To think school should deal with this

[Chickencuddle]

We go to the park most days. A little girl from the reception class (who is either 4 or 5 depending on when her birthday is) is always picked up from school by her mum. She then goes to the park on her own while her mum sits at home. Her mum lives close to the park but not so close you could see.
The little girl has kind of latched onto us. Asks me to push her on the swing and plays with my ds. She is often just in a tshirt and thin hoody even though it's very cold atm. This is relevant because the last few days we have started walking back to our car and she often walks home at the same time. But the last few days the door was locked and she was knocking but no answer. So she was locked out in the cold.
Also a few times she has run off somewhere with another little boy. Her mum cant know where she is.
When she was locked out the other day she tagged along with us to pick up my dd at a different time. Her mum is often at school picking up her brother at the same time so i hoped we would see her there. She wasbt there so i informed a teacher and said i didnt want to leave her on her own. The mother eventually turned up and all fine.
I brought it up again with teacher today because she was on her own again. Teacher said I should speak to the mother about it.
Wwyd?

Hope this gets sorted for the girl's sake. Not safe for a child of that age to be on her own, and she needs warm clothes. Poor chick.

I'm guessing there must be something going on at home maybe MH issue or something? Surely no-one would be letting a kid out like this under normal circs.

But she also should not be allowing the child to “decide to tag on with her”.

I’d stay with an unaccompanied child in the park until police arrived, myself.

You can speak to the school about your concerns, especially regarding pick up.
To be honest I would report directly to social services as a child being locked out of home and not dressed appropriately is a huge concern. It's much better for social services to hear your concerns directly from you, rather than school saying that a parent has told them about a child in the park being locked out.

@MargotLovedTom1 of course I don't expect schools to ignore neglect and abuse at home. I suggested social services as teachers duty of care is actually stated as being during school hours on a school site. That doesn't mean I expect them to turn a blind eye.

Call the police. Let them deal with it. Poor child

I would raise hell over this.

Police for when you ‘find’ her alone and a formal letter to the school safeguarding lead delivered by hand first thing in the morning.
I would even contact social service with a list of dates/instances.

Definitely not on.

Please everyone, the school does have a duty of care to every student in and out of school. It’s so important to report suspected neglect. They will have a designated safeguarding lead- possibly several- and a safeguarding governor.
They will escalate this as appropriate. Please email any of them and also let them know that you had spoke to the teacher. That teacher will need reminding of their training.

The teacher gave you appalling advice. You need to put it in writing to the headteacher and to the safeguarding lead, as PPs have advised, and you need to raise that the teacher told you to take it up with the parent yourself. That's absolutely not appropriate.

I would also raise it with SS, or if you feel you cannot do that, call the NSPCC for advice.

You've seen this child out alone for hours at a time, inappropriately dressed for the weather, latching onto strangers and going off with other children, and have witnessed them being locked out of their house.

I wouldn't be able to leave it up to school to deal with.

Officially inform the school as they DEFINITELY should not be letting a 4/5yr old leave their care to walk home alone - they should only ever be passing her over to an appropriate adult!! (I am a Teacher)
They should be investigating the situation & raising it with the relevant external agencies (such as Police & Social Services) as a very serious safeguarding issue. If they brush you off again, go straight to the Police yourself.

I would be raising hell with the governing body. Safeguarding training is clearly lacking in your child's school!

The teacher should have been quite alarmed and reported what you said immediately to the Safeguarding team.

Please contact the police the next time you see her alone at the park and social services immediately since the school can't be bothered.

With regard to school picking up then this is most definitely a safeguarding issue. The issues outside of school contribute to that but they are outside what school can do - but being aware is something that they can add to safeguarding concerns.

What gingerbiscuits says is quite correct. It would be worth raising with Social services yourself too, to make sure all bases are covered, so to speak.

I will note that even during lockdown, our school was still responsible and following up on any and all safeguarding concerns. And there were many. Schools are responsible for these things during term times, even for things that happen out of school, and must act if they are informed about such concerns!

Do you know if the school have raised any safeguarding concerns? They may not have informed you what is ongoing, however I would still send a formal email outlining your concerns and all the incidents that you have witnessed.

“It's a safeguarding issue and the school can be in breach of its duty if they do not investigate a concern raised. Take it to the Head, formally, in writing.”

This 100%
It is absolutely the school’s concern and responsibility to deal with. Shout it from the rooftops until they start dealing with it and if they won’t then take it to the local MASH (multi agency safeguarding hub), you’ll find them on the internet

Make a referral yourself to the council social care team. Simply report your concerns: she is alone; she couldn't get in her house; she is dressed in summer clothing. The teacher should have logged the concern; she may well have done so but she wouldn't tell you what she has done necessarily.

When you see her in the park alone with no parent, wearing clothing which isnt earm enough, you need to call the police and tell them a child is alone and not dressed for the cold. When she was locked out, you absolutely should have called the police because it is an emergency.

Call the police or social services are if she’s on her own again. The school should absolutely record your concerns.

I would make a call to social services if I was concearned about a childs wellfare. Or instead of talking to the teacher, phone the school and ask to talk to someone who is involved with safe guarding make it more official.

Flumposie I work in a school. We have safeguarding training coming out of ears. "Duty of care" does not begin at 8:50am and end at 3:20pm. Any social services or police involvement will involve a huge amount of liaison with the school anyway.

Social services will take weeks to do anything. You need to call the police the next time if happens. You call 999 and tell them that the child is alone and not dressed for the cold and they need to come and get her. They will then be able to make things happen quickly.

This is quite upsetting to read as you can only imagine what could happen to that poor child. My son is that age and I dont let him out of my sight. I agree with PP that you need to formally take this to the school in writing and I would also contact SS. Also if you see her locked outside on her own again call the police.

If she was alone and couldn't get in, I would've called the police. I would call social services now. I think school should have listened to you, and you should also let them know.

If you see a 4 year old wondering around on their own you need to call the police

I would call the police.

The school will know of this already probably, but IIWY I would email the head. They really will want to know and move heaven and earth to sort it. I think calling the police would really freak out the child.
How awful though, cold and alone.
Is her brother younger? Does he look well dressed?