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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:

EggMayonnaise · 12/09/2018 13:33

Can you not just transfer the cash. Seems odd that they would just jump straight to threatening you. Would have expected a call to say You still owe x amount and we cannot take your child tomorrow if this is not paid.

You are wrong not to have paid but they don't appear to have handled it that well imo.

kaytee87 · 12/09/2018 13:33

Op you haven't said how much per session the club is? If it's 7 sessions or similar you haven't paid for then I find it hard to believe you didn't notice you hadn't paid even without an invoice.

RB68 · 12/09/2018 13:34

Question is have they invoiced you. I would let them know its difficult to pay a bill when its not clear what is owed ie no invoice.

As to being a 5 er a session - no its generally more than that for after school. We are in the sticks and 2 yrs ago paid 9.50 till 6pm. so its likely 3 or 4 sessions. However, I did find them terribly lax about billing and then when they did it was pay immediately like now before you get back in the car and go home. I also frequently found them to be wrong.

OhLookHeKickedTheBall · 12/09/2018 13:35

Have they explained where this missing money has come from? Is it a mistake from them for last term?
I'd agree it was unnecessary to threaten you in this way when you haven't previously been informed.

CrochetBelle · 12/09/2018 13:36

How did the 'threat' actually come about?

"You owe us £35 and if you don't pay now we'll call the police"

or was it more like

"You need to pay before your child can attend any further sessions." "I am at work and can't collect him from school today, I'll pay when I collect from after school club." "I;m afraid protocol is to contact the police if noone collects a child after school."

And slightly offtopic, is your after school club really only for working parents?

Maryann1975 · 12/09/2018 13:39

The childminder at the end of my road ended up with a family owing her over £3000, because the family always said the money would be with her by the end of the day. So I’m not surprised settings are clamping down on non payment. I know your bill was no where near this amount, but it adds up and before you know it, the family withdraws the child and they never see the money. Staff still have to be paid, resources bought. Childcare is sometimes seen as the last bill that needs paying and it is frustrating when that is the case. Yes, it is extreme to threaten to phone the police for neglect, but being a single parent doesn’t give you an excuse to not pay for your childcare.

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 12/09/2018 13:39

I think crochetbelle has hit the nail on the head

It was probably worded kindly but you heard the part about the police and took it to be a personal attack for being a terrible parent.

Either way I am still failing to understand how you did not realise you owed them money?

YeTalkShiteHen · 12/09/2018 13:43

Obligation to pay money outstanding is a personal responsibility too. If you knew your child had used the club, surely you knew money was outstanding?

SassitudeandSparkle · 12/09/2018 13:47

Like crochet I think the Police would be their standard procedure if a child is not collected, it's got nothing to do with the unpaid bill OP.

I understand that it is embarassing to be called in work twice about the money, but you don't seem to dispute that it was owing.

Original poster

Locket8891 · 12/09/2018 13:51

I am agreeing on the terms of their contract on payments but no after the six weeks holidays I was unaware of it I'd obviously forgotten or mislaid or what not i hold my hands up my fault!!

The conversation with the First Lady she called and said they can't attend today because of the payment I asked what pay,net how much etc she said £35 I just explained that I'd pay that then but he does need to go today as I'm at work now I can't do anything about the money right now she laughed in agreement and said no that's fine we won't send him out on the streets with a laugh she then changed the subject to another matter regarding my child's medication then the conversation ended

Second conversation
She said who she was and that she calling to say my child can't go to the club due to the payment I said yes I just spoke to the receptionist and explained I'm working now so he needs to go And the receptionist agreed it was ok I can pay when I pick him up she said no he can't go and if you do not pick him up at 10 past 3 I will call the police as it's a form of neglect.

OP posts:

MiggledyHiggins · 12/09/2018 13:52

I don't understand why you didn't offer to pay immediately over the phone.

YeTalkShiteHen · 12/09/2018 13:54

Possibly she took your statement that he needs to go today as a refusal to pick him up?

Why couldn’t you transfer it or pay over the phone?

Tara336 · 12/09/2018 13:54

I think it’s fairly normal for them to say the child can’t attend anymore, I’ve never used an after school club but DN attended one and my SIL sees paying bills an optional. She went to drop DN off and was told she couldn’t return until the bill was paid. I did think it was sad they did that in front of my DN but I believe it was a fair amount owed. I think they let her pay it back in instalments. It does seem a complete mplete over reaction by the school and I’m pretty sure the police would take a very dim view of being called out by the school when your child has been left safely in their care! If I was in your position I’d email the head today, explain ver clearly you had said you would pay when you collect your child and how you’ve been spoken too and threatened as it’s just not acceptable

Original poster

Locket8891 · 12/09/2018 13:55

Yes it is protocol to call police if a child is not collected and they cannot get hold of the parents or emergency contact
but the problem was not about me refusing to collect my child
just that he couldn't go to the club
So it's was completely of subject?? Out of the blue

I'm just like ok he can't go,; the other lady said he could; but he can't ok fine; but I never said oh leave him outside; I didn't get a chance to say anything, to say ,that I'll come get him or send someone I never refused or said other wise

OP posts:

Tawdrylocalbrouhaha · 12/09/2018 13:56

It sounds as though they were too stern with you, probably because they have to deal with other parents who are casual about payment and collection, and you got tarred with the same brush.

As a lifelong goody-goody I totally understand your righteous indignation at being told off when you weren't even up to anything - it is very annoying.

LightDrizzle · 12/09/2018 13:56

She should have rung and said that unfortunately your child would be unable to attend tomorrow or any other day, until they had received payment. It seems a disproportionate escalation.
However while it doesn’t excuse them, you’d be amazed at how many parents are willing to play chicken with childcare providers, assuming that as it involves children, providers won’t leave them high and dry. Perhaps you were her call number 7 that day chasing money from CF.

Lweji · 12/09/2018 13:56

So, you owed them £35. They only told you today that you owed that amount, as you hadn't received any invoice. Did you not know at the time that you were supposed to have paid a certain amount? Or did you know and failed to pay?

If, for any reason, you really didn't know you owed them that money, then that should have been your reply to them. They should have informed you timely to pay and given you enough time to do so.

However, if you did know you owed them money, it's on you for letting so much time pass, including from last Thursday.

In school club terms, how little is £35? I can't imagine that it's that expensive, so a few sessions? That means that you're not such a reliable regular payer.

Original poster

Locket8891 · 12/09/2018 13:57

They only take cash and if it was miscommunication just say so why bring police in to it lol

OP posts:

wurzelburga · 12/09/2018 13:57

This is YOUR responsibility because YOU have not paid.

Resolve the issue by making on on line bank transfer now. You can send them a screen shot. Sorted.

Perfectly1mperfect · 12/09/2018 13:58

Seems way over the top if there is no history of you not paying.

Pay today, speak to them about why they felt the need to involve the police. I would feel confused and annoyed in your position if I had always paid on time and wasn't aware of an outstanding balance. Very odd.

YeTalkShiteHen · 12/09/2018 13:58

This would all have been solved if you’d agreed to pick him up, or pay before he went.

I don’t mean this as bluntly as it’s going to sound, but I can’t think of a gentler way.

It’s not school’s responsibility to get your shit together.

Lweji · 12/09/2018 14:00

They probably gathered from your first conversation that you'd be unwilling to collect your child earlier than expected today.

I imagine that they have been left out of pocket by many parents.

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 12/09/2018 14:00

I didn't get a chance to say anything, to say ,that I'll come get him or send someone I never refused or said other wise

I appreciate that you think you didn't get the chance to fully explain but you did say to the second women I'm working now so he needs to go. That doesn't sound like you were explaining that you would come and get him, it sounds like you had no other options and you would still be at work once school had ended. So I can see why she then explained that if he was uncollected they would have to call the police.

Lweji · 12/09/2018 14:01

Out of curiosity, how do you pay for the club? After each session? In advance? A month's total?

CrochetBelle · 12/09/2018 14:01

This would all have been solved if you’d agreed to pick him up, or pay before he went.

I don’t mean this as bluntly as it’s going to sound, but I can’t think of a gentler way.

It’s not school’s responsibility to get your shit together.

Yup

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