Safeguarding - boundaries. Do I need to be concerned?

[ohreallyohreallyoh]

I am a secondary teacher. One of my children is in year 4. This week we have had another child from his class turn up on the doorstep to play at 6pm. I let him in and sent him back at 7 with my eldest (14) to make sure he got home safe. I don't know either parent, never met them. Yesterday, same child turned up again with a second child - also from same class. Turns out their parents are in a relationship and they refer to themselves as 'step brother/sister'. Don't know her parents either. They stayed for 2. 1/2 hours, I fed them, sent them home with the eldest at 7.

Perfectly nice children, clean, polite, well mannered. It's cheeky, I get that. But do I need to let the school know and/or Social Services? They live about a 6-7 minute walk away so not far. I just wouldn't allow my own 8 year old out unaccompanied and certainly not to a house where I had no knowledge whatsoever of the parents. Is there a concern here or is it just different parenting standards?

Take them back yourself next time, OP, and ideal to the parents yourself.

It doesn't sound like a safeguarding issue on the information you've given (DSL here).

Ideal? Speak.

I would subtly let the school know, there maybe a wider context you aren't aware of, there may not be but all you can do is pass on the information.
You probably need to be clear about what you can commit yourself, how often is too often for them to come round etc. X

I don't think it's ideal parenting but it's certainly not unusual. I don't think it's a safeguarding issue unless there are other concerns

Thanks. You get so caught up in what is/isn't a concern in school that I feel a need to report everything just in case. I will take them back myself if they turn up again and see where that leads.

I don't think either the school or social services need to be informed.

I always ask any children who turn up to play if their parents know where they are and are their parents happy for them to play inside. If it's a no I send them home to ask permission first.

Mine are not allowed inside someone's house without me knowing and I give permission depending on specifics.

I too have been surprised at how late and how far young children roam.

OP - please let your school know - not because you are doing anything wrong but things like this need to be open and transparent. If you were friends with the parents, it might be different but in this case, stay on the side of caution.

When I have had children start turning up unannounced I just talked to their parents and swapped numbers in case we needed to contact each other.

I think it might have been a good idea to ask for their telephone number and call their parents to let them know they were with you, asking if that was ok. If not, they could come and retrieve them, if so, all well and good and you've made contact.

I definitely wouldn't have let them play for over 2 hours and give them tea if I wasn't sure their parents even knew where they were!

If they show up by themselves, at mealtimes, with not a dicky bird from the parents, what do you think?

Could they possibly fit into one of the child abuse categories? Neglect? If so, contact their school. It's not normal behaviour. Hopefully, it is perfectly innocent and harmless, but better to be certain.

I would call school and ask if you can speak to their safeguarding lead. Then say you may be being daft because of all your teachery hats on but it's been bothering you and you figured that you'd feel better letting school know in case there's other things going on.

Then keep being lovely to them. We nevrr know what is going on.