PROCEDURE IN THE EVENT OF PARENT/CARER

FAILING TO COLLECT A CHILD.

In the event of a child not being collected by their parent or carer, at the end of a session/day, the
following procedure will be adopted:

1. A check will be made of the daily diary to see if any alternative collection arrangements have
been made.

2. The Pre-school Manager will attempt to contact the child’s parents/carers at home or at work.

3. In the event of failure as at 2 above the Manager will telephone the emergency contact(s) as
recorded on the Registration form.

4. If these actions prove unsuccessful and there is a Pre-School session in the afternoon, then the
child will remain at the Pre-School, with staff trying to make contact with the
parent/carer/emergency contact(s). The child will not be allowed to leave with any person other
than those named on the Registration Form.

If there is no further session then the Manager and another staff member will remain with the
child, at the Pre-School, trying to make contact with the parent/carer/emergency contact(s).

5. If no-one collects the child after approximately 30 minutes and we have been unable to contact
anyone we will:

 Contact our Local Authority Social Services Department (0300 555 1384) for them to
arrange for care of the child until a parent or relative can be contacted.

 A full report will then be made in our Incident book.

 OFSTED (03001231231) may be advised of the action taken.

 Service for Young Children may be informed.

 In some circumstances we may also decide to contact the Police.

6. If after a further 15 minutes, the child has still not been collected we will contact the above
agencies again.

7. The child will stay at the setting in the care of two fully vetted staff until the child is safely
collected either by parents, the emergency contact person or by a Social Care worker, or another
person specified by Social Care. Only under exceptional circumstances will staff go to look for the
parent.

8. Staff will not take the child home with them.

Depending on circumstances, we reserve the right to charge parents for the additional hours worked
by staff.
Scout Hall Preschool Ltd Policy & Procedures – reviewed 21/07/2022