suncream and school

[bobblewobble]

I am just wondering what all your schools do regarding sun cream at school.

My son has recently turned five and is in reception. In his second year of nursery, he burnt on a few occasions whilst at school. (He was only there 2.5 hours) I always applied sun cream an hour before school starting and also before taking him into class, 9-11.30. I spoke to his teachers about him burning and asked if they could apply sun cream half way through class. They spoke to the headmaster who said they were not allowed to do this, due to child protection issues. I asked if there was a way around it, like two teachers present or if I got the sun cream prescribed. No! I asked if he could do it himself or if they could spray it on him and not touch him. No!

I have now started to worry about what will happen this year now that he is in school all day. When out ourselves, we apply sun cream every hour as he really does burn so quickly. Ten minutes in the sun and he is red for a few days. He is very fair skin and ginger hair. My husband is awaiting genetic testing as his family have a strong history of skin cancer (10 year old cousin had it to) and his father has the faulty gene. I have a younger daughter at the school who has much darker skin and doesn't burn so easily so can have the sun cream applied once before nursery and I'm sure she won't burn.

Last year I bought one of those sun proof tops, still applied sun cream and he still burnt :( He also keeps a hat with a neck protector at school, so that he always has a hat available.

Do your schools allow teachers to apply sun cream?

I know they don't put it on at our school but they do ask all children to take cream in and they make sure they all put it on before they go outside to play.

The not sinking in is why I only went at lunchtime, I would put it on before he had lunch and hoped that by the time he had queued for his dinner and then eaten that it was ready to work properly.

the attitude that he can't do it himself under supervision seems very odd. Plenty of good ideas here about a spray and then he rubs it in, or the kids help each other.

and of course he needs to wear a hat with a neck flap and sleeved tops with collars whenever he goes outside.

if there are any Aussies/Kiwis here they might have ideas, all kids there have to take these precautions.

There is 1 teacher and 3 teaching assistants in his class, so I'm sure they could do as you suggested ChrohnicallyFarting, without it taking that much time.

I will also bring up maybe a sun allergy to the doctor. He has not been seen by a specialist for this reason, no but I agree it's not good that he burns so easily and if there is something that could be done, then we will do it.

I have tried many different sun creams and found the nivea for babies was the best. I have not tried the Soltan 50 many of you have suggested, so I will buy that. I have used some of the children's Tesco range but we found that wasn't as good as the Nivea. Thank you for your suggestions.

I'm really surprised that so many schools haven't hit the sun cream paranoia that I thought was standard.

All our children, from day nursery to Year 8 (so 2 months-ish to 13 years old) have to have their own labelled bottle of suncream in school for the Summer term. The older children have to apply it before sport and the younger children before long break and before sport. Anyone can put extra on any time they need it. Staff apply it for the children up to about age 5 or 6 (longer if the child can't manage for some reason) and I've never heard anybody utter the word child protection. Also, no child is allowed outside to play or do sport at all without a sun hat.

Obviously none of this applies in poor weather but I have always felt we are more than slightly OTT with this considering we are in England.

Sounds more useful than the blanket 'no' you seem to be getting though

We leave a bottle in trays and children are reminded to put it on before going out. Parents are expected to label it, ensure its in date and that their child can apply by themselves.

Wow, sun proof tops and sun cream and he still burnt!?

Is there any kind of sun proof top with higher protection available on prescription?

I remember in the news years ago a little girl was allergic to the sun so could only go outside to play in the middle of the night, all (thick)curtains drawn and even a crack of light was dangerous. She was prescribed specialist suits but eventually got a suit made by NASA, extreme but necessary.

I would be worried about skin cancer too seeing as it's in the family and would insist that if they can't apply sunscreen then he must have a shaded area available or he stays indoors in the hall so he can run around - unfair on him but needs must.

I am a teacher in a special school. We provide sun cream and send a letter home to parents asking for permission to apply this or, alternatively, to apply sun cream bought from home. We do have an adult:child ratio of almost 1:2 though and applying cream thoroughly to every child when they're all in summer dresses and shorts does take a fair bit of time. In mainstream I suppose one teacher applying it to 30 children would be very time consuming and then if one child is accidentally missed then the fault is with the school and not with the parents - by saying sun cream won't be applied if a child does get burnt the school won't be held responsible so maybe what the head means when he refers to it as a 'child protection' issue is that the school could be held accountable for failing to protect a bunt child from the sun if they've agreed to apply sun cream rather than meaning applying sun cream is inappropriate touch.

(sorry, that should say brought from home )

What would you do if the teacher missed a bit? Best have a blanket 'no' in my opinion. If a child is so susceptible then you need a medical plan in place if all-day cream combined with protective clothing isn't enough. But again, you will never guarantee someone applying it thoroughly.

Are you absolutely sure it's burn and not some sort of allergy to sun cream? My children are red haired pale skinned Celts and burn very easily - but like your son does.

By the way, I think teachers sometimes say it's a child protection issue because if they say it's a time thing people get all aresy about "not having time for the children"

Some ideas from the schools here:

Many reverse lunch/recess so that they have less time outside in the middle of the day. Same for sport.

Hats are compulsory. No hat, no play.

Many playgrounds have shade sails/undercover areas. They at least eat under here for part of the break.

Some kids have roll on suncream in their lunch bags or on a key chain for their bags.

What about a working bee to plant more trees for shade? Or a long sleeved option in summer? The option to play indoors on really hot days?

Sounds like your son has extremely sensitive skin.

I have only found a factor 50 sun top but will look for a higher one.

It seems to be mixed opinions as to whether schools should apply sun cream. I will arrange a meeting with the school and see what they say. If they won't apply sun cream, let him do it himself or allow me to go in, am I within my rights to say he cannot go outside to play? I know he wouldn't be allowed to play in the hall as the whole dinnertime is used up between packed lunch and school dinners.

I don't want to cause a lot of disruption going in regularly but on the other hand if he burns in school, he will miss school anyway, which will also cause disruption.

The area in which they play is all concrete so no option of planting trees for shade. They have recently planted about 30 baby trees but nowhere near where he plays. He always has a hat and the school does ask that parents always send their children in with a hat. They eat indoors so that isn't a problem, after lunch they have about 40 minutes playtime. I will look for a an easy to apply sun cream for if they are willing for him to apply themselves.

Thank you everyone for all your ideas, I really appreciate it.

I don't think some parents have any idea of accountability. What if the teacher agreed. They would be unable to refuse all the other children-this would be unfair on then. The teacher then has to find room for 30 sun cream bottles, assume at least 30/60 secs for each child-more when you take into account finding the correct bottle (and please don't suggest saying-'everyone go and get their bottle' would be a good plan with 30 5 year olds at once!)

So-we stop teaching/learning at 10.30 every day, for an 11am playtime and 11.30 for a 12pm lunchtime. Again in the afternoon?! That would be such a long time set aside each week, we'd have to put it on our timetables which Ofsted would love!

Then, what if the teacher missed a bit (quite likely when doing that many children)-would the parent be cross? Sue? I would not be responsible for anything like this without the parent signing a disclaimer!!

If your child is that sensitive that no so cream in the world exists that will protect them for 6 hours, you need a note from the dermatologist stating a care plan is needed and the parent should come up in play/lunch times to reapply cream.

Sunsibility do childrens sun protective clothes, and the long sleeve t shirt can be doubled to provide greater protection than spf 50 which is their standard

I any believe they won't let him do it himself. What a ridiculous rule. It's you that's gotta wash his clothes not them and clearly you won't give a shit if they get sun cream on them :(

I'd be going down the medical route myself as well. Get as many letters from the dr as it takes. Surely they must have a policy regarding a health care plan for children? I'd say this qualifies.

And regardless of what they say I'd be putting te damn stuff in his bag!!! And stunning it in to him to do it every break time. I did this at dds school as in reception they weren't allowed to take it but dd is allergic to the all day stuff and many of the sun screens available so I bought and labeled her own. No one said anything.

Your poor Ds it's shocking they won't allow it in his bad. But stuff that!!

Drumming -not stunning

Not once have I said no sun cream in the world exists that has not protected him! I have been given some suggestions to try. The teachers (most classes have 4 in a room of between 26-32 pupils)

Not all children need sun cream reapplied as regularly as my son does. My daughter has hers applied 2/3 times daily when we are out.

You mention suing the school because of missing a part of the body when applying sun cream. Surely missing a part of the body would be better than burning the whole body and having skin cancer at the age of 10? A family member of my husband has had half his foot amputated at the age of 10.

My son at the age of 3 and 4 burnt on a few occasions whilst at school for 2.5 hours. Not even really at the sun peak times as he finished at 11.30.

I have not even said the school have to apply sun cream, I would be happy for him to do it himself but they have not allowed. I am happy to go in and apply it to him to.

Does anyone have any reviews on the sunsibilty clothing please? Have you used them before CMOTDibbler?

I will try and go down the medical route as it is medical in most children's case the need to apply sun cream, yet with how sensitive he is and the skin cancer gene, I think it is even more so important. They would not apply a prescription sun cream had the dr been willing to prescribe one last year. Hopefully things will change this year :(

Did you see my post about it possibly being a sun cream allergy? As I said, I have incredibly fair red haired children who burn scarily easily- but not through factor 50 in half an hour......

I'm sure if the school realise the severity then they can't have any objection to you coming in?

Don't be tempted to sneak in sun cream for him to apply himself. If he isn't careful and it goes everywhere or he doesn't wash his hands properly afterwards, it could affect other children with allergies. As long as he is supervised I can't see why he can't apply it himself.

Hope you get a good result.

Sorry martorana, I have looked up sun allergy and the images are different to the burn he gets. So I assume it isn't a sun allergy but will mention to his dr and see what she says. The times he has burnt has been a consistent red rather than spotty or blotchy.

He has a severe allergy himself, so I wouldn't want to put others at risk. I don't think there would be anywhere he could sneakily apply it anyway. Their cloakroom is attached to the classroom. I don't mind which way it goes as long as he has sun cream on regularly, to prevent him from burning; whether they do it, I do it or he does it.

Can you go to the LEA or ofsted or something, surely something like this is covered in the equality or disability act or something in the sense that he has a legal right to an education and for reasonable adaptations to be made to facilitate that. It has to be covered by some law somewhere :(