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Original poster

Will I be reported for picking up daughter late from school?

30 replies

bengal38 · 18/04/2013 20:07

I work 930 to 3pm and it takes me 30 mins to get to my daughters school. My daughter finishes school at 335pm. Today I was stuck in abit of traffic so I couldn't get to her school until 350pm.

I went to pick her up from the office and the receptionist told me that as I was late picking her up from school she left me a message on my phone. I asked her why and she said that school finishes at 340 and it was now 350pm.

Anyway my daughter tonight had a school play and as I was leaving her Teacher said to my daughter oh so you are leaving with your mum now are you xxxx and she smiled at me sarcastically.

I have only been late picking her up from school 3 times and during those 3 times I have phoned in to let the school know I will be late picking her up.

Now I am worried incase they report me to Social Services. Could this happen and if so what will happen? Should I say anything to the Teacher/Receptionist or let it go? Also what should I do if it happens again that I am stuck in traffic and I am late again?

OP posts:
Rainbowinthesky · 18/04/2013 20:10

You need to get some sort of arrangement in place for when you are late or finish work earlier.

Rainbowinthesky · 18/04/2013 20:11

They won't report you for this but it is a pain for them.

numbum · 18/04/2013 20:11

Is there not another parent who could collect your DD and hang around for 10 minutes if you're stuck in traffic? That's what happens at our school (you'd have to phone the office and let them know too).

I shouldn't have thought they'd be reporting you to anyone for being late 3 times, unless it was 3 times in the space of a week or two

Rainbowinthesky · 18/04/2013 20:12

Did you phone them?

CajaDeLaMemoria · 18/04/2013 20:12

They'll be annoyed because they have to look after your daughter rather than doing other things, so probably have to stay late, but I shouldn't think it'd be reported to anyone.

I wouldn't say anything to the teachers or receptionist. It might be worth seeing if there's an after school club she could go to on the odd occasion you haven't got there by 3:40pm? Or getting someone else to pick her up? Does she have any close friends she could go home with and you collect them from there?

Having a back-up plan, even if it's only needed occasionally, is a good idea. And it'll stop the teacher getting her back up.

LaurieFairyCake · 18/04/2013 20:12

What most folks do is contact a friend already picking up at the school to take your dd home to theirs.

It's your responsibility and yes, you will get reported to SS. You need to be there or arrange someone to pick up.

Did you not hear your phone?

Definitely get a hands free kit.

ImTooHecsyForYourParty · 18/04/2013 20:13

Don't worry. You aren't going to be reported to social services.

ten minutes late, once in a blue moon, is not something social services will give a rat's arse about, I promise you.

cansu · 18/04/2013 20:13

I think it's unlikely they will report you to social services it I do think you need to have a back up. Could you have an arrangement with a local childminder to pay a kind of retainer so they will pick up your dd if you are late. You could perhaps arrange a price and a maximum number of pick ups. You could then text if you are running late and the childminder could collect. Is there an after school club you could use. If these aren't possible I would make an appointment at school, apologise for being late and explain the situation. at least you will then know how they view it and can act appropriately. I would hate to be under this much pressure tbh. I used to have to race home to meet ds taxi and it put me under so much stress. I really sympathise but in the long run it sounds like you need some help.

TeWiSavesTheDay · 18/04/2013 20:14

If it's only been 3 times of 10mins or so, then probably no, and if they did SS would be unlikely to be interested!

However, your school will have a policy on this, a set time after which if the parent is late and the school can't get in touch with them SS will be called.

If you check their policy that might give you some reassurance.

I imagine she was just in an odd mood, don't worry about it.

WhatTheWaterGaveMe · 18/04/2013 20:14

No of course they won't report you for being late 3 times.

I'm a teacher, I always say jokey things when kids are late - oh looks like you're sleeping here tonight!
Some kids get really upset when their parents are late so anything to make light of it.

pigsDOfly · 18/04/2013 20:15

Heavens, I would hope not. Why would think that likely to happen? Are you late because you're leaving work and the time overlaps? If so I'd explain your situation to the school.

Eskarina · 18/04/2013 20:16

I very much doubt you'll be reported for being 10 minutes late occasionally. All the schools I've worked in have had a policy of contacting SS if no contact can be made with the parent by 4:30, so I would imagine that unless it was part of a bigger picture of concern that they had then they're not going to report. They're just irritated they've had to look after an extra child for an extra few minutes on more than one occasion. I'd have half my class on the SS register if I went running to them every time a parent was consistently late.

pooka · 18/04/2013 20:16

Echo the others - you need to have a back up plan.

And hand free kit so you can call to activate the plan.

Is there any way you could leave work a tiny bit earlier? Shave time off lunch?

invicta · 18/04/2013 20:17

I think the teachers's sarcastic comment was rude, especially if you are usually punctual. We all get stuck in traffic,,get delayed at work etc at one time or another.

imour · 18/04/2013 20:17

isnt there another mum you know at the school who you could call when you know you are going to be late , then she can get your daughter and take her to their house and wait for you if its not that often .

LilRedWG · 18/04/2013 20:17

I won't mention the time school phoned me because I was 20 minutes late and not answering my mobile to friends - I'd fallen asleep! Blush

Ezza1 · 18/04/2013 20:18

My DCs school finishes at 3.30. Sometimes they do after school clubs that finish at 5pm.

When I've picked them up from after school clubs there are always around 6 children sat with the receptionist who have not done the clubs but whose parents are very late picking them up. Receptionist says it happens daily. Often the same children.

I really wouldn't worry about being 10 minutes late occasionally.

AvrilPoisson · 18/04/2013 20:20

How old is your child? 3 times late over how many years is that?
If she's Y6, I wouldn't worry too much, if she's Reception, I'd be a little concerned tbh. School is not childcare- you need to make arrangements to have her collected by someone else if you're running late.
I'm sure you'd be pissed off if your boss made you stay over by 5 or 10 minutes regularly, as that would then impact on you picking up your child. School staff have lives/other obligations too!

Altinkum · 18/04/2013 20:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AvrilPoisson · 18/04/2013 20:22

Btw- at my DCs' school, if you're late picking up, the children are taken across to the after-school care, and you're charged £25 for the first 15 minutes, £5 for each subsequent 15 minutes, per child, for the emergency care.

Not many late pick-ups! Grin

GoblinGranny · 18/04/2013 20:25

I wonder what a sarcastic smile looks like? As opposed to a friendly or a relieved smile?

Pozzled · 18/04/2013 20:30

No, of course they won't call social services, but they may keep a record of late collections, and have a policy for what happens if it is a regular occurrence.

It sounds like you are cutting it very fine in that your finish at work and your journey only allows an extra 5-10 minutes for delays. I do think you need to give some consideration as to what you can do if it happens again.

AvrilPoisson · 18/04/2013 20:31

Like this goblin==> Smile

(nice name btw, made me smile non-sarcastically!)

Pandemoniaa · 18/04/2013 20:31

If everyone who had occasionally been late to pick their dcs up from school had been reported to SS, the entire system would have imploded long ago. So you are worrying yourself unnecessarily here.

Although equally, it isn't something to make a habit of because teachers and school staff don't really want to be minding children at the convenience of late arriving parents. So do consider a back-up plan if you know that your journey will regularly take longer than 30 minutes since your timings do come across as rather tight.

Bobyan · 18/04/2013 21:36

All of your posts seem to centre on some perceived slight you have suffered by another person.

Maybe your daughter gets upset when you are late,but I'm guessing that the teacher didn't do anything and you are over reacting.