Noise From Flat Above-Concerned About a Child

Jowo_2

I find it disturbing that the parents have segregated the property and have retreated to one furnished part. If I were in your shoes, I would report it to social services and leave it up to them to determine if they find it an appropriate way to respond to a child with development issues or a form of bad parenting.

I have no idea if this is appropriate or inappropriate behaviour or neglect but it does remind me of the some of the published photographs of child neglect where the adults simply retreat from the children or shut their children away, where adults live in their own little world with the latest PC and AV equipment and the children are simply abandoned, metres away.

sarahevie

I disagree that having no furniture in a room means you are neglecting the child.

My DD1's bedroom (15X12) is fairly sparse just simple bed and wardrobe to give her plenty of room to play. It used to have ornaments (not practical with a 2 year old). Changing table sofa bed but they got in her way.

goldbyron

I am a social worker (fostering) and can say right now that especially in urban parts of the UK this would not be investigated by SS as there is a huge amount of referrals which are far far more serious than this. Unfortunately it seems the parents could benefit from parenting classes or techniques if their child has difficulties however SS would only recommend this if they did visit. The room being unfurnished is a sign of neglect (if no toys or child centred objects) as there is no stimulation for the child however this would not necessitate any action from SS aside from guidance as this would certainly not meet any criteria for intervention. There is simply no point referring unless you have more concerns such as unattended crying, hearing the child fall over and no one attending to this or evidence the child is being mistreated (through screams or complete silence - both would be unusual). If your concern is the child then go up and try and get in for a cup of tea instead of inviting them to yours and observe the child yourself and their interaction with the parents/carers.

Norfolk_Jim

This sounds a lot to me like the parents have a child somewhere on the autistic spectrum and this is how they cope. It's horrible for you and also horrible for them. It's a pity it's not as simple as just swapping flats.
It's also not an easy thing to bring up with the neighbours, so I think I'd ask them down to experience what you are experiencing. Tell them it's a problem and that there needs to be a resolution of it. They may give you some useful info to help you understand their strange to you way of life (they could be Scientologists but its unlikely) or they may be totaly unhelpful.
After being reasonable about it, and getting nowhere you'll have 3 choices I can think of. 1) Move - at least as you rent your not stuck there unable to sell like some people would be 2) Call the landlord, complain, if your brave you might say that you'll need to move if nothing changes and it could be hard to relet the property - maybe they'll be evicted. 3) Call in environmental health from your local council. There are laws about noise.
Whichever - I would not want to be you no matter how sad the situation upstairs might be.

sunshinetours

thequant wrote: »

Charles regarding your own situation, is it possible to medicate/sedate the child. This might be worth exploring with the parents.

Surely that is not a real enquiry......? Autism (if its is in fact that0 is not a disease rtthat can be medicated to make everyone quiet !!!!!!


Speak to neighbours and see what issues are and also explore insulating the ceiling/floor above whcih amy provide some relief. If you live in a ground floor flat you must expect some noise from above surely so maybe some earlugs for sleeping

sunshinetours

charles_b wrote: »

Sedating a child is something NO Parent would ever do unless it was the ONLY way in which to prevent the child coming to harm.

Or providing some restful sleep for the child in case of chicken pox or some other illness that deprives of sleep etc but point generally taken. To suggest to do so because too much noise is made is simply incredible

Brb

thequant wrote: »

kid is picking something up and crashing it down on the floor every few mins. this is going on for 2 hours now and will not stop till 11pm tonight!

I'm going to hazard a guess that this is the child's toys!

Why are ppl thinking that this child has no toys ?

Note OP says that they gather that the parents are in bedroom with child having use of rest of flat. I'd like to know how you know that ? if room really was bare (just carpet) then what exactly is the child banging against your ceiling ?

At four years of age I spent plenty of time on the carpet with my child playing with her toys. She'd run away as something else had perked her interest and left me sat there getting a numb bum! then she'd be back to play some more.

Actually I'd be more worried for a child that was quiet, sat on the floor not daring to move incase they made a noise.

lynzpower

When I worked in childrens social work, I got a referral through from the NSPCC. Children very noisy, wondered whether they were being neglected. I went out, took a look, was all fine. I think it is better for someone to go out and check its all fine, than for the untrained neighbour to assume that it is.

Tiddlywinks

BUT regardless of the reason why the child is running around and making intolerable noise all day - it is still noise and it is still intolerable to the OP so why are you all having a go at him/her?

Why should the OP put up with it? Even if the child has 'issues' it doesn't mean that they should be imposed on others and impact on their quiet time in the privacy of their home.

Why should they move? If it were a noisy drug smoking twenty-something year old upstairs you'd all be baying for blood..... so, it's a toddler, the end result is the same; the OP can't take the noise any more.

OP, speak to your LL and have one last attempt at speaking with the parents. Someone earlier suggested that one parent be invited down to have a listen.....that said, if the other parent decides to pick the child up at that point then nothing will be achieved so maybe one of you should stay upstairs to ensure that doesn't happen.

Also, do you know who the LL is for upstairs? Could you find out through Land Registry? You could always write to their LL to complain....

Anyway, good luck and let us know how you get on.

milliebear00001

thequant wrote: »

so i take it,no constructive advice then. council ? enviromental health ? anything.

Thats what I came on here for,not to be told just accept it and let mine and my partners health deteriotae just so child have it's fun because its parents have turned their flat in a playground.

How would you like it if someone was playing football upstairs ? yes that happens aswel!

There is nothing you caN feasibly do, so little constructive advice can be given. How they choose to live is nobody's business unless the child is being neglected, and nothing you've said, suggests this is the case. A flat isn't the ideal home for a young child - they are, by nature, noisy, crashing little creatures, but lots of people live in less that ideal circumstances.

I am not sure what you expect outsiders (or indeed, the parents, to do to stop the noise from happening?