Nits ,do schools have individual policies regarding them and why is there no nit nurse anymore?

[Beauregard]

dd1 has had nits several times since september and 2-3 times a week i am wet combing with nit comb and conditioner and i am she is still combing home with a couple a week.

It is getting ridiculous and tbh expensive as i also buy the insectides when there are lots.

[TellusMater]

I'm thinking probably

a) money, and
b) consent

But I don't know.

[moljam]

ds just managed 2 weeks nit free!but tonight-a nit!

[Chuffinnora]

Same here. DD has had nits 3 times since October. I asked her teacher to remind her classmates parents to keep checking but she said she wasn't allowed to. Instead she had to put a note out to the whole school. It would have been more effective if she had been able to say YR1W - YOU HAVE NITS PLEASE CHECK AND TREAT YOUR CHILDREN.
It is a very expensive business and that maybe why some parents turn a blind eye?

[Beauregard]

There is a girl in dd's class that i think is a likely carrier and dd sees them crawling under the girls fringe.The girls mother is quite strange and is rumoured to be on drugs etc .She doesn't seem bothered tbh with regards to stuff like that.
I hope i don't sound too judgemental but i have had dealings with the woman as have other moms at the school.

[Beauregard]

I guess my point is why can't the school approach the mom ?

[ladette]

don't know if there is a policy as such, expect it's cost cutting. We all used to hate "Nitty Nora" but I can't remember nits being as widespread back then as they are now.

[TellusMater]

Perhaps they do.

[Chuffinnora]

DD teacher said it was LEA policy that prevented her from telling the class directly, so presumably that is why you can't tell the child's parents directly

[moljam]

Pelvicfloornomore,when i worked in a preschool we were told that it was because it would be singeling out child and that it could cause abuse as parent could take it out on child
madness imo.ive always told dc teachers id like to know if they spot something ive missed but they say they cant!
ds1 best freind is constatly covered and apparently never treated.

[Beauregard]

singling out a child they are concerned about ?never mind the poor sods that they are infesting not to mention the inconvienance and cost to the parents.

[whoops]

last time ds got nits I complained to the school no letters had come home
I treated him (shave his head!) then sent him back in
the school sent a letter hom ethat night
the polcy for his school is to keep them off until treated

[Tommy]

just started another nit convo in Health as we have had our first lot

Our school sends a note home to everyone saying "A child in your child's class has nits. Please check your own child's hair and take appropriate action" or something like that.

At my friend's school, when parents don't do anything ad the nots are always on the dame child, they sent a note home to everyone saying something like "Failure to treat nits is tantamount to neglect and if we feel this is continuing, we well take the appropriate steps"

There should be a school nurse and this is a health problem so that's who should be dealing with a continuing problem

[Countingthegreyhairs]

Dd's school still has a nurse. Everyone in the class gets a letter saying the children's heads will be checked by her in a couple of days (usually a Monday). Then the school nurse sends a letter confidentially to the parents of children who are found to be infested. This system works really well. I can't imagine how it could cause offence when it's confidential. I'd be grateful to be informed if I'd missed it for some reason.

[joggingalong]

Our School sends the whole class home with a sticker saying there are nits in the class please check your child. It seems to work, we've only had stickers twice since September.

[Zog]

countingthegreyhairs, are you in England? Is it a state school?

[Countingthegreyhairs]

no, mainland Europe.

Very politically incorrect here my dd even sang a folk song about "a determined hunchback" at Christmas ....

[Nymphadora]

dd2s school sends a note
dd1s school does nothing
my school tells the parents and/or we treat them (with permission from parent) - SN school

[Mercy]

Ladette, I don't remember nits being so prevalent when I was at school either. The nit nurse only used to come once a term anyway iirc.

[donit]

nursery has sent dd home because she had nits

[Countingthegreyhairs]

(Forgive slight digression) I think a school nurse is really important - I know it's a cost issue - but I think it could be cost saving in some instances and a bit of input in to pastoral care is always money well spent. Particularly when parents are hard-pressed and working all hours.

They can pick up on eyesight and hearing problems, treat children with minor injuries or illnesses, monitor nits and other wee beesties and help /manage treat children who need regular medication such as those with excema, asthma, pick up on eating problems, as well as picking up on possible abuse.

I know it's been suggested before but we should have a Mumsnet campaign to bring back the school nurse!!

[Saggybumandnorks]

I thought all schools had a school nurse attached to them. Not a permanent fixture obviously but one who visits on regular basis. Our school nurse does a drop-in session once a fortnight.

[Countingthegreyhairs]

oh sorry - none in my godchild's school - or in my nephew's

[mrz]

In my area lotion is FREE but some parents still can't be bothered to check and treat. Schools no longer have "nit nurses" because it is considered assault to check a child's hair without parents permission.

[juuule]

I thought all schools had a school nurse, too. Not on site all the time. But visits to do various health checks, talks etc.

[mrz]

All schools do have a school nurse but she isn't allowed to check for nits as it is considered assault.