The following statement is from Small World child care center regarding their bus policy and was issued after a 4-year-old boy was left on a bus:
“First and foremost, our children’s safety is, and always has been, our number one concern at our centers since we first opened our doors in 1977. Per our company policies and procedures, our bus drivers are required to conduct an inspection of the vehicle to confirm that all children have been removed and taken to their classrooms safely. We have a double check procedure to confirm that all children that are scheduled for pick up, have made it safely back into our care. Unfortunately, a child had fallen asleep on the rear bench seat and was missed during the inspection. Within minutes of our bus returning, our receiving teacher verified that the child was not accounted for at which time our managers immediately checked the building and vehicle and found the child still asleep in the bus. We have scheduled a review and continued training of our policies and procedures with all staff members and bus drivers to ensure that we are always following through on our double check approach for the safety of every child in our care.”
