Uncollected Child

Policy statement

In the event that a child is not collected by an authorised adult by their expected collection time, we put into practice agreed procedures. The child will receive a high standard of care in order to cause as little distress as possible.
We inform parents/carers of our procedures so that, if they are unavoidably delayed, they will be reassured that their children will be properly cared for.

Procedures

• Parents are asked to provide the following specific information when their child starts attending our setting, which is recorded on our Registration Form:

• Home address and telephone number – if the parents do not have a telephone, an alternative number must be given, perhaps a neighbour or close relative.

• Place of work, address and telephone number (if applicable).

• Mobile telephone number (if applicable).

• Names, addresses, telephone numbers and signatures of adults who are authorised by the parents to collect their child from the setting, for example a childminder or grandparent.

• Who has parental responsibility for the child.

• Information about any person who does not have legal access to the child.

• On occasions when parents are aware that they will not be at home or in their usual place of work, they inform us in writing of how they can be contacted.

• On occasions when parents, or the persons normally authorised to collect the child, are not able to collect the child, they provide us with written details of the name, address and telephone number of the person who will be collecting their child. We ask parents to provide a password so we can verify the identity of the person who is to collect their child.

• Parents are informed that if they are not able to collect the child as planned, they must inform us so that we can begin to take back-up measures. Our contact telephone number is 01872260299 or 07887516596.

• If a child is not collected at their expected collection time, we follow the procedures below:

• After 10 minutes the register and child’s file are checked for any information about changes to the normal collection routines.

• If parents need to collect a child who has displayed symptoms of COVID-19, parents will be contacted and asked to collect their child.

• If no information is available, parents/carers are contacted at home or at work.

• If this is unsuccessful, the adults who are authorised by the parents to collect their child – and whose telephone numbers are recorded on the Registration Form – are contacted.

• All reasonable attempts are made to contact the parents or nominated carers.

• The child does not leave the premises with anyone other than those named on the Registration Form or in their file.

• If no-one collects the child within 30 minutes of their expected collection time and there is no named contact who can be contacted to collect the child, we apply the procedures for uncollected children.

• If we have any cause to believe the child has been abandoned we contact the local authority children’s social care team:

0300 1234 101

• Or the out of hours duty officer (where applicable):

01208 251300

(If the children’s social care team is unavailable we will contact the local police)

• After an additional 15 minutes if the child has not been collected, we will contact the above statutory agencies again.

• The child stays at the setting in the care of two of our fully-vetted workers, one of whom will be a senior member of staff until the child is safely collected either by the parents or by a social care worker, or by another person specified by social care.

• Social care will aim to find the parent or relative. If they are unable to do so, the child will become looked after by the local authority.

• Under no circumstances will we go to look for the parent, nor leave the setting premises with the child.

• We ensure that the child is not anxious and we do not discuss our concerns in front of them.

• A full written report of the incident is recorded in the child’s file.

• Depending on circumstances, we reserve the right to charge parents for the additional hours worked.
• Ofsted may be informed:

0300 123 1231