After school person to collect DC from school and drop them to the CM- is this a thing?

[LovelyCoasters]

My DH swears this will be possible, but I don't believe it- can we employ someone to collect our DC after school and drop to at our CM?
Would be about 30 mins work per day door to door walking.
Nobody's going to want to do that are they?

We've just had an in-year transfer place come up at a local school we wanted, but I can't think how we'd do it without finding a new childminder.

We have a lovely CM at the moment but to keep with her, we'd need to somehow get the DC over to her house after school, if we changed schools.
(She's already doing pickups from a different local school so couldn't do our school too.)

Hoping that the amazing MN hive brain might be able to spot a way we could make this work... fingers crossed and thank you!

Dog walkers? Not with the dogs perse but they just work in short blocks of time

are there no after school clubs so the cm can collect after her other pick ups?

Who will drop in the morning?

How about getting a local taxi service who can provide same one/two people? they are police checked, it would probable work best with older children though.

Could try advertising it as job, if someone is walking Or driving tgatcway anyway it be extra income. You don't know till you try

I used to get DD aged 7 a taxi on odd occasions when I couldn't pick her up to take her to an afternoon activity. Didn't cost any more than the after school club would have cost (as I was paying for the activity anyway) School and taxi company both seemed familiar with that kind of arrangement.

The other option would be another parent who's walking that way anyway. You could put a notice up maybe?

Or if you have local friends with teenagers, ask them. My DS is currently picking up a friend's 4 year old 2 days a week (same issue as you with in year transfer meaning after school plans had to change at short notice)

Wow thank you everyone these are great ideas. OK I will have a serious think about this.
I can do the morning drop offs myself every day, it's just the afternoons that would need help.

Our CM has said she can only handle pickup from the one school unfortunately, so that option isn't a goer- but thank you very much for all your suggestions.

Dog walkers sound ideal - they like walking, they have leads and chains to keep them in order, and probably already have a pocket ful of treats if the kids need a pick-me-up!

If you decide to use a taxi service, make sure you check car seat situation and see if you can reserve one or two named drivers so they are familiar with route /kids www.kentonline.co.uk/malling/news/d-115577/ . Also ask to see the drivers DBS check yourself as some taxi firms aren't so scrupulous about getting them or chasing them up.

I would be questioning whether the new school would release a primary age child to anybody that they were not aware of and had checked out
How old is your child?
As for dog walkers, nice idea but you would have to ensure that they are appropriate to be allowed to pick up your child and deliver them to CM. There is a very good reason why child minders and after school club staff are all DBS checked and that is you cannot be too careful.

The school will release your child to anyone you give them authority to release them to, including a taxi company if you ask them to. It's up to you to make sure you're happy with the arrangement you make.

While it's true that taxi drivers are police checked, they are NOT childcare providers, in fact they may not even be nice to your child. Some of them struggle to be civil to adults let alone make a small child feel comfortable in their car.

Dog walkers wouldn't work because they shouldn't be allowed to either take the dogs into the playground or tie them up outside imo.

Does your child have any friends whose parents live that way that could drop them for a small fee?

I honestly think you'd be better finding a new CMer or an afterschool club connected to your new school.
If it were for a few weeks to the end of the year that's one thing, but (don't know how old he is?) it's not going to work on a long term basis.

Even if you find someone for the 'regular' days - what about when they are ill, or unable to for another reason, or when he wants to stay behind for football practice or choir or whatever? I don't think it's a good plan longer term.

It is definitely possible. At our school I know of one woman who picks a boy at the school and walks him down to his little sisters nursery where his parent meets her and then takes over. So she is only working for maybe 20/30mins? She is an artist type person who lives near the school so its probably a nice break in her day.

I would definitely look for a CM at the new school but it may take a while to find one as it is mid year.

Agree that neighbour or home worker with dog to walk could be ace; do check re dog tie up points as Bob said.

Otherwise, taxi. How old is she?

Hi thanks for your thoughts everyone.
I was about to start putting an ad up on the school noticeboard.. but now the after school club has just come up trumps!

A friend uses a sixth-former at the local secondary to pick up her DS and drop him at childminder or after-school activity.

We have a babysitter that takes DS home rather than the CM, so I pick up DD from the CM and DS is waiting at home.
She is more expensive than the CM but the CM didn't want just after school, it's the wrong school for her, and it saves pick up from the after school club.