A DISABLED teenage boy was stripped naked and showered by his teachers because he smelled of urine, it emerged.
Now the boy's shocked mother is facing legal action after keeping her son away from the special school on North Tyneside.
The 14-year-old boy, who suffers from cerebral palsy, was showered without his mother's consent after complaints that he smelled of stale urine.
The head teacher at Woodlawn School in Monkseaton, near Whitley Bay, said he told two classroom assistants to shower the boy so to save him from "social embarrassment".
His mother, named only as Mandy, has now been ordered to appear before an education panel to explain why her son has not been at school.
She told BBC Radio Newcastle of how the incident traumatised her son.
"I sent him out to school at 8.54am on that morning and by 9.10am he was stripped and on a shower table," she said.
"What was really distressing for my son was they put his wheelchair into the shower.
"Anyone else with a child with special needs will know that is just not the thing to do.
"He was absolutely sobbing his heart out and he was in a very distressed state.
'Humilated'
"When I actually tried to calm him down, I said `What's happened to you today?' and he said `I've been humiliated.'
"Obviously it all came out what had happened to him and he was in a very, very bad way."
A spokeswoman for North Tyneside Council said education watchdog Ofsted has praised the school, which teaches pupils up to the age of 16.
"When the student arrived at school we are sorry to say he smelled of urine," she said.
"As his mum says, this has happened before, indeed every day that week.
"Staff acted, gently and with his agreement, to protect the student from social embarrassment - and to ensure his personal hygiene and comfort.
"We understand that his mum is still anxious and we hope that she feels able to discuss her concerns with us as together we have the interests of the child at heart."
A spokeswoman for the Department for Education and Skills said there were no specific guidelines on the issue of cleansing pupils with special needs.
"We would want any systems of care put in place for continence treatment or management in relation to pupils with continence problems to follow a risk assessment, to preserve the dignity of the child or young person and avoid the risk of ridicule or bullying."
WAS the school right in asking the boy to shower? Have your say.
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Lars, Wembley WA (10/03/2006 at 14:16)
Anon, Manchester (10/03/2006 at 14:16)
(1) His mother seems to send him out to school regularly like this, even though she probably receives lots of financial aid from the Government for caring for a handicapped youngster, so she can't say lack of finances make it impossible for her son to be clean.
(2) This school appears to be a school for teaching children with special needs, so why couldn't they (long before this happened) have spoken to the boy's social worker and ask that he be sent to school wearing special incontinence pads, which could then be changed without the boy losing dignity, or is the mother one of those who gets on her high horse and insists that there's nothing wrong with her son, when there obviously is, and he shouldn't be treated any differently?
All in all, this is very sad for the boy concerned. Perhaps in the future both the boy's mother and the school will put the child's needs before their own and if the mother is incapable of caring for the boy, then he should be put into the care of Social Services, who will ensure that he receives the appropriate placement in a facility that can cope with his special needs.
ME, manchester (10/03/2006 at 14:57)
Paul The Postie, North Tyneside (10/03/2006 at 17:19)
The staff are the most caring people I have ever met.
I think that either there has been a gross misunderstanding, or a serious mis-representation of the facts here.
I go to this school every day, and have always been impressed by the caring and professional attitude of the staff.
I await ANYONE'S challenge to my statements here...
These people love kids, and I have always been impressed by their human and professional attitude.
Paul.
peter jones, Hannover.Germany (11/03/2006 at 06:30)
Gregory Carlin, Belfast (13/03/2006 at 02:08)
Consent was either present or it was not. If there was no consent, or if there is doubt as to whether consent was given, the police might reasonably be expected to take an interest.
Louise., NEWCASTLE (14/03/2006 at 14:17)
THE COMMENT GIVEN BY THE COUNCIL IS TOTALLY WRONG AND I KNOW LEGAL STEPS ARE BEING TAKEN FOR A RETRACTION OF THIS LIE. MANDY HAS TAKEN CARE OF HER SON, AND INDEED HER FAMILY FOR MANY YEARS. SHE IS DEVOTED TO HER SON AND I CHALLENGE ANYONE TO SAY OTHERWISE. ANYONE WHO KNOWS HER WILL FIND THESE COMMENTS HIGHLY OFFENSIVE. THE PRESS PRINT ONLY PARTS OF THE STORY, THE BOY HAS NEVER EVER GONE TO SCHOOL ANYTHING OTHER THAN CLEAN.I WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON PAUL THE POSTIE. HOW DOES HE KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IN THE SCHOOL ? SURELY HE JUST DELIVERS THE POST. I WONDER HOW PARENTS WOULD FEEL ABOUT PAUL HAVING ACCESS TO THE SCHOOL !!
The Voice of Reason, North Tyneside (14/03/2006 at 22:15)
I have no doubt whatsoever that the care given to the pupils is beyond reproach.
I find it very sad that the lad??TMs mother thinks it is acceptable to try and avoid facing up to her own apparent doubts about her ability to cope with the vast amounts of stress that the responsibilities of caring for a disabled child can bring. Attacking the dedicated and profoundly professional behaviour of the staff, who have nothing other than the wellbeing of their pupils in mind, seems to be some kind of displacement activity for deeper concerns.
I??TMm very familiar with the strange states of mind that can be induced by the stresses of watching one??TMs bairn grow up ??~different??TM. But taking frustration out on the school is not going to solve anything, it??TMs not their fault that they can??TMt ??~cure??TM CP. What they can (and do) manage to achieve is to help their pupils to develop within the constraints of their level of ability, whilst also nurturing a sense of self worth in the minds of the kids.
Sheila, Manchester (14/03/2006 at 23:14)
Withheld, Also withheld (15/03/2006 at 00:03)
sarah Dearing, winchester (15/03/2006 at 12:30)
Infection is serious as this can cause major kidney problem as well.
I also think it would be an idea that all staff should go on a course about protection of children and learn what abuse is this should be compulsory.
I have cerebral Palsy with similiar problems so have an idea what is happening.
ME, MANCHESTER (15/03/2006 at 22:56)
Mandy, Newcastle (28/03/2006 at 02:52)
Sam, England (29/03/2006 at 19:52)
I dont know the reason why the wheelchair was taken into the shower but maybe it was a manual handling issue to prevent any acute or chronic back/spinal injuries to the staff.