Urgent advice please - OK for 11 year old to get cab (Uber?) alone back from friends? In London.

[lostmeagesago]

My Year 7 DS has just called me as school is closing early due to snow day. His school has a big catchment area and he's desperate to go to a friend's house that's a half-hour drive. My dh is at work and worried if he'll even get home at all tonight as needs to work late, so can't pick DS up and I don't drive.

I don't know the child he wants to go to or the parents so can't expect them to hold on to him.

Is it feasible for an 11-year-old to get a cab back on his own (prob about 6pm)? He thinks I'm mean - I said no, partly due to cost and partly as feel uncomfortable with the whole idea.

AIBU to say no?

You know Uber drivers don't need to be DBS-checked right?

daisypond - it would probably take him a couple of hours with all the changes on a normal day - today, who knows? Not really practical.

He's now at a much nearer friend, only 1 bus journey away but it's really unreliable in good weather (2 an hour but never runs to schedule) so will pay the fairly small amount for a cab.

Thanks for all advice.

Ah, OK. Two hours by public transport on a normal day is quite long, and there may be disruption too. Glad you got sorted.

Ilovecamping - I honestly don't know, he claims it's normal. Is it? Unlike at primary, where it's all done through me arranging it through the boys' mums, at secondary he does organise it himself. I have said no sometimes but do get that on a snow day kids will want to be with other kids.

Your ds is a child. It’s snowing. He should come home. There will be plenty of sunny days once spring and summer come.

Cross post. That sounds more sensible.

Id want him home and playing with local friends. The weather might get worse and a mum wouldn't be expecting her own kid home early never mind 2 !

In this situation it would be straight home if he was my DS

Ubers wont allow it until 12. Ive considered it before to get my 10 year old to school so i can track where he is and he has his own phone on him. I probably wouldnt in london but where i live its just the same taxi drivers as the taxi firms. I know at least 3 that are dbs checked from doing official school runs when they worked for the local firms. However i dont. Because its just not worth something going wrong. If i knew the mum on the other end was putting him in the taxi i could track his journey and then meet him at the other side id might consider it in an emergency.