Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be annoyed with how DD's school handled this situation...

36 replies

maffive · 29/08/2014 06:45

Today a child vomited on DD's lunchbox at recess.

A member of staff placed the soiled lunchbox in a plastic bag. As she was unable to eat her lunch (a chicken and avocado roll and Baby Bel) they gave her a vegemite sandwich from the emergency supply, kept at the office, for children who do not have their own lunch.

DD has brought the vomit covered lunch box home, which I now have to deal with.

AIBU to think that the sandwich was a poor substitution and that they could have given her something more substantial? There is a canteen at school that has food similar to her packed lunch. Also, we live 5 minutes walk from the school - if they'd contacted me I could have taken her in another lunch.

I'm also peeved that I have to clean up another child's vomit who was , at the time, under their care and responsibility.

If you were me would you contact the school to complain, or should I just let it go? Thanks Smile

OP posts:
lookingspiffy · 29/08/2014 06:50

Teacher here... Shocked that they sent another child's vomit home! That should never have happened, aside from being thoroughly unpleasant for you it carries the risk of spreading infection!

Vegemite sandwich not great, would have thought a school lunch could have been provided for one day.

Shock about sending child home with someone elses vomit on lunch box though!

Sunna · 29/08/2014 06:51

I'd be peeved about the poor substitute meal.

Schools are very busy at lunchtime and perhaps there was no one spare to clear up the mess, someone would have been caring for the poorly child. Supervision of the DCs is more important than washing out a lunch box.

CariadsDarling · 29/08/2014 06:51

No, I wouldnt let it go, but neither would I go down the devastated route that so many people seem to go down nowadays when not very nice things happen. I like the fact you are only peeved by the goings on.

I would like to think I'd contact the head teacher and explain what happened and give him or her a chance to get back to you with the correct response as to how it should have been dealt with, and what will happen in future should it happen again to anyone.

But honestly dont know how Id have reacted to a vomit covered lunchbox coming home - I suspect though it would be something along the lines of me taking it back the next day and giving it to the teacher.

Vinomcstephens · 29/08/2014 06:52

The lunch substitute wouldn't particularly bother me but it is fucking DISGUSTING that they bagged up a vomit covered lunchbox and sent it home! So not I've member of staff was able to give it a quick swill under a tap? Unbelievable. Confused

Original poster
maffive · 29/08/2014 07:00

Agree the sandwich is not the worst bit - at least she had something to eat, and was not particularly bothered.

Having to walk home with the lunchbox was grim though - especially as DD2 kept trying to have a look Hmm. I was quite concerned about germs.

It happened at morning recess, so there was the period before lunch for it to be cleaned up.

Glad I'm not being completely precious. I'll probably just send them a casual email for more info.

Thanks for your feedback Smile

OP posts:
MsVestibule · 29/08/2014 07:01

I am beyond shocked that a school would send home a vomit covered lunch box Shock. The substitution is pretty rubbish too, but the lunchbox...!

I would definitely complain, and I rarely complain officially about anything.

FunkyBoldRibena · 29/08/2014 07:51

Did the child vom over the outside of the box or the food inside?

I think I'd have taken it back to the teacher as well. That is grim.

GoblinLittleOwl · 29/08/2014 07:53

Definitely complain about the vomit covered lunch box, but to the lunch-time supervisors; it is not the responsibility of the teacher. On of them should have washed it out but I expect there was the same flouncing about that there is with TAs when I child is sick:'it's not my job to clear up vomit; the cleaners should do it.' (who don't come on until school has finished).

whois · 29/08/2014 07:56

Agree with the others, the slightly rubbish lunch isn't anywhere near as bad as sending him vomit in a bag. I'd be tempted to take it back and ask WTF? Then just bin in.

DownByTheRiverside · 29/08/2014 08:03

How odd, I can't imagine why the staff thought this was an acceptable response. Confused
Is this a state school in the UK?

bakingtins · 29/08/2014 08:06

I think the sandwich is fair enough, they didn't leave her without lunch. Sending home another kid's vomit is awful and I would complain.

DraggingDownDownDown · 29/08/2014 08:46

That is disgusting. A huge infection risk. I would complain as that is completely unreasonable.

My son had dog muck on his school jumper as it was in the school playground (dogs are now banned due to other incidences) and it was rinsed, placed in a bag with an apologetic note.

DownByTheRiverside · 29/08/2014 08:50

OP, are you in Australia?
Does it make a difference? I've heard a lot of criticism about how over-protective and controlling English schools are compared to Australian from parents, so do you think this is a one-off or would they send home jumpers with dog muck on them as well?
Either way, I'd ask.

HandMini · 29/08/2014 08:50

I think the sandwich is OK. It's a one-off, emergency sandwich, so they probably have something non-allergic, vegetarian, cover-all-bases.

The vom lunch box is totally out of order. It's also just stupid. Who wouldn't clean and rinse off the area / stuff that had been vomited on??

x2boys · 29/08/2014 08:52

The vomit would concern me the most OK the substitute lunch wasn't great but she didn't go hungry but sending the lunch box home as others have pointed out is a huge infection risk and pretty disgusting!

LatteLoverLovesLattes · 29/08/2014 08:58

I think it's important enough to complain about, definitely.

There's no way they should be sending 'vomit' out of the school like that. Apart from the fact that it's simply disgusting, there is also the risk of passing bugs around further than they need to be. An adult should have seen to it there and then and sent the clean lunchbox home with a note.

I was going to say, if it had been me I'd have handed it back to them and said something there and then, but it's what I would do with hingsight, I think at the time you are so surprised you just kind of go 'Errr right' Hmm

If DD had ended up having that lunch due to something else happening (not complaint worthy), I wouldn't have given it another thought - it's one lunch. However, as you are emailing anyway, I would say something but I would stick with suggesting the children are given a school lunch. The staff 'on lunches' can't be expected to remember which child lives near the school and has a parent at home in the day - let alone one which wouldn't mind bringing another lunch in :)

Really, that is utterly vile. It's bad enough dealing with vomit at the time, but in that way it's just disgusting.

Lifesalemon · 29/08/2014 09:38

I work in a school and we have a policy and training with strict guidelines about cleaning up vomit and disposal of contaminated cloths etc. I'm not sure i have ever been told what to do with and item like a child's lunchbox but personally I would have washed it and cleaned it with an antibacterial cleaner much the same as I would have treated any contaminated school property and sent a note of apology home with it.
Regarding the lunch substitute, someone from the school would have contacted a parent to discuss the options, mainly because of allergies etc.

SuburbanRhonda · 29/08/2014 09:49

If I'd been on lunch duty I would have phoned the OP and asked her if she wanted the lunch box to be binned.

They are hard to clean completely if they are the soft kind and also if they have any kind of clip or hinge.

As a parent, I'd have said just bin it.

awsomer · 29/08/2014 09:51

I'm a teacher and completely agree with the above. It really wasn't necessary for them to have sent that home. If it had been your own DDs vomit it would have been a different situation, but another child's vomit shouldn't be your responsibility to clean up.

There could be a number of reasons why it happened (someone not thinking, a new member of staff on duty, etc, etc) so emailing in to make them aware of how the situation was dealt with and your feelings on the matter will help ensure that 1) you get an apology and 2) the same thing doesn't happen again in the future.

I agree as well that the sandwich issue isn't a big deal, but I like your idea of a canteen lunch replacement instead and I wonder if it just hasn't been previously considered by the staff? I would include that in your email but just as an aside, not as part of your complaint.

Good luck!

MrsWinnibago · 29/08/2014 09:51

It's rank of them and not safe. They need to be aware that body fluids can pass on disease! My friend works in a nursery and she says that they'd have washed the lot, thrown away the contents and ensured DD's box was clean to come home...but you'd still have been informed.

ChocolateWombat · 29/08/2014 09:52

I think the sandwich given to the child was fine. In don't think they needed to contact home to find out what should be given. They fed the child, which is good enough.
The lunchbox thing is rather grim. However, I wouldn't want to make it into a big thing really. Perhaps you could write in to thank the staff for providing child with another lunch, but politely point out that you think sending the vomit covered box home was probably a health hazard. I would leave it at that, rather than create a big thing about it.
Thinking about it, when a child wets or poos themselves, the clothes are bundled into a bag and sent home,not washed in school. I know this was a bit different, being another child's vomit. Staff must clean vomit off the floor etc, so cleaning a lunch box should not really be any different really. Was there a note with the lunchbox to explain what had happened? I think that was as important as the cleaning of it. If they didn't let you know what had happened, I would mention that in the note too.

With these kind of things, it is good to flag them up so the school knows they have happened and have it in writing. However, it is often good to be just mentioning it, rather than complaining. Save your complaints for the serious issues. I think we have to accept schools dont get everything right and we have to choose when to just point things out cheerfully and when a real complaint is required.

Idontseeanysontarans · 29/08/2014 09:54

I worked in a nursery rather than a school but in a vomit situation we would have phoned the parent and asked if we should just bin the lot in all honesty. If they didn't want us to it would have been thoroughly cleaned, bagged up and sent home.
The replacement food wasn't ideal but may have been an 'any port in a storm' situation that needed sorting quickly.
An email would be a good idea, it was a rank thing to do, just vile!

Thebodyloveschocolateandwine · 29/08/2014 09:57

I imagine neither the teacher it TA knew about it at all if it happened at lunchtime.

The lunch supervisor deals with lunch time issues and would tell the teacher of the poorly child but not your dds teacher.

It's completely unacceptable though and you should alert the school as it's a training issue. Yeuk.

The lunch seemed fine as a one off.

Gileswithachainsaw · 29/08/2014 09:59

OMG that is vile what on earth were they thinking.

I'd have wanted the lunch box binned and to be called so I could bring a replacement lunch. Surely she could have had some bread salad and a pudding from the canteen if there wasn't enough of the mains?

goodiegoodieyumyum · 29/08/2014 10:07

Nothing wrong with a vegemite sandwich I had one everyday for lunch in primary school, full of vitamins. Sending s vomit covered lunch box on the other hand is just wrong.

Swipe left for the next trending thread