WWYD - Pupils strong body odour ?

[habibihabibi]

Not a PE induced whiff but an eye watering strong and persistent pong that other class members (Y6) and children coming into to the room comment on constantly. May be unwashed clothes but mostly BO and unwashed hair.

WWYD ? I'm a maternity cover and from what I am told by TA this child has suffered for a long time.
Do schools have policies for this type of thing ? This one doesn't and no one seems to take any ownership of addressing it. I don't feel its my place to given I am only temporary

Report to safeguarding as a concern about neglect.

Tell the safeguarding lead.

This should have been continually logged as a safeguarding concern...id be shocked if it hadn't tbh!!

I would report as a cause for concern but i'd also consider whether the child itself was smelling due to not washing / no deodorant / unwashed clothes/ lack of sanitary products or whether it is medical ( urine, excreta).

In my time, i've dealt with this a lot and it is not always due to malicious neglect. Sometimes it's because the kid is in pjs by the time the parents get home and they don't smell them to notice they need deoderant. Sometimes it is poverty - my school offers washing machines and free seconhand uniform as well as period packs. Sometimes it is hormonal. Sometimes it is medical - a uti can make a kid really smelly.

The only right answer is to log and investigate. Don't be afraid of ringing parents or carers.

I'm a DSL and agree with everything @phlebasconsidered says.

You should definitely report it as a safeguarding concern - even visitors to a school are encouraged to log concerns, so it really doesn't matter that your only temporary.

Without meaning to sound unkind, is your safeguarding training up to date? I'm surprised that you're asking what to do, that's all. If you have logged it but you're wondering what to practically do about it, then I understand. I'd say it's up to the pastoral team to have a chat with the child.

Sorry to drip feed. I am in a British school abroad and recently did several hours of online safeguarding ( a school requirement).
In theory the school follows UK procedures ....but this seems to be an issue that falls through the net due to the risk of causing offence.
I'm going to speak to the nurse and phase leader today.
Thanks.

Definitely safeguarding for neglect