Dad leaves 11-year-old son outside while he drinks and watches footy in the pub

A Queensland mother who hired a private detective found her 11-year-old son was spending hours outside a pub while his dad was inside drinking beer and watching the football.

Melanie, whose surname has been withheld, told A Current Affair she hired a private detective to check where her son was when he was with his father.

"He'd text me a lot and most of his messages were crying faces and sad and wanting to come back," Melanie said of her son.

The boy's father Andrew was caught on video five times in one month, drinking at bar with his son left outside.

On one recorded occasion, the primary schooler spent five hours in and around the pub, before riding his bike home.

"The first night was very heartbreaking when they contacted me to say he was there and how long he'd been there," Melanie told A Current Affair. "I was upset. I was a mess that he had to be put in that situation."

In surveillance video provided to Melanie by the private detective, the 11-year-old and two others are seen riding their bikes in an underground carpark on a Sunday night.

The private investigator recorded a conversation with Melanie's son, who cannot be identified, asking the three children if their parents know where they are.

"Mine are in the tavern," the 11-year-old replies.

"My dad just seen me and he said, well I'm watching the game so you can come in if you want."

Family counsellor Susan de Campo says it's not uncommon for parents leave their children unsupervised.

"I think a lot of people would be surprised to see this sort of thing happens way more than we would like," Ms de Campo told A Current Affair.

Melanie's son was also filmed mixing with an older group of kids, who appeared to be smoking.

"I just think there are other children out there going through the same thing. And I think they need to be put first instead of selfish parents," Melanie said.

The 11-year-old's dad declined to comment.

The Sunshine Coast mum is now her son's primary carer thanks to the surveillance video.

"I think now he has a better opportunity to become a really good adult," she said.