‘Abhorrent’: Eynesbury Primary School failed to report assault of five-year-old student
Parents are calling for stronger protection of their kids after a five-year-old girl was sexually touched by two boys at a primary school in Eynesbury, just three months after a similar incident.
Victoria
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Parents are calling for stronger protection of their kids after a prep student was sexually touched by two other children at a primary school in Melbourne’s west.
It comes just three months after a similar incident occurred at the school, prompting an investigation from the Department of Education.
The Herald Sun understands a five-year-old girl was assaulted by two five-year-old boys during recess at Eynesbury Primary School on Friday.
The girl’s mum, who asked not to be named, told the Herald Sun her daughter reported the incident to the yard duty teacher.
She claimed the school did not contact her despite the young girl sustaining injuries.
The mum said she only found out about the incident when she collected her daughter from school that afternoon.
“My daughter wasn’t able to articulate how long it went on for,” she said.
“But it was happening long enough that not only did two of them manage to do it but it’s drawn attention from other kids and they have witnessed it.
“I was not notified by the school and no mandatory reports were made.”
The mum said she took her daughter to the Royal Children’s Hospital on Saturday after discovering redness and swelling on her body.
She said her daughter was also grappling with the physiological trauma of the assault.
“She has episodes where she overeats, she has episodes where she attacks herself,” she said.
“She wakes up crying in pain, she goes to sleep crying in pain.
“If my child can understand that she isn’t to do that to someone else, how is another child doing that to her?”
The mum said she emailed the school immediately on Friday but had not yet met with the principal.
“I’m gobsmacked, especially after this has happened before and not that long ago,” she said.
“The school is clearly not putting things in place.
“They have literally brushed it under the carpet.
“It’s disgusting, it’s abhorrent.”
The mum urged the school to introduce body safety awareness programs.
“They should be delivered age appropriately across the school to minimise risk and help increase the safety and awareness for the children to be able to protect themselves and have the discussion with their parents,” she said.
“There clearly needs to be additional training for the teachers to apply the correct support necessary to help the kids.”
A Department of Education spokeswoman said the allegations were being taken ”very seriously”.
“We are working closely with the students and families involved,” she said.
“Every student has a right to be safe in school and Eynesbury Primary School is supporting the students involved.
“Police were notified when the concerns were raised and the school continues to work with the families of the students.”
In May, several parents came forward detailing a litany of serious allegations about the mistreatment of students with disabilities at the school, including pupils being left isolated for hours and yelled at by a principal.
Originally published as ‘Abhorrent’: Eynesbury Primary School failed to report assault of five-year-old student