An infant school is refusing to help a five-year-old girl apply her eczema cream because of child protection concerns.

Leah Johnston, who attends Woolston Infant School in Southampton, has to apply the cream four times a day but cannot reach her back. Teaching staff have been criticised by Leah's mother Kerry Webb, who said the decision was "crazy".

Headteacher Julie Swanston said staff cannot help her with the treatment to protect teachers from "safeguarding or medical concerns".

Employees will only supervise Leah putting on the cream when at school.

"All I'm asking for is a bit of common sense for them to just help with her back," 24-year-old Webb told the Southern Daily Echo.
"I can't understand them saying they can't touch her - it's crazy.

"What happens if a child falls over... Would they not touch them too?"

In a statement, Swanston said there had never been any issues or concerns from any parents, pupils or teachers in the past about the rule.

"In this particular case we have supervised the child putting on her medication and have been in regular contact with the child's parents and doctor," she said.

"In normal circumstances when administering things like medicated creams we would either ask the parents to administer them or, like in this instance, we would help the child to administer it themselves under our supervision, as long as we get prior agreement from the child's parents.

"This means the child gets the medication they need, while both the child and teachers are protected from any safeguarding or medical concerns."

She added that she would contact Leah's parents to discuss the matter.