What do I do if the school refuses to return my child's mobile phone?

Here is the legal position with regard to confiscation of property : http://newteachers.tes.co.uk/news/legal-advice-confiscating-property/23434
All schools have different policies with regard to the confiscation of belongings. Some schools insist that the parent has to visit the school to pick up the item.
If you are so concerned about your daughter's safety without a mobile phone, could you or another member of the family lend her one for a couple of days? This might be the most non-confrontational way of dealing with the problem provided that your daughter uses the phone sensibly and only in an emergency.

Why did darling daughter have her phone removed I wonder? A 14 year old girl who needs to have a phone for 'safeguarding reasons(??!!)' is a worry, I have to say! Sorry, but you sound one of those nightmare parents who think the world revolves their children... hope they keep her phone for a month... might make her develop a personality.

You speak to the headmaster/mistress and explain your reasons to have it returned. If they decline you tell them you will have to make it a police matter as they have no right to retain property beyond the school day. Stay cool.

You don't mention why her phone was taken from her. I think before you confront the Head of the school you should get a firm promise from your daughter that she won't do again, whatever she did in the first place to have the phone confiscated. She seems to be coming off scott free and the blame is being laid with the school when in actual fact your daughter must have been flouting school rules for the phone to have been taken from her so she has only herself to blame. The school is simply following their policy on mobiles. There are still public telephone boxes on the streets which could be used in any emergency.

Explain to the school that holding a phone hostage is maybe not the best punishment for a young girl. Tell them that if something happens to her and she could have phoned you then its the schools fault. BE PERSISTENT!
remember the school isn't allowed to retain your property without sufficient reasoning.
good luck!

taking a phone to prove a point about being disruptive is ok however, i always disagreed with them keeping such property until it suits them,

they have no right to keep the phone in my opinion,

march in there and get it back yourself is my suggestion, but try not to kick up a stink, might not help haha.

good luck xxx

If your daughter's unsafe without a phone, she's unsafe with one. Don't let it lull you into a false sense of security. They're for convenience, not safety.

Snatched? You think an abductor would do anything except toss the phone straight out the nearest car window?

Use some sense and send her to school in the same safe way she already uses every day.

That said, yes I do think the school's reaction is unreasonable _if that is what happened_. I'd be entirely unsurprised if she's been told multiple times not to use her phone in class and this was a final offence.

Call them and ask.