Suspected abuse

[Lelb1982]

Hi I'm a mum to a happy and bright 6 year old who has just started P2 after the summer holidays.
Today she told me something that horrified me. She was in class and 2 boys in her class put their hands between her legs and touched her. She was wearing leggings so no skin to skin contact was made. She told me it felt "weird" and she told them to stop but they didn't and laughed. They stopped when another teacher came over but my daughter didn't tell anyone as she was embarrassed.
I have emailed her teacher about it and I will definitely be talking to the school and headteacher. No way will I allow my daughter to be mistreated or harassed in any way. Yes I am aware we are talking about 6 year old boys who probably do not know any better but that still does not excuse the behaviour.
Can anyone reccomend anything else to be done? I believe my daughter and have absolutely no reason to think she would make anything like this up. My husband is devastated as this is a horrifying thing to hear.

Help!

Thank you

Sorry I wasn't suggesting/agreeing with knee jerk suspension, I was genuinely asking what an appropriate reaction for the boys may look like to some people.

I agree that investigation as to 'why' they have done this needs to happen and that their actions flag a potential safeguarding issue for them. But in the same hand I think it's important to not perpetuate to a very young girl that reporting something like this goes unnoticed.

I know these are very young children but my first thoughts would be that children, young people, women do not report things because nothing is done/the person in the wrong goes unpunished (I use unpunished for lack of a better phrase here).

Also surely requesting either OPs DD be moved class or the boys is not unreasonable and should be expected in this situation unlike a PP saying it would be unlikely?

But the OP doesn’t have a right to dictate what happens to someone else’s kid.

@Pumperthepumper of course they don't directly. I'm more asking what would be accepted as an appropriate school response in a situation like this.

If we are talking of moving classes, if the OPs DD was made to move class, away from friends and further disrupting her schooling/well being and the boys stay put that doesn't seem fair.

Yes safeguarding is the priority on all counts but that needs to be balanced with a reaction that articulates that this behaviour is wrong and is in no way the girls fault. If that is not apparent we will continue with another generation of girls that think they can't speak up and boys that think behaviour is ok, generally speaking not speaking of this case in isolation.

So what would you suggest?

As well as talking to the class teacher, headteacher and ensuring this gets reported to the safeguarding team and you regularly check up and follow progress as to what safeguarding are doing in response to this....
The other thing you could do is directly report your concern for the two boys to social services. It's highly likely they are being abused by someone, their behaviour has all the tell tale traits; overtly sexual interest in others around them, their lack of concern/continuing/laughing when your daughter is saying 'stop', and most importantly they stop when the teacher comes in the vicinity, which means they have awareness that it's wrong.
They already through social learning and probably being a victim of sexual abuse themselves, know it's wrong behaviour, simply teaching the pants rule isn't going to be enough for these boys. The cycle of abuse has to stop for these boys in their homes, so that they no longer represent a danger to other little girls, so no other girl has to go through what your daughter had to go through.
If it means you get their first names from your daughter, and trawl Facebook, social media etc to get their last names from the parents social media pages etc, then do it, and report it directly to SS. At least that way you know.
Sexual abuse is the most horrendous thing to go through, I hope the boys get the help they need, even if it means foster care placement for them.
But most importantly I hope your daughter gets the counselling she needs after this. Please do see if your GP can refer your daughter for play therapy/family therapy to discuss and help process this trauma. Or if you're able to afford private therapist, please do, she will appreciate it.

This happened to me at school when I was about 13/14. No one did anything.

I just wanted to say that your daughter is lucky to have a mum who will fight for her.

I would absolutely report it as a safeguarding matter and don't let anyone fob you off for your daughter's sake but also because the boys themselves might be copying behaviour they have seen from adults at home or have been victims of inappropriate touching themselves and need help too.

Accidentally posted

Safeguarding lead,
I might even ring social services with their names I'd be furious, something is going on with six year olds doing things like this.

you dont need to email the head teacher, the class teacher will have to report it on their safeguarding system and it will be seen by everyone who needs to know.