Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to question school swimming changing room supervision and safeguarding?

68 replies

NotMyPiggy · 20/06/2026 09:36

My child is in Y3. They go swimming every week and ask for parent volunteers to accompany them to walk there. I have recently found out that on days when they struggle for a volunteer or staff, there has just been one Mum on her own accompanying the whole changing room of girls getting changed. This Mum hasn't been DBS checked (I suspect, because none of us are asked to be when we take a turn).
I am asking whether this is usual from a safeguarding perspective?

OP posts:
Cheeseandolivesplease · 20/06/2026 10:10

@HelenaWilson My suggestion is that OP politely enquires with the school to check if this lady is indeed DBS checked. She has every right to ask.

HelenaWilson · 20/06/2026 10:08

OP doesn't know that she hasn't been dbs checked. She only 'suspects' it.

So don't escalate it in a way that she is in trouble,

Why would the parent be in trouble? The situation is not of her making.

Outonaschoolnight · 20/06/2026 10:08

As a DSL in a primary school - absolutely not. This is a huge safeguarding failure.

Gingercatlover · 20/06/2026 10:05

First reply is correct! Shouldn’t be in changing room unless DBS checked, just been through it with our yr4’s.

Cheeseandolivesplease · 20/06/2026 10:04

No adult that hasn't been DBS cleared should be alone with children. At any point.
I've been a primary teacher for 25 years and obviously have DBS clearance (Advanced level).
Every time I go to a new school (I work some supply) it is strict protocol that my DBS is seen and proof of identity documents vertified before I am given a clearance lanyard (the colour immediately shows I have clearance).
Without this I would not be allowed to teach.
If I was, for example, attending an interview, I would be with another member of staff at all times and my lanyard would be a different colour (not cleared).
To further add, I now sometimes tutor in homes. It is strict policy that, even though I have Advanced DBS clearance, another adult over the age of 18 must be present during the tuition at all times. Parents have not been happy with this on occasion, questioning why as I am cleared. It is to safeguard both myself and the child.
I support every one of these regulations.

AgnesMcDoo · 20/06/2026 10:04

Adults shouldn’t be on their own
and even worse when children are changing
and even more worse when not DBS/PVG checked

Anewuser · 20/06/2026 10:02

Every volunteer has to be DBS checked to even walk children to the pool.

You need to urgently raise (whistleblow) this.

SueKeeper · 20/06/2026 10:01

Is it an open plan changing room or are the girls going into cubicles? Our school had open plan, with 8 poolside cubicles, so no adults could go in at all. Why is anyone going in, they are old enough to change themselves.

I feel a bit sorry for this mum, I'm sure she'd rather there were more volunteers, it doesn't sound as dodgy as someone (usually a man) orchestrating a situation to be alone with kids. So don't escalate it in a way that she is in trouble, focus on the school policy.

Loulou4022 · 20/06/2026 09:58

This is not ok! All people having unsupervised access to children MUST be DBS checked!! Even as DBS checked staff with full trust in each other we only change children in pairs to safeguard all involved!

Original poster
NotMyPiggy · 20/06/2026 09:57

In the scenarios I have mentioned, the staff attending have been male and have (presumably) accompanied the boys. The only adult female was a parent (no female staff) and she was the only adult in the girls' changing room.

OP posts:
CeciliaMars · 20/06/2026 09:54

As a teacher, when I've been swimming with school, it has been the teacher / TA that has supervised, not parents. What you have described is not OK. Where is the teacher in all of this?

Bushmillsbabe · 20/06/2026 09:54

Our school has parents helping with the walking to and from the school, but we don't go in the changing room. The pool is small so children go across in groups of 8-10, and the parents shuttle then back and forth, the teacher and TA stay in the pool to supervise changing

JohnLapsleyParlabane · 20/06/2026 09:53

Not quite your question, but school should do a list 99 (Children's Barred List) check at minimum on any accompanying adults.

relaxitsok · 20/06/2026 09:52

Not ok at all. Definitely raise.

MeetMeOnTheCorner · 20/06/2026 09:51

The parents for this activity should be checked. Where are the school staff?

JoyousOpalLemur · 20/06/2026 09:50

Not unreasonable

sparepantsandtoothbrush · 20/06/2026 09:50

It isn't just unusual, it's illegal

Simonjt · 20/06/2026 09:48

A parent, unless an employee of the school should never be alone with a single child, nevermind children who are dressing. I used to do some coaching, so I had a DBS, even then in a changing room where children were only changing one top for another no one was ever allowed to be the lone adult, it was also two adults at all times.

I’m not a precious parent at all, but in this scenario our children wouldn’t be going swimming with school.