AIBU to say no to this at work?

[Tink3rbell30]

Hi, I'm a midday supervisor/dinner lady. I work in the canteen, the playground and do wet play with the same class everytime. For the past week a new dinner lady has appeared which we were told was extra help in the canteen but I keep getting taken away from my usual duties and used as a 1to1 with autistic/ADHD and other additional needs children while this new lady does my job and takes my class. I'm expected to sit in a room with these children while they go on computer games or if they're not feeling like it they can just run around and I have to chase.

I don't have any qualifications and this isn't in my job description. They have qualified T.A's and 1to1s at the school so I don't know why they are trying to make me do it. AIBU to stand my ground on this and say I want to stick to what I've done since I've started and what the other dinner ladies do?

Well she should be able to do all these things for the children she's been supervising up until now. Any of them could have an accident, illness or problem which needs dealing with, and you're never completely on your own in a school - someone nearby will do their best to help and there are multiple first aiders and senior staff on call.

There's no extra risk or responsibility in supervising or safeguarding kids who need some learning support when in lessons, and she's not doing the work of the TA as she's not assisting the teaching.

If they needed one to one trained staff at lunchtimes, they'd be getting this. They just need looking after the same as the rest.

Well if you are being specifically tasked with minding an SEN group you will need some extra training. You will need to understand specific needs/triggers of those in the group. Talk to the SENDCO.

If the OP was supervising a diabetic child with no training then obviously this is unacceptable. But children have a 1:1 member of staff at points in the day for a range of reasons - but unless their EHCP funding is the highest, the likelihood is that they are not expected to have an assigned adult for the whole day.

Often ND children are in smaller groups during breaks because they find it easier to manage socially. This sounds to me likely the group that OP is supervising at lunch.

@Tink3rbell30 What are the needs of the children that you have been asked to supervise?

Sounds like you should be negotiating a pay rise.

How do you know they need 1:1 supervision and not just help with classwork? Do you think the OP knows which children in the playground might have seizures or anaphylaxis or low blood sugar?

They need to clarify, and you ANBU to ask if any of the children you are now responsible for have additional medical needs as outlined by PP above; any triggers that you should avoid, any issues like PDA or if they are supposed to have particular support during social times. If none of this applies that’s one thing, but you need to know.

and if they do apply then you should be given the information you need and the pay rate appropriate to that role.

Yes they "let them go" due to budget cuts or something. Then the T.A/intervention who was stood in the playground all lunchtime took over, so not sure what's going on.

Yes definitely. The other 2 T.A/1to1 know all about them, their triggers and how to deal with their episodes (I've seen them from afar but haven't dealt with one)

I don't know too much, just that they let them play computers if they want but if they don't want to they just run, by that I don't mean outside I mean running all over the school up and down stairs, the offices, kitchen etc. They have episodes/meltdowns but I've only seen them happen from afar so don't know how to deal with them to be honest.

If children are running around the school and this is allowed and you’re expected to deal with that alone, then I agree you have a problem. Who supervises the rest of the group if one runs away?

It is fair for a school to ask a midday supervisor to watch over children with SEN just as they would any of their other students, but just like you would be given information if a child had an allergy, you should be given information on what to do to meet these children’s needs.

I had to leave the others alone while I chased one up the stairs and down the corridors. I thought about running to see if anyone else could help but it wasn't close enough and I would have lost where the runner went.

Did you let the children’s class teachers or someone know about that?

I had imagined you were watching a small group that would either be sitting at a computer or running in the playground, but what you’re describing isn’t safe. When you raise it with someone, that’s the problem that needs to be resolved. You should at least be able to contact other adults easily when support is needed.

I'd be inclined to believe the lunchtime supervisor could sometimes involve a bit of cover of a 1:1 while they have their break. It's not like a case of you having a specific class, it's probably in the contract you supervise the kids in certain numbers dependent on who's on break or the levels of staffing that day.
You can say you're more comfortable solely doing the more general supervision, but in reality if you're capable and they need a pair of hands/body in the room then they'd probably frown upon you not doing it at least sometimes.

Yes I did, they do this quite often. I will be saying something tomorrow now I've got more opinions on it. They seem to want to completely leave me to it alone regardless of whether they are on computers, running around the whole school or having an episode.

That’s not ok, but it wouldnt be ok for a trained TA or teacher either

Walking around the school building with a single child, with quick access to other staff of you need it would be fine. Watching over a small group of children using computers or doing something in a classroom would be fine. I think you should highlight that you’ve been forced to leave children unsupervised on the computers, that you don’t know how to safely prevent a child from running into an area like a kitchen, and you don’t know how to access support for these children if they need more than you can provide.

Thank you, I'll raise those points.

Do you.not like it?

I agree with PP that the responsibility they are giving you is the same. Its still supervising children’s play. Whether outside with NT children or inside with ND.

Its not. Some of these children may have behavioural problems or specific care needs that mean training is needed

I would start demanding TA pay and see how long this lasts.