Edenmore Early Education Centre with Canavan Byrne
Document Approved:
Sandra Cully
Date the Document is Effective From:
15 October 2017
Scheduled Review Date:
October 2022
Number of Pages:
4
Statement of Intent:
This policy aims to outline the protocols in relation to the arrival and collection of children from the service.
Attendance:
It is essential to the efficient running of our service that parents/guardians inform us if their child is unable to attend the service and follow up with a telephone call to inform management when the child will be returning. A register of the times and days that children attend is kept.
Arrivals
Parents/Guardians bring their child to their room and ensure a safe handover to the Teacher.
Children should arrive on time.
You should let the Teacher know if there is any important information that may affect the child’s day e.g. If they need breakfast at school, if they didn’t have a good night’s sleep, if someone else is collecting the child etc.
As the car park is often full, we ask that those who have to drive do not use parking spaces for longer than is needed.
Collection
A person collecting a child must be named on the child’s Registration form as an authorised person.
If a person collecting a child is not named on the child’s registration form as an authorised person, written or verbal permission from the parent must be provided to a staff member before collection.
On the first occasion, the person collecting the child may be asked to supply identification, for example, driver’s license.
It is our policy that people under the age of 18 cannot (except for a child’s parent/guardian) collect a child.
In the event of a parent collecting another child a prior arrangement must be made.
Car Parking
We encourage local families to walk, scoot or bike to school as our car park is often full to capacity as it is shared with the Primary Care Centre and Youth Centre. We have a bike rack where you can leave bikes/scooters.
Car parking is available for drop off and collection only. Please do not occupy spaces for longer than needed. Parents are asked to park to the left of the building as you enter the grounds from Tonlegee Road. There is also a car park via the Woodbine Road. Drive slowly entering and leaving the car park. Children must be supervised in the car park at all times. No parking is permitted on Woodbine Road or in front of the Youth Centre.
Attempted collection by a person who is not on the child’s records:
Children should be collected only by the adult/s named on the Collection Authorisation. If a person authorised to collect your child is unknown to the staff, we may ask them for I.D to confirm their identity. If a person is coming to collect your child, and is not listed as an Authorised Person, you must provide us with the details of this person (full name) and they must present some form of identification. If an unauthorised person comes to collect your child, without prior notice given, we cannot allow the child to leave until verbal confirmation has been acquired from one of the child’s legal guardians.
If the parent has not been personally contacted to authorise the collection of their child, the child will not be permitted to leave the premises until an authorised collector, as recorded in the child’s records is available.
Late Collection of Children:
We understand that sometimes a parent is unavoidably delayed when coming to collect their child. We will ensure that the child receives a high standard of care in order to cause as little distress as possible. Parents/guardians in this situation must contact the Manager to say that they will be late and arrange with staff what to do. Children are only released from the serviceto individuals named by the parent.
We reserve the right to charge a late collection fee for persistent lateness in collection of children. Our fee is €10 year for 30 minutes late.
Early Collection of Children:
We ask that parents/guardians let us know if they will be picking up their child early so that we can have the child ready and minimise disrupting the rest of the group.
Late Drop Off:
We ask parents/guardians to drop children off at the correct time to avoid disrupting the group once they have started and so that they child benefits from the full daily programme.
Separated and Divorced Parents:
Married parents are automatically joint guardians of their children. Neither separation nor divorce changes this.
We cannot refuse either parent to collect their child unless a court order is in place.
We ask that parents give us information on any person that does not have legal access to the child.
Where custody of a child is granted to one parent, we would ask parents to clarify the circumstances with us. This information will remain confidential and will only be made known to the relevant staff. If there are any legal documents i.e. custody order, barring order we would ask parents to provide us with a copy to keep on file.
Attempted collection by a parent who has been denied access in a court order:
A parent who has been denied access to a child through a court order will not be permitted on to the premises
If the parent who has been denied access becomes threatening or violent and insists on removing the child from the service, this will be viewed as trespassing. The service will in this event contact the Local Garda.
By law, an unmarried mother is the automatic guardian of a child born outside of marriage. In some circumstances, unmarried fathers have automatic access. The service should be informed about access rights. Unmarried fathers will automatically become guardians of their children if they meet a cohabitation requirement. An unmarried father who cohabits for 12 months with the child’s mother, including 3 months following a child’s birth, will automatically become the child’s guardian. This provision is not retrospective, so guardianship will only be acquired automatically where the parents live together for at least 12 months after 18 January 2016.
