Nuisance Children

bestpud

LizD wrote: »

Thanks for your replies.

I can accept that some of you will say 'kids will be kids' etc, fine, I don't have a problem if they're just kicking a football, riding bikes etc. The fact is they are damaging the few trees in the road and throwing some hefty branches around - (we aren't inner city, but it's a densely populated area with not a lot of green things nearby) and engaging in some pretty nasty fighting.
They do have gardens and a nearby park to play in - but they seem to prefer to hang around in the roads.
I'm afraid I don't feel comfortable talking to them - the younger kids would be fine, but the early/mid teens are not the sort of people I would feel comfortable talking to - they are pretty intimidating.

I will definitely talk to the local CSO and see if they can help - maybe all they need is a bit of guidance.

That seems the best place to start.

They are very helpful around here, so hopefully they are by you too, will quickly resolve it.

Good luck with it.

PasturesNew

One way to move them on easily would be to have a word with all your neighbours and if you could devise a signal between you ... maybe any one to be seen outside with a broom sweeping. Once you see that you all go outside too and start tidying up your front gardens, driveways, clearing rubbish. Waving jauntily across the road with a "hello".

You won't need to say a thing to the kids. An over-presence of adults will make them not wish to be anywhere near.

To all intents and purposes you're all just singly going out and tending to your property. But you'll have the silent strength of numbers. None of you ever need speak of this again, it's just what you do .... kids in the road, one out, all out.

tsstss7

PasturesNew wrote: »

One way to move them on easily would be to have a word with all your neighbours and if you could devise a signal between you ... maybe any one to be seen outside with a broom sweeping. Once you see that you all go outside too and start tidying up your front gardens, driveways, clearing rubbish. Waving jauntily across the road with a "hello".

You won't need to say a thing to the kids. An over-presence of adults will make them not wish to be anywhere near.

To all intents and purposes you're all just singly going out and tending to your property. But you'll have the silent strength of numbers. None of you ever need speak of this again, it's just what you do .... kids in the road, one out, all out.

Agree with this kids hate adults around - just be outside when they are and they'll clear off soon enough.

Hectors_House

PasturesNew wrote: »

One way to move them on easily would be to have a word with all your neighbours and if you could devise a signal between you ... maybe any one to be seen outside with a broom sweeping. Once you see that you all go outside too and start tidying up your front gardens, driveways, clearing rubbish. Waving jauntily across the road with a "hello".

You won't need to say a thing to the kids. An over-presence of adults will make them not wish to be anywhere near.

To all intents and purposes you're all just singly going out and tending to your property. But you'll have the silent strength of numbers. None of you ever need speak of this again, it's just what you do .... kids in the road, one out, all out.

This isn't a bad suggestion.

We started doing something similar when the local kids decided that using my neighbours front garden as a football pitch would be fun.

The houses sit side-on to the road and his small front garden has been converted to hard standing with a gateway (with no gate). They were using the gateway has their goalposts with the ball then going into the front gardens.

Unfortunately some youths decided they wanted to play too - with a heavy leather football and it was when they not only decided to still play despite my neighbours car being parked on there AND sent the ball rocketing down into the very end garden, taking a part of someone's fence with it we decided to get our local beat bobby and the council's anti-social behaviour team involved.

To the OP, I'd try the suggestion above. We've found it works for us and then look at getting in touch with your local authorities if it escalates.

Gavin83

Am I not right in thinking that they can't actually stop children playing in the street though?

I can understand you being a bit frustrated with them damaging the tree and if you don't feel comfortable in talking to them a quick word with a more willing neighbour or a PCSO may do the trick, but don't expect them to just go elsewhere, why should they?

I know when I was young I used to play fight and break branches off of trees but I turned out alright. I think that stating that it's the start of anti-social behavour is a little harsh.

Bufger

A couple of branches off trees? as a kid we used to throw 'mud bombs' at houses and used to play knock door run. I can imagine that was more annoying than a few kids sitting on a wall and that was from years ago when anti social behaviour was never really an issue.

The problem is everyone is becoming too sensitive. Let kids be kids. The more you restrict natural behaviour the more they will fight against oppression and when they start doing that they really will be anti social.

tandraig

yes bufger - I remember that game too only we called it 'cherry knocking' dont ask me why!!! I can also remember one rather large lady who got so fed up with us she hid round the corner of her house and caught us at it - and took revenge by slapping us round the face!!! oh and i got another one when i told mam about it! these days that lady would prob have been charged with assault! but it rather put me off that game and we never played it again.

woody01

There's no point calling the Police as they won't come out to a bunch of kids

They definitely will come out to a bunch of kids.

tandraig

soddit - got so carried away down memory lane i forgot reason for post!! the idea of mass adult presence is good and the other poster is right - be dark early soon and most of the kids will want to be tucked up warm!! but - if it does carry on or escalate the the community officer should be of help. i wouldnt approach the parents unless you know them - some people can be unpredictable and downright aggressive if you complain about their kids.

Gavin83

woody01 wrote: »

They definitely will come out to a bunch of kids.

Why though? "There's a bunch of kids playing in my street and they scare me, can you arrest them please?" I really can't see them bothering, after all, someone has to actually commit a crime for the police to take an interest.

I don't think there's any point in talking to the parents either as at best they'll probably just turn around and ask what the kids are actually doing wrong, and I agree with them.