If you thought a child was being neglected, would you call the authorities?

i think there are many organizations which are there to look after that.

You know in both senerios, I would call the police, and report it each and every time. Eventually, they will get Social services involved. And believe me when I say this, when the Police Call Social Services, the parents are going to be under a microscope for the rest of their lives, or atleast until the youngest child has grown up and moved out. I can't remember exactly, but I think Social has a 3 strike rule, on neglectant parents, after that the kids are put into foster care, the parents have to do courses and such, to get their children back, and the children become wards of the Court. I know this from experience, because I was one of those kids, and I know that I would not be where I am today, if I was with my natural parents. I was 8 years old when I was adopted!

Yes, I would call the police and yes I would consider them neglected no matter how they were dressed. I would do it even if it did mean I might lose my job. If I were wrong, I would be just wrong. I'd rather be wrong than live with something happening to a child because I did nothing.

I would call. Especially if it happens alot. No child should be left alone for any perioud of time. Especially if under 10yr old. My son is 11 and the most time Iwould leave him alone is 20min. That is it. If I was wrong fine, but it is better to be safe than sorry.

No i will not. A small girl is also working in our house on her own will.

I would definitely file a report with the authorities. My personal experience in UK is that it is very difficult to get social service to do anything. When I worked in general practice I made several referrals, and not many were taken all the way. There is always the idea that even 'not good enough parents' are better than no parents or foster parents (a view I personally do not agree with). Very few children therefore are taken away from their parents. They put in place 'looked after children' care plans, which are never followed up. The chances of you losing your job as a consequence of reporting someone should not exist, as it is your moral duty as a human being to defend the defenceless. If you are wrong, nothing terrible will happen - it will be investigated and then closed. But at least there is a record of it, so if someone else reports the abuse then the previous record and concern will pop up again. But please, if you think there is the slightest chance the child is being abused in any way whatsoever, you must report it.

if i saw a kid alone for hours at a time in public without any adult supervision i would definantly contact the authorities. i would ask the kid where they're parents are or who's watching them. i dont care how they are dressed. if they are under 10 they should not be alone.

I'd certainly consider a child left alone in a public place for 6-8 hours without any food, cell phone or money to be neglected. It wouldn't matter how they were dressed. I would have to get involved no matter what the consequences might be. Better to try to do something positive than to just ignore the situation. I could never forgive myself for doing nothing if something happened to that child.

I would most definately call for help or do something like sit with the child or try to find out why they were there all alone. Little children should not be left alone in this day and age! God knows what could happen to them! I would also stay with the child until the authorities got there. Even if the parent came back out of the blue. That kid is not going anywhere until the police arrive!

I don't think I could live with myself if I didn't do anything, so yes I would call the authorities.

I would ask the child if they needed any help, and if they were alone. Maybe it is not neglect, but a runaway or abandonment, or maybe they are hanging around waiting for someone to get off work. However, if you thought it was abuse and neglect, find a local officer and ask them to check it out, or contact Children's Services protections... - DNatureofDTrain

Yes, I would and have. Unfortunately, I had to do this with a family member. The child was given to me for a short period of time from social services. Family or not, no child should go neglected. Good topic! +

I would call, the worst I could consider would be that you got in trouble. If you didn't say anything and the child was neglected I could never forgive myself!!