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Original poster

school threatens to call police over after school club

109 replies

Locket8891 · 12/09/2018 12:53

My school provides a paid after school club for working parents.
I booked my child into the club one morning and went to work.
While at work the school called my mobile to explain my child could not attend the club today, as I have not paid the previous payment for this club.
I asked how much I owed and she told me £35 I was surprised that knowing I'm a single parent at work! That they would not allow my child to go to the club today at least as I'm at work now,,she agreed and the convosation ended.
Not long after the liaison officer from school phoned my work place! to tell me again my child can not attend. I proceeded to explain that I had just spoken to someone and that they agreed my son can attend today as I'm at work and it's only £35!
the liaison officer would not give me any help nor chance,
her words were"your child can not attend the club today and if I do not pick him up at 3:10 she will call the police because it's a form of neglect!?!!!

Fair enough there is money owed which I was able to pay when I would of pick my child up.
how ever I took this as a personal dig at me, unprofessional and wrong? I am not neglecting my child nor would I let him wait outside the school to wait for me so why was I threatened this? It's not protocol if they can get hold of the parents or the emergency contact even or have a good will and allow him to attend the club why had it jumped to such extreme measures

OP posts:
Pidlan · 12/09/2018 12:55

Did you not get a bill? I find it hard to believe that this is the first you've heard of owing them this money.

IdahoJones · 12/09/2018 12:56

Seems like a massive over-reaction if you'd agreed to settle your balance same day. What does your contract with the after-school club say about arrears?

kaytee87 · 12/09/2018 13:00

Is this the first you've heard of the money being owed? How many sessions was the £35 for?

Failingat40 · 12/09/2018 13:01

Ultimately it's on you.

Childcare is not free! Just because you're a single parent doesn't give you any more rights to delay payment than anybody else.

Unfortunately many parents don't value the childcare they receive and are routinely late in paying so these strict measures are needed to give people like you a kick up the backside.

Harsh, yes but true.

PassMeTheHaribosAmego · 12/09/2018 13:02

Unless you have a record of neglecting your child they won’t do anything & the protocol is to call SS
The school are trying to scare you
Make life easy by arranging to leave early today and settle your bill
You are lucky to have an after school club

NailsNeedDoing · 12/09/2018 13:03

Maybe the person who you spoke to first didn't have the authority to tell you that your son could attend while you're still in arrears.

It sounds like the person you spoke to second was more forceful than necessary, but they have no idea if you're going to do the right thing or not, so they probably treat all non payers the same. Don't take it personally, just make sure you pay your bills on time.

Aaaahfuck · 12/09/2018 13:09

Referring to the police seems a bit much!
In my experience police are often rude even when you're not on the wrong side of the law.

I'd BA asking the school to justify passing it onto the police.

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 12/09/2018 13:10

You must have known you owed the after school club money. This is a service and like any other service if you have not paid for it you do not get to use it.

I don't understand why you being a single mum should change the fact that he is allowed to attend. You need to find a way of paying the money, you are clearly able to access the internet at work if you are posting this so why not transfer the funds from your bank account and sort the issue?

Original poster
Locket8891 · 12/09/2018 13:16

Thanks all for your in put my child went back to school last Thursday after the six weeks holiday and had received no letter or bill in the last weeks of school and none since he has returned I believe even the school only noticed it was unpaid because I asked to book them in.
I don't expect to get child care for free it was that fact that they were over reacting over a small amount
I do believe the First Lady who called didn't have the authority to make the decision therefore she should of said so or the second lady could of explained that but was just out right rude.
There is no other concerns for the school reguarding me neglecting my child at all I believe it was unnecessary

OP posts:
distantstars · 12/09/2018 13:16

My childminder said we first signed up that if we were late and for some reason couldn't get hold of us then SS or police have to be called.
Does seem harsh though.
But I honestly don't think you can use "single mother and working " as an excuse.... you still need to pay. Your circumstances are irrelevant.

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 12/09/2018 13:17

Apologies I see you did in fact state you would pay when collecting your son.

However, I doubt you were the only person who owed the club money I've seen debts into the hundreds all because the school put the child first and the parents take the piss.

I am sure the wouldn't have called the police and the person you spoke to was wrong to say that. Please don't judge them so harshly it must be so exasperating to hear the same old excuses about why people cannot pay.

Original poster
Locket8891 · 12/09/2018 13:18

If they are refusing my child to this club this day due to payments fine but they have no reason to threaten police no reason to believe I would refuse to pick up my child there fore I'm talking it as a personal threat for unnecessary reasons

OP posts:
Lindy2 · 12/09/2018 13:19

If this was the first time you knew you owed money then the school club has over reacted.

If they have been chasing you for payment and you have not paid your bill, then them refusing care, until you pay what is owed, is entirely reasonable.

redastherose · 12/09/2018 13:22

Their response seems totally out of order. Yes you have to pay for childcare but unless you have a record for repeatedly paying late or being in arrears and they have to request payment several times then it is excessive. I'm assuming this was a weeks worth of after school club so presumably you should have received an invoice and perhaps you should have queried not receiving one last week but I still think it is excessive. Whether or not you are a single parent is entirely beside the point.

Original poster
Locket8891 · 12/09/2018 13:23

Yes I'm not using this as an excuse to not pay etc. That was just to explain at that present time whilst on the phone I was at work at the time and the other parent is unable to collect them I do pay for my child's care and would of when I picked him up had I known it needed to be paid that day I would of done so I exept my wrong of missing the payment but feel I didn't need to be treated thenway I was ?

OP posts:
SendYouUpInFlames · 12/09/2018 13:25

So you only owe for 2 sessions. Todays and the last session. Overall bill is £35.

That would make it £17.50 a session.

Are you sure you haven't misheard and not paid for a few sessions?

Aren't they usually only around £5 a session?

FrogFairy · 12/09/2018 13:26

Could you make an online bank transfer and a screenshot as proof of payment?

kaytee87 · 12/09/2018 13:27

Thanks all for your in put my child went back to school last Thursday after the six weeks holiday and had received no letter or bill in the last weeks of school and none since he has returned I believe even the school only noticed it was unpaid because I asked to book them i

But surely even without a bill you must have known you hadnt paid?

Original poster
Locket8891 · 12/09/2018 13:27

Thanks for your replies I'm just trying to get my head around what happened I do pay regularly I've had no problems in the past around payments and regardless I would and did have no choice but to have to leave work and collect my child myself and so why bring police into it ? As I'd I'd leave my kid outside the school gate and not care :( she should of just explained the First Lady wasn't clear and we can't take him till I pay a normal appropriate conversation not aggressive threatening

OP posts:
asdad · 12/09/2018 13:28

Complain about the person who threatened you or they will see it as acceptable to treat parents like this.

RomanyRoots · 12/09/2018 13:29

It sounds like they are going by their contract , have you paid when you were supposed to have paid?
Perhaps it's common practice to inform you of them contacting Police, although it would be ss surely, if you didn't collect.
I suppose some parents might leave the child there if they have no alternative and are already in work.

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 12/09/2018 13:30

she should of just explained the First Lady wasn't clear and we can't take him till I pay a normal appropriate conversation not aggressive threatening

It would have ended the same way though regardless of what she said you would have to leave work to pay and collect him. I think your posts are very woe is me in their tone. I am sure you must have realised you did not pay for the sessions?

YeTalkShiteHen · 12/09/2018 13:30

What did you say to the first woman about today? Is it possible there’s been a miscommunication about whether you’d be able to pick your child up if needed?

I think £35 may seem a small amount of money, but if 10 people are late it becomes £350 really quickly so I can see why they’re clamping down.

Without knowing exactly what was said in the conversation it’s impossible to know if it was an overreaction.

Itsnotabingthingisit · 12/09/2018 13:32

This sounds like something the school say to try and jolt repeat offenders into some kind of action.

It does sound strange that this action would be taken over a late payment of £35, especially if this wasn't invoiced and it is the first time you have been in arrears.

Perhaps they have an unsustainable amount of late/non payers and they have been forced into this drastic action.

Quite a few after school clubs are run on fresh air; the fees they charge pay the staff and food costs . No profit is made so there is little room for cash flow issues.

MiggledyHiggins · 12/09/2018 13:33

Did you leave an amount unpaid before the summer holidays?
How much is it per session and how many sessions do you owe for?
What were the original terms of payment when you first signed him up - was it payment up front or payment for days past?

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