School coming to home to view sick child - Normal?

I initially didn't believe this post, having now RTFT & seen all the updates that this is actually very normal in many schools, I'm beyond amazed & would be really annoyed if this happened.

It's another inditement of the school system in the UK - I don't see it as a positive safeguarding measure. It's about attendance figures & more bureaucracy that isn't required.

(If there are concerns and an absence forms a pattern of worrying behaviour, that's clearly different and appropriate measures should be used. Clearly it didn't apply here).

I feel very glad that no such measures exist where I am - children's absences are reported on the day of each absence via the school app. The end.

I’ve worked in several schools with this policy.

Generally it’s because there are children in the school who need to be welfare checked when they are off. It can cause ructions (and can slip through the net) if they do it just specifically so those schools have a general policy.

A lot simply don’t have the staffing for it, even if it’s needed.

That’s very weird- I would be questioning the teacher tbh

I do think it's important that for children living in abusive households school can be an enormous protective factor both because it provides a safe space for them and because it means that a professional who knows them well and cares about them is casting eyes on them daily. I do think schools can be a bit naff about attendence but I also think it's unfair to say it's only about their figures or that they should keep their nose out. A child has a right to education and a right to be protected from harm and school are a huge part of ensuring that they are given these rights. I work in healthcare and persistent absence and to a degree homeschooling would be a bit of a red flag to me for this reason. (Before anyone comes to get me I'm not saying homeschooling is inherently bad but that it does mean that this child isn't being regularly interacted with by a professional trained in safeguarding)

I have no idea why they sent someone round for OP and am by no means suggesting that she's abusive. I'm just saying it isn't necessarily 'wrong' that school did this welfare check either. If I was OP I would be calling school and politely but firmly asking them to be transparent about why they felt the need to send someone over

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

I would have found this reassuring, but would have then been straight onto the school website to find the school rules where the policy is detailed and if I couldn't find it would then ask the school. I would want to know what triggers a visit from a teacher. It is just a certain number of days, or are there other factors?

@Maybebabyno2 'Reduculous?!' 😆😆😆

The school policy will be so documented

what does it say?

do you have any friends with children at the school you can ask if they’ve ever heard of this happening

Absolutely wrong and intrusive! Never had that with any of my children.

There was a news piece a few weeks ago about a school that had a teacher and an attendance officer basically driving to houses of children that were off and taking them to school on a mini bus if they were miraculously better. It probably depends on the individual schools policy!

Hell would freeze over before the decision to take my DC to school was removed from me. Fuck that.

There was a news piece a few weeks ago about a school that had a teacher and an attendance officer basically driving to houses of children that were off and taking them to school on a mini bus if they were miraculously better. It probably depends on the individual schools policy!

What if you just don't open doors? Nobody home. Maybe needed to go to hospital or anything.

There was an awful case of a child in London who didn't come into school for a week I think it was ? His poor mother had collapsed and sadly died and he was trapped in the flat with her. The school tried to visit to see if the child was okay but couldn't get into the block of flats. The child was found dead. It's rare but it does happen and lots of schools have changed their safeguarding policies to reflect the need to see a child if there are unexplained absences.

The absence was explained though. Common sense should prevail, OP hasn't died and school knew OP hadn't died so safeguarding based on this tragic situation isn't really relevant.

@CandlelightGlow

what exactly is the school policy?

No way would I be getting my sick child down to the front door to be paraded in front of someone from school for no good reason.

yes, some children need 'safeguarding' but a child with chicken pox, whose parents is taking siblings in daily & has had only a couple of days off sick previously isn't one of those children.

there has to be a balance between school safeguarding & parents being the child's parents!

just because they ignore safeguarding reports they can't 'make up for it' by doing shit like this.

I wouldn't feel bad, I'd be writing to the school governors to complain about the overly heavy handed way they dealt with this.

They do not

Unless very very concerned

So what if your child doesn't "look" poorly? What then? I don't understand how a teacher calling makes any difference, they aren't a doctor, your child could appear well stood there having just had some calpol or other medicine. What does it prove? A silly policy I'd not be happy with.

This really shouldn’t be part of a teacher’s job. They’re not social workers. Kids get chicken pox! Hope he’s feeling better soon.

Loving all the “complain” posts. About what? That they are trying to safeguard and protect children?

strikes me schools can’t win, whatever they do someone will think it’s wrong and moan about it.

I’ve never heard of a teacher doing this so I’d say it’s not normal.

That said, I think it’s great, if the school has the time and resources to check on kids who have been missing from class that could help catch the very rare cases where something concerning is going on.

My 14 yo daughter was sent home from school just before half term for fainting in class and had 3 days off. She then was off with a relapse of the same thing the Monday they went back. So that's 4 days 'in a row'

We got a visit just to check on her as well. Not unusual.

There was an awful case of a child in London who didn't come into school for a week I think it was ? His poor mother had collapsed and sadly died and he was trapped in the flat with her. The school tried to visit to see if the child was okay but couldn't get into the block of flats. The child was found dead. It's rare but it does happen and lots of schools have changed their safeguarding policies to reflect the need to see a child if there are unexplained absences.
If the school policy is a call every day of absence and that doesn't happen I guess they should be following up just in case ?

Sorry this upset you. If it isn't this and it's a judgement on your income then that needs challenging

There was a news piece a few weeks ago about a school that had a teacher and an attendance officer basically driving to houses of children that were off and taking them to school on a mini bus if they were miraculously better. It probably depends on the individual schools policy!

The teacher should have stated it's school policy on the visit and made it clear what had initiated it. I think it's a good thing to have these checks - yes a bit of a shock for everyone, but children can be neglected or you hear the stories of children suffering / dying if a parent is sick or died. If it stops one child's suffering, they are welcome to have eyes on my child and I would thank the teacher for checking up.

Well quite.