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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

6yr old child given medication without parental consent

400 replies

Skippy21 · 20/02/2020 08:28

After collecting my two children 11yrs and 6yrs old from a half term holiday workshop they both were happy and excited about their outdoor fun that day despite small injuries- 6yr old had a tumble and hurt his ankle. No real issues there until my 11yr old daughter said the man looking after them gave Jack (6 yr old) ‘a tablet’ 😮😮, as he had hurt his ankle and was in considerable pain crying a lot. I was utterly beside myself with shock that this would happen- Jack was given an Ibuprofen tablet -adult!! Medication- no phone call to me and no authority to administer any form of medication. Jack is ok, and dosage was within his weight range- just. The man has been suspended from his position ( guy in charge had no idea this incident had occurred!!).
Should this be reported to police?

OP posts:
MuddyPuddlesAndPrettyBubbles · 20/02/2020 08:29

What crime do you think has been committed? It seems the organisation are responding appropriately.

iamkahleesi · 20/02/2020 08:32

Reporting to the police would be completely disproportionate. The holiday club have acted swiftly and appropriately. I understand why you're worried but your priority is looking for reassurance from the holiday club as to how they will prevent this happening again.

Freddiefox · 20/02/2020 08:32

What do you expect the police to do?
It’s not acceptable or ok but the company are dealing with it.

Poing · 20/02/2020 08:32

From what you have said, the dosage was correct. No harm done. Secondly, the organisation has responded appropriately.
Why would you think that this needs to be taken further?

Lordfrontpaw · 20/02/2020 08:33

I assume you checked the small print - there’s always a slip to say that you authorise medical attention given to your child/take them to hospital if necessary, and if they have any allergies.

Child was in pain and in distress. Correct dose of medication given.

CherryPavlova · 20/02/2020 08:33

Whilst it might be outside policy, it’s certainly not a crime. The chap was misguided but kind and wanting to ease pain.

You’ve left them in loco parentis. They acted. Child had pain relief.

No difference between adult and child ibruprofen.

slipperywhensparticus · 20/02/2020 08:33

How di you know it was an adult ibuprofen tablet? Calpol do tablets

DonnaDarko · 20/02/2020 08:35

I think getting this man arrested would be a complete overreaction.

Minxmumma · 20/02/2020 08:35

This would come under a safeguarding incident so either report to the appropriate person in the organisation or to your local authority if you feel appropriate. The organiser should have a policy in place regarding medical treatment.

Did you fill in a consent form of any kind for the workshop that included medical information? If not then medication should be administered as they don't know if your child has a condition which could cause a reaction. In another youth care service we are required to have specific consent to administer paracetamol / ibuprofen / antihistamine cream etc and otherwise only administer medication provided by the parent with specific details about dose / time.

SquashedOrange · 20/02/2020 08:35

The person who did it was obviously very naive, but ultimately trying to be helpful. I'm guessing they have little experience of working with young children?

Sounds like it's been dealt with appropriately. I wouldn't go to the police personally, but this could have been very serious for a child with allergies or asthma.

Boom45 · 20/02/2020 08:35

Police?? Not sure it's exactly criminal. Maybe Ofsted or the local authority but it does sound like the organisation has dealt with it.

MakeItRain · 20/02/2020 08:35

How did you find out the details in the end? Who told you he'd been suspended? I would definitely want to find out more about how they're investigating what happened. The whole workshop sounds poorly run if they don't seem to have found out about possible medical allergies or asked you to sign a form to say basic first aid can be administered (normal at my children's schools for any out of school activity). Giving a child an adult dose of medication without consent is very serious and definitely needs to be taken further.

DuckWillow · 20/02/2020 08:36

No it doesn't need reporting to the police. The holiday club will have internal procedures for such incidents. They are already in practice as the man has been suspended.
They will now need to investigate why he thought it was appropriate to give your child medication as there are generally strict rules about such things.
Your child is fine thankfully but they need to investigate to prevent this ever happening again.
Anyone working with children should be aware that you don't do anything like this without parental permission. In your position I'd want to know what prior experience and training he'd received. It's not great if the holiday company are taking on people and then not providing them with training or at least close supervision while they learn.

PettyContractor · 20/02/2020 08:36

I think in a reasonable world the man shouldn't be suspended, he's done exactly what one would want him to. I know that's not the world we live in.

Digitalash · 20/02/2020 08:36

Massive over reaction. Yes the holiday club should have informed you he had had medicine but you are acting like he gave him a swig of morphine or something!

Rockbird · 20/02/2020 08:36

I'd be very surprised if there wasn't a part of the registration form concerning medication etc.

It isn't great that he was given medication without you knowing but it also isn't the end of the world. He was given an appropriate dose when he was in pain. Presumably that's what you would have done.

Nekoness · 20/02/2020 08:37

Look over the contract you signed. In many of them you have given consent for someone to administer meds. The ones I have certainly do. Was he suspended for not following procedures about reporting the child’s injuries?

Original poster
Skippy21 · 20/02/2020 08:38

The company are not authorised to give any medication whatsoever and my consent was not given. Jack doesn’t take tablets, had difficulty swallowing it and was coerced and didn’t want to take it and it was a dosage for a 7-9yr old. If it had been one paracetamol it would have been an overdose!

OP posts:
Lordfrontpaw · 20/02/2020 08:39

I would also assume he was a first aider?

PixieDustt · 20/02/2020 08:39

For all the people saying OP is over reacting she really isn't. He didn't know what allergies the child had and didn't even report the incident or log it!
I can't take ibuprofen and would end up in hospital if giving it so no she isn't over reacting and no one should give children medicine before parental consent especially for a 6 year old!

The police is a bit OTT though. Sounds like the company have handled it well.

Scarlettpixie · 20/02/2020 08:39

What crime do you think has been committed?

EmeraldShamrock · 20/02/2020 08:40

It is probably in the small print. It is on DC school application form.
I only realised when preschool teacher said DS wouldn't take it.
Was it half a tablet?

msmith501 · 20/02/2020 08:41

So an adult in temporary charge of your child took it upon himself to alleviate pain and swelling following an incident and your response was to punish them. What a crap thing for you to do. I'm an old fart of 55 and therefore a dinosaur but when I grew up we all looked out for each other and each other's kids and that would have included first aid in its various forms. When did we start thinking that the first point of call was to rush to law or to show someone we had the power to destroy their lives after they had helped someone in our immediate family who was suffering. It reminds me of the stories on here where children misbehave in class and instead of disciplining the child. Invented, the parents are all too keen to barge into the school and blame the teacher.

It's too late for society now but I'd love a small return to more normal levels of decency and caring.

EmeraldShamrock · 20/02/2020 08:41

A 6 year old. No.
I read it as your older DC.

Lordfrontpaw · 20/02/2020 08:42

I’d be surprised if it wasn’t in a slip somewhere - we have always had to fill out forms for allergies, permission to medicate, permission to take away from the location etc. Even their pronouns these days.