Parents slam guidelines on diseases

Mums and dads across Bridlington have been receiving leaflets provided by East Riding Council which detail 12 conditions and infections for which it claims “there is no reason” a child needs to be absent, such as tonsillitis.

The list ranges from minor ailments such as cold sores, warts and verruccas, to contagious conditions such as hand, foot and mouth, slapped cheek, and head lice.

Parents say, however, they should decide when their kids are too ill – and are worried about them picking up unnecessary diseases if other infectious children are sent in.

Guy Hornby, who has a six-year-old son, said: “Half of these diseases are highly contagious. When you look on the NHS website at advice about them, the one on hand, foot and mouth says that children should not go to school.

“This is all about Ofsted and the council being afraid of having poor attendance figures – not about the children.”

A spokeswoman for East Riding Council said the authority was simply using Health Protection Agency advice to try and encourage high attendances at school.

“This guidance recommends that there is no need to keep a child away from schools for specific, listed infections.”