Statement of intent

In the event of a child becoming lost while in the care of the pre-school, the pre-school will put into practice procedures. These ensure that a systematic approach to find the child is taken and consideration is given to the levels of risk to the child.

Aim

In the event that a child id lost, we will ensure a search is made for the child as soon as possible, parents and authorities are notified at the appropriate stage, and a high level of care is maintained to other children at the pre-school while procedures are followed.

Procedure

Lost child at Pre-school procedures

We will check the register to confirm the child came to the pre-school. a quick search of all rooms, cupboards and all areas in the pre-school will take place.

The session supervisor will send a member of staff to make an initial search for the child.The search will start with the member of staff going to the adjacent rooms of the community centre. She/he then checks the car park and  the field behind the community centre, then the road across the carpark before  reporting back to the supervisor.This will e done as quickly as possible.

While the initial search is made, the session supervisor will make enquiries of all adults at the pre-school to establish the last sighting and time, clothes that the child was wearing, and the mental state of the child (happy,upset etc..)

The supervisor will then telephone the police and report the situation and follow their advice.

The session supervisor will telephone the parent or carer and report  the situation. The session supervisor will ask the parent to come to the pre-school, by using the normal route that the child would take and preferably by walking. The session supervisor will then send a different member of staff to make a search of the area, and continue the search until instructed otherwise.

When the parent arrives at the pre-school, and the child is still lost, we will ask the parent to return home and wait, in case the child has managed to make their way home.

Telephone lines should remain as free as possible so that messages are not delayed.

The pre-school activities for the remaining children will continue as normal and staff not involved in the search will give the children proper attention.

Lost Child on Outings procedure

We attempt to minimise the opportunity of lost children by ensuring that they are properly supevised by a parent, carer or member of staff. Each child without a parent or carer on the outing will have a member of staffalloted to mind them, and the member of staff will be allocated a maximum of 2 children.

The procedures are:

If coach travel is part of the outing, number of people will be counted and double checked on the coach prior to leaving.

If the child is lost on the outing's venue, the supervisors will insist that all adults and children return to a meeting point, and will despatch staff to search for adults and parents.

A count will be made to confirm all who are present. Adults will be asked when they last swa the child, and what clothes he/she was wearing. All adults will be asked to look for the child as they proceed with the outing, and a member of staff will stay at the meeting point so that if the child is found, this can be reported to the supervisor.

The supervisor will alert officials at the venue that there is a missing child and take their advice.

The police should be telephoned to report the situation and staff will follow their advice.

Where possible, at the end of the outing a member of staff will remain at the venue to assist in the search, and if successful to bring the child back. If the parents are not on the outing, the supervisor will telephone the parents and advise them of the situation.

This policy was adopted at a meeting of Hollybush Montessori school on 26th July 2007