To think that school should be able to say something

[GhostHoward]

...although I'm not sure what you'd say.

I work part time in a reception class, as a SED one to one. I previously did lunch duty, so know all the kids quite well. There are a few with bad teeth, but the little girl in question makes my heart ache. They were rotten at the beginning of the year, but now, they've all but disintegrated. Another child, with well brushed pearly whites, was telling me how he had a wobbly tooth, and she piped up "my tooth fell out when I ate an apple yesterday" and pointed at her upper front tooth, which whilst still there, was one brown 2mm nub beyond the gum line. What she was saying was that part of her tooth broke off. How she's not in intense pain I don't know....

But school can't say anything. There was a dentist that came to see the whole class earlier in the year, but it was an opt in thing, so I don't know if she got seen. Schools aren't allowed to tell you your child has headlice, so telling them their teeth need serious care is also off the table. I've never seen a mouth like hers...child or adult, and she's five years old.

Why can't schools say when there are issues? Could it be upgraded to a safeguarding issue?

Am I the only person wondering which culture doesn't believe in looking after baby teeth?

I volunteer at my DCs’ primary school, and one of my roles is Dental Hygiene Champion (I like to imagine myself in a superhero costume for it).

We have quite a few children with bad teeth and I have witnessed our Head of EYFS giving very stern instructions to a parent about getting their child to a dentist urgently and not leaving till the child is seen.

There is a public health programme where a dental health specialist comes and talks to the nursery and reception children and their parents about tooth brushing and gives out free toothbrushes - can you find out if something similar is available in your area?

It’s awful - it gives me the heeby-jeebies to see those beautiful smiles with brown teeth, but in that situation there won’t be a magic wand to make it better overnight.

And don’t assume neglect either - when I spoke (tactfully) to one mother of a DC with horrific-looking teeth, she explained her DD had a genetic condition that caused it and she was seeing a specialist dentist.

What culture is this?

I’m a DSL in a primary school and I have spoken to countless parents about dental hygiene.

Ahh this is so very sad. There’s no excuse really, dentistry is free for under 16s in this country. Toothbrushes and paste are so cheap as well. It’s just sheer neglect and it’s absolutely vile.

Is she a traveller op? I work in schools and very much feel the same level of safeguarding is not given to traveller children as others. Things that wouldn't be acceptable for other children to live with are brushed off as " it's there culture " including neglect, lack of school attendance etc. I think these children are utterly failed that we don't think they should have the same protections as other children for fear of interfering or judging another way of living.

Their

Things that wouldn't be acceptable for other children to live with are brushed off as " it's there culture " including neglect, lack of school attendance etc.

I don’t know what kind of traveller you’re talking about (“they” are not all the same), but the families in our school are all show people and their children are spotless and beautifully presented in school.

There is also a different requirement for school attendance to allow for the fact that they travel for work.

I have an orally fixated sen child who shattered 2 baby teeth (chewing a stone at school 😡) as you can imagine I was very upset and took him straight to the dentist, who said that baby teeth have no nerves so don't hurt the way a broken adult tooth would.
Don't beat yourself up to much, yes report it as it is neglect but it's not all on you

My dcs teacher has told me when they've had headlice. They were already going round class, dc had had them and been treated the week before and she told me they were itching again. I didn't realise that wasn't allowed.

It is quite possible that school has already reported it. Safeguarding information is on a need to know basis so you won't know what support has or hasn't been offered or accepted. That said, still report yourself to the dsl in your school. You should never presume someone already has.

FamilyOfAliens of course they are not all the same. But the children I have worked with have not been show people and The children were unwashed and underfed and exposed to a lot of inappropriate behaviour. They also stopped coming to school at 13 because school isn't for traveller girls it's for gorga girls. I am saddened to see these girls not being given a proper education in 2019 so they are destined for a live looking after men. If the state thinks children should be educated until they are 18 that should apply to all children, so they have the same life choices as everyone else.

Im a romany gypsy and I knew as soon as the op said it's there culture that it would be travellers

Gypsy and traveller girls don't stop going to school at 13 to clean up there are reasons we don't choose to share .

People say we're neglected our children
You all haven't a clue about us .

And I don't put every non gypsy person in one group .
I take people as I find them .

I also take people as I find them and these children from a number of families were dirty. Not assuming all traveller children are . You yourself said you assumed this child is traveller, op hasn't even confirmed that. There are no good reasons for it to be acceptable for a group of children to drop out of education before others because of cultural reasons. These are teenagers I've talked to on a daily basis who have told me they are at home watching tv or cleaning when not in school, I'm not making assumptions. I've also had 14 year old girls tell me their parents were looking for a boyfriend for them so they could be married at 16. Better to be married than the shame of a pregnancy out of wedlock. Again these are not generalisations or assumptions these are things I have been told repeatedly by the children involved. Other traveller families will live differently.

The OP hasn’t said which culture this child is from so god knows why she’s getting a hard time about it!!! 🙄

My sons bestie has brown teeth. She has a very chaotic home life and I’m just praying someone decides to care for her adult teeth.

The school is failing in it's duty of care by not speaking to the child's parents about this and making a referral if dental health is not sought.

It always is travellers when they mention somebodys culture .
Non gypsy children go to school all there life and there is plenty who don't want to get a job.
That's not my business .
Maybe if we wasn't so racially targeted we would put our children in school for longer

I'm sorry it wasn't the op who said it was travellers
Some one else said it .

Anneofgreengables1 I agree travellers face appalling racism and the wider community may not be a welcoming place. I stand by my original point though that all children from whatever background should have the same safeguarding. I hugely value the traveller children I've worked with but I've seen teachers not reporting domestic violence or rotten teeth or poor attendance because they are concerned about being seen as racist or prejudiced against travellers. This is a disservice to these children and does not protect them in the way non traveller children are protected. The op has been told rotten teeth are cultural so the child is not protected. Being scared to be seen as judgemental is failing that child whatever culture the op maybe referring to.

I agree they should have the same safeguarding and the same privileges that non gypsy children but the government don't see it that way .
They won't make sites for us and when we buy our own land we can't live there.

You can't get a dentist or doctor with out a address
If the children you know are truly being neglected please help them but as for there culture leave us be ourslefs