Would you put a 10 year old in a taxi alone?

[Himitsu]

My daughter has a club she really loves however my husbands hours have changed which means he’s is now at work. I won’t have time to go home and collect her and take her to her club before then going to collect my younger one from nursery.

Trying to think of ways to get her there! Would you feel comfortable with this?

No I wouldn't with a taxi, instead I'd ask other parents and the class leader if anyone would be open to lift sharing , they do drop offs and you do pick ups

Personally no way.

I’d only consider it if the taxi driver was one approved by the local authority for school transport. Otherwise there’s no way.

We don't own a car, so I have very occasionally. Child has a phone, driver has my number, made a formal booking with the company AND took a photo of the license plate and driver. But weekly for an activity I don't know if I would.

No, I wouldn’t. I’d ask the parent of one of her friends at the club if they could take her back to their place, get my other DC from nursery then head over to the friend’s house.

Can you do that?

Just seen it’s a drop off issue not a pick up. So can another parent take her for you?

if not can you collect younger one early from nursery that day?

if not, she can’t do the club.

Absolutely not.

DS get a taxi to school every day, but it's LA approved, DBS and with shaperone. I wouldn't be comfortable with them been unaccompanied in a normal taxi. Is there another parent who can drop of with their kid in exchange for you collecting both? Or can the nursery hours be extended?

None of the other parents live in our area.

I can’t extend nursery as it’s literally end if the day. I don’t finish work till 5 and nursery shuts at 6. We live in a city with traffic at that time so I can’t do both just won’t physically have enough time.

Yes, if it was one of the taxi companies approved for school runs and if you could have the same driver every week.

I don't think there is any great risk in this really. It's one that seems horrifying but actually there's probably more risk if she walked somewhere/got the bus/at the club itself.

I’d avoid it if I could. It depends on the taxi company though because a local one sends you the make and model of the car, reg no and driver’s name and allows you to track the car on its journey so I’d be slightly comfortable if I was able to do that.

Slightly more.

I tried with my dd who was older at the time (13) and all 3 local firms refused

I thought about this for my 13 year old before I was able to change my working hours, as like you there was times I couldnt make club drop offs. In the end, I didnt feel comfortable with it and also wasnt sure if the taxi driver would take unaccompanied minor so I ended up begging lifts or him missing clubs when I couldnt do it.

Not in a million years. If there is no other option (such as asking another parent to to the drop off and you do the pick up for the children or picking the nursery aged child up earlier) then DD would sadly have to miss the club. Ten year old unaccompanied in a taxi with a (most likely) male driver is a recipe for disaster.

Could you go straight to the nursery and the 10yo walk to meet you outside, then take the youngest along to drop her off?

It would depend. Is she a mature 10 year old? Is it a short journey? Is there an adult available to see her off at one end and another at the other end to collect her from the car? Could you pay in advance to avoid her having to handle payment?

If the answer to all these is yes, then I may well strongly consider it to avoid dd having to miss out on the club she loves.

I wonder whether some of these replies are from people who never actually book and use minicabs?

Use a well-established local company and speak to the office in advance to discuss your ongoing requirements. Maybe visit their office and meet the staff in person and make a block payment. Ask them for a driver who is used to doing school runs for children. Loads of cab drivers do that.

I used to work for a council (the bodies who issue taxi licenses) and the vetting and licensing procedure is pretty stringent. Drivers have to be DBS checked and a good company will ensure all their drivers are safe and reliable.

I don't think the risk to your dd is as great as some of the categorical replies here would suggest.

No, because my 10 year old would absolutely hate it.

I tried to put my 11 yr old in one when my car broke down one morning and he needed to get to school. They refused so I had to go too, bringing a toddler and baby along too for the ride, one of which had just vomited earlier. It cost me double too as I had the journey back. I totally understand though and I probably wouldn't have done it only it was a very stressful day. I think if its a regular booking with a driver who does school runs I would be OK. Some randomer on an app, no way.

Ok so your only option is husband changing hours back again as it seems that’s the change that has caused this?

If he can’t, it looks like we’ve exhausted all possibilities for you and she can’t do her club, unless the club has different times?

Sometimes the logistics just don’t work unfortunately, with so many moving parts.

I wouldn't, although I've never had children but it seems very risky to me.

I think a lot of firms would refuse to take an unaccompanied child anyway

Just googled and apparently Uber won't allow under 18s to travel unaccompanied

No the nursery is a few miles away up a dual carriageway unfortunately! She also can’t walk to my work to meet me there as it’s too far.

If you live in a city is a bus not a better option?