Childminder forgot to collect child

I minded children for a while. I never forgot to pick them up from school. They are waiting and depending on me! It is the first time that I will see them all day, school ending time is a universally known time!

I would get a new childminder

I could maybe take a view if the childminder was extremely apologetic but from the sounds of it, they didn't understand what a huge deal it was and that for me would rule them out as a childmindef

No most cm don’t forget to pick up

This was your/his 2nd day

Cm forgot. That’s bad enough but then to not go and get child

And make you leave work is dreadful

Let alone no proper apologies

Def use a different cm

We had a ditsy, disorganised childminder who without fail always “forgot” to pack one of the few things the child came with (jacket/hat/water bottle). Every single fucking time, I stood at her door going... X’s Water bottle. X’s hat... and she’s be scrambling trying to find it.

But to to forget the child?

No. Most childminders do not forget children. That’s just something that poster was probably told by colleagues to make her feel better.

@ChildminderMum
I think every childminder has done this at least once.
Really? I hope not.
Not professional, not caring, very bad for child, parents and your business

@MummyNico What did you decide to do? Have you discussed with childminder?

I don’t doubt this happens very occasionally but I wouldn’t want anyone to think it’s common or normalise it.

Having worked with many childcarers, I’ve never known one to forget a child. I have known childcarers put in impossible positions when parents forget to say their child will be on a trip or in an after-school class. I’ve known children left uncollected because mum and dad can take decide which of then is meant to collect. And I’ve been called in to school to collect a child who turned out to have absolutely no connection to me whatsoever.

@kayakingmum...Thag was in NewYork not the uk loads of children die of this over there they are now publishing dont forget your child advice for busy parents and adults like give you child the phone and set reminders to say dont forget baby...the daycare system in the us is very different

Childminders are human an we have all made mistakes. However, I don't think it's fair to say that most of us have forgotten to pick up a child.

I would forgive a childminder who forgot a child on one occasion, was mortified, apologetic and did everything in their power to make amends.

It sounds like this childminder couldn't give two hoots about the child, the OP or her reputation. She needs binning ASAP because she is likely to make other serious errors and dismiss them in an equally offhand manner.

I think almost every childminder has done this once to be honest - usually if it's a new pick up or change of days.
I have never forgotten to collect a child. It is a fear I have, that one day I do forget, so I check and double check. The worst was when I did a lunch time nursery pick up, so I had an alarm set on my phone to remind me and I was always there. I always double check before I leave school and also do a bit of a check to make sure parents/grandparents are there on the days I don’t have the child, just to be sure the dc aren’t going to be left.
I actually don’t think I know a cm who has forgotten a child tbh.

I’d be looking to change my childcare if I were you. I’d forever worry about getting that call again to say the dc had been left again and I think the trust would be gone for me.

I've been childminding for 26 years and have never forgotten to collect a child . That's our job to remember where we're meant to be

My sons CM forgot him (was at school as did pick up but I'd asked for extra day). As school rang me she rang me so I told school and said I'd ring back. She was already going back up the road in pissing rain and apologising massively. She didn't charge for session either. She's only got 50m from playground when she remembered.

I didn't mind as she handled it well I thought. (I'd also forgotton ds before )

It's not the mistake it's the action after that bothers me.

I find the previous comment that most childminders will forget a child somewhat insulting. Good organised professional childminders don't forget children. All the childminders I know have a daily list of children they are collecting so it is impossible to forget a child.

I would look for another childminder. The fact she didn't go and collect your child once she realised her mistake is terrible.

We had a flaky and unreliable childminder but she never forgot pick up! It's the basics, surely

@kayakingmum

That was in America and not a registered childminder. The rules in America are very different to here and you’d be shocked by the hoops we have to jump through in the UK to become registered with Ofsted including health declarations from gps, DBS, 12 hour paediatric first aid and other training etc. Just to give everyone who reads this thread the heads up so this post doesn’t turn into another childminder bashing thread, although that probably wasn’t your intention.

Op I don’t think you’d be overreacting if you decided to look for another childminder due to her reaction. We’d be mortified if we forgot a child and one of us would have gone straight back to collect them. Maybe have a meeting with her to see what she will put in place to stop this happening in the future. If you are not comfortable leaving your child with her or you feel your trust has gone, it’s best for everyone, including the childminder, for you to look for another childminder

Oh my god, that's horrific. No, it's not as bad as that. Those poor parents.

In almost 9 years of minding Ive never forgotten a child. I have alarms and daily lists with me all the time.

If I ever had I would be apologising profusely, offering a full refund and be straight on Amazon to send an apology to your son. The lack of caring is the most upsetting thing I think.

It is now going to be difficult for you to find alternative arrangements but I think you should leave her

I'd get a new childminder. I could get past this incident if she had been mortified and extremely apologetic as others have said but its her lack of reaction that's the issue. She should gone straight back to school to get him.

We used a childminder for a few years, she was really organised, kept me informed and I trusted her completely. You have to have that trust, they are responsible for your children.

No I'd be finding a new childminder immediately and asking for refund of sessions made. She's broken your contract.

Nowhere near as bad as what happened to a couple that my partner told me about yesterday -
After 6 miscarages the couple succeeded in having a baby. The child minder forgot about the baby in the back of the car. The baby died of heat exhaustion :( So sad.

My view is the best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour.
Your childminder forgot about your child once, it would happen again.

Your poor son, I honestly think if she fails to get back to you this evening with a proper apology then I would be finding a new cm. If it was me I would be beside myself and apologising profusely whilst offering an immediate refund.
You will be worried each time it gets to 3.20 and wondering if she’s picked him up.

You do have to consider though, how long will it take you to line up new childcare. I know round here everywhere is full for childcare, especially if you need specific days, so you may be stuck hoping that this CM is going to do a better job for a few months until you can sort something else out.

I'd be shocked at her reaction op. She should have been out the door the minute she knew she'd forgotten him.

The fact that he was still officially in her care at the point the school notified you means that, in my view, the CM 100% should have gone back and picked him up regardless of the inconvenience.

I could forgive the mistake as a one off but the fact that the CM isn't mortified gives the impression that she doesn't think it's that big a deal and that's what's worrying.