Is anyone planning on refusing to allow their children to have the lateral flow tests.

[Witchcraftandhokum]

I'm really not looking to start a bunfight. Just tying to better understand the reasons if you are not planning on allowing your child to be tested.

@Juanbablo

I will be consenting for ds1 to be tested. However, he has additional needs and is extremely anxious about it all so whether he actually has the tests done remains to be seen. The school can't force him and neither can I. He's had a test before due to symptoms and it was traumatic for everyone involved. I do want him to be in school and I know that he should be tested.

Bless him, would he be able to do it himself and if he could would that make it any easier?

@Fembot123

My daughter has a genuine phobia of vomiting/gagging and she usually faints in those situations, I’ve consented but there was a section on the form to explain why testing might not go ahead smoothly, the way her school worded it made it seem compulsory

With the LFT they like both sides of throat and a nostril.

For people who can't do throat the option to do both nostrils as an alternative exists.

She may just prefer to take that and it's better than no test.

Ha! They'll continue to attend school like every other child

@scamander
I’m not sure why you put the ‘Ha’ as it was a genuine question.
Do you not worry that your DC could be in a class of 30+ positive cases?

When did it become OK to tell people what they can and can not do with their own bodies 🤔

Ahh that’s good to know, thanks @itsgettingwierd

Thank you @purpleboy

@VienneseWhirligig

You won't be able to have the home tests unless you consent to the first three in- school tests, under current policy. This is because the first three are supervised tests into the child gets the hang of it, before taking the tests home. It's a safety measure the schools all have to comply with as part of their liability, so they can't just hand out the home tests to pupils instead. They can ask pupils to come in before 8 March, but can't enforce it - so if you refuse to allow them in before 8 March, their first on site test will be after that date.

But I work school and have been testing twice weekly since January.

I've put this in my email to his college.

I can't see why they'd need to watch me swab him 3 times to make sure I can do something's I've done myself 12 times! And if they say this then it shows how many holes are in the system.

@Ineedaweeee

When did it become OK to tell people what they can and can not do with their own bodies 🤔

You don't have teenagers do you😂

Seriously it is like they are getting a tattoo. It is a large cotton wool bud(swab). That they have to use themselves. By wiggling it around up there nose and back of throat. Not anywhere near as torturous as people make out.

@Fembot123

I teach in a school with a high number of SEND students. It is in no way compulsory and I know some who cannot take the tests which is fine.
But I have found that most of them do it really easily (way easier than the adults) as it just because normal and all of their friends are doing it.
The first couple of times it’s weird and it makes me sneeze and some people gag. I know some who just do the nostrils which is what your DC could do if they wanted to do it but there’s no pressure and the school shouldn’t make it sound like that as that’s not fair.

@toocold54

Ha! They'll continue to attend school like every other child

@scamander
I’m not sure why you put the ‘Ha’ as it was a genuine question.
Do you not worry that your DC could be in a class of 30+ positive cases?

Judging by that Ha. I think the poster feels like some how by not consenting they are sticking figures up at the gov/sch/establishment. That or being clever in some way. Rather the opposite but there you go.

I do and what I mean is if someone can't have some test or vacancies even if it is their own choice others think it is OK to start threatening violence and being abusive no one knows what is happening behind closed doors. what happened to be kind

[quote toocold54]@Fembot123

I teach in a school with a high number of SEND students. It is in no way compulsory and I know some who cannot take the tests which is fine.
But I have found that most of them do it really easily (way easier than the adults) as it just because normal and all of their friends are doing it.
The first couple of times it’s weird and it makes me sneeze and some people gag. I know some who just do the nostrils which is what your DC could do if they wanted to do it but there’s no pressure and the school shouldn’t make it sound like that as that’s not fair.[/quote]
I really appreciate the reassurance and I’ll pass it on to her 😊

@itsgettingwierd ^But I work school and have been testing twice weekly since January.

I've put this in my email to his college.

I can't see why they'd need to watch me swab him 3 times to make sure I can do something's I've done myself 12 times! And if they say this then it shows how many holes are in the system.^

Because it is part of what was agreed with PHE and the NHS to approve the supply of home testing kits. They can't plan for the eventuality that some parents will be experienced in testing (eg nurses, care workers etc) because most won't, and they have to set the rules on the largest number of people. And this risk assessment then is used by the insurers to decide whether to insure the school in case of an incident with a pupil testing at home. They can't make exceptions on that really for those reasons.

For parents of SEND - one of my children has ASC and ADHD and he manages to do it. Once it was clearly explained and the reasoning around it. Sometimes the children that people assume will not be able to do it, just go on and do it. It's not that bad, or invasive or difficult etc...

@Ineedaweeee

I do and what I mean is if someone can't have some test or vacancies even if it is their own choice others think it is OK to start threatening violence and being abusive no one knows what is happening behind closed doors. what happened to be kind

Can't have test and saying "I'm not consenting or giving a reason - ha!" Are polar opposites.

If you can have the test IMO it's your civic duty to have one.

It's a 10 second swab. Not a body changing procedure. Not consenting to having a vaccine which is different as that has body altering effects in the form of causing antibody response.

And I don't even equate the tests to a smear. No one else could die because you refuse and get cervical cancer.

People can die if covid if you pass it on asymptomatically.

To refuse with no grounds other than you just don't want to is selfish beyond belief. And people who do this know they are being selfish. But because they are selfish they don't give a flying fig.

[quote VienneseWhirligig]@itsgettingwierd ^But I work school and have been testing twice weekly since January.

I've put this in my email to his college.

I can't see why they'd need to watch me swab him 3 times to make sure I can do something's I've done myself 12 times! And if they say this then it shows how many holes are in the system.^

Because it is part of what was agreed with PHE and the NHS to approve the supply of home testing kits. They can't plan for the eventuality that some parents will be experienced in testing (eg nurses, care workers etc) because most won't, and they have to set the rules on the largest number of people. And this risk assessment then is used by the insurers to decide whether to insure the school in case of an incident with a pupil testing at home. They can't make exceptions on that really for those reasons.[/quote]
Then hopefully they'll take option one that I attend college with him and carry out the swab.

He cannot grip the swab so cannot do it himself. Of course they could swab him but I'm not sure staff are doing swabbing - if they are that'll make it much easier!

Like some of the other posters my DS (age 12) has sensory issues relating to ASD. He is in school under keyworker provision and I was so worried about whether he’d cope. He absolutely hates sun cream, hair brushing etc. I said it was his choice and he wouldn’t be forced but that sometimes life is about making sacrifices for the greater good and he decided he would try. Now he self swabs twice a week - no fuss. He really surprised me.

@toocold54

Ha! They'll continue to attend school like every other child

@scamander
I’m not sure why you put the ‘Ha’ as it was a genuine question.
Do you not worry that your DC could be in a class of 30+ positive cases?

I put it there because of the assumption you made. I will however, answer you genuinely as well. No, I don't worry about it. I don't think it's necessary subjecting them to it.

It's for the safety of others.

No I will not be consenting. Too invasive. I have worked throughout this pandemic as a TA and I wouldn’t judge any other parent for saying NO.

@itsgettingwierd do you have any idea why someone has said no you may think they are being selfish and you know best but you do not know why some cannot have it and they do not have to explain themselves to anyone. Alll I'm saying is be kind there are many reasons someone cannot have test or vacancies and do not need to be bullied by other because or their own reasons

[quote Ineedaweeee]@itsgettingwierd do you have any idea why someone has said no you may think they are being selfish and you know best but you do not know why some cannot have it and they do not have to explain themselves to anyone. Alll I'm saying is be kind there are many reasons someone cannot have test or vacancies and do not need to be bullied by other because or their own reasons[/quote]
I do know why some people will say no.
Some people have every reason to.

My ds can't self swab.

But no for a reason is different to "no because I don't want to and you can't make me so there".

I'll be perfectly kind to all those who cannot. I've already said twice we don't ask our pupils with send to do it and we test more regularly to support the school.

But can't and won't are not the same thing. And those who won't be kind to the nation by refusing to test just because they aren't don't deserve my kindness in return.

It's a 2 way street 🤷‍♀️

For those of you saying that you wouldn't consent for your NT kids to have a test, would you feel different if it meant they wouldn't be allowed in school?

Nope.

@itsgettingwierd SEN children can absolutely have support to administer. The schools and colleges have to keep their ATS centres open for circumstances like this where the student can't self administer at home or needs support.