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Procedure for Answering the Door and the Collection of Children

To ensure the safety of all children and staff the following procedures must be adhered to:

Answering the door

  • Only permanent or regular members of staff may answer the door.
  • All persons must be identified before being admitted.
  • If the caller is unknown, they will be politely asked to wait while a senior member of staff is requested to identify them or determine their business with the nursery.
  • If a member of staff feels threatened or is concerned about the safety of opening the door, Clive Booth reception should be called on EX 5013, or the panic button pressed from any base room or the outside play area and security will arrive.

Visitors

Any visitors such as sales people, students, handymen etc. must fill in the visitor’s log on arrival and departure.

Maintenance staff should be asked to read and sign the health and safety notice in regard to their personal responsibilities whilst undergoing maintenance work.

Authorised collectors

Each child must have at least two authorised collectors, details of which will be outlined on the child’s registration form. Parents are requested to preferably first introduce authorised collectors to staff, or give a detailed description or photograph along with a password for the collector to identify themselves.

A child will not be handed over to a different person unless the parent has given written permission for this to happen (or, in an emergency, if the parent rings the nursery and speaks to the manager or person in charge).

If, for any reason, permission has not been obtained and a family member or friend comes to collect a child, contact must be made with the parent/guardian before the child is allowed to leave.

If parents have recently moved to the area and are not yet able to name another local authorised collector, contact details must still be supplied of another family member or friend, even if they live abroad, who can be contacted in an emergency situation.  

Persons prohibited from collecting children

All staff should be aware that some parents or carers may be legally prohibited from certain forms of contact with their child (e.g. unsupervised). In such circumstances staff will be informed of the child and restrictions. If the prohibited person should call at the nursery they must not be granted access and a senior member of staff must deal with the situation, ensuring that no contact is permitted. The child’s main carer must be informed immediately of such an incident. Parents should be aware that unless there is a legal restriction, we are unable to refuse a legal guardian, whom we know, to collect their child.

Last reviewed: March 2024.