Neighbours child/phoning social services. advice please

[superdeeduper]

Need advice on how to handle a situation with a neighbour and their child. I have already phoned SW due to some concerns regarding their 2 daughters, eldest is about 5 and baby about 8 months.

The couple themselves are awful people. You can hear them screaming and shouting at each other and some of the swearing and name calling aimed directly at the kids is just appalling. There also seems to be some neglect going on with the eldest daughter out playing, unsupervised and talking to anyone she can find. This is all the more worrying as the flat opposite contains a drug dealer with a constant stream of unsavouray characters going in and out. Not the sort of people you would want your kids chatting to.

Anyway, over the past few weeks the wee girl has obviously been trying to find ways for atttention and is now hurling abuse at whoever is walking past. She follows my children when they are out playing with other kids from the area and is saying some pretty horrible stuff to them. She even told her dad that one of my sons friends had hit her (he definitely hadnt).

Anyway, today the parents were seen leaving their house, telling the wee girl to stay and play. She was again left to her own devices until they returned an hour later.

What do I need to be doing about this as I am so worried for her safety? She is quite an unlikeable wee thing but I do feel so sorry for her and it is obvious she is like this due to her f*ckwit parents. What do SW actually do and do you think they followed up my last report? I have explained to my kids why she is like this and to just stay out her way but its a constant barrage of shouting from her whenever anyone leaves their house. Its not just us, it seems to be everyone in the block.

I have a 3 year old too and feel like we are running from the car to the house so the wee one cant hear what this girl is saying.

Parents are definitely not the sort you could talk to (I would be really, really scared!) so are social work the answer again?

If I knew someone was leaving a year old alone the house I'd call the police right away.

5 year old.

I think if you see them leaving the children unattended again you should call the police and ask them to do a welfare check. Shocking behaviour from the parents - I have neighbours like this too and it's horrible to hear the way they talk to their children.
Like you I have contacted social services and don't know what the upshot of that was. However, as a HV I know the social services need to follow up referrals within a set time.

I would contact them again and explain your continued concerns - you can do this anonymously if you need/want to. There are two children here whose needs for safeguarding are not being met. The five year old is repeating what she is hearing and is evidently struggling for attention and support.

Social Workers will go in and investigate but have no immediate powers despite what many people think. If you see a child of 5 left alone then please please call the police who can come immediately and do have the power to ensure that the child is safeguarded. So please do this. Other than that yes definitely ring SS again and express your concerns. You can do this anonymously if you are scared of repucussions. And thank you for caring.

You need to call the police. next time they go out and leave the child unattended, ring your local police station and ask for a call round. the more often a complaint is filed with SS the more of a case picture they can build, often it is the little things that fill in the gaps and create a plausible case study, so don't be afraid to ring whenever you see something unacceptable.
Please don't think you are sticking your nose in, it sounds like these kids have no-one to turn to and the little girls behavior is a classic cry for help.
You are doing the right thing, and it is good that someone cares enough to do so, otherwise you are complicit in the abuse, so well done you!

OMG. They leave a 5 year old in the house alone?? WTF.

Call the police the next time you see that happen. Social services might take it more seriously if they have a call from them.

Ps. If they are that bad dont give your details.

call nspcc helpline, explain you have raised concerns with SS and its on going. They will advise you, follow up case for you if necessary.

Nspcc don't do any follow up work/ direct child protection work. All they do is take information and fax it to SS office that is all despite what their adverts say. Also information can be taken wrongly. I would advise going directly to SSD as they are the ones who will investigate, NSPCC do not do this.

Two clear things you need to do:

1. Report all incidents that cause concern to the SS. Each report will add to their dossier on the case. A picture will slowly build.
2. Any case where a child is being left in their home without an adult is a police matter and must be immediately reported to the police.

You are absolutely right to interfere (anonymously).