leaving a child unattended

[Morgs]

I have been researching this and I would be interested to hear the views of other Mums/childminders/nannies/homecarers.

Ofsted state that if you are a carer, then under no circumstances should you leave a child unattended/out of sight. Is this correct?

This being correct, then leaving children in the car out of line of sight would not be good? Or do you think 5 mins to pick up milk or another child is ok?

Would really like your views on this one.

Many thanks

[Fuschia]

Morgs Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I have been researching this and I would be

> interested to hear the views of other

> Mums/childminders/nannies/homecarers.

>

> Ofsted state that if you are a carer, then under

> no circumstances should you leave a child

> unattended/out of sight. Is this correct?

>

> This being correct, then leaving children in the

> car out of line of sight would not be good? Or do

> you think 5 mins to pick up milk or another child

> is ok?

>

> Would really like your views on this one.

>

> Many thanks

I would hesitate before leaving my own (oldest) child unattended, let alone someone elses!

[Morgs]

I agree - it's pay at the pump or no petrol at all quite frankly (maybe when they are much older it's different - I'll wait till they are). In the meantime, I just wondered if anyone had the legalities of this sorted - it is the law or just a recomendation at the moment.

I believe in The US and Australia, it's a criminal offence but it's very hard to pinpoint it in the UK.

[sillywoman]

Definitely happy to leave my own over the age of about 9 for a short while - while I nip to the shop for example. Am also happy to leave 7 year old in the car while I pay for petrol etc.etc, but if I was paying for childcare, or if I was looking after someone else's child then I would feel very differently. I'd expect my kids not to be left unattended & I wouldn't leave other people's children without express prior agreement from their parents - not even for 5 minutes. The responsibility for other people's children feels much weightier than for my own (though obviously it isn't).

[Pugwash]

I would not leave a primary aged child alone in a car or in the house. I was filling up the car once with petrol when another driver pointed out that the 5 year old had managed to get out of his car seat ( he was strapped in) climbed over to where his 10 year old sister was sitting (also strapped in) and was opening the passenger door to climb out. As I was concentrating on the petrol pump on the other side of the car - did not see this happening until the other driver called out. If anything had happened to my grandchildren......!!! Grandson got a good telling off and barred from sweets that day. We could not figure out how he released the safety straps - daughter got a different car seat with more buckles to undo which he never manages.

[quinsmith]

I bet It's hard for you to imagine that I simply used to leave my kid alone for most of the time. I am a working mom and need to leave my kid to his nanny. Well, I'm not scared anymore because I discovered this awesome personal safety network that enables people to be protected from harm. At the press of a panic button it simultaneously alerts and mobilizes a select group of friends and family when a child is in trouble and, if needed, gets the child?s emergency directly to the nearest 911 emergency services dispatcher in seconds with complete information. Now, I can feel the safety of my child even if I'm not beside him. Thanks a lot to "SafeKidzone". Better check it out to see it for yourself. http://SafeKidZone.com/

[mockney piers]

I suggest your spambot should try to localise language/terminology to be a bit more convincing.

[AnnieAnn]

A tricky one, I recently had an issue about this with my nanny. She was seen by my neighbour hopping back into the car with milk and bread. The children would have been alone for at least 1 minute. I raised the issue with her and she said she can see the car the entire time from within the shop and the car was locked. Since this happened we just make sure we have bread and milk in so she doesn't have to do this!

Not sure on the legalities! Common sense more of an issue.

Thanks

Frances

[reneet]

I do not leave my child unattended, if i have to pay for petrol then i take her with me into the store. The only time I can say I leave her unattended is in the house if I am in another room but even so she has to be doing something and I will keep checking on her, but outside, in the car, she must be within eye sight.

Hubby was on his usual jog/run, which goes through nunhead cemetry, he came across a child in a pram crying left unattended, he stopped and stood there for a while, wondering what to do,then someone came out of the bushes to attend to the child, and he continued with his run. I personally think that was very unsafe, what if hubby had bad intentions?