Ethos statement

At Seven Steps Childcare, the emotional wellbeing of the child and the professional requirements of the setting are prioritised by maintaining a calm, structured approach to late collections. Because the setting operates 46 weeks per year, timely collection is essential to maintain ratios, prepare for the following day, and respect scheduled time off. While it is understood that emergencies such as traffic or car breakdowns occur, consistent punctuality is vital for insurance compliance and the child's sense of security. The priority is always to keep the child calm and reassured while following a clear safety timeline.

Contact procedure and timescales

As a sole provider, the childminder is the designated person responsible for making all contact calls. A strict, phased timeline is followed to establish contact with parents, carers, and emergency contacts as soon as a scheduled collection time is missed. Primary contacts will continue to be called at intervals while moving through the following stages, and all attempts will be recorded in an uncollected child incident log.

• Stage 1 (5 minutes past agreed time): We will call the parent/carer on their primary mobile number. If there is no answer, we will leave a voicemail and send a text message.
• Stage 2 (15 minutes past agreed time): We will attempt to call the parent/carer again.
• Stage 3 (25 minutes past agreed time): We will contact the emergency contacts listed on the child's registration form to ask for the parents' whereabouts or if they are able to collect the child.

Closure and safeguarding

If we are unable to reach any authorised contacts, we follow statutory safeguarding procedures to ensure the child remains safe after the setting has closed.

• Closing time procedure: If a child remains uncollected when the setting is due to close, we will remain with them. As a new provider currently working without a local emergency back-up, we will contact Northumberland County Council (Onecall) or the police for immediate advice and support.
• Escalation: If we have had no contact from any parents/carers or emergency contacts within one hour of the agreed collection time, we are legally required to contact Onecall or the police to hand over the care of the child.

Supporting the child

Our primary focus is to maintain a sense of normality and security for the child through gentle reassurance and consistent routines.

• Reassurance: We will ensure the child feels safe and supported by continuing with quiet play or stories. We will explain that their parent is stuck in traffic and that we are looking after them until they arrive.
• Other children: If other children are present, we will maintain their routine to ensure the atmosphere remains calm and prevents them from becoming anxious.

Recording the incident

Detailed and transparent records of every uncollected child incident are maintained to provide a clear audit trail for parents and regulatory bodies. Every incident is recorded in a dedicated log, which includes:

• The time the child was due to be collected.
• A log of every call made (including time, recipient, and outcome).
• Details of any advice received from the local authority or police.
• The final time of collection and the reason provided.

Older children walking from school

Clear boundaries and parental agreements are established to ensure the safe transition of older children who walk to the setting independently.

• Parents/carers must provide written consent for this arrangement.
• The parent/carer remains responsible for the child until they physically reach our front door.
• If a child does not arrive within 10 minutes of their expected time, we will immediately follow our missing child policy and procedure.