Kids getting weighed when they go to school ?

[shanny]

If children are under care then opting out is totally understandable- sometimes these whole class/ year group can be a 'way in' if there are concerns about a child

 

[Dragonfly]

[, I don't think it's appropriate for a teenager to be weighed in front of peers and then pulled out for being 'overweight'

I don't think children are weighed in front of anyone - not in my experience[/QUOTE]
They did in my sons school. Kinda shocked by that too as it was always away from others when I was in school. Wasnt just the reason I opted either as I said he has a team of docs and is home educated now anyway.

 

[mummy2o]

My son got weighed, which to be honest was quite an achievement for him due to his autism. So we got a letter saying he was overweight. I looked at him and he's very boney. They didn't do his height as he's one of the tallest in his year group so of course he'd have weighed more. It really is stupid as they don't look at the whole picture and just numbers.

 

[shanny]

I think its really bas practise if they are weighed in front of others whatever age

 

[Gingerspice]

I see it as no reason for concern about weighing in front oF others. It does depend how itz done but I assume there is no mention to the n children that they're underweight or overweight and fat etc. If it's simply done as a factual thing on your weight is x and their weight is x, it's no different to one seeing their height is different or their hands or feet are bigger/smaller. It will be the comments and attitude alongside that which may start making children realise it's a 'thing'.

I reckon more kids will wonder why isn't y being weighed, is there some reason to be ashamed etc....

If children are being raised to embrace who they are, who others are and how we are all different then there doesn't have to be any fear for negative issues from it unless adults push that upon them.

Anyway my lo is at the drs lots and weighed regularly. She is underweight. We might be getti n g paediatric referral. It's part of who she is tho. She will most likely have to accept comments about being small and skinny etc for a long time. They don't have to become an issue or negative tho

 

[JASMAK]

As an outsider it seems the uk is extremely 'observed' with home visits and more weighing of kids. All seems strange to this Canadian. Do they really think uk parents are that bad that they need this much babysitting?

 

[mummy2o]

Its terrible in the UK. You have to be really careful here. You can take your child to hospital as they had an accident and have social services take them away. Which makes some parents scared to take them to hospital to begin with. Also if they are morbidly obese they also get taken away. It really has gotten over the top here and innocent people are suffering because of it.

 

[shanny]

Its terrible in the UK. You have to be really careful here. You can take your child to hospital as they had an accident and have social services take them away. Which makes some parents scared to take them to hospital to begin with. Also if they are morbidly obese they also get taken away. It really has gotten over the top here and innocent people are suffering because of it.

I don't think the Uk is over the top.

Records have to be kept to try and protect children.

 

[mummy2o]

Its terrible in the UK. You have to be really careful here. You can take your child to hospital as they had an accident and have social services take them away. Which makes some parents scared to take them to hospital to begin with. Also if they are morbidly obese they also get taken away. It really has gotten over the top here and innocent people are suffering because of it.

I don't think the Uk is over the top.

Records have to be kept to try and protect children.

It does and it doesn't. They allow teenagers who are being beat up in their own homes or sexually abused to stay there, on one end of the scale. On the other end you have babies and small children who are being taken from parents and adopted before all the checks have been done as we have a shortage of babies for adoption. Also some of these parents haven't done anything yet having their children taken away.

https://www.forced-adoption.com/recover-children.asp

 

[JASMAK]

Not to try to knock your country but I have been on this mostly UK website and to me, it sounds ott but this is just based on my perception from what I hear on here

 

[Jchihuahua]

I teach in reception so am very familiar with this. The school nurses come in during the term the children turn 5 and usually take a group of children, 3 at a time, into whichever room they are using and do the weighing, eye tests etc. They then will give a letter in a sealed envelope to the teacher to give to the parents at home time but the nurses do not share their findings with anyone else at school and do not talk to the teachers about it so it is private between the nurses and parents. The children actually find it quite exciting and love it as they get a sticker from the nurses! I have never known a child I have taught be upset by the experience or have their self esteem knocked in any way. In many years of teaching I have only ever had one parent opt out and the nurses did think it was strange that anyone would choose to opt out and it was commented on by them.

 

[WW1]

I teach in reception so am very familiar with this. The school nurses come in during the term the children turn 5 and usually take a group of children, 3 at a time, into whichever room they are using and do the weighing, eye tests etc. They then will give a letter in a sealed envelope to the teacher to give to the parents at home time but the nurses do not share their findings with anyone else at school and do not talk to the teachers about it so it is private between the nurses and parents. The children actually find it quite exciting and love it as they get a sticker from the nurses! I have never known a child I have taught be upset by the experience or have their self esteem knocked in any way. In many years of teaching I have only ever had one parent opt out and the nurses did think it was strange that anyone would choose to opt out and it was commented on by them.

Agree with this. I've never had a child opt out and I've not known any child be upset about having it done. The measurements are taken quickly and discretely - schools don't get the info. It has never been done publicly in any of the schools I've taught in. It really isn't a big thing for the children in my opinion. It might be more strange for them if they were the only one who didn't go.

 

[mandarhino]

The other thing to keep in mind is not all parents realise that their child is overweight. Sometimes they need a nudge. There is a massive obesity problem in this country.

 

[WW1]

Its terrible in the UK. You have to be really careful here. You can take your child to hospital as they had an accident and have social services take them away. Which makes some parents scared to take them to hospital to begin with. Also if they are morbidly obese they also get taken away. It really has gotten over the top here and innocent people are suffering because of it.

I don't think the Uk is over the top.

Records have to be kept to try and protect children.

Mymmy2co: Can you please cite examples where a child has a genuine accident, there were no other concerns and they were "taken away". Or for that matter, a child who was taken away from parents for being morbidly obese with no other significant concerns? Unless you can back this up with a number of examples, I feel it is scaremongering and could prevent someone getting help for their child due to irrational fear. If the evidence is forthcoming then fair enough, I will stand corrected.

 

[mummy2o]

https://www.parentdish.co.uk/2013/12/06/social-workers-took-my-baby-away-at-birth-mum-tells-this-morning/ No abuse at all happened, but they claimed it might.

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/mum-who-fled-scotland-after-2801242 Having learning difficulties doesn't stop you being a good parent.

There are a lot of forum posts about children being taken after a bruise appears also. If you want them, I don't mind linking them also when I get home later. Unless it has happened to you or someone you know, you don't really understand how bad the system is, especially after cases like baby P and child V. Although I do fully understand why they are doing it, I think its a bit OTT just for a bruise which you have no idea how it happened.

Also there was a documentary on it last night on ITV called Exposure: Don't Take My Child. Might be worth watching as they took a 6 hour old baby who had no physical harm but might be in the future.

 

[WW1]

https://www.parentdish.co.uk/2013/12/06/social-workers-took-my-baby-away-at-birth-mum-tells-this-morning/ No abuse at all happened, but they claimed it might.

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/mum-who-fled-scotland-after-2801242 Having learning difficulties doesn't stop you being a good parent.

There are a lot of forum posts about children being taken after a bruise appears also. If you want them, I don't mind linking them also when I get home later. Unless it has happened to you or someone you know, you don't really understand how bad the system is, especially after cases like baby P and child V. Although I do fully understand why they are doing it, I think its a bit OTT just for a bruise which you have no idea how it happened.

Also there was a documentary on it last night on ITV called Exposure: Don't Take My Child. Might be worth watching as they took a 6 hour old baby who had no physical harm but might be in the future.

Thanks for the response. I'll have a read and will look out for the documentary.

In my experience as a teacher, social services do not take chn into care without very good reasons (in fact there are a number of chn I've worked with who live in horrible circumstances and are kept with parents despite this). Of course there may be miscarriages of justice but these will be very few and far between. The system isn't perfect and I'm no lover of "nanny state" mentality but safeguarding chn has to be a priority. If a doctor is unhappy with an explanation, they have a duty to report. We just need to be careful not to presume guilt without proper investigation.

Also, I'm always dubious about stories in the media / Internet forums as they only give part of a story and (in the case of the newspapers) want to sell papers. That's not to say they are all false, I'm just not 100% sure they tell the full story.

Sorry to hijack the original thread by the way OP! I'll stop now!

 

[Noodlebear]

We're obviously a little way off yet but the only time I would opt out was if I was worried about his weight and was already seeking advice from a doctor,I'd likely explain that to the school too. I wouldn't pull him out of something beneficial for no reason. Where's the sense in that?

 

[Boomerslady]

I had a talk with FOB about this and he too doesn't see the need to test a child's BMI but I do totally understand why the government do it and I think it's important children are kept an eye on as a lot of parents sadly aren't vigilant these days. We said we'd only opt him out when he's older of we thought it might harm his self esteem.