Tweed I need advice

Sorry to ask but you're probably the best person to ask. A friend of mine works in a theatre group that does a lot of work with small children and he just posted this on FB

"Out of the thousands of children visiting the theatre last week one little girl still haunts me. She was smaller than her classmates, frail and looked malnourished. Her hair was matted and unkempt. Her white polo shirt was dirty and discoloured. Worst of all she had bruises on her small arms, the size of adult finger marks. "

He doesn't know her name although he can find out what school she is from.

None of us know where he could go although we all think he should raise this- should he talk to the school? Police? Social Services?

I could ignore smaller, frail looking and looking malnourished- she might have an underlying medical condition but the bruises? The matted hair and dirty clothes?

There may be a reason maybe she's even known to child protection but he should follow this through do you think?

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs

Lesley wrote:
Sorry to ask but you're probably the best person to ask. A friend of mine works in a theatre group that does a lot of work with small children and he just posted this on FB

"Out of the thousands of children visiting the theatre last week one little girl still haunts me. She was smaller than her classmates, frail and looked malnourished. Her hair was matted and unkempt. Her white polo shirt was dirty and discoloured. Worst of all she had bruises on her small arms, the size of adult finger marks. "

He doesn't know her name although he can find out what school she is from.

None of us know where he could go although we all think he should raise this- should he talk to the school? Police? Social Services?

I could ignore smaller, frail looking and looking malnourished- she might have an underlying medical condition but the bruises? The matted hair and dirty clothes?

There may be a reason maybe she's even known to child protection but he should follow this through do you think?

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs

I think I'd tell SOMEONE - better raise an unnecessary alarm than
overlook a case of abuse. (Kids have no means of protection, if the
adults in their lives don't notice their plight.)

On Sun, 07 Jul 2013 14:09:12 -0700, EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque) wrote:

Lesley wrote:
Sorry to ask but you're probably the best person to ask. A friend of
mine works in a theatre group that does a lot of work with small
children and he just posted this on FB

"Out of the thousands of children visiting the theatre last week one
little girl still haunts me. She was smaller than her classmates, frail
and looked malnourished. Her hair was matted and unkempt. Her white
polo shirt was dirty and discoloured. Worst of all she had bruises on
her small arms, the size of adult finger marks. "

He doesn't know her name although he can find out what school she is
from.

None of us know where he could go although we all think he should raise
this- should he talk to the school? Police? Social Services?

I could ignore smaller, frail looking and looking malnourished- she
might have an underlying medical condition but the bruises? The matted
hair and dirty clothes?

There may be a reason maybe she's even known to child protection but he
should follow this through do you think?

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs

I think I'd tell SOMEONE - better raise an unnecessary alarm than
overlook a case of abuse. (Kids have no means of protection, if the
adults in their lives don't notice their plight.)


When I was 10 years old there was a girl who sat behind me in school who
stretchewd her mouth with her fingers. It made her have an ugly mouth,
One day I asked her why she did it and she said it was to make her stop
crying.

One day I rtealized she was crying and I turned around and asked her what
was wrong. Her reply was that her peepee hurt. In a few minutes the
teacher called me to her desk, turned my back to the class ans asked me
what Mae told me. I repeated her reply. In a few minutes the teacher
said she had to leave for a few minutes and we must all be as quiet as
mice. Shortly thereafter the teacher and Princial came in thru the side
door and took Mae out. We didn't see her again for a week or so. When
she returned she was a much betterr looking and happier girl. That
night, I heard my mother tell a neighbor they had finally got rid of
"that guy". It was a lifetime ago and I was 10 but I never forgot it
though I rerally didn't understand it.
Yes! tellsomeone who can investigate. MLB

On 8/07/2013 12:18 AM, Lesley wrote:
Sorry to ask but you're probably the best person to ask. A friend of mine works in a theatre group that does a lot of work with small children and he just posted this on FB

"Out of the thousands of children visiting the theatre last week one little girl still haunts me. She was smaller than her classmates, frail and looked malnourished. Her hair was matted and unkempt. Her white polo shirt was dirty and discoloured. Worst of all she had bruises on her small arms, the size of adult finger marks."

He doesn't know her name although he can find out what school she is from.

None of us know where he could go although we all think he should raise this- should he talk to the school? Police? Social Services?

I could ignore smaller, frail looking and looking malnourished- she might have an underlying medical condition but the bruises? The matted hair and dirty clothes?

There may be a reason maybe she's even known to child protection but he should follow this through do you think?

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs


Absolutely he should follow through. If nothing else it should be
reported, with as many details as he can remember, to the police. The
school and social services (here in Australia, ours is called "DOCS" -
Department of Child Services) would also benefit from contact (and he
could let them know he's also contacted the other organisations).

If he's lucky, they'll tell him that she's already "known" to that
service, but most likely they'll simply thank him for his call and say
they'll investigate. He won't be told anything more about the case, so
as to protect that girl's privacy.

His phone call could quite literally be the difference between life &
death for that little girl. But even if its not, if he does nothing,
that little girl will haunt his conscience for the rest of his days.

Please encourage him in the strongest way possible, to follow through.

Yowie

On 7/7/2013 6:17 PM, Yowie wrote:
On 8/07/2013 12:18 AM, Lesley wrote:
Sorry to ask but you're probably the best person to ask. A friend of
mine works in a theatre group that does a lot of work with small
children and he just posted this on FB

"Out of the thousands of children visiting the theatre last week one
little girl still haunts me. She was smaller than her classmates,
frail and looked malnourished. Her hair was matted and unkempt. Her
white polo shirt was dirty and discoloured. Worst of all she had
bruises on her small arms, the size of adult finger marks."

He doesn't know her name although he can find out what school she is
from.

None of us know where he could go although we all think he should
raise this- should he talk to the school? Police? Social Services?

I could ignore smaller, frail looking and looking malnourished- she
might have an underlying medical condition but the bruises? The matted
hair and dirty clothes?

There may be a reason maybe she's even known to child protection but
he should follow this through do you think?

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs


Absolutely he should follow through. If nothing else it should be
reported, with as many details as he can remember, to the police. The
school and social services (here in Australia, ours is called "DOCS" -
Department of Child Services) would also benefit from contact (and he
could let them know he's also contacted the other organisations).

If he's lucky, they'll tell him that she's already "known" to that
service, but most likely they'll simply thank him for his call and say
they'll investigate. He won't be told anything more about the case, so
as to protect that girl's privacy.

His phone call could quite literally be the difference between life &
death for that little girl. But even if its not, if he does nothing,
that little girl will haunt his conscience for the rest of his days.

Please encourage him in the strongest way possible, to follow through.

Yowie

I agree completely. Children have no way to defend themselves. I also
agree it is first the teacher/school authorities duty to report
suspected abuse. Bruises aside (what a terrible thing for me to
say!)... The dirty clothes, unkempt appearance. That enough should be
enough to trigger an investigation. But only if someone files a report.
I have no idea why some adults turn a blind eye.

Jill

"jmcquown" wrote in message ...

On 7/7/2013 6:17 PM, Yowie wrote:
On 8/07/2013 12:18 AM, Lesley wrote:
Sorry to ask but you're probably the best person to ask. A friend of
mine works in a theatre group that does a lot of work with small
children and he just posted this on FB

"Out of the thousands of children visiting the theatre last week one
little girl still haunts me. She was smaller than her classmates,
frail and looked malnourished. Her hair was matted and unkempt. Her
white polo shirt was dirty and discoloured. Worst of all she had
bruises on her small arms, the size of adult finger marks."

He doesn't know her name although he can find out what school she is
from.

None of us know where he could go although we all think he should
raise this- should he talk to the school? Police? Social Services?

I could ignore smaller, frail looking and looking malnourished- she
might have an underlying medical condition but the bruises? The matted
hair and dirty clothes?

There may be a reason maybe she's even known to child protection but
he should follow this through do you think?

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs


Absolutely he should follow through. If nothing else it should be
reported, with as many details as he can remember, to the police. The
school and social services (here in Australia, ours is called "DOCS" -
Department of Child Services) would also benefit from contact (and he
could let them know he's also contacted the other organisations).

If he's lucky, they'll tell him that she's already "known" to that
service, but most likely they'll simply thank him for his call and say
they'll investigate. He won't be told anything more about the case, so
as to protect that girl's privacy.

His phone call could quite literally be the difference between life &
death for that little girl. But even if its not, if he does nothing,
that little girl will haunt his conscience for the rest of his days.

Please encourage him in the strongest way possible, to follow through.

Yowie

I agree completely. Children have no way to defend themselves. I also
agree it is first the teacher/school authorities duty to report
suspected abuse. Bruises aside (what a terrible thing for me to
say!)... The dirty clothes, unkempt appearance. That enough should be
enough to trigger an investigation. But only if someone files a report.
I have no idea why some adults turn a blind eye.

Jill

~~~~~~
There is actually a legal obligation in the U.S. (at least in most
states--probably all of them) to report suspected cases of child abuse. The
person submitting this information is not subject to law suits unless it is
a case of harassment, which normally would mean numerous unfounded reports.
I am not familiar with child abuse laws in other nations, but I suspect
there are similar obligations and protections. So, I would view this as
both a moral and a legal obligation, and I would applaud the person who
follows through in this case.

MaryL

He's spoken to the school, he's not the only person to have raised concerns about this girl and the matter is with social services but the teacher thanked him because they need every statement of concern they can get as the mother isn't co-operating with social services and denies anything is going on

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs

"Lesley" wrote in message
...

He's spoken to the school, he's not the only person to have raised concerns
about this girl and the matter is with social services but the teacher
thanked him because they need every statement of concern they can get as
the mother isn't co-operating with social services and denies anything is
going on

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs

~~~~~~~
Thanks for the update. I hope social services acts quickly and thoroughly.
There have been numerous cases in the U.S. where social services have done
an exemplary job, but there have also been numerous instances where they
have failed to take action when they should have--including tragedies ending
death. Staffing of social services always seems to be inadequate for the
case load.

MaryL

On 7/8/2013 10:18 AM, Lesley wrote:
He's spoken to the school, he's not the only person to have raised concerns about this girl and the matter is with social services but the teacher thanked him because they need every statement of concern they can get as the mother isn't co-operating with social services and denies anything is going on

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs

Thank you for the follow-up. I do hope they can do something to
continue investigating. If there *is* something going on, naturally the
mother is going to deny it.

Jill

Lesley wrote:

[snip, because (1) the situation has progressed, and (2) my comment is
unrelated]

Where *is* Tweed, anyway? I haven't seen a post from her in a while, and
I'm surprised she hasn't responded to this post yet.

Is anyone in touch with her? Hope she's OK.

--
Joyce

Fluffy Mackerel Pudding - "Once upon a time, the world was young and the words 'mackerel' and 'pudding' existed far, far away from one another. One day, that all changed. And then, whoever was responsible somehow thought the word 'fluffy' would help." -- Hilarious recipes at: www.candyboots.com