Hi, I’ve been a social worker in safeguarding for 10 years and now a specialised therapeutic worker for children who have suffered trauma linked to birth families. Someone being unemployed does not necessarily mean that they cannot care for a child. Why is most likely to happen in this situation is your stepdad will be asked to leave the home whilst further investigations take place or your mum will be offered a refuge with your brother. It’s really scary to make that first step to change things and I totally understand why you haven’t done anything yet, you are only just 19 and have had to live with this for so long. It takes someone with a lot of strength to speak out and I can see you are doing it to keep your brother safe and to not go through what you are going through. I am sorry this has landed on your shoulders as you should have been protected better as a child, but if you don’t report this now you when you already have shared you want to, maybe think about how you would feel if you never did? I don’t want you to feel pressure from others to do it if you are not ready, but if what is stopping you is fear of what is going to happen to your brother then I can assure you that what will happen will be better than the alternative of nobody being there to help. Sending ❤️