Late Collection of Children Policy

Swim England understand that occasionally there are times when the late collection of children is unavoidable, parents/guardians may be delayed or unable to collect their child from training or after an event on time. Parents/guardians should inform the appropriate officer of the organisation if they are going to be delayed and come to an agreement with the club on the best appropriate action e.g. how long they are going to be or provide details of alternative arrangements for their child to be transported home. 

If a parent/guardian arrives to collect a child and the officers are concerned at their ability  to take appropriate care of the child (i.e. they are considered to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs) the organisation should gain advice from the police or Children’s Social Care.

Emergency Procedures

In the event that a child has not been collected at the expected time and no contact has been made by the parent/guardian. 

The organisation should:

1. Use the emergency numbers they have for the child to try to arrange for a nominated person to collect them.
2. If there is no answer from those contacts ask the child if they have contact numbers for any other family members who may be able to help.
3. If there is no reply or response from the above and after 20 minutes you are unable to contact anyone else the organisation can seek advice from police or Children’s Social Care or Multi Agency Safeguarding
   Hub (MASH).
4. If following either points 2 or 3 the child has to be transported to a place of safety by an adult club officer or coach in an emergency situation it is recommended that two Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
   checked adults from the club transport the child. In all cases the child should be seated in the back seat.
5. The officers must never leave a child alone, unless they are over 16 and parents/guardians have agreed with the club previously that their child can make their own way to and from training.
6. Until a child is collected, to maintain the wellbeing of all concerned, two appropriate officers (ideally who hold a DBS check) or parents/guardians must remain with the child. 

You should avoid:

• Taking the child home or to another location.
• Asking the child to wait in a vehicle.
• Waiting with the child at the organisation on your own.
• Sending the child home with another person without permission.

Repeated incidents

Parents/guardians who repeatedly fail to collect a child on time or who have not arrived after a reasonable period of time, and have given no prior notice or informed the organisation that they are going to be delayed, may be failing in their duty of care to their child. The Welfare Officer and another officer should arrange to meet with the parent/guardian and discuss the matter. It may be that the parent/guardian can be assisted in arriving promptly. For example making arrangements with another parent/guardian. If over the next few weeks there is no change, the Welfare Officer should either contact the Swim England Child Safeguarding Team, Children’s Social Care or MASH Team for further advice.