Parents in East Sussex are being told to ‘Get a Grip’ via leaflet if their child is off sick for more than 3 days a term

[DingleBerries]

Will you sign the petition to stop this?

What absolutely arseholes. My friends son was admitted to hospital last week, he was in the high dependency unit and there were talks about intubating him.

This week she gets this in her DC’s book bag. Her nerves already in tatters she is told by East Sussex council to ‘Get a grip’, that other parents manage to get their kids to school and questions her ability.

Absolutely out of order, patronising, condescending and insulting.

Please sign the petition if you agree.

www.change.org/p/east-sussex-county-council-east-sussex-county-council-withdraw-the-get-a-grip-campaign-and-make-a-public-apology/w

a grip [[https://www.change.org/p/east-sussex-county-council-east-sussex-county-council-withdraw-the-get-a-grip-campaign-and-make-a-public-apology/w]]

www.change.org/p/east-sussex-county-council-east-sussex-county-council-withdraw-the-get-a-grip-campaign-and-make-a-public-apology/w

That leaflet sounds so wrong and bad timing with your friend.

Signed

Can you post the full leaflet, I can't see it on the petition?

Bad timing for anyone.

I was simply giving one example.

I would be having an extremely serious word with the school, they must have put the leaflet there.

www.eastsussex.gov.uk/educationandlearning/schools/get-a-grip-school-attendance/here

My links are not working today.

A simple google takes you straight to it thought.

Probably a coincedence.

Fyi childen in hospital for more than 5 days are entitled to schooling at the bed side and as such are not marked as absent.

the leaflet doesnt look too bad tbh

East Sussex has high school absence rates and high poverty indicators in some areas like Hastings. The local authority is trying to encourage improvement to increase the life chances of the future generation.
It’s sad your friends son was ill but this doesn’t mean that it was either a personal criticism or of no value.

@Sofabitch I highly doubt a child in HDU that's boarding on needing intubation is going to be upto to any sort of schooling, regardless of where it takes place

I like it

The council presumed parents would read with a modicum of common sense. Clearly not directed at a child admitted to a high dependent unit in hospital. They were sadly wrong.

““The campaign we have been running is not aimed at parents of children who have genuine medical reasons for being absent, but is attended to address concerns over high levels of school absence in the county resulting from, for example, the odd day’s sickness absence taken here and there or taking holidays in term time.”

East Sussex council

Isn't the reality that schools should exercise a modicum of common sense before handing these leaflets out? It was clearly absolutely crass to send it to OP.

Sorry, not OP, OP's friend.

I'm sorry about your friend.

I Googled the Get a Grip campaign and it seemed reasonable and measured. I know people who keep their children off school for really minor things. They probably do need to get a grip.

No, clearly. But just pointing out its a service that is available. Hence why these campaigns are never targeted at children in hospital or such.

Ah common sense. I remember when that was a thing. Now replaced with professionally offended.

I still can't see the full leaflet but can see the campaign on the their website.

The whole thing is so patronising. I don't think 'Get a grip' is really going to persuade errant parents who can't be arsed sending their kids to school.

The school staff have probably been told blanketly to put it in bags of kids when their attendance drops below a certain percentage.

Big fail on all accounts.

The leaflet isn’t bad in itself although it’s not brilliant.

It starts “THERE ARE NO GOOD REASONS TO MISS SCHOOL!”
and then the next sentence is “Apart from religious festivals and serious illness there are no good reasons to miss school” which is an instant to backtrack and we can all think of others (grandma’s funeral, close family wedding, secondary school open days, certain medical appointments).

It would be bad if it was being sent out automatically to seriously sick children but it’s not, it’s been put in a book bag manually by a human being. You need to track down that human being and either a) listen to them explain that every child has been given one or b) get them to apologise if they specifically targeted you.

I thought some of the online stuff was a bit bizarre. For instance, the link to one page says "Good reasons for missing school - there are none". Obviously not true, as it acknowledges when you click the link, but then it says "With the exception of religious festivals or a genuine medical condition, with evidence from a GP or hospital, there are no reasons to miss school." But, in law, there is no requirement for short medical absences to be evidenced by GPs.

Then it says you should send your child into school if they have a minor illness that is not contagious, such as a cold: but last time I looked, colds were very contagious. Admittedly anything other than a very bad cold isn't a reason to keep a child out of school, but get it right, FFS.

Thu can’t tailor sending these things out.

As I said, I suppose they presumed parents would determine themselves whether or not it applies to their situation, and a mother with a child in hospital would utterly finish it as not relevant.

They had unrealistic expectations or would seem

Why is it crass to hand a leaflet to Op? Or even Op's friend ( presumably in the book bag of a child, in school).
Clearly it doesn't apply to the one in hospital. Is she concerned that the other DC's will need time off because of the admitted DC?