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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

School conducted a LFT on my son, against my consent

999 replies

duckme · 05/07/2021 19:26

We received an email from our school to say that, due to the increase in covid cases, they are going to resume the LFT scheme in school (secondary) rather than at home. They sent an online consent form for parents to complete. I declined consent. I marked the form as such and sent it back electronically. My son was actually isolating until today as his bubble had burst, but I reminded him that he didn't have consent for the tests so he wasn't to have one. I know mistakes can happen and forms can be misplaced so I wanted to make sure he was fully aware of my consent.
He came home today and informed me that he had the test.
He said the whole class was called the the hall. The lady could see on the list that he hasn't got consent and asked him about it. He repeated what I had told him, 'my mom said, I'm not to have one'. The lady then proceeded to lecture him about protecting his family and friends. He is 13 and gave in to the person of authority in front of him. Despite them having explicit instructions to the contrary.
AIBU in being absolutely livid? That person ignored written consent, ignored the verbal consent of my son and then guilted him into having an invasive test.
I'll be contacting the school tomorrow to complain but I'd like to know if my covid fatigue is making me over react a little. But I can't imagine it being ok for a school to override parental consent in this way pre covid! Have we all surrendered all our our rights now? Even our parental ones?

OP posts:
Celandines · 06/07/2021 12:21

What age are children allowed to decide whether or not they have something like this rather than parents?

wombatspoopcubes · 06/07/2021 12:25

Although I disagree with you choosing to make a difficult time in this pandemic even more difficult, I absolutely agree with you that they should have upheld your decision to not consent. People are allowed to withhold consent and that should always be respected. Otherwise, where does it end?

wingingit987 · 06/07/2021 12:27

I'm surprised they even needed to ask for your consent and they didn't just use gillick competency. It's really strange that a parent has to give consent to a quick nose and throat swab but a 13 year old girl can get the morning after pill from the sexual health clinic without consent.

Knackeredmommy · 06/07/2021 12:29

Wow! Interesting responses.. the school are wrong. You did not give consent, he shouldn't have been pressured or confronted at all. He shouldn't have to explain himself, I would complain.

roguetomato · 06/07/2021 12:29

I actually think this thread is totally bonkers. LFT is nothing like being forced to take a meds or vaccine, it's just a test, and done by himself.
When my ds was in hospital, he had to take weekly swab to make sure he doesn't have infection. It was done even when he was a baby.

There are people actually dying atm.

candyflossss · 06/07/2021 12:32

@wingingit987

I'm surprised they even needed to ask for your consent and they didn't just use gillick competency. It's really strange that a parent has to give consent to a quick nose and throat swab but a 13 year old girl can get the morning after pill from the sexual health clinic without consent.
the morning after pill is time sensitive. Also, the affects of a potential pregnancy in a 13 year old is far more vast than a 13 year old not having a COVID swab that is not always reliable. If you need parental consent between the ages of 13 and 16 to access the morning after pill the problem is you may have far less of them reaching out for it because they are scared of having to tell their parents.

I don't personally think it is comparable. And tbh, it's not really the point. The point is the school DID ask. And then ignored it. Which is wrong.

ObviousNameChage · 06/07/2021 12:32

@roguetomato

I actually think this thread is totally bonkers. LFT is nothing like being forced to take a meds or vaccine, it's just a test, and done by himself. When my ds was in hospital, he had to take weekly swab to make sure he doesn't have infection. It was done even when he was a baby.

There are people actually dying atm.

Which presumably you were asked to consent to .
saraclara · 06/07/2021 12:34

@roguetomato

I actually think this thread is totally bonkers. LFT is nothing like being forced to take a meds or vaccine, it's just a test, and done by himself. When my ds was in hospital, he had to take weekly swab to make sure he doesn't have infection. It was done even when he was a baby.

There are people actually dying atm.

It is still a procedure that requires consent.

You can't just blow away the entire concept of consent because you think everyone should have an LFT test.

ObviousNameChage · 06/07/2021 12:34

It's scary how many people think the rules around consent depend on completely arbitrary and subjective opinions(like their own).

candyflossss · 06/07/2021 12:36

@ObviousNameChage

It's scary how many people think the rules around consent depend on completely arbitrary and subjective opinions(like their own).
i know and it's a real slippery path...like a PP pointed out, where does it end?

Consent is there for a reason. We really do not want to be in a world where it counts for nothing.

ChateauMargaux · 06/07/2021 12:39

'If a child passes the Gillick test, he or she is considered ‘Gillick competent’ to consent to that medical treatment or intervention.

However, as with adults, this consent is only valid if given voluntarily and not under undue influence or pressure by anyone else.'

www.cqc.org.uk/guidance-providers/gps/gp-mythbuster-8-gillick-competency-fraser-guidelines.

His consent was not given voluntarily, the person in question acted unlawfully.

LittleNibbler · 06/07/2021 12:39

Complain. Your reasons are irrelevant, you did not consent, he did not consent. The school should not have done the LFT.

BoomChicka · 06/07/2021 12:39

YANBU. You didn't give consent and they pressured a child into doing it anyway. That is wrong.

MissLucyEyelesbarrow · 06/07/2021 12:40

@wingingit987

I'm surprised they even needed to ask for your consent and they didn't just use gillick competency. It's really strange that a parent has to give consent to a quick nose and throat swab but a 13 year old girl can get the morning after pill from the sexual health clinic without consent.
They should have used Gillick competency - saving themselves a world of hassle. The OP is not lawfully able to consent on behalf of her son. All other arguments on this thread are irrelevant.
TheOrigRights · 06/07/2021 12:40

@roguetomato

I actually think this thread is totally bonkers. LFT is nothing like being forced to take a meds or vaccine, it's just a test, and done by himself. When my ds was in hospital, he had to take weekly swab to make sure he doesn't have infection. It was done even when he was a baby.

There are people actually dying atm.

This is your opinion. Taking a LFT test requires consent for those under 16. That's not an opinion, it's fact.

Are you saying that if you were the person in charge of organising the tests at OPs school, you would have decided not to ask for consent from parents because of WHAT YOU THINK - completely disregarding the law?

TheOrigRights · 06/07/2021 12:42

They should have used Gillick competency - saving themselves a world of hassle. The OP is not lawfully able to consent on behalf of her son. All other arguments on this thread are irrelevant.

Do you know what that entails? It's not just some member of staff making a judgement, it's a qualified health care professional following very clear guidelines.

BakedTattie · 06/07/2021 12:42

Taking out what the consent form was for - you didn’t give consent and the school ignored that. That is absolutely not ok. I’d be really cross they asked for my consent and then blatantly ignored my answer.

chickenyhead · 06/07/2021 12:43

It does not have to be a medical professional at all.

Gwenhwyfar · 06/07/2021 12:44

@Biker47

"Invasive test" hahaha.
The PCR test I had was certainly invasive. Do these ones not go as far up the nose?
MissLucyEyelesbarrow · 06/07/2021 12:45

@TheOrigRights

They should have used Gillick competency - saving themselves a world of hassle. The OP is not lawfully able to consent on behalf of her son. All other arguments on this thread are irrelevant.

Do you know what that entails? It's not just some member of staff making a judgement, it's a qualified health care professional following very clear guidelines.

I'm a doctor who specialises in medico-legal issues around consent so, yes, I'm good on how children are permitted to exercise autonomy, thanks.

Their right to do so is not confined to Gillick and only requires an assessment proportional to the circumstances.

A parent may not lawfully give consent for a competent child.

Sparklingbrook · 06/07/2021 12:45

This thread will be full before we ever find out what happened…

RealhousewifeofStoke · 06/07/2021 12:50

‘His consent was not given voluntarily’

According to the OP….

Cavalierqueen · 06/07/2021 12:54

We will all be famous tomorrow in the gutter press. Looking forward to those comments Grin

doucey · 06/07/2021 12:56

Gutter press indeed!

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