To say something to after school club staff?

[Bocolatechiscuit]

On DS's birthday (he's 10), I went to collect him from after school club and could see through the door he was in the main room (they use the back room after school as it has access to the playground) totally on his own and really upset, really sobbing. I went in and asked him what was the matter and a ball he'd got for his birthday had been bounced onto the roof by another boy. Not a huge deal, I'd warned him he might lose it if he took it to school etc, but he does have some attachment issues and little things mean a lot to him so he was very upset. I did manage to calm him down and went through to where the leader was sitting doing paper work and explained what had happened. She said 'oh is that what it was?' and said the next time the caretaker went up on the roof she'd ask him to get it down. All was fine and he soon calmed down but something made me feel uneasy about it all. When I asked him had she seen he was upset he said yes, he had walked in from outside crying, she had looked up at him and continued to do her paperwork without saying anything, then just left him on his own, obviously very upset about something but didn't know what (hence the 'is that what it was?') I just keep wondering how long he's have been left if I hadn't arrived and hate to think they leave children upset like that. I teach at a secondary school and would never just walk past an upset child, however old, without helping them out.

WIBU to say something?

[Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost]

How much are you paying for this abysmal child care service. Quite a few pennies I guess. Id definitely be saying. The callous bitch. Leaving a child to cry like that. You must feel gutted.

[Medusacascade]

It sounds like the after school club at my child's school. It's a shocker worse than this and I pulled both my children out. I don't know how they get away with it. Ours isn't registered with Ofsted because it masquerades as a sports club. In reality a can't be arsed teen sits on her arse with her phone while the kids amuse themselves. School gates wide open so they've no idea if anyone's left.

[MeMySonAndl]

There are some absolutely rubbish after school clubs, so listen to your child. If you think he is telling fibs, just monitor what they eat, check the bathrooms if you can, and look at how the children behave towards each other (that is the big indicator).

If they are feeding them the same cheap crap mostly every week and the toilets are dirty, there is a huge possibility that they do not really care much about the kids.

[ScarletForYa]

That is not ok at all. I work in childcare, children come first, paperwork second.

It only takes a few seconds to ask a child what's wrong and reassure him.

[DonkeyOaty]

That's quite callous, your poor boy

(As an aside do consider not allowing precious things to be taken to school - we learned this the hard way!)

[katiekrafter]

I work (lead) an OOSC and would never leave a child upset for longer than the few seconds it took to get him/her to come to me to explain the problem (we encourage children to come to us rather than going to them as it allows a little time for them to focus). YANBU and should have a word with the manager.