Single Dad, working nights!

silvercar

How likely is it that SS produce a report that says:

1. We investigated
2. We found a 12 year old sleeping in the house alone 3 nights a week.
3. We find this acceptable.

Skulls

Just a quick update, it has been spoken about with SS and the family support worker and it will be taken at least a stage further and a home visit is going to be arranged, just have to wait for letter.

Many thanks to everyone for your help and ideas. Will update when I get any info XXX:beer:

Sky_

silvercar wrote: »

How likely is it that SS produce a report that says:

1. We investigated
2. We found a 12 year old sleeping in the house alone 3 nights a week.
3. We find this acceptable.

This is the crux of the problem. Once they're aware of it they will almost certainly have to insist on changes being made. If they don't then they're effectively condoning the situation, and if something were (heaven forbid) to go wrong, serious questions would be asked of them.

Sally_A

Your daughter sounds very sensible, but I would suggest a couple of immediate trusted neighbours were also put on her phone list, obviously with their approval.


A bottle of whisky/perfume to the neighbours now and then as a thank you for "just being there".

FBaby

This is the crux of the problem. Once they're aware of it they will almost certainly have to insist on changes being made. If they don't then they're effectively condoning the situation, and if something were (heaven forbid) to go wrong, serious questions would be asked of them.

That would apply to any visit they make though! I assume their decision will come as a result of doing a risk assessment. If OP passes the risk assessment, but something was to happen, they would be protected on the basis that they followed their procedures and protocols. Accidents/incidents do happen even to those considered very low risk (like single grown ups who leave the deep fryer on before going to sleep resulting in a house fire for instance).

whitewing

One thing I would definitely want covered would be what would happen if OP had an accident during his nightly checks i.e. had left the hotel but then not arrived back at the hotel. Would the hotel staff call the house phone? DD on her own gets a call that her parents is not there?

silvercar

FBaby wrote: »

That would apply to any visit they make though! I assume their decision will come as a result of doing a risk assessment. If OP passes the risk assessment, but something was to happen, they would be protected on the basis that they followed their procedures and protocols. Accidents/incidents do happen even to those considered very low risk (like single grown ups who leave the deep fryer on before going to sleep resulting in a house fire for instance).

It will also take into account guidelines that have been set by government and national bodies.

https://www.gov.uk/law-on-leaving-your-child-home-alone
clearly says "children under 16 shouldn’t be left alone overnight"

NSPCC says:
"How to decide if you can safely leave a child alone

There are many important things to consider before you decide to leave a child alone. These include:

the age of the child
the child's level of maturity and understanding
the place where the child will be left
how long and how often the child will be left alone
whether or not there are any other children with the child.
For example, most parents would think it is okay to leave a 16-year-old alone for the evening. But to leave them for a week would be unacceptable."

So even if the child was deemed mature and the home safe, the set up fails on
a) the age of the child
b) this occurs overnight 3 times a week
c) the child is alone

I can't see SS going for it.

suziemoon

No your aren't abusing your daughter but I think she is under the legal age that a child can be left alone. Could a member of your Family come and sleep at your house on the nights that you work? The set up that you have sounds brilliant but unfortunately in this day and age of people sticking their noses in and causing trouble for the law abinding and respectful people and letting the scumbags get away scot free you are an easy hit for social services to investigate.

FBaby

So even if the child was deemed mature and the home safe, the set up fails on
a) the age of the child
b) this occurs overnight 3 times a week
c) the child is alone

It is not a question of failing or passing. SS already know the above information, so if only these elements were enough to fail OP, they would have acted immediately rather than arranging a visit in the near future.

And actually, the third point doesn't even apply as this is a given hence the investigation!

And of course, these aren't legal obligations, but guidelines. There are points that SS will take into consideration to make their risk assessment, but it will be an overall assessment. OP's DD is probably much more mature than the average 12yo, hence the reason it might very well be that she thinks, reacts, analyses and responds emotionally more in line with an average 16yo, in which case, she might very well be considered as safe as the average 16yo can be expected to be.

FBaby

No your aren't abusing your daughter but I think she is under the legal age that a child can be left alone.

There is no legal age.