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Primary education

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Original poster

Give me strength, another problem at school

73 replies

rebl · 14/09/2010 19:04

1st my ds and inclusion issues, now my dd. Honestly, they've only been in the school for 1wk and 2 days, all half days.

Today my dd's very serious medicine was sent home in another childs book bag Shock. This is serious stuff, my dd has just 1ml of it, its strong stuff. The bottle was full, 125ml in it. The other child was found by her mother with the bottle in hand.

In the mean time the TA and class teacher are trying to find the medicine, repeatedly telling me that they had put it in dd's book bag. Then TA suddenly thinks maybe she put it in wrong book bag. So then I'm sent to secretary and sit there whilst they start phoning round all the parents. HT becomes aware of the situation and is going a funny shade of purple whilst the TA is just standing there looking terrible.

The parent who finds her dd with the medicine then turns up at the school with the medicine. I leave.

I don't know what to do. I'm totally fed up with complaining. But this could have been very serious. I have also found out where the medicines are stored and they are on a table in the classroom at child height. Any child could get them. I don't understand why it has to be put in the book bag for a start as if they were handed to the parent then there wouldn't be a mistake. I also don't understand why the medicines aren't kept in a high up cupboard.

I'm worried about complaining again as well because I'm under the impression, rightly or wrongly, that the school doesn't have to give medicines during the school day and I could be asked to come in and do it. That would mean I would never be able to get a job.

OP posts:
Feenie · 14/09/2010 20:58

"it's a horrid situation to find yourself in when you can't trust a bloody teacher isn't it?"

Nice remark. Hmm I think it was a bloody teaching assistant, actually.

CarGirl · 14/09/2010 21:33

Actually I don't think the teacher or TA should have ever had that responsibility the HT is at fault because they should have written procedures to ensure this sort of thing cannot happen. What HT thinks it's acceptable for medicine to be kept in reach in a classroom!

Feenie · 14/09/2010 21:35

Bet you anything there is a sudden change in procedure as of tomorrow. Grin And not before time! Lunacy.

desertgirl · 14/09/2010 22:04

oh rebl, just found this thread; how ghastly. All the sensible things have already been said but my heart is going out to you.

I know you wanted the children to be in the village community, but you must be wondering if it is worth it? what are your other options like?

taintedpaint · 14/09/2010 22:13

I meant it, the teacher should've been in charge of the medication, should not have passed the responsibility (if that is what happened, don't know the specific procedure in that particular school obviously). And if my child's medication had been sent home with another child, regardless of who made the mistake, I would be seriously questioning whether I could trust the class teacher with it in the future (who leaves medication on a child height table anyway?!).

Sorry if that offends you Feenie but that's just how I feel.

PixieOnaLeaf · 14/09/2010 22:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

taintedpaint · 14/09/2010 22:23

Oh right, didn't realise that Pixie. :)

I've seen a friend go through similar to rebl. Her DS is now at secondary school and on much less medication, but she had a nightmare of a time because of a teacher at his primary school. She was in charge of medication and certainly not able to handle that reponsibility. My opinion may be clouded slightly by that....

Feenie · 15/09/2010 07:01

In our school, tas are responsible for medication and are directly answerable to the deputy head for this. This is so that teachers are able to actually concentrate on teaching without worrying about this. But a locked cupboard is definitely required here

pinkthechaffinch · 15/09/2010 07:08

You need to speak to the school nurse asap and get her to do the complaining for you. She/he will probably organize staff training re:administering it and poss. review procedures re:storing it.

Phone the school and ask for an appt to speak to her. I had to do this and she phoned me back the same day.

Good luck.

Malaleuca · 15/09/2010 07:11

Responsibility for giving medication is another thing many teachers have to take on board. One of my great worries as a teacher has been my responsibiity for administering the epi-pen. We have 3 or 4 children in my school who have allergic reactions and need this to be on hand.
When you consider that teachers have upwards of 20+ small children to keep safe, and educate, being mindful of medication is without doubt an added burden, which has to be carefully managed.
In my class one year I had a child with life-threatening allergies who had a full-time assistant, (but still needed lunch breaks), a couple of kids with bee allergies, not to mention the common or garden multiple dietary requests.Add in the behaviour and learning'differences' and it was hard to sleep at night!

sunnydelight · 15/09/2010 08:08

I understand your upset - that's a totally unacceptable situation, and the parent of the other child has a very legitimate complaint about being given access to medicine by school staff. However, if I was the headteacher and you came in all guns blazing the solution would be really simple, the re-written school policy would be that the school does not administer medicine. Remember, they don't have to so I think you need to try and work with the school rather than being in complaint mode.

nymphadora · 15/09/2010 08:22

It's in the SN TA job spec here to give meds. I used to do it a lot. Witnessed, doubled signed for in a bound book. Meds were kept in locked cabinet & handed direct to parent/escort

Original poster
rebl · 15/09/2010 11:07

I went in this morning and just asked if I could put the medicine in the staff room. The TA was worried she would forget to give it but suggested to put up on the top shelf with the First Aid kit. I'm happy with that. I suggested I would get it down from the shelf in the afternoon.

OP posts:
claricebeansmum · 15/09/2010 11:14

I think you need two bottles. One for home and one for school. There could easily be another muddle and also what if the book bag gets flung down somewhere and the bottle is broken.

Sounds as though school are not that organised and need to get their act together although I do have sympathy with teachers who are already juggling a lot (and I don't usually sympathise with teachers!).

My other worry is that as their policy stands at the moment have they a back up person to take responsibility if TA is away?

Blu · 15/09/2010 11:15

When DS was on a regime of meds I took a measured dose in a syringe every day, in a ziploc bag, and with a slip of paper signed by me, saying what it was and when it should be given. The school secretary took charge of it - not sure if she gave it to a TA or went and gave it to DS herself. But DS was also able to go and ask for it at the right time.

Feenie · 15/09/2010 12:29

pinkchaffinch Not all schools have a school nurse though - we don't.

pinkthechaffinch · 15/09/2010 13:23

Our school doesn't have a resident school nurse-they run a drop in every term or so and are occasionally available for appts.

They are always contactable tho. I would be very surprised if any school had absolutely no contact with any nurses.

Original poster
rebl · 15/09/2010 13:25

Well, it was put in the wrong book bag again today Shock. But I've been to the pharmacy now and the pharmacist has split the bottle and made a 50ml bottle for school so it can live at school so this can't happen again. I've addressed where the medicines are stored. Its still not great but at least its out of reach now.

OP posts:
Kewcumber · 15/09/2010 13:29

Sorry I don;t know the background of your DD but how old is she and how capable is she of dosing herself. I only ask because I needed long term medication in primary and eventually the school were so rubbish that my mum taught me to give it to myself (though I was 7 and NT). I also switched from medicine to tablets despite teh conventional wisdom about children having medicine becuase it was much easier to get the dose correct I just used to break the tablet up a bit.

Surely the TA (or whomever) can just set their mobile to alarm each day at the right time - its not beyond the wit of man surely?

Fimbo · 15/09/2010 13:42

OMG at it going in the wrong bag again - is the ta in a muddle with the names?

Original poster
rebl · 15/09/2010 13:49

Fimbo no, it was a different girls bag today than yesterday. I suspect its being done in a rush.

I would like to see the bottle stored in the staff room but she's saying no and I really really can't face rocking the boat even more. The bottle is as safe as it can be within that classroom. Other parents are now talking about complaining and I have to say that I'm not discouraging them.

OP posts:
blackisthisyearspink · 15/09/2010 13:54

Kew The OPs dd is aged 4 and in her first week of reception class.

taintedpaint · 15/09/2010 14:13

Wow. It happened again?! Just....wow. I wouldn't blame the other parents if they did complain, something's not right there. You'd think the first incident would've been enough to scare them into doing this properly, but apparently not. Rush or not rebl, that's really shocking.

Hopefully the split bottle will solve the problem, fingers crossed for you.

Still Shock at it happening for a second time!

blackisthisyearspink · 15/09/2010 14:17

I'd be getting my kids out of there double quick, whether I was the OP or one of the other parents.

That is unacceptable.

Feenie · 15/09/2010 14:22

Complain - governors and the LEA. This is a safety issue, they've had every chance to address this. Other schools have strict medical policies as a matter of course.

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