Collection of Students

Policy

The purpose of this policy is to ensure schools have appropriate procedures for the safe collection of students during normal school hours and to support schools to manage situations in which the students are not collected at the normal collection time, without notice from the parent or carer.

Summary

• Schools must ensure only a parent/carer or authorised person can collect a child from school during school hours.
• Schools must record the details relating to collection of a student during school hours.
• Where a student is considered to be sufficiently mature to leave the school grounds independently (for example secondary students) they can do so with a valid reason and the knowledge and consent of their parents.
• Schools have a duty of care to ensure the safe collection of students from school or a school activity.

Details

Schools must:

• have procedures in place for the safe collection of students from school, both during and after normal school hours
• ensure parents are aware of the procedures to collect students during school hours and are advised of the school’s supervision times after school while students wait to be collected.

Note: Parents are responsible for the collection of students from school.

During school hours

The following describes how schools should manage a request for a student to be collected from school during school hours, particularly primary students.

Parents:

• collect their child from school, or authorise a relative or friend to collect their child.

Schools must:

• only allow students to be collected by their parents or by a person who has been authorised by the parents to pick up their child, subject to any specific court orders such as parenting orders or family violence intervention orders. If the authorised person collecting the student is not known to the school, verification of identity using suitable photo identification (such as a driver’s licence) must be sighted by school personnel
• record the details of when a student has been collected early from school including the:
  • date and time
  • reason for the collection
  • person who received the child (including this person’s signature).

The sample Student Early Collection form can be used for this purpose.

Principals must:

• ensure all elements of the sample form are incorporated in any school developed template.

Note: Where a student is considered to be sufficiently mature to leave the school grounds independently (for example secondary students) they are able to do so with a valid reason and the knowledge and consent of their parents.

After school hours

If a student is normally collected from school but is still at school beyond normal collection time, particularly primary students, schools must:

• attempt to contact:
  • the parents
  • the emergency contact person identified in the school records
  • other known contacts
• consider contacting the police or Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to arrange care and protection if:
  • it is well beyond reasonable collection time
  • all reasonable attempts to locate the appropriate responsible adults, as per above, fail
• if DHHS or Victoria Police have taken action to facilitate care for the child:
  • Lodge an IRIS report on 1800 126 126
  • Leave details of the student’s whereabouts with the school office and, if possible, with friends of the student or next door neighbours.

Related policies

• Decision Making Responsibilities for Students
• Duty of Care
• Supervision of Students