PDA

View Full Version : advice please



Mrsh3103
09-12-2013, 05:12 PM
Tonight I collected a mindee (6) from an after school club. His mum asked the school to make sure he had his inhaler at the club with him as he has had a bad chest. She also asked me to collect it from them when I picked him up so she could give it back to his teacher tomorrow. She was worried it would get forgotten about & lost (has happened before).

When I asked for it the girl running the club said she hadn't been given it. I asked her what would happen if he had needed it and she just shrugged and said it's in his classroom and that's locked.

Mum is fuming about this and so am I. It's as if they don't understand how serious athsma is and what could have happened if he had had an attack and didn't have his inhaler available.

As this has happened before I don't feel another email to the head is enough. She is completely useless. The school is currently on special measures and from the report it's all down to her management. Yet they haven't got rid of her???
What would you do?

bunnyjess
09-12-2013, 05:18 PM
That is really awful! Are they first aid trained?
If they're on special measures can you contact the government or ofsted? That really is bad

kellyskidz!
09-12-2013, 05:28 PM
Could you go with Mum and see the Head? As if letters don't work maybe a face to face chat would
I have asthma myself and so know how vital it is to have your inhaler with you at all times and its unacceptable and potentially life threatening that this child doesn't have access to his!
I'd be at least suggesting to Mum that she goes in herself and voices her concerns and maybe slip in a casual comment about Ofsted and childrens rights, it might do the trick xx

Koala
09-12-2013, 05:52 PM
I would have 5 inhalers:

one in class room
One at after school club
one at your house
One at home
and one on me at all times

its just not worth relying on other people.

Mrsh3103
09-12-2013, 06:20 PM
It's just a girl that comes in on her own and has up to 20 kids teaching them dance. She's there completely alone apart from the caretaker.
I have also told mum to find out if she has been 1st aid trained as neither she or the caretaker are listed on the website as 1st aiders.
I'm actually really concerned about this now.

I do think it's a good idea for her to have an inhaler for him too. But she comes in once a week for the club and that's all she has to do with the school. So I don't know how or where she would keep an inhaler for him.

bunyip
09-12-2013, 07:06 PM
I would never rely on another setting/organisation to look after a mindee's medication and have it ready for when I collect the child.

My medications policy gives parents 2 options:
1. They must supply me with a sound, in-date inhaler/whatever with the child's name on.
or: 2. They can choose to allow the child to carry their own medication, which is useful in teaching them to take responsibility at the right age/stage. But, with this latter option they accept I will not collect from another setting or accept the child from anybody (but will still charge) if they do not have self-held medication with them at the point of handover.

In your situation I would regard this as an SEFP.

I would (assuming you have a similar policy to cover your backside) simply refuse to accept the child from the after-school club. Neither the school nor the club leader will be the slightest bit interested if you raise a complaint with them, as you have no parental responsibility and no right to act in loco parentis during the time they are at the club.. You should not be put into this invidious position. It is for the parent to take responsibility about who she's allowing to look after her child, and ensure they do so safely. She needs to make sure they are properly trained and competent, or not allow the child to attend the club. You cannot make that decision, but I suspect she will make it jolly darned quickly if she gets called out of work to sort them out a couple of times.

Tulip
09-12-2013, 08:43 PM
I agree with koala, several inhalers at different settings, school and afterschool class can't be trusted

Mrsh3103
09-12-2013, 10:23 PM
I would never rely on another setting/organisation to look after a mindee's medication and have it ready for when I collect the child.

My medications policy gives parents 2 options:
1. They must supply me with a sound, in-date inhaler/whatever with the child's name on.
or: 2. They can choose to allow the child to carry their own medication, which is useful in teaching them to take responsibility at the right age/stage. But, with this latter option they accept I will not collect from another setting or accept the child from anybody (but will still charge) if they do not have self-held medication with them at the point of handover.

In your situation I would regard this as an SEFP.

I would (assuming you have a similar policy to cover your backside) simply refuse to accept the child from the after-school club. Neither the school nor the club leader will be the slightest bit interested if you raise a complaint with them, as you have no parental responsibility and no right to act in loco parentis during the time they are at the club.. You should not be put into this invidious position. It is for the parent to take responsibility about who she's allowing to look after her child, and ensure they do so safely. She needs to make sure they are properly trained and competent, or not allow the child to attend the club. You cannot make that decision, but I suspect she will make it jolly darned quickly if she gets called out of work to sort them out a couple of times.

I have an inhaler for him that I keep in my medicine cupboard. The one she wanted me to collect was the one the school keep. They have lost one before so she didn't want a repeat of this. I was to collect it and put it in his bag for her to give back to the teacher in the morning.

I have spoken to her again this evening and have suggested she gives one to the club to keep hold of. She will mention this to the head teacher tomorrow.
She had assumed that the medication was all kept in the main school building over night but It is locked in the mobiles on the field

bunyip
10-12-2013, 02:17 PM
I have an inhaler for him that I keep in my medicine cupboard. The one she wanted me to collect was the one the school keep. They have lost one before so she didn't want a repeat of this. I was to collect it and put it in his bag for her to give back to the teacher in the morning.

I have spoken to her again this evening and have suggested she gives one to the club to keep hold of. She will mention this to the head teacher tomorrow.
She had assumed that the medication was all kept in the main school building over night but It is locked in the mobiles on the field

I understand now. In all honesty, I think you're doing exactly hat you should. Report it to mum and leave it to her to raise the matter/complaint with school, etc. With the best will in the world, it's all too easy for us to get over-involved with welfare issues that are entirely the parent's job to follow up, especially when it involves another setting/club with whom we have direct contact, however briefly.

I'd be content that you've done your job, and learnt to be wary of the school/club in future. :thumbsup: