If a Pickup Adult Appears Impaired
What Rainbow DJ Lab staff do, step by step, when an adult arriving to pick up a child appears to be under the influence or otherwise unable to care for the child safely.
Status
This policy was adopted by the Ras Tafari Inc. board on October 17, 2026.
The rule
We do not release a child to an adult who appears impaired. Staff call another authorized adult. If the child is in danger, staff call 911 and make a DCFS Hotline report as required.
This applies to every adult, including a parent. Our job at that moment is to make sure your child gets home safely.
What "appears impaired" means
Coaches are not testing anyone. They act on what they can see, hear and smell, for example:
- slurred speech, stumbling, unsteady on their feet;
- strong smell of alcohol or cannabis;
- confused, very drowsy, or unable to follow a simple conversation;
- visibly intending to drive while showing these signs;
- behavior that is aggressive or out of control.
A medical condition can look similar. Coaches stay respectful and do not accuse. The question is simply: "Can this adult take this child home safely right now?"
Step by step
| Step | Who | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Second adult | Keeps the child (and other children) inside with the group, out of the conversation. |
| 2 | Lead coach | Speaks with the adult privately and calmly: "We want to make sure everyone gets home safely. We're going to call someone else on the pickup list." |
| 3 | Lead coach | Offers alternatives: another adult on the authorized-pickup list, or the adult may have someone else come for them as well. |
| 4 | Lead coach | Calls other adults on the authorized-pickup list and emergency contacts until one is reached and on the way. |
| 5 | Lead coach | Releases the child only to that authorized adult, with photo ID checked and logged in the sign-out tool. |
| 6 | Lead coach | If the impaired adult insists, takes the child, or tries to drive away with the child: does not physically struggle. Calls 911 at once with the vehicle description, plate if seen, and direction of travel. |
| 7 | Lead coach | If a child is in danger, calls 911; and makes a DCFS Hotline report, 1-800-25-ABUSE (1-800-252-2873), as required of a mandated reporter (see Mandated reporter training). |
| 8 | Lead coach | Tells Stephen Henry (Lab lead) the same day and writes an incident report. |
While waiting, two screened adults stay with the child the whole time. Staff never drive a child home.
Afterward
- The enrolling parent or guardian receives a call the same day (if they were not the adult involved) and a written report within 24 hours. See Incident reporting.
- The Lab lead follows up privately with the family to plan safe pickups going forward.
- Your child stays welcome in the Lab. A family having a hard day is not a reason to exclude a child.
What you'll be told
- If a pickup was refused: the reason, the steps taken, and who your child went home with.
- Whether 911 or DCFS was called. If DCFS or police tell us not to share certain details, we follow their direction.
Sources
- Illinois Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, 325 ILCS 5: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=1460&ChapterID=32
- Illinois DCFS, reporting child abuse and neglect: https://dcfs.illinois.gov/