing. It is all laid out in great detail in the book 'As If' by Blake Morrisson)

A few years ago, I had a lot to do with a child where for various reasons things didn't seem right. After much heart searching, I contacted the school and the chief district paediatrican, as that was the channel we were supposed to use in this, a work related case.
Found out later that the father had been beating the c* out of the mother and children, and that eventually the little boy came to school with a bootprint all over his face where his 'dad' had kicked him. Things would have come to a head without my intervention but my conscience is clear about the fact that I DID say something.

I think you should ring Social Services/the NSPCC/ChildLine. There may be nothing wrong but it does sound dodgy, doesn't it.

Seeing as you had her little girl in your house, I don't think it would be out of order to ask the mother if she's now ok - and to tell her that you're worried that she may come round to you again when no-one's in.

She may be open up and be able to put your mind at rest, alternatively, you could contact Childline. I think for your own sake that you should consider that she'll suspect you of contacting them though (not saying this is a reason to ignore, but just so you're prepared)

I think you should contact social services as the little girl is obviously vulnerable, and your instincts are probably correct. There shouldnt be any backlash from it - you might be saving that child from a lot of psychological damage or even her life. People should speak out and a culture of child protection should be encouraged among the general public

I too think you should ring social services. It's worrying that the little girl was so determined not to go back to the house, even when her mother arrived to take her.

Thanks everyone - there was no suggestion at all that the girl had been hurt in anyway. She didn't like the arguing between her mum's partner and her brother and she said that when mum comes home she just argues with partner and she doesn't like listening to it. I think it's more a case of them not controlling their tempers in front of the kids than of anyone being in danger as such. Obviously little girl is only there at weekends and there has been no shouting at all since Saturday night - hopefully the girl's reaction might have shown them both that they need to sort things out in a more mature way than screaming. I'm not going to phone SS just yet but will be on alert at weekends now for even the tiniest thing.