2.3.6 Collection from School and Lost Children |
SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER
This Chapter refers to the duties of staff in the Afterschool Club collecting children from school and also includes guidance regarding Lost Children. This chapter should be read in conjunction with Health and Safety Procedure.
RELEVANT LONDON CHILD PROTECTION PROCEDURES
This Chapter should be read in conjunction with the following London Child Protection Procedures:
Supplementary Guidance Section 4: Safeguarding Children Missing from Care and Home
Supplementary Guidance Section 2: Safeguarding Children Missing from School
Contents
1. Staff Duties
In line with the playcentres Health & Safety Policy, the children's safety must be paramount at all times. Staff should strictly follow the procedures for collecting children from school to attend the afterschool club.
Staff should ensure that they have a written list of the children to be collected from school complete with the name of their teacher and the class.
Staff should be in attendance at the meeting place before the end of the school day, so that they are ready to collect the children.
All information from a teacher regarding a child who has been collected must be noted.
Staff must ensure if any information is given by a teacher of a confidential matter it should be written and sealed in an envelope to be given to the parent when collecting their child.
A risk assessment should be undertaken regarding collection of children, however this cannot cover for unexpected circumstances and staff should maintain an awareness of risks, hazards and dangers surrounding them and must be able to see children at all times.
The ratio for walking children to the Playcentre will comply with OFSTED guidance based on the age of the children. Staff should ensure that children are supervised at all times whilst walking back to the playcentre. If collecting by transport, children should be wearing seat belts and the staff should ensure they have safely shut the door and that they have made safety checks.
Staff should contact the office or teacher if a child who is on the list does not arrive at the meeting point and clarify whether they have been absent from school.
2. Lost Children
Staff should be aware of the situations that could result in children being lost while the child is in their care. For example:
- This could be during a Playcentre outing where the child wanders off. (See Outings and Trips Procedure)
- or a child leaves the Playcentre without permission
- or if a child has been taken by an unauthorised adult. See Section 2.3, Collection of Children of Working in Partnership with Parents Procedure
Should a child become lost staff should inform the member of staff in charge, who should make enquiries as to when the child was last seen and where.
Supervision, safety and security of the other children should remain paramount.
One staff member should be selected to search the building and immediate vicinity to try and find the child, if this is unsuccessful the staff should open up the search further and keep in contact with the playcentre by phone. If staff are unable to find the child within 15 minutes a member of staff must contact the Play and Youth Office and the parents to inform them of the lost child. The Police should be contacted if staff have been unsuccessful finding the child.
After the situation has been resolved, the staff should review how and why the incident happened and how and ensure measures are taken so it does not happen again.
End