To ask a schools safeguarding policy

[BUILDABIGBURGER]

Exactly what the thread says, if a primary school had concerns over a child, what would their plan of action be?

I have been shown the letter the school sent to the GP. The letter was signed form the headteacher also deputy safeguarding lead.

I don't know if this makes a difference in regards to others who said this would/should come from a school nurse when contacting third party professionals.

I can’t tell if I’m feeling irritated reading this as I work as a teacher and hear some awful things but you sound very passive and also minimising with ‘not all bruised up’ about a child. abuse can take many forms.

School staff are really busy, I’d be very surprised if they made this referral without serious concerns. I’ve never heard of to the GP but then unless you are the parent, you have no idea of the full story.

Take a step back and think how life must be for this child, I’m assuming persistent problem with nits if they’re reported and social concerns. Isn’t it good school are acting? There’s a child in all of this that clearly needs support from other adults.

I've been with my friend to a solicitor yesterday, with the full reports from the school which they sent over, and then the evidence friend has for all those claims, I cannot specify exactly what the concerns were from the school, as that isn't my place.

I never asked people to post on here and share opinions on what would and wouldn't class as safeguarding issues. And how there a children falling under the system. I'm aware of this, and how quick this can happen.

I asked what the normal procedure would be. And who is allowed to contact third party people, as there must be rules for this in place when there are concerns.

And just like everyone is quick to tell me I don't have the full picture. Neither do any other munsnetters when it comes to what the school have said/done. In fact these concerns would never strike ME personally as something that needed to be reported, these are concerns the school should of asked about. But I am not a safeguarding lead so I don't have enough knowledge about this.

I do think my friend since seeing all the evidence has been mistreated. Any the issues that have been marked down are it rational, and more importantly solicitors also believe there is no construction to any of the claims and think friend has a good case to complain formally about the school.

I appreciate those who are teachers and feel violated or offended whenever a school does something they shouldn't do. As this could feel personal towards your profession of choice. But this isn't the case.

I hope you all work in a good school, who follow rules and boundaries. However in my option ( and a solicitors ) this school has not done that. And that is very concerning.

Consent is only one justification for sharing data under GDPR. If the purpose of the information sharing is to safeguard a child then that data can be shared without consent being necessary.

The school haven’t done anything wrong here and GDPR is not a barrier to multi-agency working and information sharing. Especially not with one of the three main safeguarding agencies (police,
social care, health).

I must also clarify, there is no safeguarding concerns from the GP practice/HealthVisitor/
And this is why friend was able to gain a copy of the letter through the GP surgery.

As GP did say there would be no safeguarding concerns added to file, and mum could have a letter from GP a to add to a file that would be took to solicitors.

I have seen a school report to social services for headlice it was because of neglect in the family tbh the lice had been present for up to a year and yes the parent had been told and helped with removal

I understand that the school may not have acted appropriately and I’ve taken it personally because of many cases I’ve come across of child neglect with parents denying there is a problem.

I still find it concerning your friend doesn’t see persistent infestations of nits to be a concern (that’s what it seems that you are saying as one example). I hope, for the sake of the child, that your friend is right and the school are in the wrong here. I also hope that she addresses whatever has made the school so concerned in the first place.

Its states on the concern

" headlice due to mother not treating with harsh chemicals "

So what’s happening then? How many occasions has the child had head lice?

Your latest update is really strange.

I thought the school has simply sent a letter to the GP advising that the child needed to be seen.

You suggested that no referral to social services has been made. If that’s the case, why does your friend need to respond to any “claims” or need a solicitor? Surely they just take the child to see the GP?

I’m now very confused as to what has actually happened. Is your friend’s child subject to a child protection investigation (a section 47)?

It's not that it isn't a concern for myself, just something with my children I remember also being a nuisance and even more so in the early years of nursery until year 4/5.

Especially little girls ( like mine was ) headlice was something I'd constantly find. I never once thought I'd a child kept getting headlice it was was a concern, as headlice is not caused by a single person, I assume it would be going around the whole class!

@Takoneko

No absolutely not, they're not subject to anything.
Child was took to the GP early this week, it was there the GP told friend it was too unreasonable concerns the school sent. Also since receiving the letter, The school never asked for a appointment they asked for the concerns to be logged onto the medical file, which GP wouldn't do without seeing the child himself.

It depends how often though. In 20 years of teaching I can only recall 3 children who had head lice fairly regularly and in all 3 cases there were other concerns as well.

GP sounds unprofessional or your friend isn’t being truthful.

@1AngelicFruitCake

Child has only been in school for 5 months.

Went to a prior nursery with no concerns.

The school sent in a concerned safeguarding list made up of headlice, and 2 other concerns that was already being medically treated, which school was aware of. I don't think the GP was being unprofessional here if he's been sent a list of concerns school was aware was already being treated.

And no, friend wasn't lying as we've a copy from the GP follow up form that states this.
Your being defensive because you work in a school and don't want to be half understanding that maybe the school have placed some unfairness towards a parent.

Once again I must clarify, I am NOT involved professionally, I took friend to and from solicitors, as help.

I will not get involved or make statements professionally.

But why are solicitors involved? Is your friend trying to sue the school for raising a concern? That's a bizarre reaction

@DappledThings

Friend decided to involve solicitors due to other altercations that took place between themselves and the school. This isn't the one and only reason for involving the solicitors.

If there’s no CP investigation then I don’t understand what the solicitor is for?

This isn’t a GDPR breach and there’s no such thing as “unreasonable concerns”. Schools are not agencies that investigate child protection concerns their duty is primarily to refer concerns to the main safeguarding agencies (police, social care, health) who investigate whether concerns are substantiated. Schools don’t have to, and actually shouldn’t, try to find evidence that proves their concern before passing them on, as that could delay investigations by agencies who have access to more information.

The system has worked as it’s meant to. School referred, GP saw the child and raised no further concerns.

As a follow up also, the school does in fact have a school nurse. I mentioned a couple days ago I wasn't sure, but they do.

Which seems quite a privilege I don't remember my kids schools having school nurses.

Have you advised her to spend her time dealing with the lice and other concerns and focusing on her child rather than running to a solicitor?

"Altercations" sounds like your friend getting aggressive which probably added to concerns

Of course schools don't have to contact parents before raising a safeguarding issue. Kind of negates the point if familial abuse is suspected!

In this particular case (if it's true that some form of communication has been made to the family doctor) then I'd agree with the above and say it's probably nothing to do with the school per se, but with a check of some kind that's been held on school premises. @BUILDABIGBURGER the relevant parent should know if some kind of on site screening etc is being done. Excellent if it is!

GDPR isn't involved in this (or many many other instances when people immediately chirp up with it)

I suppose I find it unusual that the GP said school was wrong, when surely a GP would know how careful you have to be not to minimise what’s going on. Again, I hope school have got it wrong, I don’t work there of course they could have messed up, it all just sounds quite strange.

You’re clearly being a supportive friend, just be wary. Parents can be certain they are doing nothing wrong but you don’t know the full concerns of the school.

As I said above, I hope it’s school who have made a mistake, for the sake of the child in all of this.

Excellent.

So, that's sorted.

Children are monitored in school. School nurse liaises with GP if there are concerns. Child is seen by doctor and receives treatment.

Isn't it good that children's welfare is being placed above mouthy altercating parents who are going to get the cops on the school? The poor child though. The mother has definitely been put on the "one of those parents/OTW list" (and that's fuck all to do with safeguarding btw) and the poor child has only been at school 5 months.

Going to be a long 13 years.