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A very difficult situation-what to do?

(70 Posts)
Katek Thu 23-Jul-15 00:06:27

Earlier today I was waiting outside the community centre to pick up a friend's daughter when round the corner came a little blonde haired girl of around 4. She was entirely on her own and I was immediately concerned as it's a busy main road. She was skipping along, picking up seagull feathers and I thought that she'd probably run ahead of her mother/father which was pretty dangerous in this situation.

Eventually round the same corner came a woman pushing a buggy with a small child of around 1 in the pram and one of around 2-3 holding onto the handle. She was weaving across the pavement, looked to be in some distress/pain and kept bumping into the wall at the back of the pavement. The little girl waited for her and I was trying to decide whether to get out of the car to see what was going on or if I would get a punch in the face. As she passed the open window the child said something to which she slurred 'I just need my medication, darling.' I realised it was methadone she was talking about-don't know why. It was 4.50 so I thought the best thing was to phone duty social worker ( dept is only round the corner) and left it with them. They were very concerned and suggested they might go and see if they could find her.

On my way home I passed the pharmacy and there was mum and the 3 little girls heading up the lane towards the side door along with half a dozen others. [The pharmacy dispenses methadone from a different part of the building.] I tried calling SW back to say where they were but it was after 5 by this time and the phones had switched to voice mail.

Do I phone SW in the morning and perhaps they can track her down via pharmacy? Should I have intervened? Should I have called police?

The children seemed clean, hair brushed etc and there was a pile of jackets on the pram so someone is obviously dealing with that side of things. Mum obviously needs help though as the first little girl was in a very vulnerable situation and she certainly couldn't have coped if either of the others had kicked off.

jinglbellsfrocks Sat 25-Jul-15 12:40:38

Just surprised people can trot that awful thing out quite so glibly.

What this little girl did is no more than many children do these days. Especially on their scooters.

jinglbellsfrocks Sat 25-Jul-15 12:43:33

I didn't being blonde haired was a "race". grin

thrillednanny I just wondered if there would have been as much concern for a rough tough looking mousey haired boy.

jinglbellsfrocks Sat 25-Jul-15 12:43:48

Know

Tegan Sat 25-Jul-15 12:45:14

So a child careering on ahead of it's parent on a scooter [where the parent can't even see it sometimes] isn't potentially dangerous?

jinglbellsfrocks Sat 25-Jul-15 12:45:49

And whatever has some vague happening in your dim and distant past got to do with anything Elegran?

Tegan Sat 25-Jul-15 12:47:22

Bit rude that jingle. Time to back off methinks sad.

jinglbellsfrocks Sat 25-Jul-15 12:50:01

Oh, I haven't answered you yet my internet played up. It was - Hello Tegan. smile

Won't bother to reply to your daft question.

Elegran Sat 25-Jul-15 12:54:58

You are in a truculent mood, jings Stop ridiculing people who worry about other people's children. You are very fiery about your own grandchildren.

If you cast your mind back, you could probably remember occasions when your heart was in your mouth about a child who was someone else's reponsibility. Or had you completely forgotten how quickly a child can be under the wheels of a car or into some other danger?

Being conderned about the children does not mean that GNers are not also concerned about the mother. She needs support too and no-one has said that she doesn't.

Vague happening in my dim and distant past? That scene is etched on my memory.

jinglbellsfrocks Sat 25-Jul-15 12:59:22

I am not in a truculent mood. grin Is everyone who disagrees with anyone else "truculent"? grin

Have to leave the thread now as DD just arrived. Sorry, couldn't read all of your post Elegran

Stansgran Sat 25-Jul-15 14:17:57

We all have bad days and it's easy to kick the keyboard and not care who we attack Tegansmile. I have tried throughout this thread to put down an experience I had with DGS3 . And I simply cannot as it was and still so painful to me. I'm not on drugs ,don't need methadone and have I hope all my wits about me and yet I lost that child . In seconds and it ended up with out tragedy but the world stopped still when it happened and I didn't think my daughter would ever forgive me but she brushed it away. I am not ,believe me dramatising. If only everyone was as conscientious as the OP. we were lucky

ginny Sat 25-Jul-15 14:29:02

Thank goodness for people like KateK . I hope if ever Jings Dgc are in a potentially dangerous situation someone cares enough to try to help.

Nelliemoser Sat 25-Jul-15 15:27:38

I think we should all club together and buy Jings a big wooden spoon or perhaps a Magimix 4200XL .

ginny Sat 25-Jul-15 16:16:57

Wooden spoon will do (although I think she already has one). I'll have the Magimix.

trisher Sat 25-Jul-15 17:15:52

I was rereading this and suddenly wondered why the OP hadn't asked the woman if she needed help. The symptoms described are very similar to those a diabetic might exhibit. There was little evidence of neglect apart from a child skipping ahead of her mother and the fact that she seemed to be heading for the methadone queue. (Incidentally I don't know where or even if my local chemist dispenses methadone). Could this be a case of too much experience rather than too little? Just asking (expect someone will think I'm being difficult)

Elrel Sat 25-Jul-15 22:50:59

Better, I now believe, to overreact than to regret lack of action. Tell the school about the mother who crosses the road with her 3 year old trailing behind, tell the pharmacist about the worrying conversation you overheard outside, an addict boasting that he doesn't take his methadone but sells it.
Chat to your local community police, to any police, about the queue of teenagers entering a local house then leaving with with little plastic packets. Ask the sad faced child whether they're all right, the lone toddler whether they can see their mother. Embarrass yourself maybe but don't end up regretting not having spoken out. Don't walk past on the other side.
KateK - I firmly believe that you did the right thing, as do most of us.

trisher Sat 25-Jul-15 23:06:42

Interesting then that most people would report to the SW rather than offer help to the woman and perhaps an indication that we depend more on authorities than we once did. Also perhaps that we are more nervous about the reaction we might encounter if we offer help.

Katek Sun 26-Jul-15 23:26:40

I could have taken umbrage at several of JBF's posts but at the end of the day I am more saddened and disappointed. Saddened that anyone should think I'm such a base and shallow person that my judgement can be swayed by the attractiveness quotient of a small child. Good god-what kind of a person do you think I am? Disappointed that this analysis of my motivations has been made when you don't even know me from Adam JBF. I had thought better of you.

That was way beyond the bounds, Jingl. Def not acceptable.

granjura Mon 27-Jul-15 14:58:29

Agreed Katek flowers and good on you for caring.

Wheniwasyourage Mon 27-Jul-15 18:28:09

Just caught up with this thread, and wanted to add my support to KateK. Of course you did the right thing and I hope I would have done the same - I know I would have worried about it if I hadn't. flowers

Perhaps jingl has some problem which we could help her with? grin