Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

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:
gamerchick · 12/09/2018 14:02

This is YOUR responsibility because YOU have not paid

Pretty much, the rest is just gravy.

Since the OP won't say how much the sessions cost which says a lot in itself she's obviously been called out on taking the piss with payments and wants a bit sympathy. We all know shit has to be paid for.

MrsWombat · 12/09/2018 14:02

Most childminders and after school clubs make you pay in advance unless there are extenuating circumstances. It sounds like they could have handled it better i.e. called you as soon as 1 session was outstanding. Have a read of the terms and conditions, it will probably be very clear how you have broken them. They are right you need to pay and if you haven't them you need to pick him up at 3.10pm or they will follow their late pick up procedure.

Original poster
Locket8891 · 12/09/2018 14:04

I have 2 children one has just moved up to senior school and for two children it's £5 hour so that's probably 2/3 days worth from the last week of school which we pay it weekly anyway I do appreciate all ur comments I do get my part but I don't get her reason to threaten I do believe it was a over reaction and way of the subject in hand I guess I was the 7th parent she's called but why threat the police on me knowing of course I will pick up my child lol

OP posts:
YeTalkShiteHen · 12/09/2018 14:05

She didn’t know, because the first and second time you were told you’d have to pick him up you said you were at work. So she didn’t know you’d pick him up, and you don’t pay weekly otherwise there wouldn’t be an outstanding amount!

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 12/09/2018 14:08

why threat the police on me knowing of course I will pick up my child

Errrm she didn't know because you specifically told her you were at work and he would need to go to after school club Hmm. I don't understand why you don't realise that she is no psychic?

Lweji · 12/09/2018 14:09

why threat the police on me knowing of course I will pick up my child lol

Yes, but at what time? They can't kick your child onto the street and they were unwilling to have them at the club.
They were pointing out that you either showed up before the club started (and collected the child, or paid) or they'd hand over the child to the police.

Do you pay weekly in advance or after? That means that you can easily tell how many sessions you used and how much to pay. So, did you not pay last week? Or conveniently forgot to pay at the end of the year?

TheVanguardSix · 12/09/2018 14:10

Time for your child’s school to implement ParentPay or something similar for all things, including clubs. Even outside organisations running clubs usually offer an online choose, book, and pay system. I haven’t paid cash for clubs since DC1 was in infants, and he’s 16 now!

Why don’t you suggest this to the school?
What an overreaction on the organiser’s part, OP. I mean, there’s a chasm between ‘you owe us money’ and ‘pick up your kid at 3:10pm or else we’re calling the police.’ Confused That’s just crazy.

ladycarlotta · 12/09/2018 14:14

I think it's really weird of her to escalate it like that especially when the first woman had been understanding. Honest mistakes happen, the kid's in a safe place and you'd agreed to settle the bill that evening. She'd have been right to say something like, 'if you don't pay this evening we won't be able to accept him tomorrow' or whatever, but it's so odd to jump straight to the police threat.

I'd take it up with the school - you're not totally blameless, obviously, but her approach was unpleasant and unprofessional.

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 12/09/2018 14:18

'if you don't pay this evening we won't be able to accept him tomorrow'

I appreciate that might have worked but what happens if tomorrow mum is also at work and she did not pay yesterday? That is how clubs end up in so much debt because they prioritise the child, they don't want them to miss out because it is not their fault.

It is very naïve to think some parents do not take the piss and I can see why they take a hard stand against non payment.

Kool4katz · 12/09/2018 14:23

What you have is someone denying you access to a service due to possibly being in arrears with your payments. That’s assuming that they have properly invoiced you in the first place and sent you a reminder.
It’s a criminal offence to harass someone for payment of an outstanding debt.
I’d argue that her calling you at work and threatening to call the police if you don’t collect your child before after school club starts is quite clearly harassment, designed to embarrass and cause you difficulties.
Sounds like you need to find a decent (pro-bono) solicitor (via Citizens Advice?) to send a letter to the school reminding them of basic legal principles.

It really pisses me off when educational establishments act unlawfully as if they’re a special case when it comes to debt management.

blackeyes72 · 12/09/2018 14:26

wow I am a bit shocked to read about how many people think that if you don't get a bill it's your responsibility to chase it....I never thought of this before.

I have four children and they all do a zillion activities, all invoice at different times. Football invoice yearly, swimming every term, dance every 10 weeks, school music lessons each individual teacher has their own routine, some want payment upfront, some after, school childcare seems to be a law onto themselves as they miss sending bills all the time and we pay when we finally get the invoices - the list is endless...

I never miss bills but there is absolutely no way I could chase all those above, I would need a PA...………………..do people really chase up all their bills? I must be very disorganised...….

itbemay · 12/09/2018 14:28

At our school we had to pay on the Friday for the following week, if you didn't pay you didn't have a place. I can see why you are annoyed though OP, conflicting information given is not acceptable and also the harsh stance would be more suited to a frequent non-payer. I woul have a word with the headteacher or afterschool club manager.

Perfectly1mperfect · 12/09/2018 14:28

It is very naïve to think some parents do not take the piss and I can see why they take a hard stand against non payment.

But that doesn't seem to be the case if you reads OPs posts which is all we can go on. I suppose it depends on if you believe the OP or not but I choose to.

Perfectly1mperfect · 12/09/2018 14:29

Read not reads Hmm

starfishmummy · 12/09/2018 14:29

@Pidlan my son's school used to be useless at sending the bills out (and at recording who had paid).

Itsnotme123 · 12/09/2018 14:30

Is quite common for nursery and schools to threaten social services to turn up and rescue neglected children. Don’t take it personally.
Just pay the account and continue using the after school club if you wish and just make sure the account is always up to date just for an easy life !

Lweji · 12/09/2018 14:30

It doesn't look like the after school club uses invoices or bills people, if the OP says she pays weekly.
I'm guessing most parents just turn up on Friday and just ask how much they owe them. Or leave the £5 at the end of each session. It can't be that hard.

£35 is 7 sessions, which is hardly an accidental overlook.

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 12/09/2018 14:31

What the heck Kool4katz Shock You would advocate getting a solicitor to send the after school club a letter because they dared to question the OP using a service for which she had outstanding debts??? Confused

We have already established it was most likely that she was explaining the procedures which would occur should the OP not collect her child, that is not threatening behaviour. A phone call regarding the situation is also not classed as harassment.

I swear sometimes I live in an alternative universe. I cannot believe a rational adult would suggest what you have posted. Hmm

Itsnotme123 · 12/09/2018 14:32

And when you pay, ask for receipts !!

Mummyoflittledragon · 12/09/2018 14:34

Kool4Katz
Thanks for that info. Interesting.

The second woman has acted like an idiot. I’d be straight on the phone with the head/ deputy head/ person in charge of the club. You had an agreement with the first person. The second woman cannot renege on that deal. Talk about causing unnecessary aggro for a working parent, who has forgotten to pay for care for the last week of term. Up to the school to implement a better system. Why on Earth is there no parent pay?

Mummyoflittledragon · 12/09/2018 14:36

Lweji
It’s £5 an hour not a session. Op had 2 children in the club last year. Sounds absolutely like an oversight.

YeTalkShiteHen · 12/09/2018 14:37

@Kool4katz if that’s the attitude you’d be prepared to take given your own oversight, one presumes you wouldn’t expect to use the service you hadn’t paid for?

I mean, since you’re so up on what is and isn’t “right”.

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 12/09/2018 14:38

The second woman has acted like an idiot

I would imagine the second women was someone related to the after school club who had more knowledge on the situation than the receptionist the OP spoke to previously.

sallythesheep73 · 12/09/2018 14:39

I would check they haven't sent you loads of bills which are in your 'spam' email folder or something. I would go see the 1st lady and get to the bottom of it. Probably just a misunderstanding??

Mummyoflittledragon · 12/09/2018 14:44

HeadsUp
Maybe she does have something more to do with the club. However that doesn’t give her the right to threaten op with the police. I stand by what I said. She acted like an idiot for a bill, which op said she would pay in a few hours time.