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UK School kids are at increased risk of developing cancer as teachers can no longer help to apply sunscreen.

Due to concerns staff members will be accused of child abuse if they directly apply sun lotion to children, one in five youngsters are said to be returning home with sunburn, reports The Mirror.

Several schools have introduced a blanket ban on touching as they are wary of facing potential allegations of misconduct.

Touching pupils is not banned under government guidelines, but states it can be done on occasions ‘when physical contact… with a pupil is proper and necessary’.

The controversial ‘no touch’ policies in some schools is thought to be increasing children’s’ risk of getting sunburnt as adults cannot help them properly apply sun protection.

A survey by Garnier Ambre Solaire found that nearly two thirds of parents – 64 per cent – want the rules relaxed.

And just under half, 46 per cent, said they felt the job should be shared at home and at school.

The skin care brand found there was a ‘confusion of responsibility’ between parents and teachers.

The call for change comes as a survey of 2,000 parents found one in five children returned home from school or nursery with sunburn during summer, which dropped to a third during winter.

Karen Fagg, Headteacher at Park Primary School in Doncaster, said the problem was harder with younger children.

‘There is huge stigma attached to teachers applying sun lotion directly to children’s skin.”

Matthew Patey, British Skin Foundation CEO, said: “Being aware of sun protection is an essential life skill all children need to be educated in.

“Sunburn can cause serious long term damage but suitable clothing such as hats, sunglasses and long sleeved t-shirts, alongside frequent application of sun lotions and sprays, greatly minimises the risk.

“Parents, teachers and suncare brands all play a key role in making this process as easy as possible for children”.

MoM says….

While this is not something I believe is an issue in Australia? (correct me if I am wrong! It happens lol) I believe our children have always been encouraged from a young age to apply the sunscreen themselves with supervision from caregivers. It is not something you can expect a teacher to do for 20+ kids!

What does your school or daycare generally do?

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  • the parents are told to apply this at home before the kids go for swimming lessons and now i know why.

    Reply

  • Whoever started PC has a damn lot to answer for.

    Reply

  • Daycare and schools should certainly help the younger kids applying their subscreen.
    I wouldn’t think it was a problem in the UK. In all the 8 years I lived there I never used sunscreen due to the weather circumstances.

    Reply

  • My nephew has staggeringly fair skin and recently got 2nd degree burns at a school sports day because the teachers never even bothered to remind kids to put on suncream. Poor kid ended up in hospital then spent the next few weeks needing dressings changed by nurses.

    Reply

  • This is Political Correctness gone mad – if there is more than one teacher present, then sun cream can be applied from one end of the body to the other, and in a perfect world, just one adult should be allowed to administer it on their own. They are allowed to teach our children, have gone through checks, so stop being so b….y PC

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  • I thought such places have a “duty of care”. Children who take their own sunscreen should be helped to apply it to areas a child is unable to do himself or herself such as the back and face because of the risk of it going in eyes.

    Reply

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