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Parenting

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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:
VoodooLULUmama · 31/10/2007 13:46

the OP also posted this thread and never returned to it www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=7&threadid=411250#8351645

SpookyDooooo · 31/10/2007 13:50

Hmm well i think maybe she could at least come back & state if anything has been done, what she is posting is quite upsetting & something clearly needs to be done, not sure what anyone can do on here though, poor child.

cupcake78 · 31/10/2007 13:52

You need to report this to your local council. This will be having an effect on the childrens mental well being as children are to be loved and nurtured into adulthood not left to fend for themselves.

An investigation will take place before anything is done and unless there have been concerns from others then the children are unlikely to be removed without some support for the family being offered first.

You must report it. This is two future adult lives who are going to go on and have children of there own. Break the cycle!!!

I can promise you that the childrens best interestes will influence the actions taken regardless of what the media may make you believe.

wannaBe · 31/10/2007 14:07

the op has now posted two threads, this one and the one linked to above, both with content that was shocking and likely to provoke a strong reaction and hasn't returned to either thread.

Generally I don't like to cry troll, but two threads with different content and no return is , Is it worth reporting this to MNHQ to see if they can follow up to see whether the op is genuine?

Realistically there's nothing we on mn can do because we A, don't know what part of the country this child is in, and b, even if we were to find out the town we don't have any further details so it is impossible.

Only the op has the power to do something.

SpookyDooooo · 31/10/2007 14:19

I don't think it is a troll as she has been on other threads & does come on mn, but she seems to write these sort of threads then not return to them as if they are not that inportant, but things like this do upset alot of people.

VoodooLULUmama · 31/10/2007 14:23

i am agreeing with wannabe

NAB3 · 31/10/2007 14:23

I have asked MNHQ if they can check out if the OP and the story are true as there are some of us concerned for a little boy.

LadyOfTheFlowers · 31/10/2007 14:26

Oh god, don't say some total case is ill enough to troll about this?

NAB3 · 31/10/2007 14:27

I really hope not but I can't stop imagining this poor child out on the street.

VoodooLULUmama · 31/10/2007 14:29

how can MNHQ do that ?

the OP makes me a bit and with the other thread, am thinking even more

Shoelacetripper · 31/10/2007 14:38

It's a fair concern - you should report it and leave it to the professionals. Chances are they already know about, though don't let that put you off.

NAB3 · 31/10/2007 14:38

I guess I thought they could check out who she is. Clutching at starws maybe but if the stroy is true...

wannaBe · 31/10/2007 14:41

they would be able to check out her IP address, also any other name changes she might have posted other things under that we wouldn't know.

ConnorTraceptive · 31/10/2007 15:54

If this story is true NAB3 then his constant poor attendance at school would have been flagged to education welfare who would if necessary contact social services.

I know it's hard not to worry but honestly if the little is rarely at school someone official will already know.

ConnorTraceptive · 31/10/2007 15:55

should say "if the little boy is rarely at school"

NAB3 · 31/10/2007 16:01

I have had a response from MNHQ but I guess they will come on and explain themselves.

VoodooLULUmama · 31/10/2007 16:07

ok

are you alright Nab3 ?

((hug))

SqueakyBroomstickBrushes · 31/10/2007 16:08

i think this is one of those instances where you have to let social services know.

after all those shock stories about kids being taken away from good loving homes, i think it's time ss actually stepped in somewhere they're actually needed.

call them. he's only 6 for gawds sake. poor kid.

SpookyDooooo · 31/10/2007 16:13

NABS did they say there was nothing they could do?

OliviaMumsnet · 31/10/2007 16:17

Hi everyone

Thanks to NAB for bringing this to our attention.

Having looked into this as best we can, we have suspicions that Longdale has been misleading members under various guises and to that end, we have suspended her ability to post.

We appreciate your concern and we like you hope that if there is a child in need that Longdale or someone else will report it to the correct authorities. Unfortunately and frustratingly, there's not much else we can do with just an email address to go on.

MNHQ

policywonk · 31/10/2007 16:20

Gosh, how disquieting. I posted on that DV thread and kept wondering what had happened.

Piggy · 31/10/2007 16:23

Some people get their kicks in really odd ways.

VoodooLULUmama · 31/10/2007 16:28

thanks MNHQ

wannaBe · 31/10/2007 16:49

oh whatever possesses people to make stuff like this up.

SpookyDooooo · 31/10/2007 16:50

Thanks MNHQ, wish people would not do this