To raise a safeguarding issue with church regarding playgroup?

[Bornunderpunches]

my 2.5 year old son managed to escape the church playgroup. I was just chatting to another mum when I looked up and realised he wasn’t in the hall. He can’t have been longer than 20 seconds from when I’d last seen him and I got up and went looking for him, however being heavily pregnant I’m much slower than him at this point. all the doors were left open and when I got to him he had managed to run across the busy road just about 15 metres from the front door of the church. luckily a passer by had got to him and pulled him out of the road. Ive been going to the group for around a year and nobody in particular runs the group and we’re just left to our own devices, the church has no input whatsoever they just let us use the hall. we buy the biscuits and milk and what not, get all the toys out ourselves and put them away etc. When I told the office in a complete state of shock they were completely dismissive of the issue and said how they leave the doors open for mothers and children to easily access the group and acted like it was nothing to do with them. I just feel like such an awful mother and unsure of how to approach the situation because I don’t know whether this would be considered my fault as the church don’t have anyone supervising the group or the church’s fault for not having more in place for safeguarding in the first place.

Who hires the hall?

The doors should definitely be shut- surely that’s a safeguarding issue in itself that anyone can just wander in and kids should wander out.

A bit of both. They should have eg child gates or whatever, and you need to watch your child / the exits.

How awful and I’m so glad that he’s safe. I’m not sure of the rules around this but I’d suggest contacting the vicar…. Some form of protocol needs to be implemented.

I don't think it's ideal to have wide open doors, but ultimately you were the one responsible for supervising your dc at the time.

I think you are expected to be supervising your own child
It sounds like an ad hoc place to meet and let children play
You need to keep eyes on him as you would at a soft play etc
At least he is fine

I don't think you can blame the church, you are responsible for your child, in that set up.

I used to run a playgroup. You do need someone with a bit of oversight ie who sorts the hall bookings, decides how much to charge parents etc. We always made sure the doors were closed, but we also had our own toddlers to look after, so the onus is still on the parent to watch their child, we weren’t a childcare provider.

Your child your responsibility.

Surely you knew the doors were open?

To solve the issue, I’d shut the doors next time and put a notice on the outside saying the group is on and come in

Like PP I think it’s a bit of both. The
doors should be closed, but ultimately you are responsible for your own child
in this sort of setting.

That is not good at all. You must raise it with church management or under the church safeguarding referral route.

Doors need to be opened for people to come in, but they should also be closed afterwards for safety when young children are around. The vast majority of children’s centres and nurseries have either a high-level handle for adults to use or an electronic press-button system. Or there is an external fence to act as a buffer zone.

Thank God (the irony!) for that passer-by!

I don't think doors should literally open, but obviously unlocked.

However it is completely and utterly your responsibility in that situation to keep an eye on your child and their safety.

I used to go to a playgroup in a church hall, we all mucked in with toys and tidying, but the ladies who sort of ran it, made the tea and put the biscuits out (we paid £1) I would have never expected them to be running after my child and keeping a hawk like eye on them.

There were a couple of boys that used to try and 'escape' their parents would usually hover near the door.

Don't beat yourself up too much, a terrifying experience, but all was ok in the end, and a lesson learned.

Playgroups aren't like nursery. At nursery they are legally responsible for your child while the child is in their care. In loco parentis.

At playgroups, you remain responsible for your child. You have to watch them at all times. You can't just stop watching them and assume someone else will, nobody else will.

It sounds like a nasty shock and you're probably trying to place blame on them because you feel so awful that you allowed this to happen and put your child at risk. Not an uncommon initial reaction to someone like this, but I would certainly not send anything to anyone as they'll just remind you it's your responsibility to watch your child.

It sounds really slack. Either it’s a church run group in which case they need DBS checked staff or volunteers supervising it and a proper risk assessment and insurance, or it’s XYZ toddler group running it in which case they are paying to use the church hall and need their own insurance, risk assessment and person in charge. Which is it? Establish that then you know who to complain to. It’s one thing to say your child remains your responsibility but to have no barrier between free play for toddlers and a main road is madness.

If the door was wide open... a parent left it open. If you saw it open, you should have shut it there and then.

They can't lock the doors, as that's a fire risk.

You aren't at a paid childcare facility... your child is your responsibility 💯

Did you not know the doors were open? I'm afraid this is on you not them.

This.

You have to watch your own child. When something bad happens, it’s not on them.

If the group is not run by the church then they can't really be held to account.

Who rents the hall - pays the church?
Someone within the group must be in charge - that should be raised with them.

I’m sorry this happened and it must have been very scary. Ultimately though in these set ups, you as the parent are in charge of watching your child. The church is giving you the space / chance to socialise, not taking responsibility for children who attend. You could suggest that the door is kept closed by default, but even then if a parent leaves it open, a child could get out. So you need to act like you would in a public park or similar, not a private space; do your own evaluation of the situation and keep eyes on your child all the time.

At a toddlers' group, the expectation is that you remain responsible for - and supervising - your own child at all times

If the church don't organise the group then I don't see how they can take responsibility for ensuring doors closed and safeguarding. It sounds like it's down to the group to self police their own DC.
It sounds very shocking for you. Maybe ask the mums if you can shut the doors in future

I would record your concerns in writing to whoever has responsibility for the organising the group. Not in an accusatory way, but just flagging the issue.

I used to run an ad hoc type toddler group. Free, but parents had to sign ad having read info sheet, which including things around closing doors, fire exits, parents being responsible for their own child etc. Might be a good idea. Along with doing some fundraising for a more secure door with high handle which children can't reach etc

This isn’t just a group of mums getting together in a public space.

The church is offering (advertising?) the playgroup service to members of the public, so is presumably holding public liability insurance. Their insurers will probably expect them to take reasonable steps to prevent harm to the members of the public who are attending. Just in the same way that they should have a first-aider available or not have broken bits of furniture lying around.

If it’s C of E there will be a safeguarding lead who feeds into the diocese if there are any concerns. This is who you need to speak to.
It sounds like an informal arrangement where parents are in charge of and responsible for their own children and not an actual playgroup run for profit and following a curriculum and protocols.
If this is the case there should be notes up reminding people about responsibility but as a minimum you’d expect a door to a main road to be closed with a bell for entry.
I’ve observed children in Playgroups in hired church halls ( where parents drop off and pick up) and there have always been lots of safety and safeguarding measures around drop offs, pick ups and doors.
Glad your child is OK must have been scary.