Dog Bit My Child This Morning In The Playground!

[Mummatothreecubs]

Hi, sorry if it’s in the wrong category.

This morning my child was bitten by a dog in the school playground by a parents dog. I didn’t see this happen although he was playing near the climbing frame when he dog jumped and clenched his jaw around his arm. Although his skin is not broken he’s been left with bit marks on his skin.

I raised my concerns to the deputy who was In the playground at the time and she said she would have a quiet word with the parent or may put this in our weekly newsletter.

Several parents bring their dogs to school for drop off/pick up, can anything be done about this? The school also has 2 small pet dogs which roam around on a lead.

I’m actually very concerned now and worried this could have again, he already isn’t great with dogs and now this has happened it’s going to take us a while to work on the whole safety around dogs again.

What is the rule around dogs in the playground? If there is one. Who do I speak to about this?

I really don’t think that is right that they are allowed to just be tied up with no owner present.
I know people are still daft enough to leave dogs unattended outside shops but this is several dogs.
I wouldn’t be happy at all.

I think you did the right thing logging it with police.

What would be the trigger to implement a ban on dogs in the playground in this school, as is the norm elsewhere? Why does the head, or the Governers think they have a different set of circumstances to other schools in terms of providing safety for the children in the playground?

This - and especially the second part - is the crux of it for me, though I doubt OP would get a sensible answer even if she asked

However it doesn't really matter; as @TizerorFizz correctly advised, it's the legal duties which count and you're doing the right thing in going through it all before formally approaching the governors, OP

Yes this- will they ban dogs when someone is mauled, or will they still state they are dog friendly

IME it tends to go in three stages:

"Ooooo he's as soft as anything, wouldn't hurt a fly"
"Oh don't worry, he's only playing"
"Ooooo he's never done that before!!"

As said there's little point expecting a word of sense with this mentality, so the formal route seems the only option left

Dogs are not allowed in our school playground, including small puppies in arms, etc.

We've also asked that parents do not tie their dogs up outside of the gates - the pavement is quite narrow and there's also a barrier, so means people can't get by without going close by. We suggest that all dogs are supervised outside of the gates, even if the]is means having a second adult with you - or a fellow parent is happy to supervise it for you when coming to collect your child.

A school playground where there are child running around, and lots of parents crowded round is no place for a dog, regardless of if they are in a lead or not.

It’s Teachers dogs who work at the school and they bring them to school with them. They are always in the lead

I wouldn't be happy with this either, unless the dogs and their owner have had specific training to work as support dogs/owner within a school setting working with small children. The dog should never not be accompanied by its trained owner either.

To be honest I hate this idea that workers can bring their dogs into the workplace that has crept in. It's even worse when it's a school.

Because it happened in school grounds it's absolutely right that the school SLT should be informed.

I don't know any school that allows dogs in the playground and I have worked in a lot of schools. However, I don't think the police will want to know as there was no injury and the marks have disappeared. I suspect the dog was just playing and 'mouthing'. It cannot be classified as a bite. The school should definitely ban dogs from the playground however.

informed, yes! informed as a courtesy that you are reporting the incident to the police, that's all!

The police won’t take responsibility for school policy. Thats what needs to change. The police didn’t visit the school. It’s clearly a H&S issue for the school.

Schools are a bit of a law unto themselves, OP.

As long as within the law, they develop their own culture and ethos and rules.

At the end of the day, there is no requirement for them to ban dogs from playgrounds.

If you are that unhappy about it, you can put your child on the transfer list for another school.

You need to move your child. This won’t change. They are obviously an animal friendly school. Move to another school .

No wonder the police are under resourced if they get called for such absolute non events.

What with all the other parents that are not happy about people bringing their dogs in? It’s a school for children not a dog park!
Why should we have to move? Our kids go there to learn and at the end of the day I don’t feel we should uproot them because people want to bring there dogs to school, where it causes a health and safety concern! Dogs need to stay at home while their owners bring their kids to school end of!

Apols - OT:
Heard on the radio today a baby, I think 9 months old killed by the family pet dog!!

These dogs are just that, dogs, not human!!!

I've heard too many people rant "oh, don't worry, she (dog) wont harm a fly and loves our children....."

Dogs in playgrounds with little kids running around, a recipe for disaster

This dog was not the XL type from what the radio report said!!

I love dogs and have one myself but agree they should absolutely not be allowed on the playground. As the poster above has said about the most recent appalling attack. I am glad you are fighting this!

I agree completely OP, but actually the fact that many other parents feel as you do is in your favour - or at least it will be if they're prepared to follow up this issue too

After all they can hardly suggest that half (or whatever) of the pupils would be better off elsewhere or that only dog obsessed families will be accepted

That sounds like a very weak deputy headteacher. You need to press her hard on EXACTLY what words she will be having. I would also tell her you will be reporting to Ofsted and the Local Council if proper action is not taken. That parent should be banned from every bringing any dogs on to the school grounds again. IMO no dogs should ever be on school grounds anyway.

Get the real head teacher involved.

I have now seen your update. Report to the press, local council and Ofsted. Given what happened that headteacher has made an appalling decision.

Please ensure any communication to any involved parties is by email only. You may come to rely on an audit trail of comms. Tell the headteacher that any future bites might be deemed negligence as they are now forseeable.

Sounds like they’re more bothered about running a petting zoo than a school. The fact that they’ve dismissed this as no big deal is appalling.

I suggest as well as escalating the school’s complaints procedure you write to Ofsted and the LA safeguarding team. The problem is half the dopey parents will love having dogs and will be equally as not bothered. But it only takes one parent to bring the next XL equivalent breed…

🙄
In typical Mumsnet fashion, this thread has got hysterical and out of control! Police, press, council, OFSTED? Really?! Just have a reasonable and sensible conversation with the school about your concerns and take it from there. If you then feel the school isn’t addressing your concerns, you could think about the complaints process.

Op has had meetings with both dht and ht who have totally ignored her

It’s not got out of control at all, it’s people like you & my child’s school SLT who take incidents like this very lightly! Why do people wait for someone to be mauled before they consider doing anything. A school is not a place for dogs to be.
I will do everything within my power to get this ban implemented. Many other parents are also not happy with dogs coming in but haven’t said anything because nothing has ever happened before in there view.

Meetings have been had with both HT & DHT both of whom have taken a very light approach.

This. For a bite that didn’t even break the skin. It’s the biggest hysterical nonsense I have read here for a while.
Let’s ban everything that could upset our children.

@Crankymonkey Don't be so stupid. Dogs are rarely allowed into areas where there are young children. Often not allowed in public playgrounds - that’s standard practice. No Dogs is a common sign. On beaches in the summer is a good example. It’s not just about a possible bite, it’s about dog mess and some very nasty germs arising from this. It’s clearly not acceptable to have any dog on a school playground which is why most schools say no. It’s highly unlikely the school has considered the risks which they are obliged to do.

Parents who wish to socialise their dc with a dog will do so but it’s not on a school playground with a random dog. Just because this one didn’t break the skin it doesn’t mean the practice is acceptable. I’ve never seen dogs on the school playground. Most schools say no.