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At the risk of sounding flip, there is a statewide policy. It's called Child Protective Services. At Austin Public Library we had a representative talk to staff about this. Some information is online at https://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Child_Protection/About_Child_Protective_Services/faqchildalone.asp but basically there is no law that gives an exact age. Maturity, the situation, etc. are factors to be considered. Without going into too much detail here, we were advised that if a child is simply left alone that might not be "neglect" but if the child is obviously unable to take care of himself, is hungry, doesn't know what to do or how to behave, library staff should call Child Protective Services and they will work with the parents. Some staff felt that parents were then being "penalized" for being too poor to get child care but the CPS rep indicated that is not a good reason not to call and CPS would help ensure that the family was aware of any services to help them. We were also informed that if the child arrived on their own, we had no legal responsibility to "protect" them at closing. Most of us, of course, would not leave a very young child alone and the age might depend on the time of night, isolation of the building, etc. but we could always call the police to report that a child was unable to reach parents and, in effect, was "abandoned." It's a tough call but legally staff is probably not required to stay. It is neglectful supervision for a parent to place a child in a "situation that a reasonable person would realize requires judgment or actions beyond the child's level of maturity, physical condition or mental abilities and that results in bodily injury or substantial risk of immediate harm to the child." Parents can be charged with this offense if they continue to leave their child unattended. CPS told us that library staff are required to report suspected abuse or neglect and that the reports are generally confidential (only released under court order). The down side is that it can be difficult to make the report because the phone lines are busy but there is also a web link at https://www.txabusehotline.org/PublicMain.asp. Jeanette Larson Austin, TX --- Robert Logan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > This is a message from CTLS-L. > Selecting "Reply" will send a message to the > originator. > Selecting "Reply to All" will send a message to the > entire list. > --------------------------------------------------------- > > To stir up the hornets' nest still more... > > What do you do about children over 8 y/o (but > under, say, 13 y/o) who > are left alone in the library for several hours, or > even all day > (usually during the summer while the parent is at > work, or sleeping > because s/he works nights)? > > Short of calling the police, is there anything you > can do about children > who cause a disturbance in the library, and the > parents cannot be > reached (because the child either doesn't know, or > refuses to tell, > their contact phone number)? I am assuming here that > your policy forbids > you from expelling the child from the building > unless in the care of an > adult). > > What about unattended children left at closing time? > Friday nights can > be especially problematic, because many libraries > close earlier on > Fridays than on other weeknights. Unattended > children at closing can be > a major source of resentment among library staff > because normally (and > understandably) two people must stay with the child > until the situation > is resolved, which may take 30-60 minutes - picking > up unattended kids > from the library is not a priority call for police. > Too bad if you had > plans for the evening! > > What is the age above which we don't care if they > are hanging around > outside the library after closing -14? 15? 16? 17? > > Library administration is not always supportive of > staff in these > situations because they fear problems with their > political masters. I > have been told by an administrator that the subject > is "too sensitive". > No one wants to admit that the library is a de facto > free child minding > service provided by the city, but many of the > people's representatives > are content that it should remain so. > > Special needs children have a whole set of > additional issues, but anyone > who leaves a special needs child unsupervised in a > public library should > be brought before a court without delay. > > I think that a region-wide, or even state-wide, > policy or guideline on > unattended children in libraries (during the day and > at closing time) > would be helpful, but I suppose it would founder on > the rock of "local > control". > > I should add that I have personally experienced all > of the situations > described above, but not in my present place of > employment. > Robert Logan > Manager, Collection Development and > Technical Services > Round Rock Public Library System > 216 East Main > Round Rock, TX 78664 > Telephone: (512) 218-7014//Fax: (512) 218-7061 > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Jennifer Patterson > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2007 4:38 PM > To: 'SuzAnne Beard'; 'Barbara Hathaway'; 'Shanda > Subia'; 'CTLS > Discussion Group' > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: RE: [ctls-l] Unattended children policy > > > This is a message from CTLS-L. > Selecting "Reply" will send a message to the > originator. > Selecting "Reply to All" will send a message to the > entire list. > > --------------------------------------------------------- > > > I don't believe that the Austin policy addresses > special needs > children. We were very concerned about fairness and > equitability, so we > just stuck with one "age" > > jennifer > > > ________________________________ > > > From: SuzAnne Beard > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2007 4:29 PM > To: Jennifer Patterson; 'Barbara Hathaway'; 'Shanda > Subia'; > 'CTLS Discussion Group' > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: [ctls-l] Unattended children policy > > > > At one time, we researched this as well. It seems > that the law > is very vague and we wound up discussing special > needs, maturity and how > different two children in the same family could be > at the same age. I > would like to know more about this. Jennifer, how > does the Austin > policy accommodate special needs individuals? Thanks > for bringing this > up! SuzAnne Beard, Wimberley > > > > > > > > From: Jennifer Patterson > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: 'Barbara Hathaway' > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ; 'Shanda > Subia' > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ; 'CTLS > Discussion Group' > <mailto:[email protected]> > > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2007 2:16 PM > > Subject: RE: [ctls-l] Unattended children policy > > > > This is a message from CTLS-L. > Selecting "Reply" will send a message to the > originator. > Selecting "Reply to All" will send a message to > the > entire list. > > --------------------------------------------------------- > > > Austin Public Library has had an age limit of 8 > for > several years. We settled on that age because we > couldn't get a clear > answer from the City Attorney and eight seems like a > turning point for > children, in terms of their ability to think things > through and take a > little more responsibility. We required children > younger than that to be > accompanied by an older sibling or babysitter of at > least 13, or a > parent or another responsible adult. > > > > I cc'd Diane Palan, because she could probably > provide > you with a copy of their unattended children policy > in digital form. > Diane? > > > > Jennifer Patterson > > > > > ________________________________ > > > From: Barbara Hathaway > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2007 2:39 PM > To: Shanda Subia; CTLS Discussion Group > Subject: RE: [ctls-l] Unattended children policy > > > > > This is a message from CTLS-L. > Selecting "Reply" will send a message to the > originator. > Selecting "Reply to All" will send a message to > the > entire list. > > --------------------------------------------------------- > > > Shanda & others, > > > > We have been researching this as well. > I > have looked at dozens of policies from libraries > around the US, and the > ages seem to be all over the place. I'm curious to > hear what works in > Central Texas (if anything!) > > > > Barbara > > Barbara D. Hathaway, Director > > Bee Cave Public Library > > 13333-A Highway 71 West > > Bee Cave, Texas 78738-3104 > > > > 512.767.6624 phone > > 512.767.6629 fax > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > www.beecavetexas.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > From: Shanda Subia > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2007 2:25 PM > To: CTLS Discussion Group > Subject: [ctls-l] Unattended children policy > > > > > This is a message from CTLS-L. > Selecting "Reply" will send a message to the > originator. > Selecting "Reply to All" will send a message to > the > entire list. > > --------------------------------------------------------- > > > I would like to know what your policies are > regarding > unattended children in the library. Do you require > that children under a > certain age have a parent/caretaker with them or at > least in the > building? If so, what are your age brackets? > > > > Thanks, > > Shanda Subia > > Library Director > > Lampasas Public Library > > 201 S. Main St. > > Lampasas, TX 76550 > > 512-556-3251 > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > I GoodSearch for the Library Foundation of > Lampasas, TX. > > > Raise money for your favorite charity or school > just by > searching the Internet with GoodSearch - > www.goodsearch.com - powered by > Yahoo! > > > >
