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violence

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Primary school - bullying/ unfair discrimination/ abuse

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Primary school - bullying/ unfair discrimination/ abuse

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(Image: SWNS)

An investigation has been launched over claims a teacher laughed at an autistic teenage pupil - and called her a "fat f*ck".

Patricia and Richard Alford removed their daughter, Georgia, from the school when they received an anonymous letter claiming she was verbally abused and mocked by staff.

South Tyneside Council will now look at the welfare and safety of students at Jarrow School's Post 11 autistic Unit after the alleged bullying by teachers.

The author also said other children at the Jarrow school had been called names and pushed by teachers, and said bullying was a problem at the school's Post 11 autistic unit.

Georgia, who suffers from learning difficulties and has communication problems, has been unable to confirm the claims because of her condition.

An independent probe into the allegations will now take place following a campaign by Mr and Mrs Alford, who were not satisfied by an internal investigation by the school.

Mr Alford, 51, of West Boldon, Tyne and Wear said: "We had a meeting with staff at the school, which was also attended by Peter Cutts, South Tyneside Council's head of education, in which he told us there would be an independent panel set up to look at our concerns.

"We do feel as if some good has come out of this.

"Whichever way you look at it, this is a problem. Either the letter has been written by a disgruntled teacher, or there is a basis to the allegations.

"We have been told the Autistic Society will be part of the investigation, which is what we have been pushing for."

A spokeswoman for the council said: "The council takes all matters of safeguarding very seriously and, with support from the school, is commissioning an independent review of the Post-11 unit, including the quality of the provision and children's welfare and safety.

"The school has completed its internal inquiries into anonymous allegations made and has reported it findings back to the parents."

"Jarrow School was rated 'good' in its latest Ofsted inspection with inspectors rating both behaviour and safety of pupils and leadership and management as 'outstanding'."

Speaking at the time of the revelations in July, Mrs Alford, 54, a nurse, said: "I don't blame the person for sending the letter - but it was horrific to receive it.

"We have pulled Georgia out of the school. We feel other parents should be made aware about these claims."

Mr Alford, a former banker and full-time carer for Georgia, said: "To read that she had been called a fat f**k is atrocious.

"I could almost understand if it was another pupil but if it's a member of staff, then they shouldn't be doing their job.

"They should be calling their professionalism into question if they are saying things like that to children."

"You have to be able to have full trust in the people caring for your daughter.

"This is a safeguarding issue. The hardest thing is that, due to her condition, we cant just ask Georgia what has happened and find out from her."

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Claims teacher called autistic child a 'fat f***'

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An investigation has been launched over claims a teacher laughed at an autistic teenage pupil - and called her a "fat f*ck". Patricia and Richard Alford removed their daughter, Georgia, from the school when they received an anonymous letter claiming she was verbally abused and mocked by staff.

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http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/school-staff-accused-laughing-autistic-6266569

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/uk-england-birmingham-10770907

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Unfair discrimination in primary schools

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Unfair discrimination in primary schools

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https://www.theguardian.com/education/2016/mar/11/primary-school-spelling-tests-dyslexic-pupils-teachers

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Primary school - Unfair discrimination

http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/10115182.Erith_School_treated_autistic_boy_unfairly_because_of_disability_tribunal_rules/

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-36716248

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2976541/Students-fined-kept-recess-forced-write-whiteboard-Primary-school-fire-punishing-children-went-toilet-class.html

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Primary school - Bullying

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A primary school where 'up to thirty disabled children' were excluded has been accused of bullying, intimidation and discrimination.

Nonsuch Primary, in Birmingham, now faces a full investigation following the shocking allegations.

Council chief John Clancy promised the probe as he accused the school of "dishonesty", reports the Birmingham Mail .

He urged cabinet member for children's services, Brigid Jones, to take action.

"Brigid Jones will, of course, be aware of the most disturbing revelations in bullying, intimidation, secrecy and dishonesty and the extremely high number of expulsions, which are called exclusions, of children with disabilities by the headteacher of Nonsuch School," he told the meeting.

Read more: Ofsted chief says inspectors can mark down schools where Muslim girls wear full face veils

He demanded urgent action following "appalling" reports of "discrimination of our very young, vulnerable citizens, some of whom are still without formal schooling".

Councillor Lines added: "The number of exclusions is, at the present time, reaching 30 in a very, very small period of time.

"The letters, emails and calls from distressed parents and staff are most moving."

Mason Dunbar, a 10-year-old cerebral palsy sufferer, was kicked out of Nonsuch in November for "defiance".

Following an appeal, Mason's permanent exclusion was rescinded last month but his mum, Donna, is still backing a full probe into the school.

Chairman of the school governors, Simon Thomas, 47, resigned in protest last December.

"I emailed headteacher Jo Walkley and the other governors and said I'd had enough," he said.

"You would have thought, after 17 years, that the headteacher would want to know why.

Read more: Muslim school fails Ofsted inspection after books promoting stoning to death found in library

"You were banging your head against a brick wall, and I'd had enough. I used to enjoy doing it, but I believe the school is going downhill.

"I know of other cases where children with problems were excluded."

In an earlier response, a city council spokesman said: "We are also working with the school to review inclusion processes and procedures for all pupils.

"Clearly, if specific concerns come to light about the exclusion of any pupil then we will pursue these accordingly."

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This primary school has 'excluded up to THIRTY disabled pupils'

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A primary school where 'up to thirty disabled children' were excluded has been accused of bullying, intimidation and discrimination. Nonsuch Primary, in Birmingham, now faces a full investigation following the shocking allegations. Council chief John Clancy promised the probe as he accused the school of "dishonesty", reports the Birmingham Mail .

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Peadiatric ward - neglect, rejection

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A hospital trust has been placed in special measures after inspectors deemed it unsafe and poorly-led.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) criticised both the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS board and Brighton's ageing hospital site.

The watchdog said hospital bosses had little insight into safety issues and "seemingly little appetite to resolve" them.

Trust chief Dr Gillian Fairfield said it was clear the trust had failed.

The report said problems went "right through" the trust, which had failed to meet national standards on waiting and treatment times.

Deputy chief inspector of hospitals Prof Edward Baker found there were high numbers of cancelled appointments and operations and delays in providing diagnostic results.

He said the executive team failed to provide resources or support to critical care clinical staff on multiple occasions.

Patients 'at risk'

Though the trust had ambitious redevelopment plans, the state and age of hospital buildings were a "major challenge" for cleanliness and care.

"It is of little comfort to patients who need attention or treatment today to be told that the new building will eventually put things right," he said.

"In the meantime, staff and patients remain at risk."

Dr Fairfield said: "It is clear from the CQC report that in many areas the trust has failed our patients and on behalf of the trust, I apologise unreservedly."

Other criticisms included overcrowding in older buildings, reports of bullying and harassment by ethnic minority groups and inaccessible fire exits.

Patient experiences

Emma Peters: 'I felt as if they didn't want me there'

"My dad rushed me to hospital and we sat in A&E for about four hours. My back was agony, and I couldn't get comfortable.

"None of the doctors came out and asked if I was ok. No-one was really working.

"About 01:00 in the morning I was seen by a doctor and he was the only doctor on the ward. There were loads of people complaining, there were some drunks there bashing into me so it really wasn't a pleasant experience.

"In the end I waited four hours to go in for a two minute check-up just to be told I had whiplash and to go home and rest. I felt as if they didn't want me there."

Lucy Gomez: 'We had the best care possible'

"After finding out that I had gone into pre-term labour with my twins at 27 weeks, and the Conquest Hospital was unable to help me, we were finally sent to Brighton in February 2014.

"I was in and out of hospital for the weeks leading up until their birth and had to regularly visit Brighton. Each time we were provided with the best care possible at a very scary time.

"It was absolutely perfect. We were given a proper structured plan.

"My twins were born at 36 weeks, and I honestly believe that without the doctors, nurses and midwifes, my twins would not be as strong and as healthy as they are today.

"I will forever be eternally grateful and would recommend the Royal Sussex Hospital."

Issues were also noted with low staffing levels, emergency patients staying in operating theatres' recovery area without appropriate facilities and patients being examined without privacy screens.

Dr Fairfield said the NHS started to making fire safety changes within 20 minutes of the CQC raising concerns.

She said the trust had already redesigned part of the emergency department, was better at managing emergencies and opened a 24/7 surgical assessment unit.

NHS Improvement said it was already supporting the trust. The Department of Health said there was "no excuse for services to fall short of those standards".
Analysis by Mark Norman, BBC South East's health correspondent
Staff and managers at the Royal Sussex have described the CQC report as a "wake up call".

The A&E department was busy and I was told the mood among staff was sombre.

Some patients were being held in a hallway, but they were being more honest calling it a corridor rather than a "cohort area".

Consultants pointed out there were new privacy screens and assessment areas.

The local patient group, Healthwatch, told me this was a "dark day for the trust" but also acknowledged the changes.

However, I was at this hospital a year ago, when the last CQC report asked the same questions about the same issues.

If anything, things appear to have got worse. The hospital can't afford not to improve over the next 12 months.

Maria Caulfield, Conservative MP for Lewes, said: "Although many will view this as a negative step, it will in fact mean that the trust receives increased funding and specialist help."

She said she welcomed the news that "the strain that staff work under and the poor experience for patients has been recognised".

Overall, the trust and the Royal Sussex were found to be inadequate. The Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath was found to require improvement.

Inspectors rated the children's services at the Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital in Brighton as outstanding.

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A hospital trust has been placed in special measures after inspectors deemed it unsafe and poorly-led. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) criticised both the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS board and Brighton's ageing hospital site. The watchdog said hospital bosses had little insight into safety issues and "seemingly little appetite to resolve" them.

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Primary school - Child neglect

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Local authorities are not doing enough to protect children from neglect, according to a report by Ofsted.

The education watchdog wants the extent of neglect better understood by councils and safeguarding-children boards, and development of more shared strategies to prioritise action.

Figures suggest most children know another child suffering from neglect.

The Department for Education said it was "already on track" to deliver some of the report's key recommendations.

The Ofsted inspectors found "inconsistent approaches" to assessing neglect, and conclude that children are being left for too long in harmful situations in nearly half of the long-term cases they examined.

'Not good enough'

Failures to take repeat incidents and family histories into account, and prioritising the needs of vulnerable adults over children were features of poor practice, the report says.

It says the management oversight of risk and decisions was "not good enough".

The report also recommends that social work training is improved to increase professional understanding of the impact of neglect on children's lives.

Ofsted example

"J" is a primary-school-age boy and a carer for his mother, who has used alcohol for many years.

He is constantly anxious about his mother's wellbeing and attempts to control her drinking, while also caring for his younger sister.

The child describes how he and his sister go to the pub with their mother most nights to monitor her drinking.

The child tells his mother when to stop drinking and if she does not listen asks the barman to stop serving her.

The child speaks of being at the pub "very late, being really tired and hungry, wanting to go home to bed and mother refusing".

The assessment describes frequent occasions when there was a lack of food in the house and no bedding on the children's beds.

The younger child is described as very emotionally distressed and has been seen by an educational psychologist who diagnosed her as "hyper-alert" and in need of one-to-one support in school at all times, to enable her to access education.

She speaks a great deal about death and dying, being burnt in her house and not living until the next day.
Source: In the child's time: Professional responses to neglect
Debbie Jones, Ofsted's director for social care, said the "devastating impact" of neglect on a child's life was "widely accepted".

"At its very worst, it can be fatal," she said.

"Some children live with serious and complicated difficulties in their families, and we need to examine what we can and should be doing to stop neglect far earlier in their lives."

"Absolutely vital to this is ensuring all social care practitioners are able to recognise the impact that neglect has on children, as well as being properly supported by skilled and experienced managers who are able to advise on help and intervention before the damage becomes irreparable."

The Ofsted inspectors did find many examples of positive work to tackle neglect, but many of the social-care professionals they interviewed were not offered in-depth training to recognise the signs of neglect, and were not given access to information about best practice.

"Social care professionals have a tough job to do," said Debbie Jones.

"The pressure of increased workloads and the scrutiny on child protection means that dealing with this challenging area effectively can be extremely difficult."

An official from the Department for Education said the report "highlights the devastating consequences neglect can have on vulnerable children, which is why we've been clear that anyone working with children should take swift action when alerted to the early signs of abuse and neglect".

"Our determination to tackle this problem remains resolute," the official said.

Councils will not hesitate to intervene
David Simmonds, Local Government Association

"We are reforming child protection so social workers have the skills and space to better use their professional judgement, and have appointed a chief social worker to ensure the very best practice prevails.

"We're already on track to deliver on a number of the report's key recommendations, such as overhauling the training and education for social workers following [government adviser] Sir Martin Narey's review, giving trainees the expertise they need in critical areas like neglect.

"We have also given the NSPCC over £11m to run a comprehensive 24/7 advice and reporting service for those who have concerns about a child, and are developing training materials with the sector to help improve practice in this area."

The chairman of the Local Government Association's children and young people board, David Simmonds, said: "No child should remain in an unsafe or neglectful environment, and councils will not hesitate to intervene when children are thought to be at risk.

"In cases where the situation is not clear-cut, social workers face incredibly tough decisions between leaving a child with a loving but struggling family or the risks of taking them into care.

"Social workers still too often hear about children at risk when it is too late, and it is vital that agencies like the police, schools and health come together locally to review and improve the way we all work together to deal with neglect."

'Ongoing failure'

The Ofsted report coincides with a survey conducted for the charity Action for Children.

The charity found that 73% of children said they knew another child suffering from neglect.

Action for Children says neglect now affects 1.5 million children - one in 10 of the UK's child population.

It defines child neglect as "an ongoing failure to provide the right care and attention to a child's needs, ranging from obvious physical signs such as being severely under or over weight to being ignored when distressed.

"For some, child neglect can result in death, either through starvation or due to accidents because of a lack of supervision."

The charity says the government "does not have a strategy to deal with the problem".

Its chief executive, Sir Tony Hawkhead, said: "Child neglect is rife.

"Evidence points to an average of more than one child on every street in the country who is suffering from some form of neglect.

"They are not fed or clothed properly. They consistently miss medical appointments or are absent from school. They are ignored by their parents, left on their own or completely disregarded by the people who are supposed to love them unconditionally.

"Our research shows that children as young as eight can see it, so why can't the government do more?"

The report, Child Neglect: The Scandal That Never Breaks, also suggests 52% of children who were worried about another child told someone about their concerns, and that a third of professionals "feel powerless" to help neglected children.

The survey was conducted online by the polling company YouGov.

It spoke to more than 5,000 children, adult members of the public, and professionals, including teachers, social workers and health care workers.

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Local authorities are not doing enough to protect children from neglect, according to a report by Ofsted. The education watchdog wants the extent of neglect better understood by councils and safeguarding-children boards, and development of more shared strategies to prioritise action. Figures suggest most children know another child suffering from neglect.