Emergency Pick Up When Not An Emergency

[mrsnj]

So frustrating. Its the same parent that I have issues with all the time for this that and another. 25 yrs and never had a problem. Just with this one. So my way of doing it must click cause the others don't have issues or never have. This mom is my headache. My fav is when I get a text 30 min after they were picked up that the person was coming. I was closed by then. She is sooooooooooo frustrating! The dad? No problem (divorced). The mom...always. I am always having to buckle down or reset rules for her cause she is always looking for some easy way out loop hole!

I think I simply have to tell her.....no notification.....no pick up. I agree. I am not going to hunt her down each time. The person picking can go out and do it. This gets old really quick.

Thanks for the info!!!

[Play Care]

Is this a reg. in your state or a federal law that I'm not aware of?

Aside from the non-custodial parent thing (which I think everyone gets), I do not HAVE to give the child to anyone, even an approved pick-up. I can't see any reason that I wouldn't, as long as I was told by the parent to expect them or it was a regular thing (like Aunt Sue always picks up on Fridays). But, if I said no, they'd have to call the police in to make me do it.

In the above case, I guess it doesn't matter if the director's hands were tied anyway. She said herself grandma seemed fine, so she probably wouldn't have said "no, you can't have the kids". Putting her on the list in the first place was the parent's choice. How sad for everyone involved.

I'll have to check with licensing, but I fairly sure the reg that covers having to allow parents to pick up their child barring a court order, also pertains to those the parents have approved as a pick up.
To be honest, even though my contract says I won't release to anyone who appears under the influence, I'm not sure it would hold up in court if the person was approved to be a pick up (though I wouldn't care if my refusal had kept the child safe/alive) The directors hands were tied because she had to legally release the children to the grandmother because that's who the parents stipulated as a pick up person, which is what led me to believe the law covered other people designated as pick up.

But in the OP's case, the people are not on her routine pick up list and that does need to be addressed. I actually never even thought about saying to parents that their emergency contacts couldn't just come for regular pick up - even though I have two separate forms - and it's never come up.

[Heidi]

I'll have to check with licensing, but I fairly sure the reg that covers having to allow parents to pick up their child barring a court order, also pertains to those the parents have approved as a pick up.
To be honest, even though my contract says I won't release to anyone who appears under the influence, I'm not sure it would hold up in court if the person was approved to be a pick up (though I wouldn't care if my refusal had kept the child safe/alive) The directors hands were tied because she had to legally release the children to the grandmother because that's who the parents stipulated as a pick up person, which is what led me to believe the law covered other people designated as pick up.

But in the OP's case, the people are not on her routine pick up list and that does need to be addressed. I actually never even thought about saying to parents that their emergency contacts couldn't just come for regular pick up - even though I have two separate forms - and it's never come up.

Definitely not in WI's regs! They only address non-custodial parents.

Even then, I'd stall, ask for ID and a birth certificate (assuming I'd never met the parent), and call the Sheriff and let them sort it out. They CANNOT arrest me for keeping a child safe. That'd be ridiculous. Besides, if the officer said let the parent take the child, fine.

As for other's on the list, I highly doubt anyone's grandma is going to take me to civil court and win because I didn't give her a kid without permission. I've never had it happen that a parent hasn't told me, that I can remember. I did have parents years ago where 2 or 3 different family members picked up, and I sometimes didn't know who'd show up, but it was so regular. Dad was a professional poker player and traveled, mom was a med student.

[Play Care]

Definitely not in WI's regs! They only address non-custodial parents.

Even then, I'd stall, ask for ID and a birth certificate (assuming I'd never met the parent), and call the Sheriff and let them sort it out. They CANNOT arrest me for keeping a child safe. That'd be ridiculous. Besides, if the officer said let the parent take the child, fine.

As for other's on the list, I highly doubt anyone's grandma is going to take me to civil court and win because I didn't give her a kid without permission. I've never had it happen that a parent hasn't told me, that I can remember. I did have parents years ago where 2 or 3 different family members picked up, and I sometimes didn't know who'd show up, but it was so regular. Dad was a professional poker player and traveled, mom was a med student.

I can (and do) ask for id if I don't know the person who is picking up - say mom tells me grandma is picking up but I don't know grandma.

[Heidi]

I can (and do) ask for id if I don't know the person who is picking up - say mom tells me grandma is picking up but I don't know grandma.

me too, unless the kid is old enough to run yelling 'GRAANDMAAAAAAAAAAAA" ::

IF I knew there was a custody-battle situation, and I'd never met one of the parents, I'd also ask for a birth certificate (not anticipating that). Reason 1-How do I know that you are THE John Smith that's this kids father? Reason 2-who'd bring one along? Stall stall stall....

[Unregistered]

I know I'm breaking a cardinal rule of forums by commenting on a 5 year old thread.

I've done emergency pick-ups for a few families (babysitting clients). As someone who is doing the pick-ups, I make sure to bring my ID, confirm the appropriate pick-up time with the parents, and double check that the parents have not only alerted the daycare/school that I will be picking up the child(ren), but that they have given staff my full, legal name (I go by a nickname, so many people will say "Our babysitter, Essie Jones, will be picking up Johnny today" which may be an issue when I show up with a driver's license stating my name is "Esther Jones." (In some cases, I have been listed as an emergency contact beforehand; in other cases, it was a last-minute situation in which plans B and C fell through and a parent had to call with a new name of someone who was able to handle pick-up).

If it's my first time picking a child up from a school, I will usually arrive a few minutes early in case I need to sign anything or have my ID photocopied for their records.

[hwichlaz]

Same here.

This is discussed in GREAT detail during the interview. I MUST speak directly to mom or dad. I don't accept texts or e-mails about alternate pick ups either. I require a parent to actually call and tell me themselves.

I've had a lot of PO'ed grand parents but I all honesty, you just can't be too overly cautious now days.

I require a text so I have proof.

[Leigh]

Same here.

This is discussed in GREAT detail during the interview. I MUST speak directly to mom or dad. I don't accept texts or e-mails about alternate pick ups either. I require a parent to actually call and tell me themselves.

I've had a lot of PO'ed grand parents but I all honesty, you just can't be too overly cautious now days.

I don't blame you for wanting phone calls, but I require texts or emails so that I have a written record of who was to pick up. I require the same when meds are given at daycare-the parent must text me at the time of administration and tell me the dosage each time. I then don't have to keep a separate log.

[Blackcat31]

I require a text so I have proof.

I don't blame you for wanting phone calls, but I require texts or emails so that I have a written record of who was to pick up. I require the same when meds are given at daycare-the parent must text me at the time of administration and tell me the dosage each time. I then don't have to keep a separate log.

That was my reply 5 years ago...

Now days, I don't really have anyone that picks up that isnt a parent.

[Leigh]

That was my reply 5 years ago...

Now days, I don't really have anyone that picks up that isnt a parent.

I saw that. AFTER my reply! ::::::