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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Kids sent home - safeguarding issue?

372 replies

PutTheBathOnPlease · 28/02/2017 20:18

Got a text at 10.20 this morning to say secondary school have a power cut and kids will be sent home on buses at 11:30. My son is 12, I was 80 miles away for work. Other half was able to get home just after DS, but school had not asked either kids or parents whether an adult would be at home - they relied on one text message with 60 mins notice. I find it boggling that they sent home 11 and 12 yo kids, not knowing if they would be able to get into their homes let alone have an adult meet them. Maybe I'm old fashioned! But what if the text had failed to arrive? The consequences could be serious. Your thoughts please.

OP posts:
BitchPeas · 28/02/2017 20:19

I wouldn't bat an eyelid to be honest. They are secondary school age not primary school.

Hercules12 · 28/02/2017 20:22

I suppose depends where you live. I went to school in countryside and relied on council paid for arranged transport but then so did most of the school so for closures the buses took us home. However both my dc tare public transport so would just go home.

Heirhelp · 28/02/2017 20:22

I would assume your child would have told a teacher if they would not be able to get into their home. I would have hoped the staff asked.

Original poster
PutTheBathOnPlease · 28/02/2017 20:24

That's the thing, they didn't check with my son if he had a key or if anyone was at home. He wouldn't have said anything either.

OP posts:
rainbowunicorn · 28/02/2017 20:24

I would assume that all secondary aged children would have a key to their own home and would be able to use it to get in. Really don't see the problem here, they are not 5 year olds.

StarUtopia · 28/02/2017 20:25

I'm just wondering why your 11 year old doesn't have a house key. I had one from the age of 8 tied round my waist!

Had some lovely afternoons in my time watching TV after school closed early for fire alarms, water leaks etc etc.

What are these serious consequences you're talking about? If it's being locked out (and being unable to use brain to call a neighbour/relative etc) then we have bigger problems here than a 12 yr old being sent home from school. Genuinely confused!

Hercules12 · 28/02/2017 20:25

Has he got any sen? I mean wold they know to specifically check with him?

RobinHumphries · 28/02/2017 20:26

When I was 11 or 12, when this happened, I would have already had the keys to the house as school would be finished before my parents finished work and my parents wouldn't ever receive a text.

Rickandmorty · 28/02/2017 20:26

Why wouldn't he tell a teacher?

Hercules12 · 28/02/2017 20:26

I assume most if not all children would contact their parents directly themselves.

tigerrun · 28/02/2017 20:28

Surely all secondary school kids have keys and if they were putting on buses for transport then that is fine? Also most have phones (and if not then their friends do) so if they didn't have keys they could make a plan B with you (go into town or go to a friends house)? I have faith that my kids would have been able to sort themselves out without any drama in that situation & are old enough and responsible enough to communicate their plans to me.

Why wouldn't your son have said anything?

AgentProvocateur · 28/02/2017 20:28

Surely most secondary children have a key or know which neighbour has one?

PurpleDaisies · 28/02/2017 20:29

Wouldn't you expect most secondary age children to know if they couldn't get in and tell someone at school?

Iflyaway · 28/02/2017 20:29

I understand your concern, but in an emergency - as a school power cut would be - it's unrealistic to expect the school to check on every kid's set up at home.

It's up to the parents to have these kind of situations when they do happen in place.

At the age of 12, you cannot expect a school to act as a nursery.

AndShesGone · 28/02/2017 20:30

If he doesn't have Sen it's your job to prepare him with what to do like tell a teacher, carry a key, have a back up plan etc

So do your job.

Hercules12 · 28/02/2017 20:30

Just seen buses were arranged. I went to school before mobiles existed and was sent home early on transport several times. Parents were never notified. No one thought to query it.

angeldelightedme · 28/02/2017 20:30

  1. Your DS should have told the school if there was a problem .I bet a pound to a penny they told the children to say if there was a problem

  2. They gave you an hour's notice to ring back and tell them if there was a problem with this arrangement and then they could have held him there

TalkingofMichaelAngel0 · 28/02/2017 20:33

Presumably they had to be sent home
As the school would have been unable to feed the whole school???

What do you expect the school to do?

Dogivemeabreak · 28/02/2017 20:39

Don't be so precious. Why wouldn't he have a key. He in secondary school no nursery.

bloodyteenagers · 28/02/2017 20:39

What serious consequences?

Flypaperforarseholes · 28/02/2017 20:39

I agree with you, OP. I don't think 11/12 year olds should be sent home without a staff member actually speaking to a parent/guardian to ensure they will be able to get into the house etc.
I also agree that the consequences could have been serious - a child sent home and unable to gain access would go where? There is no guarantee that they would have family members nearby whom they could go to so could end up wandering the streets whilst their parents assume they are at school.
I had a key from the age of 9, let myself into the house and pretty much did as I pleased until my mum got hime from work at 7pm. I got myself into a lot of situations I should not have been in because I had far too much unsupervised time on my hands. I don't want the same for my children and would be very unimpressed if my child's school had done this.

OopsDearyMe · 28/02/2017 20:41

I am afraid I agree, we are talking about secondary school aged children, that ought to be able to travel to and from home at any time and be able to access the house they live in. The school gave notice by text message, there is of course the likelihood of a message being missed, but what would happen to your child other than be locked out?

MsJudgemental · 28/02/2017 20:41

They are 11 and 12- they should have keys to their own home and be able to look after themselves!

Hercules12 · 28/02/2017 20:41

But couldn't the children just phone themselves and tell the school if there's an issue?

OneWithTheForce · 28/02/2017 20:42

Doesn't he have any money on him? A mobile? Couldn't he have text you and said "I've been sent home, have no key, will go to coffee shop/chip shop/ etc and wait for dad/you"