Learning journeys taken

[Guest]

From one thing to another. We had a busy couple of months with staff problems and now it has turned out that a member of staff we have let go off has actually taken children's learning journeys from a previous setting off the premises and never returned them.

 

We now have the issue that the business owner is very cross (understandably), the parents are upset and the blame goes to the current staff team.

 

The business owner is finding out of there is anything we can do to retrieve them as there is no way of contacting the previous member of staff and our advisory teacher from the council says we should inform OFSTED etc

 

so now I am trying to work our what we are going to do from now on? I have made it clear that no items must be taken off premises but in the past before I worked there it was acceptable and no one cared. Now the business owners wants all files locked away with not even key persons having access unless a manager signs that off!

 

So I am trying to find the balance in regards to storage and safekeeping vs. not wasting a load of time and loosing observations just because they can't quickly be out inside the children's folders. Also my office is on the top floor and I don't know what members of staff remove when they are leaving unless I check their bags! We also do not have CCTV.

 

What policies do you have in your settings? So you have any problems with this? This is an issue I have never encountered.

[larnielass]

Hi Missdoofus,

Not had this in my setting so I can't offer any solutions. Is there really no way that the member of staff can be contacted? Was anyone particularly friendly with her? Perhaps an informal approach might work.

As to LJ'S, we tend to use post it notes during the session and add to a plastic wallet later on and then update the LJ out of session.

Good luck.

[Andreamay]

can she be contacted via FB? I would tell her if they are not returned you will have to get the police involved as you wonder why she would need to keep them! I would write a clear policy and ask staff to sign to say they understand and adhere to it and the consequesnces if they do not! They do need access to their childs lJ IMO

[narnia]

I agree; she needs to be warned, formally that the police will be involved if she doesn't return them within whatever time frame you decide. These are important documents and she must know that she is going to end up in all kinds of trouble if she keeps them. The danger for you is that you might become responsible, as her employer if there is a problem. The 'O' people might want to know why she was allowed ( even if you didn't know she had done it) to take hem off premises. i'd be chasing her for them, even if i had to go to her home for them myself. Good luck

[Guest]

Hi everyone! Thanks, we have tried to call and email and mentioned all things above and also have LA involved. We have spoken to the parent who knows a few people at her school and will try to get in contact with her as she would just really like to have it.

I already have policies in place for this (confidentiality policy and storage of information policy) and we have discussed this many times during staff meetings. However she was one of the "old" members of staff left before I came in and they were doing all sorts of things in the past the way they wanted to.

I also wrote a new code of conduct that clearly states that children's LJs mustn't be taken off site and I am pretty confident all my current staff have gotten this in their head now..

Thanks for the advice! I have never had to deal with anything like this before... oO