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SN children

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Original poster

Would you be annoyed.....

16 replies

5inthebed · 23/01/2009 13:26

if your DC transport to school "stopped off" at the local supermarket to get a few bits as they were running a bit early?
The (lovely) transport lady who picks and drops ds2 off has toldme today they had a little visit to Morrisons car park today while she went in to get a cooked chicken and some tea bags, leaving 4 ASD children in the bus with just the driver!
I'm really annoyed and a bit concerned that she has done this, as she is meant to be looking after them, making sure they get to school ok.
Should I call the school? The taxi firm who do the journey? or the coucil who give them the contract? Or should I not do anything at all?

OP posts:

kettlechip · 23/01/2009 14:04

at this! There's no doubt that she shouldn't be doing this - I'm a bit surprised that she even told you about it tbh, possibly she hasn't thought through the implications of what she's done. I'd imagine it would be a disciplinary offence at the least, she could potentially lose her job over it.

If you think it's a one off I'd have a quiet word with the school. I don't think I could just leave it. She needs to know that it isn't acceptable and should never happen again. It's not at all fair on the children or the driver either, she must have been gone for at least a few minutes - what was he/she supposed to do if there was an emergency with one of the children?

sadnog · 23/01/2009 14:07

Hi, am not in position where DD has transport to school but just wanted to say that YES I would be annoyed and I would call anyone and everyone involved in the organisation of the transport.

Mamazon · 23/01/2009 14:08

the driver is not cleared to be left alone with children and is certainly not medically trained to be alone with children with Sn.

she has no business stopping off and yes she should be spoken to about it.

vjg13 · 23/01/2009 14:19

Really , really

I would ring the council transport if our escort did this. I'm amazed she told you and thought this was ok.

claw3 · 23/01/2009 14:34

Oh dear doesnt sound right, are the children allowed to be left with the driver at ANY time?

Sorry not much experience of this.

rosie39forever · 23/01/2009 15:07

(shock) OMG, I would be livid if my dds transport did this, if she thinks its ok to nip to morrisons whilst doing her job what else does she think is acceptable!! I would speak to the school and to transport, her priority should be to your child not what shes having for lunch.

Deeeja · 23/01/2009 15:49

That is awful!
I would not be happy about it at all, just the very thought.......agree with rosie39, wonder what else she is doing that she shouldn't.
You should call the council.

Deeeja · 23/01/2009 15:52

My d3's escort stays on the bus at all times, with the children, and when collecting/dropping of the children we have to
go the the bus, she does not leave the bus at all.

saint2shoes · 23/01/2009 16:14

I would be furious and complain

HelensMelons · 23/01/2009 16:23

Definitely do something 5inthebed. She flouting the rules and not carrying out her duty of care to the kids in the bus.

Perhaps it was a one off but unless it's nipped in the bud, my worry would be that the next time, they're a bit early, there could be another swift trip around morrisons.

She knows the rules, the reason there are two adults, I would presume, is for child protection.

On this occasion the children all arrived home safely and no harm done but I wouldn't be happy about it.

flyingmum · 23/01/2009 16:29

I would nip this. We had the taxi driver from hell for a while. I discovered that after night shift - the am pick up was his last job after he had been working all night and sleeping in his car at the end of our road, that he stopped off at the drive in McDonalds to get his breakfast with the boys in the car and sat or drove (crikey) while he ate it.

I only discovered this after the event. I got rid of him because of his constant lateness or even forgetting to pick up my child from school. Since then I had one driver who asked if I minded if she picked up son and then if they could wait in the college car park for half an hour for another pick up (otherwise she would have had a two hour round trip) and that was OK for me (she was lovely).

LollipopViolet · 23/01/2009 16:34

I've been on transport where it was just me, another lad and the driver, but we were going to college so both over 16. When we merged with a bus where there were U16's, we did have an escort with us. So yeah, I'd be annoyed if I knew it was against the rules.

FWIW, the times when it was just the 2 of us and the driver, the only time he'd stop was for fuel.

PheasantPlucker · 23/01/2009 17:27

Not good, I would 'have a word' with someone.

Original poster

5inthebed · 23/01/2009 19:57

Sorry I disappeared after posting this, had to head of to pay rent and then the school run.

I think I'll have a word with the school. Not sure I would want this woman to lose her job over this, but I know I dont want it happening again. DS2 and the other children n the bus are 3/4 so do need constant supervision. Spoke to DH who is livid, as he hates the fact ds2 has to get the bus at all.

Thanks all for your advice. Thought for one nano-second that I was being a bit "precious"

OP posts:

LollipopViolet · 23/01/2009 20:10

Flyingmum, my nightmare driver did the "eat and drive" thing as well.

Original poster

5inthebed · 29/01/2009 08:43

I've spoke to the school, who addressed the taxi company, and hopefully it wont happen again. The school were very unhappy that she had done this, and I dont think they pussyfooted around the fact that they shouldnt have allowed it.

Fingers crossed it wont happen again.

OP posts:

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