This policy won't be advertised, as, by default, parents MUST collect students from our care.

Be aware of our new policy around it as well. Please send this document to all parents who have requested to allow students to walk home, the student must show this document to the coach (Monty South is excused today, students will be allowed to walk home without it just for today). Ask parents to send you a copy as well, and keep it on file.

For the time being, parents can complete the paper form (one per child) and provide it to the coach. Our policy is for kids aged 10+ but if a parent signs one of these for a 5-year-old we will not refuse to act on it, provided that child has an appropriately aged Sibling in the class and that they depart together. If needed I can write this into the policy in the future, but I'm hoping that it won't be needed and parents won't expect the 5-year-old to walk home with the older child.

Policy wording as follows:

Can my child walk/ride home?

We are aware that some children travel home independently from school most days of the week. When your child is dismissed from school there are many other children and parents around that provide safety in numbers and ad-hoc support in an emergency. When our service finishes, the environment is different, with fewer children or parents around. We feel that this poses additional risks to children and as such, we are not willing to allow primary-aged children to leave our care unless we can pass that duty of care directly to another adult.

While our advice and recommendation is that we pass our duty of care directly to another adult, if you feel strongly that your child:

• Is capable of independently departing our care
• Will remain unsupervised for a reasonable period of time, and
• You have made reasonable provision for that child’s supervision

You may provide Kids Unlimited with written consent for your child to depart independently and have our staff sign them out of our care at the designated service finishing time.

This Independent Departure option is only available for Senior Primary School Children (ages 10, 11 and 12 years old). Permission given is perpetual unless otherwise advised by the parent. Permission granted with this consent applies to all services, including classes, holiday programs and events, it cannot be applied to select instances of care. The authority to release your child from our care will continue to apply in future years unless withdrawn in writing.