First and surnames on leavers hoodies is a safeguarding issue

[SavonDeMarseille]

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.

As I said, nice money making exercise, making money from parents many of whom who can probably ill afford it.

Well no one makes them buy them. not everyone in every year will have one. My son’s friend didn’t have one because she’d only moved to the school that year and didn’t know all that many people. The hoodie money is a drop in the ocean of what I’ve spent supporting the school over the years. And money the school raise goes to benefit the school and children as a whole, it’s hardly lining the head teacher’s pockets.

AIBU to think this is a big safeguarding issue and should not be permitted

Fuck me, I've heard it all now.

Have you actually SEEN the hoodies? Both my kids have had one. They have "leavers" in big type and then all of the kids names in the numbers. They are not a "safeguarding issue". I don't think OP really understands what safeguarding means.

OP could, of course, volunteer her time to the poor, harrassed people who are organising the hoodies on the PTA and offer to take over. But she won't. She's the sort of person who loves to criticise loudly from the sidelines but who wouldn't actually dream of doing anything practical to help.

Urgh.

Exactly Macarena. What a lot of nonsense.

Maybe we should just stop using names at all. Or any kind of clothing which could identify what school a child goes to or what dancing school, scout troop etc. State issued ID numbers and plain uniforms the way to go eh to eliminate any form of risk whatsoever, no matter how minuscule

Some people’s assessment and attitude to risk is just absolutely bonkers.

Why should the vulnerable children be 'different' (yet again)?
Because they are different. DD’s differences are obvious, and things done for her own health, safety and protection make her different. There is no way she can be made to be the same. Surely the goal is to teach people that difference is ok rather than making kids who are different somehow feel less because they can’t do or have the same as others. But I suppose it’s ok for DD to feel different because she has a wheelchair. Should I be insisting all the children in her school have a wheelchair. @JaquesHammer, can I expect you to sign your child up to that? After all, no child will be harmed by having their school day in a wheelchair. DD manages it with no harm whatsoever.

Of course, that will be deemed to be ridiculous.

I’ve still yet to hear anyone explain what actual risk to a child of having some of their class group have their full names on a hoodie. That risk just doesn’t exist. This nonsense about being out and about, someone being able to read the names of other children being a risk to another child is frankly ridiculous.

OP could, of course, volunteer her time to the poor, harrassed people who are organising the hoodies on the PTA and offer to take over. But she won't. She's the sort of person who loves to criticise loudly from the sidelines but who wouldn't actually dream of doing anything practical to help.
^this

We were asked what name we wanted to use, but really if you have a problem with this stop moaning on Mumsnet and go offer to help with the organization.

can I expect you to sign your child up to that

Uh huh. That’s the same. But do I think any trip that means your daughter couldn’t fully take part be cancelled then yes, I think that’s perfectly fair.

I explained the risk in our situation (which hey, I didn’t advise - was advised to the school by a team who specialise in this - albeit rare - situation)

I’m still waiting for someone to explain why not having surnames on the hoody is a big issue.

Oh dear Christ...

I’m still waiting for someone to explain why not having surnames on the hoody is a big issue

I think what most are saying is that this whole thread is a non-issue.

You can choose to have a hoody, or not. You can choose for your DC's full name to be on it, or not. You can choose to have their first name only, or a nickname, or not. You can choose to have a completely plain hoody, with just a year on it, or not.

So, it is a choice. Therefore there is no issue.

So, it is a choice. Therefore there is no issue

Agreed. However from the original OP it appeared there wasn’t a choice in terms of name etc.

If they've got parental permission then it's not a safeguarding issue. If you don't like it, tell them you don't want your child's name on. Simple

Its up to the individual child/carer what they have on them. You fill in a form which states how you want your child's name spelling etc in the number and what name or nickname you want on the back.

My daughter's class all had nicknames.

I agree yabbers

Some people’s assessment and attitude to risk is just absolutely bonkers.

Usually the people who have read an article once, or whose sister's friend's boyfriend's cousin's friend knew someone who knew someone whose child was abducted because of their hoodie.

I have a child who shares a name with another in the class. All through school he's been (for example), John A and the other child is John B. I was in school yesterday and a child addressed me as "John A's mum". When it comes to a leavers hoodie, he won't want "John" or "John A", he'll want his full name on there. And knowing the other John's mum, he will too.

DH wears a lanyard round his neck at work at all times with his picture and FULL NAME on it. I do the same when I'm volunteering in school. Older DS had his name in the paper last week along with a picture of a school event in it. This is all very normal and my children are not at risk.

99.9999% of children are not at risk. DS has a friend who was removed from birth family and adopted. His parents are more than happy for his photo to be on school websites and on hoodies.

There are, however, a small minority of parents who are batshit crazy.

Yabbers of course we're all different. Some differences can't - and shouldn't - be hidden eg skin colour, body type, disability, sensory impairment and of course we should be encouraging everyone to be embracing of difference.

Some differences - like you've been the victim of domestic violence and sexual abuse and are on an at risk register - should be private to the individual and their family unless they wish to disclose this information.

The analogy you've given with your dd's wheelchair doesn't make sense. It wouldn't make her safer or less disabled for other children to be using wheelchairs when they didn't need them. It does make a vulnerable child safer if their personal details are kept as confidential as possible.

I have explained the ACTUAL RISK up thread, but I'll repeat it. The risk is if the name of a vulnerable child is spotted by someone either in person or uploaded to social media in a way that identifies or even suggests that child's school. This narrows down their possible locality very considerably. Given that they will be transferring to secondary, any interested party will be able to find out through a quick google search what secondary school they're likely to be going go.

And that's not to mention how easily so many people can be found using their name on social media and messaging services.

Hope that that's clear enough for you.

But I agree, not necessarily a safeguarding issue apart from in specific circumstances, but definitely a privacy issue, or GDPR etc.

GDPR ! Ffs I thought it was bad enough when people are saying it's safeguarding matter.

Get a grip people.

It is not compulsory to have one of these jumpers. Hi informed consent should be provided to parents when placing order.

There are thousands of these jumpers in the UK. I have never heard of a child being abducted because of wearing one ! Risk is minimal.

More at risk of using social media which parents allow them to do.

99.9999% of children are not at risk.

God if only that were true!

If our school change it to first names or a plain logo hoody then fine, I’ll have no issue with that. It’s the “leavers” bit IME all the kids liked as it showed them off as being the big grown up ones. Arguably you don’t need names at all. But I certainly wouldn’t be up moaning at the school now to change it when I have no issue with how it’s currently done.

What do the “safeguarding” brigade do when they have to take their kids to the doctor straight from school in their uniforms and give their name and date of birth to the receptionist? I mean there could be any old perve sitting in the waiting room noting down all that info! What are the chances? About as high as them locating and stalking the kid off a name on a hoody maybe

All sorted out. Our order says Just call me xxx as the childs full name. Bet the system changes over the next few years when the PTA wakes up to the stupidity of full names.

So all along the school was fine with you not putting both full names on the form?

Yep OP just wanted to froth.

OP just wanted to froth.

And have a pop at the PTA bitches who don't give a shit about "safeguarding", obvs.

My DDs have had these hoodies to commemorate several occasions, including a school sports tour abroad, as members of a sports team outside of school, as school leavers etc.

We have always put first name only or surname only on the hoodies or t-shirts. On occasion we also just put a nickname that they like being known by and I noticed that a number of other families had also done this.

I think a policy of first name only, nickname only or first name plus initial would cover just about all eventualities.

If you don't want to put your child's full name then just put the one you are happy with on the form and tell the school why.

I remember when you could buy t-shirts and hoodies in shops which had names already printed on them. Usually just fairly commonly used names unless you made a special order, but a lot of children had them when I was growing up. That was the seventies and eighties though, so no internet and social media then, meaning that the audience reached was much more limited.

Jeez what a waste of time (and I agree about the PTA comments, a couple of years ago some parents complained about the PTA sports day volunteers not keeping the team point tallies accurate on the scoreboard yes you tossers because they were busy manning the finishing lines/giving out stickers/selling coffees etc they got their arses handed to them on the PTA FB page thankfully).

Thehorseandhisboy makes good points.

When kids have the same first names they often want their surnames on there because otherwise it's too generic - so absolutely give a choice but don't take our choice away from us because that's not what you want