insurance implications for 11 year old off site

[HDL]

hi
I am not registered yet but have had quite a few people asking for after school places when I start. One lady has asked me to have her 11 year old son. He will walk back to my house from school on his own, have a snack etc then go out with his friends until his parents pick him up at 6pm.

I feel REALLY uncomfortable with this as I would be being paid to look after him but not doing that and anything could happen when he is out. Also where do I stand on insurance for this?

Any help / opinions appreciated. Would you do it? (my gut feel is no)
Thanks
Lisa

[sarah707]

Which insurance company are you with? You need to chat to them really if you are concerned.

I have looked after teens over the years and I have had an independent arrival procedure, permissions, behaviour agreements etc in place.

However I make it clear my care for them does not start until they arrive on my doorstep and then they are here until parents collect.

They can watch TV, do homework, use the computers, play electronic things, help with cooking etc but they don't go off wandering.

Hth

[The Juggler]

I think I would do what Sarah does if I ever had older ones, they can play out with friends once they go home so getting homework etc out the way here seems sensible.

I am happy having an independent arrival policy but once they are here - if they want me responsible for the child they stay here

[caz3007]

I have older children that arrive independantly but they stay in when they are here. I have looked after them for a long time and have had children they know knock for them to go out to play, but the answer is always no and they understand why

[nokidshere]

I have older children that arrive independantly but they stay in when they are here. I have looked after them for a long time and have had children they know knock for them to go out to play, but the answer is always no and they understand why

My older ones can go outside with permission but have to stay where I can see them in the cul de sac.

[huggableshelly]

same as Sarah for 11 year olds

I do have a 13 year old this summer, had him for 2 summers now but this year will be different.

The agreement is that he arrives indepentantly for lunch around 12pm and stays until 2pm then if he has somewhere to go he may leave with permission from parent on to his next activity or he stays with me until 3pm at pick up time. Parent pays till 2pm or 3pm if staying and it is written into the contract that once he leaves me I am no longer responsable for him and my insurance does not cover him.

[marzi]

Thanks for asking the question HDL as I was wondering the same, everyone round here seems to let their kids out straight after school and they just wander the streets on their own.

[miffy]

I'm with Sarah on this. I wouldn't want to be responsible for a child when I didn't know where they were, who they were with or what they were doing!

If you're not sure about it then don't do it, just not worth the hassle!

Miffy xx

[christine e]

insurance issues and parental permission aside my concerns would be that if they got into some sort of bother whilst they were away from you who would they be ringing for help. Parents? I doubt it they would be ringing me and that is what I would not want!

Cx

[PixiePetal]

Which insurance company are you with? You need to chat to them really if you are concerned.

I have looked after teens over the years and I have had an independent arrival procedure, permissions, behaviour agreements etc in place.

However I make it clear my care for them does not start until they arrive on my doorstep and then they are here until parents collect.

They can watch TV, do homework, use the computers, play electronic things, help with cooking etc but they don't go off wandering.

Hth

same for mine

Mindee used to leave school, i phoned her mobile to check she was on her way or she text me. Arrived at mine, text her mum to say she has arrived mum text back to say message received and I started then.

[Heaven Scent]

I had one too a couple of years ago and he was a nightmare - it could well have been because he had aspergers - at first I met him ouside or near the school then we agreed that he would meet me at other schools I picked up from but he would go wandering off and would sometimes keep me and younger ones waiting and come back with huge bags of sweets that he'd bought from his dinner money from an ice cream van that pulled up near one of the schools (this should have been banned) At the other school he would go off into the chicken shed and chase them On occastions when I didn't have a school run till later he would turn up late having been to the shops and lie through his teeth about where he'd been. I'd often catch him chatting to much older lads and they would be making fun of him but he wouldn't realise it - If I asked him who he was talking to he'd say they were his friends in 6th form but would never know their names. He regularly had to stay behind for detention.

The other thing he did was he brought loads of unsuitable play station games & videos. Then he'd swear finfront of the LO's and tell them to shut up etc. He did tell 6 & 4 year old sisters to believe in Santa for as long as they can and didn't see what was wrong with that - to him there was nothing wrong with it - their mum was livid and read the riot act - silly woman - I put it right with the girlies - mum was a single parent and wanted to be his "friend" and spoke to him as though he was an adult so he had very few boundaries. He left me half way through the year to be allowed to get the bus home and go home alone Mum worked a fair distance from home - he only came to school in this town because of his difficulties and it was close to mum's work.

I've never heard anything about him again so don't know how its all gone????