Policy statement

In the event that a child is not collected by an authorised adult or the appointed childcare organisation at the end of a session/day, the pre-school puts into practice agreed procedures. These ensure the child is cared for safely by an experienced and qualified practitioner who is known to the child. We will ensure that the child receives 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.

EYFS key themes and commitments

1.3 Keeping safe

1.4 Health and well-being

2.2 Parents as partners

3.4 The wider context

Procedures

§ Parents of children starting at the setting are asked to provide the following specific information which is recorded in our Induction Form Pack:

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 of how they can be contacted and we record this in the daily diary or child’s personal file.

§ On occasions when parents or the persons normally authorised to collect the child are not able to collect the child, they provide us with details of the person who will be collecting their child. We agree with parents how to 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. We provide parents with our contact telephone number.

§ We inform parents of the procedures below that we apply in the event that their children are not collected from setting by an authorised adult within one hour after the setting has closed and the staff can no longer supervise the child on our premises.

§ If a child is not collected at the end of the session/day, we apply the following procedures:

The child’s file and setting diary is checked for any information about changes to the normal collection routines.
If no information is available, parents/carers or the authorised childcare organisation are contacted at the most likely telephone number.
If this is unsuccessful, the adults who are authorised by the parents to collect their child from the setting - and whose telephone numbers are recorded in the child’s induction forms - 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 after one hour and there is no-one who can be contacted to collect the child, we apply the procedures for uncollected children:
We contact our local authority children’s services care team:

01289 334000

(telephone number)

The child stays at setting in the care of two fully-vetted workers until the child is safely collected either by the parents or by a social care worker.
Children’s Services 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 do staff go to look for the parent, nor do they take the child home with 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 by our staff.

§ Ofsted may be informed:

0300 123 1231

(telephone number)

§ Our local Early Year’s Consultant may also be informed

Pauline Fairbairn 07766 496968

(name and telephone number)

Useful Pre-school Learning Alliance publications:

§ Child Protection Record (2007)