2 girls walked my son out of the park

[Fcukfifa]

Hi, I have no idea if I'm posting in the right section.

I'm debating whether to ring my local police station or not.

I was at the park with my two sons (4 and 1) there was also four other couples with us.

I was holding my youngest and do admit that I was gabbing away with friends whilst my oldest was playing with his friends, running about etc.

Then my oh looked across the park and he was out of the parks gates but still within the fields, walking across to another play area. He was walking with two girls aged about 12/13/14. Oh ran and brought him back and the girls went to the other section.

We was all pretty shocked and obviously I feel HUGELY guilty I took my eyes away from him!!

After about 5 minutes I started to seethe with the 2 girls so got up, walked to the other area and confronted them about it.

My son said they knew his name and where he lived, so I asked them if they did in fact know these things and they said no, I then said I don't appreciate them walking my son away from the park and I suggest they don't do it with any other children in the future (I was a bit shouty and had to wrap it up quickly because I started to feel really angry)

Anyway... I don't know, I guess I'm angry at myself, angry at them...a bit in shock...should I report it at the police station?
I keep thinking about Jamie bulger :(

Sorry if this is a bit rambley!

I don't think you used to be a social worker impatient.

Blimey! Mumsnet at its worst.
Post on a thread a few times and all if a sudden your ability to do your job is called into question??
I only mentioned it in the context of suggesting that two notorious cases are not the only dreadful things that happen in our world.
Probably a slight over reaction to suggest I can't do my job properly.

Ok, Brian the mole. Your evidence base for that would be what exactly?

And the point I was answering was about that and not about the op's parenting. If not have made a judgment on that from the Internet, unlike some people

Same as yours my dear. A sweeping judgement based on very little. hth.

A judgement based on what, a 4 year old trailing along beside some older children who are not holding his hand or any part of his body or clothing and who might not be engaging him or encouraging him?

I think my 13yo would have been freaked out if you'd confronted her (your words) the way you describe. Too freaked out to explain what happened, so you probably would have got some defensive mumbling. And then she'd have come home and cried.

I can understand you had a real scare but the girls had gone to another play area in sight. Common sense should tell you this is no James Bulger scenario. For all you know your son willingly followed two girls to another park. If this is the case they've done nothing wrong but you've yelled at them.

It wasn't established whether they were holding his hand or not impatient. Its all in the [correct] detail isn't it. Which no one here has. You can't conduct an entire assessment or make a good judgement call based on a few half facts on the internet now, can you. I'm surprised, considering you are a social worker yourself, that you think you can.

Brianthemole - FWIW, the reason I am no longer in social work is that I admit to myself to being far too judgemental for the role.

Ex social worker, I pointed that out earlier.

Brianthemole - FWIW, the reason I am no longer in social work is that I admit to myself to being far too judgemental for the role.

Well there you go then. Judgmental does not mean accurate. You probably made the right decision. Nothing more to be said.

Of course judgemental doesn't mean accurate which is why social workers should not be judgemental. Judgemental opinions are usually subjective. I know that I am a judgemental person and will freely admit to that. Unfortunately when I was in social work I came across too many social workers who were just as judgemental as myself but couldn't recognise it. Social work has to have an evidence base and the OP has no evidence of anything sinister so I will question a poster who gives an opinion based on her social work expertise but really has no basis for that professional opinion.
By all means we can make whatever opinions we like from a personal POV but we shouldn't bring a professional opinion in unless it is accurate and evidence based.
My opinions have been my own personal views.

Ahem!
At no point in my few posts did I give a professional opinion.
I made a comment about the fact that my job led me to hypothesise that there were far more sinister incidents than those reported in the media.
If appreciate it if you didn't keep questioning my professional integrity.
Thanks.

Goodness, you got all that just from a couple of lines that ledkr said? Wow! As you have already said, best you didn't continue with the job. Did you actually qualify, or just start off as a student and decide you weren't cut out for the job?

its negative selection

happens a lot

people leave a job because, although good at it, they cant stand the, for example corrupt/ dishonest/ inefficient/ structures and colleagues

so the only ones who remain are the ones who are (insert adjective of choice depending on job being discussed)

and the problem becomes more entrenched

prime example: banking

I hardly think the loss of someone who, by their own definition, is too judgemental for the job, can be termed negative selection. More of a positive thing for the profession in this particular scenario.

exactly though, introspective self-analytical people recognise it in themselves (and others). non-introspective self analytical people dont see they are, for instance, judgemental. the ex-social worker on this thread says many of her colleagues were also judgemental, they just either didnt recognise it in themselves, or weren't bothered if they did
happens in workplaces everywhere

op. Did you ever contact anyone about this?

Sounds innocent to me based entirely on the confrontation you have relayed.
Exactly the kind of response I'd expect in that situation from a couple of teenage girls. Exactly.