Policy

Nursery collection of children policy

Updated on 1 May 2020

Any person or persons coming to collect a child from nursery must do so with the parent’s consent

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Any person or persons coming to collect a child from nursery must do so with the parent’s consent. At the time of registration the names of any person able to collect the child will be filled in on the Registration Form. We also ask for a photograph of these people which will be kept with the child’s Registration Form.

If anyone other than the usual people are coming to collect a child we need to be told in advance. The Manager must be notified with a description or a recent photograph of the person collecting. A password must also be given to the person collecting allowing access to the nursery. This password will be filled in on the Registration Form at the time of registration. We will not take information regarding the person collecting over the phone, unless it is an exceptional circumstance. In these circumstances the parent will need to provide a full description of the person collecting and they must know the password and the child’s date of birth. The Manager must then use their discretion before allowing the person to collect the child.

The person collecting will be seen as the child’s guardian and all information regarding the child’s general day will be passed on to them. Any in depth details will only be discussed with parents unless prior written consent has been given.

Under no circumstances will any child be allowed to leave the nursery with anyone other than the designated person, this includes siblings who are under 18 years of age – even if parent is waiting outside the nursery.

There may be times when staff are concerned about letting the child leave the nursery setting.

If staff consider that a parent or carer is not in a fit state to have care of the child, for example appears to be under the influence of alcohol, they will inform the Manager immediately. The Manager will refuse to permit them to take the child and make alternative arrangements by contacting an emergency contact number.

In cases where there are custody or access arrangements between parents or carers, we will only allow children to leave with those people that have parental responsibility, as stated on the child’s Registration Form. If staff have any doubts as to whether someone has parental responsibility for a child, they must check the child’s Registration Form before releasing the child from our care.

We will follow any written court or care orders that are in place and information relating to this will be filed in the child’s individual file.

If there is a situation where a parent / carer asks that we do not permit a former spouse / partner to collect a child, this should be put in writing to the Manager, especially if the spouse / partner has previously had access to the child.

However, if the spouse / partner has parental responsibility for the child and wishes to remove the child from the nursery, then legally they may have a right to do so. We suggest that in these circumstances the parent / carer who is asking us not to permit access, obtains a court order preventing the child being removed by the spouse / partner. We will then have to comply with this order (see above). Otherwise in a situation such as this, the only reason we could refuse the spouse / partner with parental responsibility the right to take the child is if they appeared to pose a risk to the child, for example, if they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs or showing signs of aggressive behaviour. In all situations like this, we will contact the parent / carer to inform them that their spouse / partner has arrived to collect the child.

In the event that a parent / carer has asked that we do not permit a former spouse / partner to collect a child, and the spouse / partner arrives at the nursery to collect the child, we will contact the parent / carer immediately. If the spouse / partner does not have parental responsibility for a child, we will not allow them to collect the child.

Enquiries

Jacky Jones

Nursery Manager

nursery@dundee.ac.uk
From Nursery
Corporate information category Nursery