Reported to social services

[Badwowwow]

My local authority went on to fortnightly collections and since then I have struggled so much with rubbish! I have 4 kids and there is too much to last 2 weeks! I don’t have a car so can’t take it anywhere myself and can’t dump it anywhere. So because of this and it being Xmas I have had extra rubbish! A few times the foxes have torn the bags open if it’s not in the bin and I clean it but still left with additional rubbish as my local authority won’t collect any additional rubbish and will only collect what’s IN the bin. I have admitted this is a struggle for me as sometimes bin collectors don’t turn up then I’m left with a situation where the rubbish hasn’t been collected for even longer. Well someone has reported me to SOCIAL SERVICES!! Because of this, Social services! Really! I’m so upset that someone would do this. What will happen now?!

Its a nightmare with rubbish collections at the moment. If your little ones are under 3 I think you can get an extra bin? Might need to check with your local authority tho

Nothing will happen. Ask for an extra green bin you can have 2 or 3 of them if you need to.

In our area you can get a bigger bin or pay for an extra one. Have you spoken to the council to find out if this is some thing they offer?

Have you raised it with the council when they don’t turn up for collection?

Social services will do absolutely nothing and put it down as a malicious call, please dont worry

I’m so upset they want to contact my kids school so now they all going to be judging me. I have raised it with them they just say they will get round to it but the bins haven’t been collected since before Xmas.

Have you asked about getting extra/bigger bins?

If anything turn it into a positive, you may now have the back up needed for an extra bin or some help disposing of it. If you know you are a good parent then it doesn't matter what others think. Social services won't think you are a bad Mum for your bins, it's better than having the house full of it!

We are a family of 4 and have had loads of extra rubbish over Christmas, just like every year, but I’m struggling to imagine how you could possibly have so much rubbish that it’s become a safeguarding issue. 😳

Yes, it’s a pain. The bins are delayed a day or two each week, but they still get collected. If your bins haven’t been collected in weeks, you need to call and report a missed collection. They will send them out to collect it for you. Surely, your neighbours must be having the same issue.

And yes, unfortunately, if your bins get ripped open, you need to go pick that up. I don’t know that having 4 children is a good enough excuse to not pick up your rubbish. I mean I only have 2, but I also have cancer and am in a lot of pain, but I wouldn’t let my rubbish blow around everywhere. Take the kids outside, everyone put their waterproofs on, and make a family game of it to tidy up.

If that's all they get then it's unlikely social care will do anything unless there are other concerns raised or any history known. However, it is possible you may get a call from a social worker in what is called the MASH team they are the team that screen contacts to social services and it's their job to decide if you and your family need any additional support/ if there are child protection concerns.

If they call you and ask you to explain what has happened, they may ask your consent for checks with other agencies so they can triangulate what you're saying - so for example with worries around possible neglect they may ask to speak to your child's school/nursery or health visitor who can give a perspective - for example, school may share children's attendance, whether they have any safeguarding concerns.

They will then speak to you about what they suggest as a plan moving forward. If like you suggest it is just an issue with the bins they will signpost you to support to address. If other things emerge in their review they may consider other support for you, you will need to consent to this and if you don't consent nothing will happen. The only time your consent can be overruled is if they have concerns your child is at risk of significant harm, unless you are withholding key info here then that is not going to be the case in this situation.

So in essence, breathe, it's ok, remember they are actually there to support you and your child and will not intervene unless you consent or it is absolute necessary.

They want to contact I didn’t say that I don’t pick it up? I do and it says in my op?? My LA (not sure about yours) won’t collect any additional rubbish so if it’s not in the bin they aren’t taking it. It literally says in my post that I clean it if that happens

Social services are there to help families that need support. They aren’t the parenting police and they aren’t there to judge.

over flowing rubbish could be a sign you are not coping and it’s a risk to public health. It’s already attracting vermin

so it needs looking in to.

they will be checking with school to see if any other concerns have been raised.

assuming not they will be provide you with advice on managing your refuse. They might help get you a larger bin.

there is nothing to worry about But you you need to get on top of the refuse situation.

The neighbour who has never been into my house implied they are concerned about my house due to the rubbish outside that’s what they said on the phone call but I don’t speak to any of my neighbours and none of them have ever been inside,

I have a big bin they won’t give any more.

Social services won’t care about your bins, in a couple of weeks time you will be back to normal.

They have to make enquiries and follow up on the report so they will have to contact the school., but please don't worry the school won't judge you they will just answer truthfully.
Also perhaps the report to social sciences wil encourage the Council to provide you with a bigger bin

Tbh is there anything you can do to reduce the amount if waste you as a family are producing? The larger size of bins are enormous it takes us weeks to fill one. More stuff goes into recycling than goes into the main waste bin?

Can you look to change some habits as a family in order to produce less rubbish?

Well they obviously did care to call me about it 😢

You also need to sort out some additional storage for rubbish for the bags that won't fit in the bin, just something like one of those patio storage boxes or something, and only put out your bin, full each week. Now that Christmas is over with you can probably gradually get rid of it over a series of collections but in the meantime store the excess bags in a hard container so that foxes and vermin don't get to it.

I wouldn’t say they are enormous. Loads of people in the area seem to having similar issues because there is rubbish dumped everywhere on the streets here, you can’t even use the public bins because people have been dumping their rubbish in it

Bin collections are every 3 weeks here, everybody copes - are you recycling everything you can? If you recycle and use a food waste box the only thing in the main bin are things like nappies

To prevent issues in future, use a bin compressor:

https://amzn.eu/d/cqTlLhp

I know its upsetting but if there are no issues then nothing will happen.

You say you are overwhelmed which is understandable and be assured that SS will not be punitive, they will look to assist you.

You could explain that the change is schedule over Xmas has caused rubbish to pile up but will be resolved. You can usually phone and ask for collection if your rubbish has been missed.

Maybe it helps to think of them as two issues.

1. social services. They may visit but if they do they will see (presumably) that there isn’t rubbish piled up inside the house. it’s stressful but should be resolved fairly swiftly.
2. The rubbish collection. Have you requested another bin? My LA wouldn’t grant us one for one child in nappies but they would if we had more than one child. Ours are collected every 3 weeks and this is more than manageable now that no children are in nappies. Do you have separate food waste recycling?

And just to clarify the extra rubbish has come from missed collections which the council bin men have missed and didn’t do our road so that left 4 weeks between collections, that means additional rubbish and the council won’t take any extra only what’s in the bin so it’s a tricky situation, as no extra is being taken then you are left with more than you would have had if they miss the collection. I know who reported me they are elderly live alone and their bin is always basically empty.

Keep reporting EVERY missed collection, take photos of the rubbish and bin area before and after foxes have got at it. Can a mate with a car give you a lift to the tip?