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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

First and surnames on leavers hoodies is a safeguarding issue

362 replies

SavonDeMarseille · 01/02/2019 09:08

Just found out the Y6 leavers hoodies (FFS since when was this a thing for Yr6!) will have the full names on their hoodies in the year number with their own name above the number and the school emblem and name on the front. AIBU to think this is a big safeguarding issue and should not be permitted. AI also BU or to want to take this up with the PTA who are organising this. Hoodies are worn all week on Yr 6 school trip.

OP posts:
agirlhasnonameX · 01/02/2019 10:28

DDs school stopped doing the names this year for the same reason. Now they just say leavers with the year.
I don't know how big a deal it is but advice for internet is that they don't tell anyone their name or school or wear a school uniform with their badge seen in any pictures posted on social media so guess it makes sense to apply the same to rl.

EwItsAHooman · 01/02/2019 10:30

The PTA has given no consideration to looked after children and how to accommodate their safety

The carers of the looked after children will have their own processes in place for this and if they don't they can get advice on how to proceed from their social worker, the looked after children won't be the first ones to have been in this situation. I have a friend who is a foster carer, out of curiousity I'm going to ask her.

JacquesHammer · 01/02/2019 10:30

Why is it a safe guarding issue - in case it’s posted online, what?

Because as I said, I know a kid who has had death threats, kidnapping threats etc.

Wehave a lockdown drill in place in case there is an actual threat made.

We can't just do a risk assessment when there's a trip out of school. We have to think of stuff that other people wouldn't even consider.

Fairly extreme case, but having discussed this before on MN this child by far isn't the only one in this sort of situation.

Missingstreetlife · 01/02/2019 10:31

I think part of looking after yourself is not telling strangers your personal details. Many workers in public sector not in electoral register and ex directory. It's different in a crowd of kids, safety in numbers but these tops will presumably be worn later.
I know someone who put her address on her key ring, bag nicked, house burgled. You think it would be obvs but it's not.

DarklyDreamingDexter · 01/02/2019 10:31

I didn't have a problem with it for my children. We had to had to really look hard for the names as the print was tiny. No one could casually read the surnames without looking very closely. I'm pretty sure we were asked if we wanted it included or not, so anyone could opt out. Yes, the first names above are clearly readable as in the 'Tasha' example above, but so many things have kids names on. I don't think it's an issue.

MrsJayy · 01/02/2019 10:31

You know if parents are so worried they can keep the hoodie at home just because some parents are against them for their own reasons doesn't mean everybody has to. Op your 11 year old is going on a school trip do you not trust the staff to look after them because of a hoody?

Schmoobarb · 01/02/2019 10:32

My son is friends with a boy who was in foster care and had a hoody with his name on it (not same primary school as us) I’d imagine it can’t have been deemed that much of a “safeguarding” issue then Hmm

JellycatElfie · 01/02/2019 10:33

I’m not being deliberately argumentative but if a child has received death threats what difference does having their hoody with a name on make?

Miljah · 01/02/2019 10:34

Can anyone link to an instance where a child got into difficulties because someone read their name on a leavers hoody?

I can only imagine I will be inundated with responses....

Grip shop is thataway.....

Missingstreetlife · 01/02/2019 10:35

Great fun being groomed, or every clever dick knowing your name and making comments, hilarious.

Iamnobirdandnonetensnaresme · 01/02/2019 10:38

There are a lot of people on here who have clearly never taken a safeguarding course.
Safeguarding is not about privacy
Safeguarding is about abuse.
Safeguarding children is about looking for the 4 abuses laid out by the children’s act, physical, emotional, sexual and neglect.

You are taking about privacy and gdpr not safeguarding.

JacquesHammer · 01/02/2019 10:39

I’m not being deliberately argumentative but if a child has received death threats what difference does having their hoody with a name on make?

It is keeping the child's name away from the school name. So you read X pupil goes to Y school and suddenly there's an issue. For that reason the child was never in newspaper articles, on programmes for drama/awards/sports day they were only ever named by their first name and never an image.

Schmoobarb · 01/02/2019 10:39

The second being that the children wear them on the Y6 school trip and you can't have one child not wearing a hoodie in the group of 60. The school rely on all the children having one. It is not a financial thing, it is safety.

Why are the PTA taking to do with something that’s “compulsory” for a whole year trip? What if it’s raining? Won’t they be allowed to wear a rainjacket over their hoodie? Plus the chances of it staying dry/clean enough to be worn solidly for a week on a school trip are not high! Also what kind of trip is it? Ours was at an outdoor centre and the only people there were our school and the teachers and the centre staff.

There are other ways the kids could be identified as pupils from the school if it was needed for “safety” eg school logo badges or specific colour baseball caps. I’m sure I’ve seen school groups out on trips in those before.

Beerflavourednipples · 01/02/2019 10:39

Great fun being groomed, or every clever dick knowing your name and making comments, hilarious.

How would someone be 'groomed' from their name on a hoody?!

Birdsgottafly · 01/02/2019 10:42

My children, in the 90/00's, used to have stick on labels with their names on.

My SN DD, with S&L issues, always had a piece of paper in her pocket/bag with her name, my name and phone numbers on. That was sensible.

Children shouldn't be left unsupervised at that age. There was a child raped in the toilet a few months ago, it didn't matter that the rapist didn't know her name.

It's the Parent/Carers call, if they think it's fine, then it is. It isn't a safeguarding issue.

School uniform is a privacy issue, it tells you a lot about the child, including the economic situation of their Parents, in some cases.

Original poster
SavonDeMarseille · 01/02/2019 10:42

Clearly many MNers don't work alongside children at risk, have any idea of the extent that the LA and carers work to safeguard their identity, and prevent the information becoming public and all seem happy to plaster their DCs names over social media. Next week is internet safety week and the children will be told not to give out their name and never to post on social media in school uniform or other identifying clothing. At the same time, their PTA parents are happy to put full names leavers hoodies.

OP posts:
TaintforTheLikesOfWe · 01/02/2019 10:42

Why do they even do this? Is it another American thing? It just seems so narcissistic and just weird. We had an end of school photo and then we all walked off.

JacquesHammer · 01/02/2019 10:43

There are other ways the kids could be identified as pupils from the school if it was needed for “safety” eg school logo badges or specific colour baseball caps. I’m sure I’ve seen school groups out on trips in those before

Absolutely. And those all had to be taken into consideration.

As I said, extreme case but not an isolated incident.

mycatplotsdeath · 01/02/2019 10:43

Op. I think the biggest problem this will cause, is when someone's name comes back wrong.( like it did at my dds school)

Puggles123 · 01/02/2019 10:43

I know someone who put her address on her key ring, bag nicked, house burgled. You think it would be obvs but it's not.

That’s not much different to keeping your driving license in your purse and having your bag stolen with both the purse and house keys in though; and how many of us do that? Loads!

Every school has to consider things like this depending on the children in the class (ie if they don’t want someone missing out perhaps all have just first names or initials) and give parents the choice as to what they are comfortable with for their own child. For the vast majority having a hoody with the name printed on the back will pose no risk. They won’t wear them forever anyway, and once the novelty wears off are a momentum.

Puggles123 · 01/02/2019 10:43

Momento*

waterandlemonjuice · 01/02/2019 10:44

I think leavers hoodies are a great idea, my children love theirs.

As pps have said, its not a safeguarding issue fgs

JacquesHammer · 01/02/2019 10:45

I think leavers hoodies are a great idea, my children love theirs

Absolutely - so does mine. Makes no difference she only has her first name on.

MrsJayy · 01/02/2019 10:46

Great fun being groomed, or every clever dick knowing your name and making comments, hilarious.

All thatis going to happen from a name on a hoody is it?

Look there has to be some perspective about this and parent responsibility it is still a thing if you are scared your children are going tobe harmed by their name on a jumper either alter their name don't let them wear it out of school or don't buy it. People banging on about safegaurding children that is also a parents job to do.

EwItsAHooman · 01/02/2019 10:47

It's a name, not state secrets.

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