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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

wwyd, in this situation

68 replies

slavewife · 14/05/2011 10:30

walking home yesterday, next to ds school, there was a little girl (in full uniform) outside the locked school gate, with some other children behind the closed gate, all shouting for the little girl to get back inside school etc... (child was a 4 year old nursery child), went over and asked if she was OK? she said she wanted to play outside, I asked if her parents we're with her and she shrugged her shoulders.

There is a bus stop next to the school, and it is a fairly busy road, and I asked if any of the passengers, if they knew the child, none didn't, so I picked her up and took her into the school and said I found her outside the locked gates.

Now turns out the child, lives next door to the school (a small stones throw) and the head, said Oh I take her back, and all was fine.....

WWYD in this situation? the same as me, or left the child on a dangerous road, unattended?

OP posts:
Original poster
slavewife · 14/05/2011 10:30

sorry forgot to mention that this was at lunchtime.

OP posts:
StealthPolarBear · 14/05/2011 10:31

hmmm not sure
Do you mean the headteacher said s/he normally just takes the child back? Shock

Original poster
slavewife · 14/05/2011 10:32

No, she said she would return her instead of myself.

OP posts:
cookielove · 14/05/2011 10:32

I would have taken her into the school, after asking her if she knew where she lived, or other such question.

Original poster
slavewife · 14/05/2011 10:39

On hindsight I should have asked her where she lived, however at the time, it was lunchtime, a child was outside the gates, and there where children asking her to come back in, I asked the passengers if they knew of her/parents whereabouts etc... busy road etc... I assumed the best thing was to take her into the school.

OP posts:
MirandaGoshawk · 14/05/2011 10:41

I would have done what you did, OP.

Acting in a different way is easy with hindsight, but what you did was caring and sensible Smile

sausagesandmarmelade · 14/05/2011 10:42

I think you did the right thing...

When I see a young child looking alone I check to see whether they are with parents...and follow it up. Once I was in Tesco's car-park...Hubs and I were loading up the car when we saw a young child in the front DRIVER'S seat of a locked car...tooting the horn etc. The mother had left her in there while she did her shopping. We waited for a good 15 mins before the mother arrived and then I told her exactly what I thought of her...

StealthPolarBear · 14/05/2011 10:42

So she was wearing the school uniform, and waiting outside the school but isn't at the school?

Original poster
slavewife · 14/05/2011 10:45

she was wearing the school uniform, outside the school gate, yes shes at the school.

OP posts:
StealthPolarBear · 14/05/2011 10:48

Oh I see so she went back to the school

Thought you meant the head took her home, and that was where she had wandered from

Yes, I think the parents would want to know - basic safety thing the school are getting so wrong

Original poster
slavewife · 14/05/2011 11:04

stealth, the child is in nursery, and parents collected her at pick up time, then it was lunchtime, and she wandered from her own home, to the locked school gate, and that's where I seen her, hence I why I took her to the head, who then returned her home.

all this was fine, until the Dad started shouting at me,(head phoned him, and they met half way) calling me all sorts, saying Id "kidnapped" his child Hmm and was calling the police which he did, thankfully, head said what happened and this was confirmed by the police.

However I was called home from work last night, was arrested and then charges dropped, as they had to follow protocol, however I am now currently suspended from work,(child protection officer) until the paperwork is finalised!. I'm now trying to contact, BASW, and also the GSCC, as to where I go from here.

My head is currently a shed. as I face losing my job over this, as my CRB will now show I was investigated for "kidnapping" a minor.

All I want to do is cry. I will be back sometime tonight, I'm away to see a emergency solicitor.

OP posts:
Tuppence2 · 14/05/2011 11:15

How can you be arrested for kidnapping a child? When you found a child out on a busy road, by herself and then took her straight into the school??

Nothing should appear on you CRB as you weren't charged, or given a caution.

StealthPolarBear · 14/05/2011 11:48

Shock wtf that is awful

I don't know what to say

ashamedandconfused · 14/05/2011 11:51

Bloody hell!!

ashamedandconfused · 14/05/2011 11:53

This is exactly why so many adults dont want to volunteer for childrens activities, or will not go to the aid of a child in need. The parents of that child are ridiculous and the head, i think, should in no uncertain terms tell them so. Imagine that little kid runs into the road whn trying to fetch an escaped ball for the other kids - 4 and playing out, alone, by a busy road. Unbelievable!

StealthPolarBear · 14/05/2011 11:55

The parents should be questioned about how the child got out - not arrested though!

TechnoKitten · 14/05/2011 11:56

Much easier for the father to hurl abuse and kidnapping accusations at someone else as it deflects questions about why a 4 year old has managed to leave home and walk unattended along a busy road to the school.

I hope the investigations are a mere formality and that everything works out ok for you, SW.

nickelbabe · 14/05/2011 11:56

Shock I wasn't expecting that last bit!

You did everything right - you checked to make sure the child wasn't with her parents and you took her into the safest place, the school she goes to.

There was nothing else you could have done. In fact, anything else would have been the wrong thing.

The parent probably only acted that way because he felt guilty for having lost his child.
That's not your fault.

Don't feel bad, everything will be resolved and you are not in any trouble.

It's only following procedure, as you say.

WobblyWidgetOnTheScooper · 14/05/2011 11:57

What the actual fuck?!? You're a child protection officer and you are under suspicion for, let's see now, protecting a child?

You're having a laugh right? Hopefully?! If not then Shock and :( for you... Hope it gets sorted out.

belledechocchipcookie · 14/05/2011 11:57

I agree with Techno, she should never have been allowed outside. Where were her parents??

I really do hope all works out for you, I'd have done the same.

burgerandchipswithredsauce · 14/05/2011 11:59

I would not have picked her up! My God what if her mother was a paranoid MNetter Grin

As all the other children were playing in the yard after lunch i would have shouted to the dinner supervisor to sort the child out.

bronze · 14/05/2011 12:01

Do NOt accept a caution. I learned that on here. I had assumed a caution was like a warning but no it shows on your record

Good luck with this. I think you did the right thing. I hope common sense prevails

Lucyinthepie · 14/05/2011 12:02

I don't think this will show on your CRB check, are you sure about this?

Lucyinthepie · 14/05/2011 12:03

Sorry, I meant to carry on typing. I hope that the emergency solicitor will be able to help you with this, have you got your union involved?

melikalikimaka · 14/05/2011 12:04

Is this a wind up? Cannot believe this story.