I'm hoping here is the right place because other parents might understand how I'm feeling this morning, sorry if it upsets others as much as it's upset me. Last night a 3yo child was found sitting on the kerb near my house in nothing but their underwear at 9pm, no adult in sight. Obviously the police were called, child taken to hospital and a search started for the parents. 2 hours later a neighbour recognised the photo the police had taken to try and identify the child and they figured out which house they'd come from. The police managed to get into the house and found an older child (still nowhere near old enough to be alone and certainly not in charge of a younger sibling) and no adults in the house at all.
I do vaguely know the mum and know she's had problems in the past (addiction issues and previous SS involvement) but hadn't realised there were still problems. I just can't get the image of that poor kid sitting on the kerb shivering out of my head, no one even knows how long they were out there for and it was so cold last night. Neighbour apparently saw mum at 5pm struggling to get her key in the door as she was so drunk and it appears she went back to the pub after that and left DC to fend for themselves.
I know there's nothing anyone can say really, it's just all going round in my head and I thought it might help to get it out somewhere relatively safe and anonymous. Why do people have kids to neglect them like this? All I can think about is how both children must be feeling today, their little world's have been turned upside down and I know it's better that they're safe but they must be so scared being somewhere unfamiliar and not knowing what's going to happen to them. I hope at least that they're together, does anyone know how likely that is if they've (I presume) gone into emergency foster care?