Policy for me picking up and dropping off

[Shona Reynolds]

Looking for some advice regarding me picking up child and dropping off. I have had a parent come to me but would need me to collect and drop off which i don't mind but looking for advice to protect myself in such an instance where something happens to my car or my child falls ill etc and i can not travel? Not sure what to do put?

[sarah707]

There is no requirement to have a policy - you just need to talk it through with the parent and discuss 'what if...' scenarios

[moggy]

That isn't a policy you need, as Sarah said, but I would want to make it clear in the contract and specific to that family/journey.

[Mouse]

You might not need a policy, but I would certainly want something in writing that set out various scenarios and what you would do in each situation. Either write it as a policy, or as an attachment to the contract, but make sure parents sign it so they know the rules.

You need to sit and think about all the possible things that could happen:

What if they aren't ready when you get there and you need to get home for other children arriving?

What if parents aren't home when you go to do the drop off?

What if their child falls ill during the day - will you have to drop them home?

What if you couldn't get to their house because of car troubles or bad weather?

What would happen if you collected the child in the morning, but then couldn't drop them off at home for some reason?

What would happen if it got to the point where collection and drop off wasn't convenient any more?

If your own child was ill you would probably have to close anyway, so that would be covered in your policies/contract by what happens in the event of you or your family being ill.

[bunyip]

All good advice from previous posts.

As with all policies, think about what you will/won't do and as many "what if's" as possible.

Remember Rule One of Life: "5h1t happens"

....and Rule Two; "It's what you do about it that counts."

Write down your thoughts in a way someone else will understand.

Get a few "someone elses" to check and see what they understand/misinterpret.


Above all, don't put the pick-up and drop-off in the contract. Just contract to the times you will provide care. Point this out clearly to the parents, that you will make every effort to do so, but there are sensible reasons not to commit to pick-up/drop-off contractually because there may be occasions when circumstances will make it impossible.