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Children being dragged up & neglected next door - feel powerless

57 replies

ilovehugs · 13/05/2010 22:53

I feel so depressed and powerless to help the children next door...

This will be long I'm afraid...

On Tues morning I was woken up by the sound of a child crying at 1.20am. I looked out of the window and there was a tiny child in PJ's, bare-footed on the street ioutside her house in the pouring rain. I ran out of the house and was crying, shivering and very distressed. I rang the doorbell several times and there was no answer. I didn't know her but knew she lived there so i went around the back of the house with her. The french door was wide open and I put her in the house to keep her warm and shouted for about frive minutes. Again, no-oned came and I could hear anouther child crying and roaming around upstairs. I calmed the girl down and told her to go back to bed "whilst I finf out where mummy is". I regret this deeply now and I should of just taken her with me but I was worried that I would be accused of abucting her or something. I closed the door, ran back home and my partner kept vigal on the house incase she came out again whilst I phoned the police. The police bashed on the door for ages but eventually rows the mother by going into her bedroom. They told me that she forgot to lock her backdoor and the girl was soundly asleep in bed.
The next morning, I see the girl and her younger sister, the girl in her PJ's the younger in just a nappy in the pouring rain and cold. I saw a neighbour taking them into her house. Apparently she had found the on the street and no-one was answering the doorbell. I am aware that the letting agency has had complaints about lots of 'comings and goings's and when they investiaged found at the kids were being cared for by a 17 year old boy and were very concerned about the house being kept suitably for children. nighbours have seen the girls come out of a car really crying that had four teenage lads in and no mum. This afternoon the teenage lads and mum were on the park, drinking from a big keg of beer and chain smoking while the girls played on.
ANything could of happened to those girls on both occaisions they were out on the street, freezing cold and scared and no-one new and mum was so disconected from whatever was going on the even hear.
What's happening to those little girls now? I'm so concerned and there should be someone there, now, unravelling the situation and making it safe. They are apprently moving soon because she is having another baby and eligable for a larger house. What will happend then. I know this shit happens but to see it so close and to actually hold a confused, shivering child in your arms, in the darkness in the early hours of the morning...it makes me want to cry. How can you fix this?

OP posts:
ilovehugs · 13/05/2010 22:54

the girl was crying, etc, not me by the way!!!

OP posts:
snice · 13/05/2010 22:56

I'm quite shocked that they havn't already been moved to a place of safety judging from your account of the situation

GypsyMoth · 13/05/2010 22:57

social services?

ilovehugs · 13/05/2010 22:57

Sorry for the typos, posted before I had read/corrected it.

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booyhoo · 13/05/2010 22:58

oh i wish i hadn't read this. i hate feeling so helpless about things like this.

can you call SS and tell them all you know and that you are realy concerned about these girls. i would be surprised if they arent already involved.

DuelingFanjo · 13/05/2010 22:59

I think you need to call social services with your concerns to be honest.

I wouldn't normally suggest this as an immediate reaction but clearly if the kids are out in the rain at stupid hours with no shoes or in just a nappy then they are clearly in danger.

Haliborange · 13/05/2010 22:59

You're not powerless. Call social services and tell them you are concerned. They will, almost certainly, be aware of the family, but may not know that things are currently rather chaotic.

You won't worry about calling SS half as much as you will worry about doing nothing, I think.

3billygoatsgruff · 13/05/2010 23:02

I think that you should report this situation to your local social services as these children may be at risk of serious harm. You seem very concerned about what you have witnessed and that could be the tip of the iceberg for these children. You can do it anonymously if you want to but give as much information as you can.

twolittlemonkeys · 13/05/2010 23:03

Definitely SS. Those poor children, how awful

pennywidmore · 13/05/2010 23:04

You need to ring social services.

ilovehugs · 13/05/2010 23:04

Social services were told by the police about the 1st situation, but it didn't look that bad because the girl was asleep by the time they came back. They hadn't been told by the police by the second time they were out. I know this because they were made aware of it today. The fact is, two days later, they are in the park being cared for a young mum and a gang of your lads, fagging in their faces and drinking from a beer keg.

OP posts:
Needanewname · 13/05/2010 23:05

Have you caled Social Services yet? If not why not? Call them now!

ilovehugs · 13/05/2010 23:06

I'm concerned that SS around hear isn't setup for this kind of thing. It is a very affluent, rural area with very little crime and other problems. Lost shoe's and graffit make into the local newspaper articles.

OP posts:
ilovehugs · 13/05/2010 23:06

'here'even - brain not working

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booyhoo · 13/05/2010 23:06

could you start keeping a diary of things that happen and bring it to whoever is dealing with their case in SS?

i have no experience of this btw so i have no idea if that would be ok, just an idea.

colditz · 13/05/2010 23:08

Well, to play devil's advocate, smoking and drinking a small amount of beer isn't neglect or abuse.

the unrousable mother does not look good though

MiniMousse · 13/05/2010 23:08

Those children clearly have no responsible, caring adult looking out for them and being their 'advocate' in a situation where they can't 'speak' for themselves. In this instance, you are the nearest thing to an advocate they've got. Ring social services as soon as you can. You might also try ringing the NSPCC.

scurryfunge · 13/05/2010 23:08

Even if the police have already made a referral, it doesn't stop you making one. Give them a call.It will help paint a picture of what is going on in these children's lives.

booyhoo · 13/05/2010 23:10

scurry is right, if there is more people contacting SS about it then they might be more likely to take it seriously.

MiniMousse · 13/05/2010 23:10

cross posts... I'm not talking about colditz's devil's advocate by the way!

StrictlyTory · 13/05/2010 23:11

Definetly SS. Something terrible could have happened to that child were it not for you. She could have wondered into the road and been hit by a car, she could have been abducted by a stranger etc.

The children deserve better than that.

DuelingFanjo · 13/05/2010 23:12

and remember, Social Services may well be able to help the mum out of the downward spiral she has found herself in.

snala · 13/05/2010 23:12

PLEASE phone SS. ASAP.

IMoveTheStars · 13/05/2010 23:13

Oh Lord, that beyond awful, poor kids

SS. Now. Please.

IMoveTheStars · 13/05/2010 23:15

actually, fuck that - police.