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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Children off school for 48 hours?

54 replies

Itssnotunusual · 12/10/2022 19:21

I work in a high school setting and do my fair share of sending home due to illness and injury. We've recently had a sickness bug work it's way around school and it's been chaos. Staff and students have been ill in droves. Children who have been sick in the school have been sent home and parents have been told, by myself and other staff memebers, that they need to stay off for 48 hours after they have been sick which I though was pretty much standard. The staff who managed attendace have also been aware we've been sending students home with this in place.

They've suddenly taken umbridge and apparently we've been doing it wrong for the past few months of weeks and they only have to stay off for 24 hours. But surely I can't be the only one that thinks that's ridiculous? The NHS guidance is 48 hours after sickness and/or diarrhoea. We also have no written policy I can find on the matter. I know its annoying from an attendance point of view but surely that's the standard for a reason?

I'd raise it but I'm still on my probation till November so don't want to rock the boat too much.

Yanbu
24 hours is ridiculous and attendance are just thinking about their numbers
Yabu
24 hours is fine

www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/

OP posts:
YouCantBeSadHoldingACupcake · 13/10/2022 06:27

It's 48 hours in primary and 24 in secondary round here.

Sheepwalker · 13/10/2022 06:29

Our school (primary) is 24 hours. But it's not 24 hours since they last vomited. It's 24 hours since they were back to normal i.e. they have to have one full day of being fully recovered at home before they're allowed back. This gives them a day to do the school work that's been sent home!

Namechanger1002 · 13/10/2022 06:30

24hours at ds3 primary school
48 hours are ds2 secondary school
24 hours for me at work (office based)
48 hours for staff who care for vulnerable people

Untitledsquatboulder · 13/10/2022 06:31

NeedAHoliday2021 · 12/10/2022 19:55

It’s 24 hours for most sickness bugs but 48 for noro. Most of us can’t tell the difference so 48 hours is safer.

Thats daft!. Who has noro and is ready to go back after 48 hours let alone 24? It's a pukathon.

ChakaKhanfan · 13/10/2022 06:32

I’m a childminder and I say 48hrs, any earlier and you just continue to spread it. My policies are in line with NHS website, makes the most sense

londonrach · 13/10/2022 06:32

It's 48 hours!!!!! However dd last term was sick before going to sick every morning and it was decided she was worried re school so I was advised to bring her in. Strangely new class she not been sick this term. However normal sickness it's 48 hours!!!

SpringIntoChaos · 13/10/2022 06:32

48 hours from the last bout of sickness or diarrhoea...not onset...so you can be off several days in my school 🤷‍♀️

Longdistance · 13/10/2022 06:36

NHS guidance is 48 hours www.nhs.uk/conditions/diarrhoea-and-vomiting/
This is what my work (private sector) follows. The kids are sent home and told, 48 hours from last bout of sickness/diarrhoea. If a parent emails or calls they are told the same, sometimes they mention the 48hours in the email.

mickandrorty · 13/10/2022 07:00

Its 48 at our school but nobody pays any attention, and it goes on for ages its awful.

BooksAndHooks · 13/10/2022 07:06

It was 48 hours in primary.

our secondary school have no guidance. They tell us to send them in as soon as they stop being sick and feel well enough.

justasoul · 13/10/2022 07:08

48h in DD’s school (secondary)

PerfectlyPreservedQuagaarWarrior · 13/10/2022 07:09

Ours has told me both 24 and 48 hours in the past..

lannistunut · 13/10/2022 07:11

It is 48 hours. When you say They've suddenly taken umbridge and apparently we've been doing it wrong for the past few months of weeks and they only have to stay off for 24 hours. who do you mean by 'they'? If you mean senior management I would raise it politely in writing and let them make the decision - just say 'I have been advising in line with NHS guidance <link> and would appreciate the clarification around what you would like me to say in future' and then if they are not aware you have flagged it without causing a stink.

Raindancer411 · 13/10/2022 07:12

Ours changed too, but it's 24hrs if sick is not related to D&V, then it's still 48hrs.

Ragingoverlife · 13/10/2022 07:17

Its more the parents that get disgruntled.

Keeping their child off. For nationally observed 48 hours, then receiving a shitty letter a few weeks later reminding them of their duties to have their child in school.

Ragingoverlife · 13/10/2022 07:17

YouCantBeSadHoldingACupcake · 13/10/2022 06:27

It's 48 hours in primary and 24 in secondary round here.

Same

HappyKoala56 · 13/10/2022 07:18

I'm sure our school is 48 hours after diarrhea, but 24 hours after sickness

Butitsnotfunnyisititsserious · 13/10/2022 07:20

Ragingoverlife · 13/10/2022 07:17

Its more the parents that get disgruntled.

Keeping their child off. For nationally observed 48 hours, then receiving a shitty letter a few weeks later reminding them of their duties to have their child in school.

I've never received a letter from school when my sons been off with Noro for 48 hours. I always tell them what he's had and how long he's going to be off for.

TheYearOfSmallThings · 13/10/2022 07:23

48 hours for D&V at DS's school, and they are strict about it. Parents sometimes try to filter the child back in at 36 hours if they seem fine, but the school won't accept them.

Pinkbananas01 · 13/10/2022 08:05

Should be 48hrs, as nhs guidance. With that many kids & adults ill it should also be reported by school to local health protection team & that's what they would expect

Starlightstarbright1 · 13/10/2022 08:12

Schools are getting ridiculous about attendance. I got approval to send my dc back early after he at 2/3 of a pineapple so spent most the night on the loo was fine the next day so sent him in after 24 hours.

If you have a proper bug it rips through schools without proper control.

Shortname · 13/10/2022 08:25

Ragingoverlife · 13/10/2022 07:17

Its more the parents that get disgruntled.

Keeping their child off. For nationally observed 48 hours, then receiving a shitty letter a few weeks later reminding them of their duties to have their child in school.

Yes! This, so very much this! You just can't get it right as a secondary school parent in relation to attendance and D&V.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 13/10/2022 08:29

I agree it should be 48 hours

What is needed of course is more understanding from employers about parents having to work from home (if possible) or have time off for this. In particular a culture of Dad’s splitting the time off with Mums and their employers expecting this.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 13/10/2022 08:30

Keeping their child off. For nationally observed 48 hours, then receiving a shitty letter a few weeks later reminding them of their duties to have their child in school.

This is true too of course

BaileySharp · 13/10/2022 12:33

I've only ever heard 48hrs since symptoms end. If it was a 1 off episode it probably isn't a bug and 48hrs is likely overkill though