Safeguarding and Welfare Requirement: Child Protection

Providers must have and implement a policy, and procedures, to safeguard children.

Safeguarding Children

1.6 Uncollected Child

Policy statement

In the event that a child is not collected by an authorised adult at the end of a session/day, we put 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.

Procedures

• Parents of children starting at the pre-school are asked to provide the following specific information which is recorded on our Admission form and/or Record Card:

• 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 telephone number and helpful contact information (if applicable).
• Mobile telephone number (if applicable).
• Names and contact telephone numbers of people to contact in an emergency.
• 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 should inform us 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 should 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 by using a password system.
• Parents are informed that if they are not able to collect the child as planned, they must advise us of who will be collecting and set up a password if required.
• We inform parents that in the event their children are not collected from pre-school by an authorised adult after the session finishes, the following procedure will be implemented.

–     The child’s file is checked for any information about changes to the normal collection routines.

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

–       If this is unsuccessful, we work through the ‘Emergency Contact’ list on the child’s Admission Form and ask them to arrange collection.

–     The child does not leave the premises with anyone other than those named on the Emergency Contact List or a person nominated by a parent using our password system.

–     If no-one collects the child after one hour and there is no-one who can be contacted to collect the child we contact our local authority children’s social services care team:

–     The child stays at pre-school in the care of two members of staff (one being senior) until the child is safely collected either by the parent/carer or by a social care worker.

–     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 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 our Incident file and Child Protection Folder.
• Depending on circumstances, we reserve the right to charge parents for the additional hours worked by our staff.
• Ofsted will be informed if social services are involved and may be informed at our discretion.

• Our local Early Years Childcare Advisor may also be informed.

Other useful Pre-school Learning Alliance publications:

• Safeguarding Children (2013)

This policy has an annual review period and, as such, will be reviewed and signed off at a management committee meeting of Cullompton Pre-School each year, as shown below.

This policy will now be reviewed every three years.