DS got scratches on buttocks from school

[coffeeNpie]

DS is 5 years old, autistic non-verbal with developmental delays. He came back from school (it is a special school) and looked upset and uncomfortable. Upon inspecting, I noticed scratch marks on his buttocks. They were not there before going to school. The scratches are very visible and look sore and red.

I emailed the school and attached the pictures. The staff training lead responded back saying she checked with the staff members and no incident happened at the school. His key worker took him to the toilet and she did not see any marks either. She also said that the staff members did not see him upset at school during the day and when he was leaving for home.

I am not happy with this response. Firstly, I feel they think we parents are lying about DS being upset. Secondly, they are not providing any explanation. Surely there must be a reason why they are there!

I have a feeling it could be related to cleaning up in toilet. DS is not fully toilet trained and he needs support cleaning up. He had a bowel movement accident at school and this could have happened when he was being wiped. Or he wasn't wiped properly and might have been scratching his buttock as it was itchy? DS gets 1:1 support, so even if he did scratched himself, aren't they suppose to watch the child and take notice of this?

I am very upset and concerned and want to get this investigated, but I am not sure how to respond to school without being rude? This situation is new for me - I have no idea if this is a safe guarding issue? How can I make them realise that a child might be doing ok at school even if he is having a bad and takes it all out when he gets home? How should I make the school take this matter seriously and ensure it doesn't happen again?

Help please!

We have had this and it turned out to be fake nails on a teaching assistant. If your sons nails are short -
as was mine, then it can’t have been him.
escalate this right up the chain to the HT.

His nails are short. So yes, it can't be him.

I am annoyed at the fact that the teachers are so sure DS looked absolutely fine in school. They did not notice him being upset. I definitely know DS was in pain and discomfort and he must have been waiting to go home as he trust us and knows we can look after him better than anyone.

Did your child's school take any steps after they discovered it was due to fake nails?

I have had many years agonising about this or that scratch or bruise on my ds when he was at school. I think it was also because he was non verbal and I worried that school would think he was potentially being harmed. Ultimately you can only flag things. My ds was very, very active and had v poor awareness of space. He would often walk backwards, run up and down and climb on things etc etc. He could have scratched his bottom himself after being cleaned up and there is no reason to expect the staff to have noticed this. I would not jump to immediately thinking this is a safeguarding issue.