Children with headlice

[Fordinand]

So irritated with my niece going to school in a class that is full of head lice. I feel so bad for the poor children who's parents do so much to get rid of them but then there are other parents that don't do a thing so the head lice is always there. My niece has caught it countless times after my sister constantly buying products to be rid of them.

I can't say I entirely blame the parents that do nothing since I don't know their story e.g. Lack of money, lack of knowledge or generally cannot be bothered...
I just feel for the children they are raising. Children can be quite mean when it comes to head lice or if they've got them they could become quite afraid socially.
I hold my hands up to how I would always keep away from a particular child when I was little who also had headlice constantly, and I wish I didn't as I don't know what she must have gone through with constantly having headlice and never being treated (She's doing great now though!)

I just feel as though parents who's children have headlice (especially if there are signs that they are not being treated) should be spoken to privately and sensitively informed about their child's lice and the issues that it could cause and then they should offer whatever support they can e.g. Information on products, general advice, money issues etc

I've spent £12 on shampoo that specially aims to get rid of headlice because I don't want my sister to be one of those parents that do not treat their children as my sister has given up. So I'll do it. Even if I can't be rid of them completely I'll at least make it more bearable for my niece!

It's a tough issue I think. There's only so much that I, the parents and the school can do I guess, but I hope that something can be done.

[Tom fod]

Moderator hat removed.

Seems the 'nit nurses' have been hit by cuts. See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/111004.stm

There was an petition on Direct Gov but it failed to get anywhere near 100,000 signatures

Suggest as many parents as possible complain to school/ and local GPs and if they don't act perhaps a letter campaign to the Public Health Authority. Suspect your family would very much not wish to compromise your nieces' anonymity by contacting the newspapers.

Also, could any complaint have the unwanted effect of taking resources away from more critical children's services?

[Fordinand]

Moderator hat removed.
Also, could any complaint have the unwanted effect of taking resources away from more critical children's services?

I'm not sure about what would happen really.

Getting people to complain or talking to the local papers is a bit difficult for me. But I could ask my sister to talk to the parents that she knows. I guess all I really want is for the school to help the parents see the importance of getting rid of their children's head lice. That's the main thing.