Teacher broke schools child safeguarding rules - WWYD?

iammumtoone

fabforty wrote: »

'Couldn't be bothered to be on time' is a bit strong - there was a security incident and she was held up in traffic - a 10 minute drive took an hour.

Then there will have been lots of children still at the school.

I am not sure what I would do in this case, I would definitely make it clear that in future I would rather my child be taken to the office, but some of the other parents might be rely on this teacher helping them out if late and it would be unfair on them to stop it if they are happy with the arrangement.

tea_lover

suejb2 wrote: »

The other child was a classmate waiting with his dad. Does your friend feel uneasy letting her daughter go to parties or teas at classmates houses?

In those situations the parents would be fully aware that they were responsible for all the children there, and you'd have the option of deciding whether or not you were happy for your child to be there.

In this situation it isn't even clear that the father knew he'd been left in charge - ok, the teacher apparently said to him to take the child to the office but there's no proof that he heard this, took it on board, etc. As a parent collecting a child from school he should never have been put in that position, it's completely unfair on him.

maman

I think I'd definitely have another word with the teacher to make her aware that I was unhappy with the situation and why but also to apologise for being late. I'd also be asking why no one seemed to be in the office to take a phone call. The teacher made an error of judgement. She trusted your friend to be on time and she wasn't although she was unavoidably delayed.


I think that's enough at this point.


I hope those that are jumping up and down calling for the teacher's blood are blameless themselves. This teacher will learn from her mistake. It doesn't need a disciplinary process to bring that about.

Mojisola

I would get your friend to take a deep breath and stop worrying about 'what might have beens'.

I would definitely talk privately to the teacher and say that, if she was delayed again, she would prefer that the school's rules were followed and that the child should be taken to the office but not make any great fuss about this incident.

Had the teacher actually left the school? For her to be off site within 15 minutes of the children leaving class would be unusual in most schools. If the teacher had left but the classroom assistant was still on site, it seems strange that she wasn't asked to look after the child.

Your friend might not have known the other parent but the teacher surely did. He could be someone who volunteers at school or is a governor or has a job like a police officer and would be judged competent to escort a child to the office.

Angry_Bear

I hate to be the one who asks "that" question .... but would you be freaking out quite as much if it was the mother of one of your child's classmates?

I understand that safeguarding is there for a reason, but I do feel sorry for dads who are made to feel like they're all just one step away from being a child molester .

[Deleted User]

Angry_Bear wrote: »

I hate to be the one who asks "that" question .... but would you be freaking out quite as much if it was the mother of one of your child's classmates?

I understand that safeguarding is there for a reason, but I do feel sorry for dads who are made to feel like they're all just one step away from being a child molester .

As a Dad.. I'd be a bit upset if another parent was worried about me looking after my kid and theirs - given that I see a lot of the childern and parents at parties anyway.

I think it's blowing up the worry of safeguarding children - after all, statistically, children are at more risk from their own parents and not other parents.

What would I do - probably send the other parent a message on Facebook thanking them for looking after my child

tea_lover

Angry_Bear wrote: »

I hate to be the one who asks "that" question .... but would you be freaking out quite as much if it was the mother of one of your child's classmates?

I understand that safeguarding is there for a reason, but I do feel sorry for dads who are made to feel like they're all just one step away from being a child molester .

My main concern with the situation would be that it wasn't fair to put a parent (of any gender) in that situation. The child could have been injured, or wandered off, or got upset at being the last one there.... none of which is fair on a passing parent who's only ended up with the extra child because the teacher isn't doing their job properly.

iammumtoone

If I was in the situation of the OPs friend I would not be worried about safeguarding as such. I would trust any parent at the school is no danger.

It would be more a case of leaving a four year old with someone they do not know, the situation would have worried my son at that age wondering where I was and being 'left' with a stranger, he would have felt more comfortable following the routine that was expected of the school.

But of course as someone pointed out above the father could have been known to the pupils, perhaps he helps out in the class or is on the PTA. He must have been well trusted to be left alone in a classroom with no teacher.

jackyann

I do take your point mumtoone that he could be a 'known' (in the nicest way!) parent. I once drove some children home from school, in a very unusual situation (boring to explain, and days before mobile phones!).
I was a school governor, known to work with children. Had we followed 'procedure' the children would have been some hours late home.

However, I would like to gently point out that the children of offenders go to school. A parent may be on the Sex Offenders Register, and the school would not necessarily be told, so no, I would not trust that any parent at the school would be OK.

Having said that, we have to be sensible and live reasonable lives, so yes, kids should go to other kids' homes - most parents,if they don't know the family already, ask around a bit, don't let the child go for too long at first visit etc. until they feel comfortable with the family.

This is different - teacher was the responsible adult. OP has received a range of advice, and I hope that her friend can arrive at something that feels comfortable. And any parent, however hard they try to anticipate problems may be late. A sensible Head does not give a 'talking to' on an odd occasion. Part of the problem I got involved in (above) concerned major road closures over some hours.

usefulmale

AylesburyDuck wrote: »

I'd be livid i'm afraid, if this teacher is going to ASSUME this parent/father was safe to leave another parents child with then why have criminal record checks and the such like AT ALL!
Wether she thought she was doing the parent a favour is irrelevant, wether it all turned out ok in the end is irrelevant also as frankly it may not have, as a parent i'd rather take a dressing down on the chin than have my child in ANY form or other put in potential harms way.

BOO. You should be ashamed of yourself. Projecting your own pathetic fears onto your child, who will grow up scared of their own shadow.

If that's not actual emotional abuse, it's pretty close.