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AIBU?

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Original poster

School Taxi left my children on doorstep

244 replies

Pegasus11 · 04/07/2016 17:14

I am a little shaken. I work but I have a normally reliable babysitter who meets my DS (5 and 7) from their school taxi. They are entitled to transport as they were sent to a non catchment school when we moved.

Today my babysitter called me at work at 1545 to say she wasn't at my house. Why she had not let me know if she was stuck in traffic sooner I don't know, but she didn't. I immediately called the taxi firm to ask them to hang onto my kids until I could get there/get someone to meet them.

The reply was that the children had been left on the doorstep and it was my responsibility to make sure there was someone there, not theirs to check the children got in. I know it is my responsibility to make sure there is someone there and I am very upset with the babysitter for not leetting me know sooner too. But the "safety valve" has to be that the taxi firm don't just release reception age children out of the taxi. It could happen if someone coming to collect children had a road accident or anything.

I am just relieved that nothing happened and that my kids are ok, and the taxi driver is a nice man. But it was heart in the mouth territory when the taxi lady calmly told me the kids were "out there" on their own and felt the need to share.

OP posts:
MrsDeVere · 04/07/2016 20:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

2boysnamedR · 04/07/2016 20:16

Does anyone honestly think that taxi drivers aren't dbs checked or whatever its called now?

The LA can't just pay anyone to pick up and dump kids. It just doesn't work like that.

Lots of kids do t get into their nearest available school. I couldn't get my ds into any of the three nearest schools. It's very common.

Lunar1 · 04/07/2016 20:19

If that happened at out r school the taxi or bus would return them to school and school would add a kings ransom to our bill. I wouldn't let the babysitter or driver care for my children again.

Moistly · 04/07/2016 20:20

Yes the taxi company should have a procedure in place from this occurrence. How can an adult drive away leaving two young children alone Confused
I would definitely complain to the taxi company. Your babysitter messed up too but not as much as them!

trafalgargal · 04/07/2016 20:23

I don't know why anyone is stating it is policy to drop kids and drive away without seeing them go inside .........it isn't . The woman on the phone was either an idiot or a liar.

Careforadrink · 04/07/2016 20:30

Shocked and appalled at the people who believe the taxi driver isnt at fault. They most certainly are.

They will have breached safeguarding procedures and could well lose their contract. The driver should be subject to investigation/retraining.

I would urge you to put a formal complaint in.
Wholly unacceptable behaviour.

lougle · 04/07/2016 20:36

I'm quite amazed. DD1 has school transport (LA contracted but private taxi firms) as she goes to special school. Their official policy is that if there isn't someone here to greet her within 3 minutes of arrival they phone social services.

Original poster
Pegasus11 · 04/07/2016 20:36

I didn't say it was policy, and also said that the taxi driver is a nice man. We have always had a little chat in the morning and we get him an end of term gift to show he's appreciated.

I would like him to wait and check the door opens to my small children.

And I would hope that if the taxi lady is again talking to someone who's 5 and 7 year old sons are unaccounted for she might show a little more sympathy for that parents concern.

OP posts:
Fairuza · 04/07/2016 20:40

What are you going to do next OP?

titchy · 04/07/2016 20:43

It doesn't matter how nice he is OP if he repeats this behaviour again a child might actually lose their life. This needs reporting.

MiscellaneousAssortment · 04/07/2016 21:00

I'm astounded at the posts saying it's fine to dump small children in their own outside with no way to get help, just because there's an assumption that 'it's not the drivers responsibility'. Clearly the babysitter has behaved very badly, but honestly, is this how life works now, leave children alone unless you're liable in some way? Personally I think I'd care enough about children to use basic common sense, and hand over vs dump and run. I'd also help children in situations where their care had gone wrong, surely that's what any adult should do? Sigh.

ohh · 04/07/2016 21:07

My darling other half has today told dd that she can have a pug dog. Previously we have discussed time and time again how nice it was not to worry about an animal at home. We had 2 cats until they passed away a ripe old age. We are just about surviving financially now and cannot beleive he said it. Children now expect it and he's said it's up to me. I said no. Now chikdren begging me and he's not taking my side. Can't help see now free time now as puppies are like babies? Angry

ExtraHotLatteToGo · 04/07/2016 21:14

Fucking hell.

What adult leaves two very small children on the doorstep and just drives off??

I don't care what his job is, what his contract says, how nice he is in the morning...you don't just leave two small boys alone like that. No way, no how. Nothing at all makes this understandable or acceptable.

I would be kicking up a fuss like you've never seen before.

JudyCoolibar · 04/07/2016 21:20

I suspect, given what the lady at the taxi company said, that the driver was following their instructions. Nevertheless, I really don't see how he could have thought leaving the children on the doorstep was OK. I would hope that he would have felt absolutely dreadful if they had an accident or got abducted.

DrMorbius · 04/07/2016 21:28

Two things bother me,
Firstly the number of posters who think It is OK for a driver to provide ad hoc child care. Would you be offering payment for his time?

Secondly I am amazed at how many kids get taxi's to school. No wonder the UK social care bill (and my taxes) are rediculous.

Fairuza · 04/07/2016 21:33

DrMorbius - the taxi company will be charging the Local Authority a lot of money for the contract for just that reason - transporting young or disabled children too and from school is more complicated and comes with more responsibility than doing airport runs for example.

Original poster
Pegasus11 · 04/07/2016 21:34

I am now laughing

There is nothing "ad hoc" about my childcare arrangements. They are planned with military discipline. My husband is in the army. I am a solicitor. We pay our taxes too you know!

OP posts:
DrMorbius · 04/07/2016 21:44

So you have two good incomes and yet you get free transport to school Shock as I said it's no wonder the social bill is crippling the country.
But now you want to ad free ad hoc child care. Angry

Feckitall · 04/07/2016 21:44

20 odd years ago DC went to school on firstly by coach then later taxi...we lived in an rural village 2 public buses a week. School was 7 miles away. We were first pick up/last drop off.
Once I had fallen asleep indoors(suffering PND!) so wasn't at the bottom of the lane when the bus arrived...the driver walked DS1 up to the house. Another time DS had fallen asleep on the bus and although I had met him I had DS2 and DD with me so he carried him up the lane for me, brought him indoors and laid him on the sofa for me little bugger didn't sleep that night
The taxi drivers were as diligent.
I would have horrified if they had just been dumped by the side of the road.

Feckitall · 04/07/2016 21:46

I might add that was closest school...no choice involved...and we didn't have a car!

MammaTJ · 04/07/2016 21:46

DrMorbius, did you even read the OP?

The LA provide a taxi as there is not enough room in the OP's preferred school, the one that makes more sense, the one that is local to her!

The OP would prefer the local school, so they rightly provide this taxi!

Others on this thread have commented that their children have SN, so are provided with a taxi, surely a cheaper option for the LA than providing a SN school on every other street!

Oh, and your taxes are ridiculous, not rediculous! I hope the job you work so hard at to pay your taxes (as does the OP and her DH) does not rely on your ability to spell! The whole benefit system depends on you!

JudyCoolibar · 04/07/2016 21:47

DrMorbius, do you seriously say the driver should have dropped two young children on the doorstep and left them there?

WhimsicalWinnifred · 04/07/2016 21:47

I'm sorry but it doesn't matter whether it is the taxi drivers responsibility or not. What they did was disgusting. You simply DO NOT leave a reception age kid outside a house alone. Anything could happen. I'd make sure that whole taxi company lost its school run contract if that was my child.

Yes the babysitter should have been there and yes she is also at fault but leaving them on the doorstep is how children get stolen.

Angry fit you.

Benedikte2 · 04/07/2016 21:49

I've worked for SS and the taxi drivers employed to transport children to education etc are CRB checked and are supposed to be familiar with the regulations re child protection. It is usual practice to hand children over to a designated person. Children should never be left on their own. In one case where this happened in a rural area there was no footpath and the children wandered off . There was an enquiry and the Taxi Company lost the contract.
You should inform the Local Authority asap as this behaviour is unacceptable. It appears the company is at fault and not only this taxi driver because it is defending the driver's action and is not enforcing the regulations.

foursillybeans · 04/07/2016 21:49

I am just astounded that the taxi driver actually thought it was ok. It's not his/her fault but I just can't imagine a sensible adult not looking to see if the door has been answered and the children go in/greeted by an adult. I always check my adult friends actually get in to their houses when I drop them off!