Parental Repsonsibility

[thumperrabbit]

I've posted this in the Lounge area as I know it's not seen by non-forum members and I need a moan!

 

When you have handed a child over to a parent at pick up time at what point do they become the parents responsibility?

 

Our parents just don't seem to be bothered about their little ones this year - they are too busy chatting to care whether their little one has run out of the building and it's driving us mad - why can't they see their child running across a car park when there's lots of movement going on?!

We are scared that there might be an accident, but our policy states children are parents repsonsibility once we hand them over.

 

I am a H&S nightmare kind of person BUT parents need to take care of their own children surely - or am I being too harsh?

[louby loo]

No. We had the same problems earlier this year when a parent actually lost her child!

 

No blame was put on us- as she admitted herself that she had taken him out the door- but then she started chatting and the child run off. Luckily he had just gone to the park- and another parent had actually heard the child trying to tell mum they[the child] were going!

A few heart-stopping moments for everyone, but it was a wake-up call for all our parents.

[Panders]

\moan away it does seem to be fairly common I'm afraid. I consider my responsibility to be over when child and parent are re-united. Back in the summer we had parents still chatting in the grounds after we had tidied up and prepared for home ourselves, their children were running round and round the outside of the building, but, there are so many hazards out there for them. It's like they just forget

[lsp]

Our parents sign to accept their child, we write the time down and the child is let out of the door. Parents do allow their children to go over a small mound into the car parking area whilst they walk round. Cars are reversing etc. It's not our car park so totally parents responsibility but won't stop us feeling bad if something happens!

[thumperrabbit]

Forum buddies - Thank you so much for your replies with this

 

Because all the children finish at the same time it can be tricky to see that every child is holding a parents hand when walking through the door (which we do man) but some children are running out inbetween other parents legs anything to escape and the person on the door is shouting and having to run after them which the children see as a game (ggrrrrr!) but at the end of the day we have passed over the child to a parent/carer.

I'm concerned that should something happen in this blame culture it could become our fault?

[Guest]

We make it really clear to parents that once they have "taken" their child, s/he is their responsibility, even if they are still in the building. We point out that if they allow their children to enter rooms where there are no staff, chairs stacked on tables, etc, etc, we are not responsible. A few year ago,we had a parent allow their child to run up and down the corridor and he tripped and gashed his head badly on a door post. The parent just stood there and didn't move, despite the blood gushing. A few days later, he was still allowing the child to run up and down!

[kristina]

We where once told by Ofsted that until the child physically leaves our registered area they are still our responsibility even if we have handed over to parent/carer.

[Guest]

I think I would say I've handed over responsibility as soon as the parent has signed them out. I man the door to stop runaways until that point! Once they've signed and gone through the door into the cloakroom area, I consider them out of my hands as such.

[thumperrabbit]

We where once told by Ofsted that until the child physically leaves our registered area they are still our responsibility even if we have handed over to parent/carer.

Ah, ok this seems more of an actual 'point of responsibility' so I take that to mean the actual building, do you Kristina?

Our children are actually handed over in our main hall, but then they have to walk through a entrance hall area (we use it as cloakroom) and although a staff member 'loiters' we feel we've handed over in the main hall.

[diesel10]

We leave them in the story room with a member of staff until their parent arrives and then they are called out. A member of staff on the door then directs them to their parent.

 

I'm sure the parent feels that they are then their responsibility but in a safe environment. Dangers still need to be pointed out to these 'adults' ie we have to put a sign up 'please shut the gate'. Perhaps a sign saying carparks are dangerous places for young children is needed.

[lsp]

I suppose you could say that in terms of health and safety their 'safety' is our responsibility whilst on our premises but surely the parent has a responsibility to ensure that they keep their child safe once signed or handed over.

[thumperrabbit]

The mum in me of course wants them to be safe all the way home BUT I feel the more we do the more is expected of us.

I feel this is an accident waiting to happen & im not sure how far our responsibility lies

[lsp]

I suppose you could say that in terms of health and safety their 'safety' is our responsibility whilst on our premises but surely the parent has a responsibility to ensure that they keep their child safe once signed or handed over.

I mean in terms of any other visitor that uses our building and that implication that they also have a legal responsibility to keep themselves safe as well. Once the child is signed over to the parent they would become a 'visitor' under the responsibilty of the parent. IMHO.

 

I must admit that our parents are quite good at leaving our compound. We hand the children out to them so they dont actually come inside the building at the end of the session. The car park is for general use for any using the village playing field.

 

Could you arrange a visit from the local road safety team? Is there still such a thing? Maybe local community police?

[SueJ]

I have put together a document about what "Group Play" at my setting looks like including stuff about getting dirty, realistic expectations regarding supervision of children etc. and the document ends with this bit:

 

"At the end of our sessions parents should make provision for their children to be collected on time. Once children have been signed for they become the responsibility of the adult collecting them. Again parents or the adult entrusted to collect children are expected to ensure children are supervised on the premises after that time."

 

 

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[lashes2508]

Our parents don't come in at the end of session , we hand them out to them at the door , we don't let them go if a parent is talking on a mobile and ensure we have parents full attention before allowing the hand over, sadly not all parents are responsible or capable of ensuring their child is safe .

[thumperrabbit]

Our parents don't come in at the end of session , we hand them out to them at the door , we don't let them go if a parent is talking on a mobile and ensure we have parents full attention before allowing the hand over, sadly not all parents are responsible or capable of ensuring their child is safe .

This is something that I am considering doing Lashes, and for us it's a shame as those responsible parents take time to chat with keyperson about their child's day or look at some of the 'art work' they've done all whilst holding their child's hand - it's those that are chatting to each other making social plans and letting their children run off that are going to ruin it for everyone :-(

[lsp]

Could you start special key person days so that parents for XX keyperson only come in om a Mon and YY come in Tues etc?

[lashes2508]

We still have a chat with parents or key person goes out with child to give update but tapestry is also working better so parents get up date. Art work is put in art books and sent home each half term . So not all is lost

[thumperrabbit]

Thank you both some ideas to take to the staff meeting