The care of your child is paramount and I will always try to ensure that they remain with me and are safe.
However sometimes children can become ‘lost’ in busy places and therefore as a responsible childminder I have written a procedure that will be followed in the unlikely event of this happening.
- I will immediately raise the alarm to all around me that I have lost a child and enlist the help of everyone to look for them
- If it is a secure area such as a shopping centre, I will quickly alert the security staff so they can seal off exits and monitor the situation on any CCTV
- I will provide everyone involved in the search with a description of the child.
- I will reassure the other children with me, as they may be distressed
- I will then alert the police and provide a full description
- I will then alert the parents of the situation
I take precautions to avoid situations like this happening by implementing the following measures:
- Ensuring the children are on reins, or hold my hand or the pushchair whilst we are out
- Avoid going to places that are overcrowded
- On outings to places other than the local area, I will ensure the children wear wristbands with my mobile number on them.
- I teach the children about the dangers of wandering off and of talking to strangers