any advice quickly please

**tulip0803** · 13-03-2008, 05:48 PM

Originally Posted by hazel2

its not ilegal, but if anything happens to the children then parents are in serious trouble.

hazelx

Hazel's right there is no legal age for baby-sitting. There is also no law that says that you cannot leave any child alone

. Providing they are safe and have access to food and water ( like a pet!). It is only if it is for a long period or if something happens that the parent can then be charged with abandonment , neglect or child endangerment! This came from police at child protection course

.

**Michelle M** · 13-03-2008, 05:49 PM

I had the same situation her brother was 12 and he was looking after her until 9pm when the parents came home from work I was shocked, I am glad she isn’t on my books anymore

**elaineg** · 13-03-2008, 08:20 PM

I dont think the school I pick up from would allow a child to go off with a 12 year old. do they know hes looking after her until 6.

love Elaine XXX

**flora** · 13-03-2008, 08:27 PM

Originally Posted by disney

i have rang mum , made a fool of myself im afraid . as last week we changed contracts and she said she didnt want me to have her any more after school on thursdays . sorry guys i forgot

so her brother is picking her up and looking after her x

better you made a fool of yourself than didn't check it out.

**michellethegooner** · 13-03-2008, 08:45 PM

had something similiar to this a few yrs ago had a girl of 7 who came to me after school, on contract mum had put down older brother (21yrs) herself and older sister (19) to pick up dd, anyway one day the girls 11yr brother turned up to pick up his sister all I had from mum was txt saying she was working late and the girls 'brother' wud b picking her up not which one.

Anyway when I seen this young lad at my door I was furious with mum as I knew the 20 min walk these 2 had ahead of them in the dark through a quiet badly lit walkthrough and I decided it was not worth the risk and then rang mother and 2 emergency contacts no answer on emergency contacts and mums phone went to answerphone, I left a message stating that under no circumstances would I leave either child take the walk home alone and they would stay at my home until she contacted me with a agreed adult to pick them up.

she rang bck not very happy and I explained that I was not allowed to let her daughter leave my premises with any one other than who we agreed and that I would also be applying the late collection charges as I had not agreed to this pick up.

When mum eventually arrived I explained my reasons and used an example stating if something happened i would be held responsable and the child's care and safety is my priority mum accepted this and apolagised I now have it included in my policy that no miners are permitted to collect any mindees.

Michelle x

**disney** · 13-03-2008, 09:21 PM

i agree with all this and no one under 16 will be allowed to pick their child up from me , but mum is not contracted for thursdays so really dont know what i can do . have just started my nspcc child protection course and it says that their is not a legal age when a child can be left & that you are not breaking the law as long as the child is safe and no harm can come to them .

dont know if the school knows he is picking her up , maybe not as school finishes at 3.15 but she stays behind untill 4.15 for dance club

also he waits for her outside the gates

**Twinkles** · 13-03-2008, 09:32 PM

This reminds me of a few years ago. Wendy and I used to pick up from a nursery at lunchtime and a mum used to park outside and get her five year old to go in to collect her four year old sister!!! One particular day we saw them standing alone at the side of the road with no mum in sight, turns out mum had parked at a different entrance and the five year old had forgotten.
We were really cross with the school for allowing this and let them know in no uncertain terms.
Bl**dy lazy mare !!

**tinkerbell_85** · 14-03-2008, 02:21 PM

I would either ring the parents and ask if this is what is happening becuase sometimes children can get things into their head which aren't the case. do you know what i mean?
Plus if you aren't there and the child isn't going home with her brother, then is the parents going to get funny with you?

Personally i would be there to pick the child home and say that u haven't heard it from an adult so you'll carry on as normal.

Tinkerbell