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http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Health-safety-gone-mad-Blind-Bristol-girl-banned/story-28185529-detail/story.html
A blind girl has been banned from bringing her walking cane to school because of "health and safety" reasons.
Lily-Grace Hooper, who is seven, suffered a stroke when she was just four days old, which left her virtually blind.
But her school, Hambrook Primary School, has now told the youngster she can no longer use her walking cane because it could trip up teachers and other pupils at the school.
A risk assessment by Gary Learmonth from Sensory Support Service – done on behalf of the school – said the cane caused high risk to other people around Lily-Grace, and that she should instead have full adult support "100 per cent" at all times.
Related content
But her furious mother is worried her daughter will become to dependent on having someone show her around, and said having a helper following her around will set her daughter apart from the rest of the pupils.
Lily-Grace suffered a stroke days after she was born. As a result she lost her 3D vision, and became blind in her right eye. She can now only see lights and colours in her left.
Shortly before Christmas last year, she started using long wrapping paper rolls to help her get around the house after stumbling across them.
Lily-Grace using her cane for the first time.
Since then, she had asked her mum for a stick for Christmas. The seven-year-old was given a long fibre-glass walking cane by Common Sense Cane, a charity for blind children earlier this year.
She started using the cane in school in April. Kristy said it had become "an extension of her daughter's arm" and that it was vital she was allowed to use it.
She added: "It is a disability, but I want to celebrate it and make sure she can become independent.
"When the school told me she can no longer bring her cane into school, I just thought this must be health and safety gone mad.
"She hasn't had any problems with any of the other students, and none of the parents have complained about it – in fact, they have all been very supportive.
"I don't understand where the school is coming from. Lily-Grace has taken to the cane very quickly, and she needs it as she travels to school, walks to the playground, or just being in school."
She added: "I am absolutely livid. What about the health and safety of my girl? I like school, they are a good school, but this really is very poor advice.
"It's just ridiculous. If you took a walking cane away from a blind adult, you would say that was discrimination. It's the same here."
Lily-Grace, who still uses her cane outside school when she gets about, is also a keen ballet dancer with a group called Flamingo Chicks.
Kristy said she was reluctant to take Lily-Grace out Hambrook Primary because her daughter loved to go to school.
Sarah Murray, founder of Common Sense Canes, had taught her 13-year-old son Lucas to use a walking stick from a young age.
He now uses it every day and also to get to school.
Sarah said: "I'm very supportive of Kristy, and what she's facing is absolute nonsense from the school. A child needs to learn to be independent, and they need to start from a very young age.
"I've heard about this health and safety reasons, and I just cannot fathom what the school is thinking. Why are they taking a cane away from a little girl?"
She added the cane supplied to Lily-Grace was longer than usual to help her get about, and also lighter than normal so a child could use it.
Geoff Cox, who heads the Health and Safety Executive public sector team, said: "There is nothing in health and safety regulations that would ban a child using a walking stick in school - or anywhere else for that matter.
"In cases like these people need to sit down and work out sensible and proportionate arrangements that will work in practice. I hope common sense prevails here."
Leading charity for vision-impaired children, Blind Children UK, said it was imperative a child learned independence from a young age.
A spokesman said: "Using a cane teaches a child to keep themselves safe and can help them to become less reliant on others.
"Early intervention is vital to help a child with sight loss move around more confidently and grow towards greater independence as an adult.
"While a cane may not be suitable for every child or young person with sight loss, if they are taught how to use it by a trained habilitation specialist, then, in general, there shouldn't be an issue with using one safely around school."
The risk assessment said Lily-Grace should have full adult support at all times, and that she should use the hand rails to get about.
She also has been asked to "walk carefully over all surfaces" especially paving stones and wet drain covers – but without the use of her current cane.
Instead the risk assessment wants her to use a shortened cane, something her parents say is not suitable because she had become used to her current cane.
Hambrook Primary School's headteacher Jo Dent, said they would discuss the situation with Kristy.
She added: "The school's mobility officer raised health and safety issues around the new cane following a recent risk assessment.
"We have to consider all of our pupils, so it is important that we have an opportunity to discuss the situation before we make any decisions.
"We are very keen to resolve this issue as soon as possible and have been actively seeking to engage with the parent to bring this to an agreeable conclusion.
"The pupil has not been banned from bringing in their cane, we have simply asked them to not use it around school as a temporary measure until we have the chance to meet with the parent and discuss the situation.
"It was initially hoped that we would have this resolved within a day or two."
Movement matters
Blind Children UK, one of the biggest charities for vision-impaired children, has a service to help young people move around safely and independently.
The service, called Movement Matters, aims to help youngsters learn important life skills, such as getting around, handling money, and preparing food.
The programme can be tailored to include body awareness, wheelchair mobility, or use of remaining vision.
The aim is to see young people start learning independence at an early age, instead of being over reliant on the help of others.
A blind girl has been banned from bringing her walking cane to school because of "health and safety" reasons.
Lily-Grace Hooper, who is seven, suffered a stroke when she was just four days old, which left her virtually blind.
But her school, Hambrook Primary School, has now told the youngster she can no longer use her walking cane because it could trip up teachers and other pupils at the school.
A risk assessment by Gary Learmonth from Sensory Support Service – done on behalf of the school – said the cane caused high risk to other people around Lily-Grace, and that she should instead have full adult support "100 per cent" at all times.
Related content
But her furious mother is worried her daughter will become to dependent on having someone show her around, and said having a helper following her around will set her daughter apart from the rest of the pupils.
Lily-Grace suffered a stroke days after she was born. As a result she lost her 3D vision, and became blind in her right eye. She can now only see lights and colours in her left.
Shortly before Christmas last year, she started using long wrapping paper rolls to help her get around the house after stumbling across them.
Lily-Grace using her cane for the first time.
Since then, she had asked her mum for a stick for Christmas. The seven-year-old was given a long fibre-glass walking cane by Common Sense Cane, a charity for blind children earlier this year.
She started using the cane in school in April. Kristy said it had become "an extension of her daughter's arm" and that it was vital she was allowed to use it.
She added: "It is a disability, but I want to celebrate it and make sure she can become independent.
"When the school told me she can no longer bring her cane into school, I just thought this must be health and safety gone mad.
"She hasn't had any problems with any of the other students, and none of the parents have complained about it – in fact, they have all been very supportive.
"I don't understand where the school is coming from. Lily-Grace has taken to the cane very quickly, and she needs it as she travels to school, walks to the playground, or just being in school."
She added: "I am absolutely livid. What about the health and safety of my girl? I like school, they are a good school, but this really is very poor advice.
"It's just ridiculous. If you took a walking cane away from a blind adult, you would say that was discrimination. It's the same here."
Lily-Grace, who still uses her cane outside school when she gets about, is also a keen ballet dancer with a group called Flamingo Chicks.
Kristy said she was reluctant to take Lily-Grace out Hambrook Primary because her daughter loved to go to school.
Sarah Murray, founder of Common Sense Canes, had taught her 13-year-old son Lucas to use a walking stick from a young age.
He now uses it every day and also to get to school.
Sarah said: "I'm very supportive of Kristy, and what she's facing is absolute nonsense from the school. A child needs to learn to be independent, and they need to start from a very young age.
"I've heard about this health and safety reasons, and I just cannot fathom what the school is thinking. Why are they taking a cane away from a little girl?"
She added the cane supplied to Lily-Grace was longer than usual to help her get about, and also lighter than normal so a child could use it.
Geoff Cox, who heads the Health and Safety Executive public sector team, said: "There is nothing in health and safety regulations that would ban a child using a walking stick in school - or anywhere else for that matter.
"In cases like these people need to sit down and work out sensible and proportionate arrangements that will work in practice. I hope common sense prevails here."
Leading charity for vision-impaired children, Blind Children UK, said it was imperative a child learned independence from a young age.
A spokesman said: "Using a cane teaches a child to keep themselves safe and can help them to become less reliant on others.
"Early intervention is vital to help a child with sight loss move around more confidently and grow towards greater independence as an adult.
"While a cane may not be suitable for every child or young person with sight loss, if they are taught how to use it by a trained habilitation specialist, then, in general, there shouldn't be an issue with using one safely around school."
The risk assessment said Lily-Grace should have full adult support at all times, and that she should use the hand rails to get about.
She also has been asked to "walk carefully over all surfaces" especially paving stones and wet drain covers – but without the use of her current cane.
Instead the risk assessment wants her to use a shortened cane, something her parents say is not suitable because she had become used to her current cane.
Hambrook Primary School's headteacher Jo Dent, said they would discuss the situation with Kristy.
She added: "The school's mobility officer raised health and safety issues around the new cane following a recent risk assessment.
"We have to consider all of our pupils, so it is important that we have an opportunity to discuss the situation before we make any decisions.
"We are very keen to resolve this issue as soon as possible and have been actively seeking to engage with the parent to bring this to an agreeable conclusion.
"The pupil has not been banned from bringing in their cane, we have simply asked them to not use it around school as a temporary measure until we have the chance to meet with the parent and discuss the situation.
"It was initially hoped that we would have this resolved within a day or two."
Movement matters
Blind Children UK, one of the biggest charities for vision-impaired children, has a service to help young people move around safely and independently.
The service, called Movement Matters, aims to help youngsters learn important life skills, such as getting around, handling money, and preparing food.
The programme can be tailored to include body awareness, wheelchair mobility, or use of remaining vision.
The aim is to see young people start learning independence at an early age, instead of being over reliant on the help of others.
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I hope her mother sues the school for thousands. This young girl deserves to be independent.
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What sort of zealots could connive to produce this ridiculous and disgraceful situation?
Sadly in our country this is an all-too-familiar example of the sort of car crash nonsense that can happen when the State School, Health and Safety, and the Fear Of Rapacious Lawyer Industries all collide. |
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What sort of zealots could connive to produce this ridiculous and disgraceful situation
it's known as Article 153 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union which gives the EU the authority to adopt directives in the field of safety and health at work. |
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