There are two boys living nearby who are similar ages to my two, the eldest is in my DS1's class (yr5)
I know their mum to say hello to, but have never met dad. Both parents always used to turn up to everything at the school, but the parents split about a year ago and since then I never see either of them. The boys seem to spend most of their time at the old family home with dad, going to mum at weekends. While their with dad they seem to spend a lot of time roaming the streets and often turn up on my doorstep, which is fine, they're nice enough kids and my DCs like to play with them.
So, my 2 are playing out with them this morning when they are joined by another boy who lives c. 1 mile away across a v busy road. I know his mum in passing and thought it odd that she'd let him roam that far, but he said she knew where he was, so I thought she was braver than I'd be but each to their own.
Anyway the first 2 boys had to go home because they were being taken shopping and I was left with the other boy at my house. I was starting to wonder if his mum really knew where he was, so I phoned his home (don't have a mobile no). Mum was out, dad answered, had just returned from work and didn't know where boy was supposed to be, but wasn't worried.
Anyway I gave him some lunch then decided it was time for him to go c. 3pm. I drove 
him home and arrived just as mum returned. She had dropped him at the boys' house this morning to play there and had no idea he'd been to my house, was intending to collect him from there shortly - thank god she didn't go on her way home!
It seems that the elder of the two local boys had called and asked him round to play without any parental input, so their father didn't know he had a child "round".
So, all's well that ends well, but I have a feeling that somewhere in all this, it could be considered that I was at "fault"
What do you think?