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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Would you call this neglect?

79 replies

Longdale · 29/10/2007 19:00

Down our street lives a boy of around 6 years old. Since I have known him (since he was around 4) he has wandered up and down the street at all hours day and night. He hardly ever goes to school.
Sometimes I walk past him during the day and he will say "got up late so there's no point going to school now", other times he'll say "I've been to school today already and have been picked up early" (this is often around 2pm).
He's filthy, always covered in dirt all over his hands, face and clothes and he's always wearing the same clothes...ill fitting jogging suit bottoms, a t-shit (never seems to wear a coat) and wellington boots.

He once came to our house asking for a cigerette for his mum. I told him I didn't smoke and he put his hand on my hallway wall to peer around it and was so dirty he left a handprint on my wall.

I've just took my eldest to Karate and I saw said boy playing at the top of the street, wandering around the corner into the next street in pitch black darkness. Teenagers hanging around all over.

His front garden is covered in rubbish...not just crisp packets etc but 3 or 4 prams, old bikes, chairs, tables, carpets, sacks of rubbish...it actually resembles a mini rubbish tip. The house itself has a blanket pinned to the window during the night time but during the day you can see through and it mirrors the garden, stuff everywhere...the window ledge is piled up with god knows what.

I think his "mother" might be a drug addict, I saw her dragging the two kids down the street once (the youngest of which put two fingers up to me) and she could hardly lift her head as she walked.

I'm considering reporting them to the social services. Am I being judgmental?

OP posts:
saffy202 · 29/10/2007 19:56

If you ring your local SS now then there should be a message on the answering machine with the emergency duty no. You don't have to give your name and they won't be able to trace your tel no.

JacOLantanne · 29/10/2007 20:07

I think it's worth doing and I think it's nice that you're concerned enough to do something.

LolaTheShowgirl · 29/10/2007 20:12

Poor little boy Some people don't deserve to be parents, do they? Do you ever see the other child from the family neglected too? Definately call the police. Maybe invite the boy round one day to play with your little one and ask him casually, just slip into normal conversation about what his home life is like.

Please phone the police.

haychEebeeJeebees · 29/10/2007 20:14

Report it asap. You will never forgive yourself if something happened to him and you hadnt done anything.

I have a similar dilemma and my friend and i have today decided to contact social services. There is a young girl from dd1s school and same year, so makes her 6 turning 7. Who we repeatedly saw alone wandering the streets during the summer holidays. We often see her at the local shop and in the park which is very big and has big wooded areas. It has been worrying me to death for some time. The mother does actually bother to take this dd to school and she (the child) always seems clean and fed. But its not our place to say something to this woman, god knows how she would react. So we are passing the buck to SS.

JodieG1 · 29/10/2007 20:19

Yes report it. That poor boy. I'd love to give him a big cuddle and some time. My heart goes out to that little boy, I can't imagine how he must feel.

NAB3 · 29/10/2007 20:42

Have you rung yet?

Lorayn · 29/10/2007 20:47

definitely report it, dont worry about being judgemental re drug abuse etc, if whats wrong with her is something she needs help with rather than to be judged, then she'll get her help, if not, her son will.

CrushWithEyeliner · 29/10/2007 21:56

Please report this - the little boy needs help and possibly younger even more vulnerable children are at risk in this family. Sorry to add this but I am too v surprised you did not do this sooner.

Do it now and come back to us and let us know the outcome.

bossybritches · 29/10/2007 22:04

Longdale think of it this way. There could be a big fat file on this family already, but no reports from anyone outside school/sw's. Your phone call could be a BIG help in building up a case for getting this family more help. Each call/report is a piece of a bigger puzzle that fits together for someone.

Good for you for taking the time to care-please report it.

lomondgore · 29/10/2007 22:05

Hope you have reported this, what harm can it do? Something needs to be done

micegg · 29/10/2007 23:26

I would definately report and I would also start a diary of when I see him and what time and what state he was in. IE, In clothes that are clearly not appropriate for this time of year. A one-off call may not suffice but a diary of events even from just one person is good evidence and should assist SS into making a decision about this boy and his sibling. I know its a hard call for you and you have obviously been deliberating over it for some time but all I would say is you will feel much better for having at least tried to help if something awful happens.

bossybritches · 30/10/2007 06:35

Mice -good idea the diary.

Any more thoughts Lonsdale?

bossybritches · 30/10/2007 06:35

oops sorry typo -too early!

nannyL · 30/10/2007 09:03

Its neglect and socail sevices need to know

snooks · 30/10/2007 09:12

Please report it - it makes me shudder to think of a poor little boy outside all the time - and without a coat - in this weather?! With winter on its way

bossybritches · 30/10/2007 22:14

Longdale any news??

geekymummy · 30/10/2007 22:22

poor lad

TheStepfordChav · 30/10/2007 22:24

Two points - it's hard to believe that the school are unaware of this, and they have a duty to inform SS, but dch do slip through the net.

Secondly, your comment about the blanket over the window rang a bell with me: they do sound like junkies ime. Reporting them might bring help for her.

nametaken · 30/10/2007 23:31

And the point made about how you didn't see him for a while made me wonder whether he had been taken into care previously and then returned to his parents because SS thought they could cope when obviously they can't.

bossybritches · 31/10/2007 07:33

Bump

CrushWithEyeliner · 31/10/2007 09:26

Longdale do update us - can't stop thinking about that poor lad

NAB3 · 31/10/2007 13:12

Has she not come back yet? Have been wondering about that poor child.

SpookyDooooo · 31/10/2007 13:17

Oh blimey this is just awful i hope you have called, please see this as helping this poor child, he is so obviously suffering in his life

NAB3 · 31/10/2007 13:30

I think we need to try and help this child as the OP seems to have disappeared.

SpookyDooooo · 31/10/2007 13:43

Not sure how that can happen, does anyone even know wht part of the country this is in?

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