Schools sun policy - am I wrong?

[Originalfoogirl]

Before I speak to the school about their sun policy, I wanted to know if others think I'm taking an unreasonable stance.

As soon as it starts getting sunny, we get a text from the school reminding us to send our children wearing sunscreen. Fair enough, a reminder is good. I also send our girl with a bottle of suncream and remind her to re apply it - as per the advice from cancer research and sunsmart. All day sunscreen is not effective. Yesterday she said she got in to trouble for asking for help to do it and was told "you're supposed to put it on before you come to school". At 7 she can kind of do it herself, but her disability does cause her some problems putting it on.

I know it can be a faff for a teacher to put sunscreen on 30 kids and there aren't enough assistants, but just as they have to help the littles get help changing for PE and for using the toilet etc, but to me, sunscreen is just as basic. I have friends who have had skin cancer.

I think the school should have a policy on this and build it in to their day. Schools in Australia seem to manage and before anyone says it, our sun is just as dangerous to children as theirs is.

I know many people just don't see the importance of it for their children and don't appreciate the risks of burning, but should I take this up with the school or not?

bundy

cancer reearch have stated all day sunscreen does not protect with one applicaiton

if you think schools are more infored than them that up to you

you can still get burnt in cloudy weather how many times ive heard it cloudy dont need anything is astonishing

ive known people with skin cancer who only ever been out in it a few times-thats all it takes

i understnd school is all about sueing and protecting themselves in my day if u wnted help the teacher would no quesitons its all gone so ott these days

It does take longer in cloudy weather though, especially in the UK. A properly cloudy lunchtime in summer where the kids are outside for maybe 40 minutes max isn't a worry compared to a lunchtime in full blazing sun or a sports day afternoon where they're out for three hours with only patchy cloud.

GabsAlot.
The thing is, you knoow peole who have had skin cancer wo ever having a sunburn.
I know people who have had lots of sunburnt but never had a cancer. Think about all the people who are living in much warmer areas in the world or places where there is much ore sun than here.

That is because cancer is NEVER a one cause thing but rather a nice mismatch of things. So much so that SOME recent research actually say that taking the sun is probably better than suncream because the lack of vitD from the lack of sun is worse for cancer than the sun itself....

What it means is: Everything in moderation!
Always putting suncream on will be bad for you.
Going to a sun bed every week, getting sunburn again and again will be bad for you too (It doesn't mean you WILL get skin cancer though. Some people just look much older than they are etc...)

Besides if you think that the sun is such a bad thing, you should also always have sun glasses on to protect your eyes etc etc....

Where do you stop?

No I don't think the school policy is wrong - they can't possibly apply all that cream plus they would then be held responsible if someone did get burnt.
I also do think once a day cream would be enough for the level of sun exposure in a school day - they aren't out all day in 30+ degrees, in and out of water like you tend to be on holiday. I only ever bother with standard factor 50 not even once a day stuff and always fine
But I have seen an applicator for children that is supposed to be easier to use that I was planning to get - jojo mama bebe (?) Sell it.

"they can't possibly apply all that cream"

But teachers in other countries can and do. And don't seem to have more litigation either.

Besides if you think that the sun is such a bad thing, you should also always have sun glasses on to protect your eyes etc etc....

I do, and people should. Cataracts surgery much fun...

Is not much fun

I put sunscreen (factor 45) on mine before school - just on their faces and necks. Generally I leave the rest of their skin alone because they're not going to be spending ages outside - half an hour at lunchtime and maybe a couple of shorter breaks - and actually it's important to get sun on their skin. Lots of children have vitamin D deficiency because they cover up too much. Obviously I don't want my children coming home sunburnt - or even slightly pink - but this has never happened. Neither of them has ever had sunburn and I make sure they never do.

a teacher, even with a TA to assist, would not have time to apply cream properly to 30 kids each time they had to take them outside

I disagree, there are 20 6 year olds in my sons class and two with SEN.

They have swimming once a week in the school pool, their lesson is the first of the afternoon so it is at 1.30pm. They need to apply suncream before the lesson because it is usually between 20-40 degrees. The teacher has a song that they sing together and every child applies the suncream to each line of the song.

I have heard this is similar to the way a lot of Australian teachers do it, I hoped I might find a video on Youtube but I can't.

All it takes is a little initiative and planning before going out to play.

Something like this, but modified as the children would hopefully not be going out to play in swim suits. Could even be done to the tune of head, shoulders, knees and toes. A music teacher could have fun with this project.

Our school (son in nursery so only 3) asks that we put it on in the morning but that we also supply a bottle so that they can re apply at lunchtime. I didn't think they would re apply so just sent him in an all day one initially but then there was a note in the newsletter that week saying that they would re apply at lunchtime. That said, they are pretty much allowed outside all day if the weather is good and they play out at after school club too so one application really wouldn't be adequate.

I do wonder how the fuck myself and most of my generation survived childhood

This!
Never used to have sunscreen at school, went all day with only a drink at lunch time. Used to play out from sunrise to sunset with little adult supervision. How on earth did we survive??

I don't understand dizzy, isn't that the children doing their own?

You don't get skin cancer when you are a child!! Most adults who developed it, did so because they had childhoods like this.

I thought one of the issues about teachers applying sunscreen to pupils was to do with allergies - specifically nut allergies, although I know of at least two people who are allergic to the blue colouring in some sunscreens. It's not just applying 30 lots of sunscreen, but having to wash your hands absolutely thoroughly 30 times as well.

Yabu. Quite apart from issues already mentioned of possible complaints of improper touching by staff/ complaints of insufficient application causing suburn/ they're not actually outside for that long anyway etc etc, do you have any idea how LONG it would take 1 adult (or 2!) to apply sunscreen to 30 children?! I would much rather my childrens teachers had more time to, you know, teach.
Also, i noticed you don't seem to mention whether you did actually apply a coat yourself before school... Which i think is a fairly important point.

My DF has multiple sclerosis related to vit D deficiency. My DFil has had skin cancer. I certainly know which one I would rather DSs had and am not obsessive about sun cream.

It's not a binary choice - skin cancer or MS/vitamin D deficiency.

It is very easy to safely supplement with vitamin D, and it is unlikely that DS gets enough vitamin D through sunshine anyway...

Even if you choose to expose your child to skin cancer not apply sunscreen your child is probably still vitamin D deficient (if in the UK)

Teachers and other school staff are not allowed to apply suncream to children.

It's so we don't put ourselves at risk of being accused of inappropriate contact. Sad but true!

Plus, I just wanted to double check - people do realise that like other cancers skin cancer can kill, and that malignant melanoma is a fairly aggressive cancer?

i do wonder how the fuck myself and most of my generation survived childhood hmm

they did all survive. I watched my best friend die from melanoma. she was 15. when she died she weighed 3.5st.

add in the fact melanoma and skin cancers in general have been on the rise since the 70s, i'd say thats a spectacularly fucking stupid statement.

didn't all survive, obviously

Our school has a very sensible sun policy.

All children are asked to arrive at school with full water bottle, sun cream on and wearing a hat. They also bring a labelled bottle of sun cream.

Years 1 to 6 apply cream to themselves at lunch time with teachers watching.

Nursery and Foundation children have cream applied by their teachers and TA's...that is approx. 50 kids and 6 adults, so 8 kids each.

This works well and my kids have never got burnt at school.

"Teachers and other school staff are not allowed to apply suncream to children."

In UK they are. They may choose not to do so, but the individual teacher or headteacher who sets class/school policy needs to own that they have made this choice. It is totally permissible.