School asking for medical evidence.

[Sickdayz]

Dd was sick at school on Monday. 3 different members of staff know she was sick they did not send her home told her to sit on the chair near office. So she's not been to school since then. She's been vomiting could not keep water or food down. She's now OK with water. But can't keep food down still. She's had a temp and sleeping alot. But that's got less .so she is going in the right direction. I have not taken her to the gp because I don't take my children to the gp over bugs /sickness for something that needs paracetamol a bucket and rest . I have also contacted the gp in the past and he's told me the school should not be asking for evidence and he was pretty angry

The school has send me this .(copy and paste)

Thank you for notifying us regarding your child's absence today.
Please note that I will require supporting evidence for this absence. The absence will be logged as unauthorised if supporting evidence is not received. Some examples of evidence that will be accepted are copies of: Prescriptions, Appointment/Consultation Notes, Doctor’s Notes, Hospital Letters. Please kindly send over any medical evidence you may have or can obtain.

I feel tempted to send the school a picture of dd sick .

That's what I've done in the past, along with a strongly worded email about wasting NHS time and my ability as a parent to make the decision about whether my child is well enough to be in school.

The whole thing is utterly ridiculous.

Could I get onto trouble for sending a picture of sick ?

They don’t need to request it

The below is the guidance from the DfE, August 2024. As a teacher, I would encourage any parent being asked to provide evidence to simply reply citing this document as schools are massively overreaching with this approach

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66bf300da44f1c4c23e5bd1b/Working_together_to_improve_school_attendance_-_August_2024.pdf#page93

Send them a doggy bag full of sick 🤬🤬🤬

How ridiculous. Many schools seem to have lost the plot regarding attendance.

It should not be marked as unauthorised as you could get a fine after 5 days off - even if spread out and taken over the course of a term.

I'd send a photo of the vomit. However, LottieMary's suggestion is probably less controversial.

I hope your DD feels better soon.

Contact the teacher who dealt with your child when they were sick and ask them to write a letter to the school they work at confirming that she was sick!

Nope. They will put it on file.

You can draw thier attention to the recent 'working together to support school attendance" which says medical evidence should only be needed in a minority if cases. It's point 62 and under the description of code I (page 87) it says schools are not expected to routinely request medical evidence to support illness absences. Only where it's reasonable and for clarification. They have to have genuine and reasonable doubt about the authenticity to ask for this.

I probably wouldn't send a photo of sick, but I might offer one.

I now realise my habit of taking a photo of high fevers on the thermometer (usually to show DP when he's slept through me getting up with child) will come in handy if our school pull this...

I'd just tell them that they can mark it however they like.

I feel tempted to send the school a picture of dd sick

Yes. Do this. It's the only way to change the ridiculous policy.

Send a picture of each individual instance of sick, along with a note:

"Thank you for your request for evidence of my daughter's illness. As anyone with half a brain knows, in the case of illness like this it is totally inappropriate to waste doctors and hospitals time and there is no preseciption that will help. You have nevertheless asked for evidence. This vomit is the only evidence I can provide. If a photograph is insufficient please let me know and I will put the next batch in a jam jar and bring it in to reception.

Best wishes"

id def reply and make it cleat that unfortunately as with bugs of this nature , the only proof you have is in the amount of vomit exiting your child . you have spoken to the doctor and as she requires no medicine beyond calpol, they will not provide proof simply because school do not trust parents. alas they are welcome to come and visit, but you advise face masks as its probably contagious.

Legally they are not entitled to any evidence. Your child’s medical records are confidential - absolutely none of their business.

We had the head of year asking for DD’s MRI scan report once! Safe to say after the email reply I sent they never asked again..

Respond with LottieMary’s document and confirming that she was ill 3 times in school on Monday and sat near the office so they have seen the proof with their own eyes!
also add that your doctor has previously told you a sick note for school was unnecessary.

They won't want her there, but occasionally I have sent them when being sick. There is no sick note to be done and so send the poor soul in to be sick there if they persist being ridiculous.

gpsoe.org.uk/gpsoe/assets/Schools%20Sickness%20Letter%20Request%202018%20Guidance%20v3.pdf

This is some of the information available to GPs

Oh, come on. Don't infect the kids in class to prove a point.

NHS advice (for Norovirus, but would apply to all sick bugs and most minor childhood lurgies

You can usually treat yourself or your child at home.
The most important thing is to rest and have lots of fluids to avoid dehydration.
You will usually start to feel better in 2 to 3 days.

Send them that and state that you are confident you did not need to seek medical attention at this stage.

In reality I would phone the school and ask discuss it with them.

The problem comes if she's ill again and it tips into the level of fining.

'Your attendance targets are not my problem' was a reply I saw another parent give which I thought put it across quite succinctly. As PP have said, you self certify for 7 days anyway so it is not possible for you to provide medical 'evidence'. I would definitely offer a photo of the vomit and also ask if they'd like you to interview their staff who witnessed your child being unwell- perhaps this will provide them with the required 'evidence'?

Hope your DD feels lots better soon OP.

Send them a photo of the bucket of sick and the thermometer.
Add gp was extremely unhappy about their request for supporting information and its not within his remit to provide it for things like bugs, therefore you are providing your own verification of the illness by way of photos.

Could it be an automated message because she was off longer than 24 hours?
If not, send them a boke bag 🤮

I’d send a photo of sick. They deserve it for sending such a stupid message when they were the ones who sent her home in the first place!

Yes, OP, definitely send school a photo of DD's vomit. They are being totally unreasonable if staff saw her be sick at school.

The language and the amount of red font indicates GPs are mightily pissed off with this nonsense. Quite rightly.

They’ve asked for any medical evidence that you can obtain. I don’t see why you’d get in trouble for sending a photo.