Neighbour and possible child abuse

[Moanranger]

Our neighbours have a child of around four years of age. The arrangement of our two houses is such that we hear A LOT of their interactions. The couple are dysfunctional, to say the least, with a lot of screaming, banging and shouting going on. My impression is that mum is very troubled, with anger issues, and dad withdraws from this.
Now a child has been brought into this. Mum is very severe, negative, critical of child, father is intermittently involved. He occasionally interacts with child, largely ignores him.
I was concerned last year (all more evident in fine weather, windows open); child seemed developmentally delayed (non-speaking) and mum’s interactions appeared emotionally abusive. I was at the point of “doing something” but then some sort of health worker showed up, so I assumed he was in the system ( referred for specialist assessment due to development delays).
The child now is speaking, but parents behaviour towards child continues the same. I hear a lot of mums hectoring of child, and just now, even uninvolved dad was shouting at child: “Sonny, why did you do that, why why?” ( Child is 4 FFS) Whatever he did (pulled something off table, created giant mess, etc) was the result of inattention/ neglect by parents. I then heard sound of hitting/spanking of child.
I do not have a good relationship with this neighbour, he is very odd and has done a lot of anti-social stuff in the past, which I have called him on.
My question is: who do I report to, and how anonymous can it be? They would probably immediately realise it was me, due to our proximity. I just really feel for this poor kid. I thought things might improve after last year, ( specialist intervention leading to parenting classes, etc). Evidently not.
Advice appreciated.

Report to social services. They wouldn't neseserily think it was you they might think that the health visitor triggered it. I think there's some advice you can access through the NSPCC maybe even a helpline.

You can report anonymously via your local MASH team.

Google it and it will come up. You’re doing the right thing, that poor child.

I work for MASH. As the above poster has stated, report it to your local service if you’re concerned. Your neighbour may suspect that it was you but you can certainly make an anonymous referral.

I have now done some digging. Cannot find a local MASH team. Seems to be thru our County Council who are pants. So I have sent an email to NSPCC to get the ball rolling

Ring social services now. It's not your job to judge how good a job they do. It is your duty to report it now

County Council are just the people who pay. Individuals make the MASH team and they are the people to speak to. Please either contact them or even the police

And I’d add if you hear sounds of hitting/slapping I’d hit record on my phone and call the police. Too many parents and stepparents have gone too far, as we all know from the news.

I would definitely report it. Sounds horrible.

The County Council website for this is not working. Link is broken. I will go thru NSPCC first. Then hopefully they will direct me. County web site does not have a service called MASH on it.

I have a very similar situation I reported to the NSPCC on their email facility who requested further details. And I kept an eye on their washing line to see the boys school uniform and I then called the school.

I can hear her shouting and swearing at the boy who also has global development delay calling him a "fucking retard". Can hear her hitting him etc. She told me when she moved in he had GDD and that I might hear some banging but I rarely hear him but she screams at him everyday.

On broken council website have you tried search "Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub"? And good to know you've gone through nspcc as well.

Reporting and looking out for that child is the right thing to do so thank you.

Please don’t let this go, poor kid may not be about to ask for help. Heartbreaking

Singleandproud thanks for your post. Really helpful to hear from someone who has faced similar

Menamia I tried searching for that, but nothing specifically by that name came up. I am hoping NSPCC can point me in the right direction

NSPCC will report to MASH if they’re concerned.

I wouldn't give a flying fuck if some child abuser knew I'd reported him. He's unlikely to turn on you - these people struggle to bully people their own size.

Ponypatter not that worried TBH. But there is a history with him. He generally does stupid things - leaves noisy machinery idling in his garden right next to our boundary, sets huge fires -garden rubbish, bonfires, stinking BBQs, sets off fireworks over our roof, flies a drone over our house. I have had a real go at him each time.

Don't have any experience with this but if you hear physical violence call the police every time. Then there will be a record of abuse which can help in the long run.

My focus is getting the family help & seeing that the child is treated better. I suspect mum has mental health probs/untreated depression. Not so interested in criminalising this.

You sound so lovely @Moanranger.

So many very sad stories of children being killed or seriously injured by their families in the news at the moment. If only their neighbours had reported what they had seen or heard those children might have been rescued.

So I have now been contacted by NSPCC. They asked me a series of questions which I answered as best I could. They may make the referral themselves directly to social services and I may hear nothing further. If I get any further feedback, I will let you know

You did well OP. Sometimes it’s really hard to know what to do for the best in a situation like this. Good advice on here too.

Well done OP, you've done the right thing