Ramifications of teacher lying about a training course?

[kedavra]

For the past 6 months I've had the most horrendous dealings with a primary school after withdrawing my son. We have a disability discrimination tribunal next month, and have recently submitted all our evidence for the deadline.

One of the teachers has said in their statement that they have had training for the medical condition my son has.

I'm calling bullshit.

I sent a SEND7 for their response, and got a very quick response from their solicitor saying that it was a generic video so no certificate. The hospital team have confirmed that the online learning course they, and many other trusts, use is made of modules, assessments and CPD certified.

Surely this has to count as gross misconduct?

Lots of things should happen but don't.

You have a child in your class starting in September 1st, for example.
The whole ten with parents, nurses/medics who can train you accordingly rarely can come in in that date or beforehand. It can be days or weeks before it happens.
What happens in the meantime?

Training can mean anything.They might have done a half day's course on medical conditions including the one your one has. You are going to get nowhere with this particular complaint.

@Abraxan IME whoever does the administering outside of school does it until the parent feels confident with the handover. Maybe a day or two. I'm talking primary here and the meeting/training would normally be a nurse, parent, current teacher and one or two staff who are willing to assume responsibility.

neither the teacher, nor any other staff can be compelled to agree to this

Looks like op is making similar complaints herself against her previous employers. Also trying to ‘cause havoc’ with a home address. This seems like a pattern of behaviour…

I doubt OP will be back . The word vexatious ( legal meaning) springs to mind.

Teachers need to have the same training as dedicated nurses now do they? TAs too?

Our School Nurse team didn't do in person diabetes training for three years - and then cancelled it on the day, ten minutes beforehand.

They sent a video link so that staff were able to see the process for testing, administering buccal glucogel and using the pens as well as recognising symptoms. No certificate was available.

Love all these teachers claiming that because they have done online courses that must be sufficient to meet OP's DD's requirements. You do realise that not all conditions and difficulties are the same, don't you?

No, the teachers are saying that this is the training they receive, that doesn't mean it meets needs.

Xol- that’s not what teachers are saying. They are saying that the courses available are largely online, not that they are sufficient.
OP is coming across as a bully because she’s directing her anger at an individual rather than the school. If the teacher had completed the course that was provided they are correct in saying that they have had training. If the training wasn’t sufficient for the purpose than that is a failure of the school’s leadership and policies.
OP it’s awful that your dc needs medical interventions at school, but you must realise that this isn’t up to teachers to deliver.

They aren't claiming that. They are saying that's all that was provided. If it's insufficient then it's the school's fault ,not individual teachers.

And the few that actually state they do deal with diabetic children, mentioned meetings with the diabetes nurse and some practice with the insulin pen/ finger prick testing machine. Which is what should be done in addition to the online modules.

Sounds like you’re nitpicking - bearing a grudge and want the teacher sacked.

“Training” doesn’t mean professionally qualified. It’s taken me two University degrees and two years of apprentice style training contract, plus further professional exams to call myself a Solicitor.

This past year I’ve done various on line and in person training courses in anti-money laundering legislation; legal news updates; client marketing; racism, inclusion and diversity; and refresher training as a first aider for my team. I’ve done the courses, but have no certificates for the latter bunch.

Diabetes isn't like a cold. It can lead to serious illness, disability and even death. If my child was in school, I would expect there to be a clear care plan with someone able to follow said plan, recognise symptoms, and administer whatever medication was required. Not neccessarily a teacher, although they should be able to raise an alarm. If this was not in place, my child would not be put at risk.

I don't think any teacher should be responsible for such a task as this re monitoring diabetes. So it probably should have to come down to the very expensive position of the LA funding a post to do this?

If that is what is needed to keep a child alive or to avoid serious disability, obviously yes.

Diabetes training in my local area is run by the diabetes nurses. Even the face-to-face session didn't include any hands-on practice. It was mainly powerpoints about what diabetes is and how to recognise the signs. We then looked at a range of equipment used by children for monitoring levels and administering insulin. We didn't get any individual training on how to support the individual children with diabetes who were pupils in our school.

Since covid, the same training is now given online. That's all that's available to local schools.

no, this is exactly what teachers are NOT saying. We are pointing out that the medical training for teachers is not what parents think. It isnt monitor or treat or manage, anything like that. It is more or less when to call an ambulance, and not even for the diagnosed children, but for possibly undiagnosed children. We are not equipped to offer medical support in any way

And you absolutely shouldn't have to be @Nimbostratus100 !

All what teachers?
Not one has said a) we've been trained b) we'd be happy giving medical treatment we hadn't been trained to give to a child.
What we have said is fuck that.

I find that terrifying. We were shown different types of monitors and pens. Practiced putting the needles in, doing a check shot,doing an injection and safe disposal. We were shown how to input carbs in the machine.We had the care plans with us so we could ask any specific questions and their phone numbers are available if we need them.

Then I got to shadow a member of staff that had been doing it already to become familiar with it all, then did it under supervision.

Even with all that it took me quite a while to be fully confident and comfortable to do it all on my own. Now I am the member of staff supporting others.

Seems like we're incredibly lucky, both staff and the children we look after.

No, the teacher not taking the course you want them to take doesn't mean gross misconduct. Very few people come out of a Tribunal feeling good about the result, win or lose - and this will be true for you as well, OP.

Ideally yes. It ensures continuity of care, they can attend residential/school trips , it avoids a situation where no one wants to do it etc. However ,most LA's barely provide the basic minimums and keep using loopholes to avoid doing any more so it well and truly sucks, for both staff and pupils.

No one has said that.

Most people are pointing out that they have done various courses that haven’t resulted in a certificate.

JustAnotherManicNameChange Absolutely. Your training sounds a thousand times more useful than ours was. It felt like little more than a box-ticking exercise. I was fortunate that I was able to get more hands-on guidance from a more experienced member of school staff - but if he hadn't been there we would have been stuck.