A Dundee dad has called for the suspension of staff at Kingspark School and for the city council to hold a significant case review into allegations of abuse by staff against disabled children.
At a meeting of the education committee, the dad said his son arrived home from the school with 63 separate bruises and “petechial haemorrhaging,” markings, which he said “are usually found on people who have been hung, strangled or otherwise asphyxiated”.
The parent, one of more than a dozen at Kingspark who have been campaigning for a full review, said this term another child had been found with a rope around their neck after wandering off alone at a playpark and sustained similar marks to his son’s.
He also alleged that the school has refused to report another alleged assault on a child at the school to the Multi Agency Screening Hub (MASH), which he says it is obliged to do, and in the past week three assaults on what is thought to be a wheelchair-bound child were witnessed by members of the public.
During the discussion, council chief executive David Dorward admitted that a number of staff at the school, thought be five, are being investigated by the General Teaching Council.
He said the council has treated the issue “very seriously indeed” and “every allegation made has been taken through the correct procedures”.
He added that all have been forwarded to MASH but admitted: “If there are any new allegations not being reported through MASH, that is of concern.”
Paul Clancy, head of education (secondary and support for learners), said a case review was “not regarded as appropriate” by those in discussions about the incidents.
Councillor Kevin Keenan pointed out there were previous examples, in particular during the Brandon Muir case, where the council took action to deal with employees while a police investigation took place.
Education convener Stewart Hunter said two separate reviews ongoing meant it would be “grossly inappropriate” to respond.
The department’s action plan update was noted by the members.