Seven-year-old with special needs banned from Brownies over health and safety concerns
Filed under: Advice and health
Eastnews Press
A furious mum claims her seven year-old daughter has been kicked out of her local Brownie group because of her learning difficulties.
Kacey Godfrey, from Billlericay, Essex, had attended 3rd Burstead Brownies for three weeks when her mum, Donna, was told her daughter was no longer welcome because of health and safety concerns.
The Brownies said they hadn't been made aware of Kacey's needs when she first attended and were now trying to find a way to resolve the issue with Donna.
Donna said: "I was getting Kacey ready for Brownies last week when I received a very abrupt phone call from Julie Nye [Girlguiding UK's South East Essex County Commissioner].
"She told me Kacey would not be allowed to come any more due to health and safety concerns and told me to return her uniform immediately."
Until the controversy, Kacey had gone to Rainbows and before that, Beavers, with no problems.
Donna, 36, told her local newspaper: "She's been in Rainbows all the way and had no trouble.
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She has been with the Brownies for three weeks and I got told she can't be enrolled with all of her friends because of her learning disabilities.
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"All it is, is she struggles a bit with her alphabet and stuff."
The mother of four added: "Kacey still wants to go and doesn't understand why they won't let her be with her friends.
"They've told me they want to talk to the school about her learning disabilities but why does she have to be banned from meetings in the meantime?
"They've said they will enrol her in a month if she is capable, they don't want to enrol her now as then it will be harder to get rid of her.
"They've told me they want to talk to the school about her disabilities and I think it's out of order.
"They are making out Kacey has been kicking people in the shins and Kacey does not kick anyone.
"She still wants to go! I've told her the truth and she still got up this morning and cried 'Can I go tonight?'"
A Girlguiding UK spokesperson said: "Girlguiding UK always strives to provide support for girls and young women of all abilities.
"Unfortunately information on Kacey Godfrey's needs were not made apparent when she transferred from Rainbows to Brownies, and this impacted her care plan.
"Local guiding is in discussion with Kacey's family to resolve this situation."
What do you make of this?
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