HappyMaz Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 As a self-confessed (but recovering) control freak, I am experimenting lately with leaving the (very experienced and capable) staff team to get on with things when I need to get home and work on an assignment/do invoicing etc. Someone usually texts or emails to let me know if anything notable happens during the rest of the session, because they understand my need to know... Yesterday our deputy supervisor emailed about something else and then almost as a 'ps' says that when one of the staff opened a little boy's bag to help him put his indoor shoes away at home time, she found his mum's cigarettes and lighter inside his backpack - where they had been sitting in the cloakroom all morning within the reach of any inquisitive child who cared to go looking! Talk about sharp intake of breath! We had an incident of a child eating another boy's sandwiches out of his backpack during our free play session, but can you imagine going to the cloakroom and finding a child playing with a cigarette lighter? My brain was pinging around in my head like a cartoon character's! I've calmed down now - but I did envisage a Daily Mail type headline "Pre-school installs infra-red bag checking equipment to stamp out juvenile smoking habits"... Perhaps I need an "items not to be put in your child's backpack" policy - I haven't written a new policy in weeks! Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 umm interesting i have in the past put in a newsletter about items found in bags and asked that only a change of clothing or nappies should be left in bags (childrens of course!) - nothing else!!!! Mind does boggle though!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narnia Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 we've had tampons, medicines(not the child's)........suncream in a jam jar(!), paracetamol, car keys (lots of fun that day!!!), so yes, then we tick off the parent involved, where necessary, and send out a general letter...please, no.....whatever's in the bags Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Yes, I'e had natural, herbal substance found in lunch bag, which I discovered is a 'poison' if not administered correctly. In another childs bag we found adult painkillers, on two occasions, the second time after speaking with mum, she said the child must have put it there himself, which in itself begged the question of safe care at home ( this was noted on an incident report which parent then signed. I like your humourous approach to this matter, and well done to your vigilant staff ( who obviously cope very well without you ) Maybe not a policy to have to write yet, but may I suggest at least a new risk assessment, look forward to seeing an example HappyMaz. Peggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 And it's not just what is in their bags but in their pockets too! One of our boys had a Swiss army knife and was showing it to a very interested group of children. He had borrowed it from his older brother's bedroom! Perhaps we need to install airport type security! Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dublinbay Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Perhaps we need to install airport type security! Linda Can you just imagine the children walking through the scanner thingys having first put their bags through the x-ray machine! Not to mention the two rather large 'sniffer' dogs to give them the once-over!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted January 24, 2008 Author Share Posted January 24, 2008 Can you just imagine the children walking through the scanner thingys having first put their bags through the x-ray machine! Not to mention the two rather large 'sniffer' dogs to give them the once-over!!!! This would feed very well into their super hero play, wouldn't it? All very secret service/James Bond/Special Ops policing! Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie-pops Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 We had a boy who's Mum left in his back pack, on the coat rack, paracetemol - 2 full bottles of it and a box of sachets!! He was going to visit his Gran apparently, not quite sure how long he was staying to need that much. Luckily adult discovered it whilst looking for something else - shudder to think of the consequences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Dublinbay, you can tell its friday night and I have had a glass of wine...... my mind ran something like this: 'Sniffer dogs' attached to who? burly security men Maybe Daniel Craig........ etc need I say more! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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