Advice please

[janminder]

I was asked last week if I could look after a 7yr old after school but take home to her 14yr old sister at 6.15 as they live close by, I said I was not allowed to do this as 16yrs is the age for collection and I would use that as an age for drop off too and would not feel comfortable about this anyway. She has again approached me today and said that surely if she gives me written permission I should be able to do this. I have again said I cannot do this but I would ask Ofsted.

What would you do?

[miffy]

Only do what you feel comfortable with and don't let the parent pressurize you to do something else.

Miffy xx

[wendywu]

I thought that you could babysit at 14 years old

[miffy]

I thought that you could babysit at 14 years old

There's no legal age for babysitting

https://www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q455.htm

Miffy xx

[janminder]

So looking at the 'ask the police' (thanks Miffy and Wendywu) if I left her and something happened would I be responsible for leaving or the parent for giving me permission.

[mushpea]

it does say anyone who had responsibiliby for the child could be prosicuted which would be yourself when you drop off but it also said the same about the parent so you could get the parents to sign somthing to say that once you have dropped the 7yrold off that you no longer have responsibility for the child and that the parent accepts any responsibility/liability for anything that happens to the child once dropped off,,
if you did that you would need to be able to prove what time you dropped the child off I would think.

[boxtree7]

I wouldn't do it

[candylove13]

it does say anyone who had responsibiliby for the child could be prosicuted which would be yourself when you drop off but it also said the same about the parent so you could get the parents to sign somthing to say that once you have dropped the 7yrold off that you no longer have responsibility for the child and that the parent accepts any responsibility/liability for anything that happens to the child once dropped off,,
if you did that you would need to be able to prove what time you dropped the child off I would think.

I agree that you would need to prove what time you dropped mindee off, like an attendance sheet. Although, I'm thinking a signature off a 14 year old probably wouldn't count for much if anything was to happen. I wouldn't feel comfortable doing it myself.