'Humiliated' girl forced to wear nappy to school due to no disabled toilets
A child who was left "humiliated" after having to wear a nappy to school because there was no disabled toilet is now "thriving" after her parents removed her from the facility.
Violet Heasley attended Dunmurry Primary School before her parents decided to withdraw her from the institution over the ongoing dispute.
The pupil has osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disease, and was the sole wheelchair user at the school. Her mother, Shelbie, said her child had no "dignity" during her time at the school.
With the backing of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, the family initiated a disability discrimination case on behalf of Violet. The case was settled without any admission of liability. As part of the settlement terms, the school has pledged to comply with equality legislation concerning its facilities.
Shelbie said her daughter was left 'anxious' because there was no toilet (Photo By Justin Kernoghan)Reflecting on Violet's ordeal, Shelbie said: "I informed the school about Violet's condition and her needs before she started nursery. They said they were happy to have her in the nursery. They said no problem and they could get things put in for her.
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"She started P1 and had no toilet. She had to wear a nappy and there was no other option for her. It was humiliating for her. She had no dignity and she didn't feel like she fitted in with everybody else. The emotional toll extended beyond Violet, affecting her family as well, reports Belfast Live. "It was really hard on everyone, us as parents as well, watching your child being upset and feeling the humiliation for her," the mum said.
Shelbie revealed that the school was first informed of Violet's needs in September 2018, but even by May 2022, the necessary facilities were still not in place, prompting her to withdraw Violet from the school. Violet had wanted to attend the same school as her older sister but both now attend a different school. "After lockdown, I decided to keep the girls off, I didn't want to send Violet back and Violet did not want to go back," Shelbie explained.
Violet is much happier since leaving the school (Photo By Justin Kernoghan)After months of searching for an appropriate school, the family was finally successful. "Violet's new school has the appropriate facilities, and she is able to fully participate in everyday life at school and is thriving," Shelbie said. "Securing her new school place wasn't an easy process either. I believe it was a result of our persistence, hard work, and a lot of stress."
Despite the past trauma causing ongoing anxiety for Violet, she is now flourishing in her new environment and has become a "social butterfly." Sheblie continued: "She has anxiety about certain things, she doesn't like the thought of not having a toilet near her. She has come completely out of her shell, she was kind of withdrawn, but now she'd just talk to anybody."
Geraldine McGahey, Chief Commissioner of the Equality Commission, says every child in NI has the right to access education in a suitable setting. "I am delighted to hear that Violet has settled into her new school and is enjoying school life," the commissioner said. "The Commission believes every child must have equality of access to a quality educational experience and must be given the opportunity to reach his or her full potential. This remains the case even when times are difficult and budgets tight.
"We are acutely aware of the challenges faced by many parents of children with disabilities or with Special Educational Needs to secure an appropriate place at a school. Whilst recognising the pressures faced by both individual schools and the Education Authority, it is important that all children are in a school environment which meets their needs and where they will be happy and flourish." The Equality Commission added the school regretted any upset to Violet and her parents regarding the toileting facilities and that an accessible toilet has been installed.
* This article was crafted with the help of an AI tool, which speeds up The Mirror's editorial research. An editor reviewed this content before it was published. You can report any errors to [email protected]
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