What to do about young carer?

Question

I work in a supermarket and for the past few days I've noticed a young boy shopping. He's been coming in just after school and a couple of times over the weekend. He's always in a school uniform or dirty clothes and always on his own.

He seems to have been looking for me as he come to me every day for the past 4 and he will come back to ask where a certain item is, go find it then come back and ask again, he's also waited around at a checkout until mine was empty so i could serve him.

I've only had brief words with him and today i just said, "Shopping on your own again" and he said his mum couldn't come with him but next time he might bring his brother.

Now I'm not quite sure what to do now. Do I ask about how his home life is, do i report it to social services?

Whats your advice?

Answer 1

Smile , say hi, ask if he lives close. Ask what he's shopping for today, ask him if his mom is feeling better as if he had already made a statement that she was ill, even tho he hadn't but that might get a conversation going. I would get social services in on it unless i was sure there eas a problem though.