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Disability Discrimination?

Raichu

Good Evening all, Hope you're well.

 

So my daughter is in her last year of primary school. Last year one of her teachers said she could go to Young Voices in 2026 as long as I could come along incase my child has a meltdown as the teacher would have their handsfull with the rest of the children.

Come November I get a call from her school saying that she won't be going to Young Voices because it's a long day, it'll be too noisy, yada yada yada and I told her, well hang on you said I could come along on the coach etc, she said you're not DBS checked. I said, well no but surely you would've known that when you mentioned about me coming along several months earlier right? So my daughter was upset about it.

 

Last year in March there was a residential school trip being advertised for the following year(this year in March) I paid it all off in January, few weeks later I get a phone call from her teacher, saying that they don't think my child would cope staying over and that she would have a "meltdown" which would be a safe concern for not only my child but for the other pupils. My daughter is not violent, she had been looking forward to this for months and not only that it will set her up and get ready for big school in September. Who's to say that a neurotypical child won't have a melt down because it's the first time they've been away from  their mummy and daddy. So they said. They'll still be able to go, just won't be able to stay over. I asked for a partial refund because she's not staying over, they said no because the school will be covering the costs of picking her up from mine and dropping her off, but that is their decision, not mine and they turned around and said to me on the phone, well she could've not gone at all.

Said that she won't be missing anything, well clearly she is because this is a part of growing up, and she's missing out on hot chocolate and games before bed which they just posted on the schools facebook page.

I'm just really upset for her and that they're not really giving her a chance to do things. Am I just being oversensitive or would you say it's discrimination? 

  • in reply to profdanger

    It would've only been focusing on my child. So they are chatting absolute rubbish! I would've been more than happy to be DBS checked if it meant my child doesn't miss out. 

    And thank you. Raichu is my favourite boy!

  • in reply to Cinnabar_wing

    Thank you for the clarification Cinnabar wing. Okay, that sounds ridiculous that they required it then.

  • in reply to profdanger

    I know a bit about dbs checks as I volunteer with our school. So you don't need one unless you were left alone with kids other than your own. If this wouldn't happen as you were extra just with your child, they have misled you there.

    If you did need one, you can't get your own though, as each place need to get there own (to do with being updated). But again, you only need one if you are leading a group as a 'trusted adult'. If you are a parent volunteer, you don't need one as long as there is always a teacher present (which there would be if you were there).

  • I’m not much help because, like Cinnabar wing, I don’t know much about this topic. Especially since I’m from the States.

    Raichu said:
    she said you're not DBS checked.

    Would it be a difficult process to get DBS checked? That’s pretty awful they said you could go with and then pull the rug out from under you like that. But maybe if you go ahead and get DBS checked it could circumvent this sort of problem in the future?

    Also, on a much less important subject, I love the username you chose!

  • in reply to Raichu

    I feel you are right to push it, as if no one does, this kind of behaviour is seen as acceptable. It's quite upsetting to be denied life experiences simple because she may need extra support. That is not the sort of society we should be living in. I wish I knew more about rights and protected characteristics, someone else may know more, or maybe CAB would help you? I don't think sticking up for your daughters rights is irrational.

    It's like they have done a risk assessment and highlighted potential areas for extra support, and their responce is to just deny her without letting her see if she would be okay (like having it as a backup plan, rather than the only plan for her to come home.) 

    I'm sorry I would find that very upsetting for them to post things like that (the hot chocolate), too.

  • in reply to Cinnabar_wing

    It was her headteacher who said about you're lucky she's going at all. "I could've turned around and said no" they're just excusing it! My daughters dad who im no longer with isn't being supportive of my decision if I go further. He thinks im being irrational and it's done now and cannot turn back the clock.

  • I don't know much about this area exactly, but it does sound like they are discriminating against her, as they are citing her autism as the reason for not allowing her to do things (probably to make their lives easier). This really sounds so hurtful, and unreasonable, and yes discriminatory. I would make a formal complaint to the head of the school saying this, and if they persist, email your MP. Good luck, my son is coming up for his residential and certainly hasn't been denied for being autistic.