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Original poster

School coming to home to view sick child - Normal?

719 replies

CandlelightGlow · 16/03/2023 10:59

I'm feeling really sensitive right now due to work stress so please be kind.

My 5 year old is off with chicken pox right now. He got the spots on Sunday, he's been quite poorly with it Monday - Tuesday, very sleepy, then very uncomfortable Weds waiting for the scabs to form. He's just started to feel better today but the school have an INSET day tomorrow anyway.

We just had a knock at the door, and it was a teacher from DS's school! He was very reluctant to come downstairs because he's only in his pants and thought the teacher was there to take him to school. She was very nice and said it's sad that they have to do this in this day and age but it's completely normal and they do it for everyone who's been off this length of time.

He's been off for 4 days? His older sister is at school so we've still done the school run every day. To be fair as it's an inset day tomorrow it will be over a week by the time he goes back on Monday. But I've never had a teacher come unannounced to our house to check on our child. Can someone reassure me it is actually normal and they don't think something bad of us! My poor boy is just ill. I've called him in and updated, updated again this morning saying he would be back on Monday!

OP posts:
Hellybelly84 · 16/03/2023 14:54

toomuchlaundry · 16/03/2023 14:36

I bet the posters raging about this will also be the first ones raging that the school should have done something when a child abuse case hits the headlines

Sending the teacher round to a child’s house with no previous safeguarding concerns (OP has not mentioned any) and her Son has an excellent attendance record is not proportionate or rational. All it is doing is taking resources away from the kids who really need help (that time could have been used to help families with actual concerns).

Our school doesn’t do this so are our kids at risk because the teacher doesn’t turn up when the kids have chicken pox or a bad virus? I dont know any friends whose school do this either.

Also, if this is an actual policy (and not just a bonkers policy for this school), my child will be 40 mins drive from their new school in September. Is the teacher going to take at least 2 hours out of the school day for a poorly child visit? I dont think so.

toomuchlaundry · 16/03/2023 14:50

@Oblomov23 because OP hadn’t been in contact with the school. It is possible school are tightening up procedures as they have a high level of persistent absenteeism

toomuchlaundry · 16/03/2023 14:48

@Theluggage15 why is it not safeguarding?

Some schools may not have similar policies, but most definitely will have a protocol for an absent child with no notification from parent.

Some schools may only do home visits for persistent absenteeism or that might be done by the Education Welfare Officer.

As a school governor I would want to know what the school policy is for an absent child, which comes under safeguarding.

Oblomov23 · 16/03/2023 14:46

Completely OTT. Frightening! Why are teachers going round to children's houses to check if they are truly sick. FFS.

OhDeniseReally · 16/03/2023 14:43

It's a safeguarding check, to make sure he is actually there and has not been trafficked. It is a check for a child who has been off longer than a week with some schools.

Emotionalsupportviper · 16/03/2023 14:41

I can understand him being shy, but could he not have put a dressing gown on?

I've never heard of this happening though.

Theluggage15 · 16/03/2023 14:37

People do love throwing the word safeguarding around. There is absolutely nothing ‘safeguarding’ about this blanketed weird policy and is a very poor use of any teacher’s time.

Shinyandnew1 · 16/03/2023 14:37

Train007 · 16/03/2023 14:31

I am wondering how schools have the money and manpower to visit every child that is off school 🤔

I presume they only visit people who haven’t phoned?

toomuchlaundry · 16/03/2023 14:36

I bet the posters raging about this will also be the first ones raging that the school should have done something when a child abuse case hits the headlines

toomuchlaundry · 16/03/2023 14:35

@Train007 they will have to have pulled someone off something else to do this. They won’t have someone sitting there doing nothing just waiting to see if they are needed to visit a family. Possibly would have been the SENDCO

Train007 · 16/03/2023 14:31

I am wondering how schools have the money and manpower to visit every child that is off school 🤔

YetMoreNewBeginnings · 16/03/2023 14:25

You know when horrible things happen and there are shitloads of people saying “Why didn’t someone do something?” - for someone to do something things like this need to happen. People need to ask questions, schools need to refer comments children make.

yet every time a MNetter posts because a school has questioned something there’s outrage on here at nosiness and interference.

Theres no magic “they’re a on MNet so their kid is fine” formula for schools, social services or anyone else to follow.

Nat6999 · 16/03/2023 14:22

It's safeguarding, I had the same several times when ds was off sick, they are terrified of missing a child being abused

Mumofnarnia · 16/03/2023 14:21

toomuchlaundry · 16/03/2023 14:11

@Nanny0gg can you not see why they need to see the child? Do you think safeguarding has nothing to do with school? Do you realise how many comments will be on a child's record at school, little things teachers or other staff see, which on their own might not be a concern but could be part of a much bigger picture. I can pretty much guarantee that every child of a poster on here will have a 'safeguarding' comment on their record. Wonder how many posters will be outraged by that and say it is nothing to do with the school

Schools can only refer a child for a safeguarding issue though, they cannot make a decision themselves on whether or not a child is in some sort of danger. Unless the teacher is a qualified clinician I cannot see why they would benefit from visiting the child at home. Really, if they have a safeguarding concern, it should be referred on to the relevant authorities who should then make arrangements to visit the child at home

YetMoreNewBeginnings · 16/03/2023 14:19

Rosula · 16/03/2023 14:11

If I were a governor there, I would seriously question whether that is a sensible use of staff time - particularly as it potentially exposes staff to infection.

If you were a governor you’d already know why the school had implemented that policy…

Idtotallybangdreamoftheendlessnotgonnalie · 16/03/2023 14:16

Honestly I'd tell the teacher to fuck off, what an absolute invasion of family life. Completely overstepping their boundaries.

Crazyshihtzulady · 16/03/2023 14:14

CandlelightGlow · 16/03/2023 11:11

I was actually in a meeting on Teams at the time, DS was very reluctant to go downstairs (as said, he wasn't dressed due to spots, and thought the teacher was there to take him to school so panicked).

My DP said he's here and fine but doesn't want to come down, teacher responded with "I need to have eyes on him"

WTAF. I'm devastated.

Show quote history

WTF...I'd go bananas!

How dare she come marching to your home demanding to see your sick kid?

Schools have gotten ridiculous!

toomuchlaundry · 16/03/2023 14:11

@Nanny0gg can you not see why they need to see the child? Do you think safeguarding has nothing to do with school? Do you realise how many comments will be on a child's record at school, little things teachers or other staff see, which on their own might not be a concern but could be part of a much bigger picture. I can pretty much guarantee that every child of a poster on here will have a 'safeguarding' comment on their record. Wonder how many posters will be outraged by that and say it is nothing to do with the school

Rosula · 16/03/2023 14:11

If I were a governor there, I would seriously question whether that is a sensible use of staff time - particularly as it potentially exposes staff to infection.

Welshrainbow · 16/03/2023 14:10

This is the new policy for everyone at my DS school. They sent a letter last week, it is the same for the whole school anyone absent more than three days gets a home visit. I work at a secondary school and we also do home visits if attendance drops below a certain level. It is the same for all students and nothing to do with any other concerns. Don’t worry about it OP.

Nanny0gg · 16/03/2023 14:05

CandlelightGlow · 16/03/2023 11:11

I was actually in a meeting on Teams at the time, DS was very reluctant to go downstairs (as said, he wasn't dressed due to spots, and thought the teacher was there to take him to school so panicked).

My DP said he's here and fine but doesn't want to come down, teacher responded with "I need to have eyes on him"

WTAF. I'm devastated.

Show quote history

I know it would have caused more repercussions, but I'd have told her what to do with her 'need'

She's a teacher, not the police or SS

toomuchlaundry · 16/03/2023 14:04

I remember similar posts during lockdown when teachers were doing doorstep visits to see children, many outraged posters then who couldn't see the full picture.

Original poster
CandlelightGlow · 16/03/2023 14:04

JudesBiggestFan · 16/03/2023 13:58

I honestly am baffled by this thread. If anyone wanted to pop in and check on my sick child they'd be more than welcome. It's exactly what schools should be doing if they have any concerns at all. How many children could have been saved from lives of misery and abuse if a schoolteacher had just checked in and spotted concerning behaviour. People get away with literal murder because of an unwillingness to intrude/lack of resource. I've no idea why they came to your house OP but as they'll have seen nothing concerning, hopefully it'll be the first and last time. I have no idea why you would have said the child wouldn't want to see them, surely that would obviously raise red flags if they did have concerns. Glad he came down.
In short...child protection comes first. And we should all be much more nosey, not less.

I do understand this, I actually completely agree, it was more the feeling of being singled out and treated abnormally by the school, but the school have confirmed that's not the case at all so I feel completely fine about them checking Smile

I'm still a but ruffled on behalf of my son as I think for a 5 year old that might be quite a scary experience, being ill and feeling vulnerable and then a teacher coming to your home. But being honest that's probably more my projection, he's completely unperturbed now.

OP posts:
amberedover · 16/03/2023 14:04

Today 12:2

This is why the OP needs to find out the school policy. You'd look a bit of a dick if you raise it as a safeguarding concern and then they 'refer you to rule 4 of the school rules'

CandlelightGlow · Today 11:39

Also I've been scouring their website and they have absolutely no information about sickness policy. The only statement in relation to absence is that they do not authorise leave in term time anymore.

Silverbook · 16/03/2023 14:03

I’ve been a local authority teacher for 13 years and never experienced this out with where there have been child protection concerns.