Child falls in school but principal denies responsibility
http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/singaporeseen/viewContent.jsp?id=59159
STOMPer Joanne’s three-year-old son was hurt in an accident at Mini World Childcare and Development Centre, but the principal of the centre denies responsibility and refuses to compensate the boy and his family.In an email to STOMP yesterday (Feb 24), the unhappy STOMPer wrote:
“I am writing this with regard to an unforgettable incident that had happened to my child while he was at Miniworld childcare centre (located at Blk 58, Chai Chee Drive) on Nov 12 2008. I hope that the general public will provide me with some kind advice to help me claim the compensation from the aforementioned childcare centre.
“This incident involves several issues as listed below:
1. The childcare centre withheld the whole truth as to what really happened to my son on that day.
2. The childcare centre refused to compensate for the suffering both my son and my family had gone through.
3. Is it reasonable and fair for the principal to insist that the childcare centre will not be held responsible for any accident that happened to my son within the premises of the childcare center as stipulated under the terms and conditions of the enrollment agreement?
“The whole incident is as follows:
• I received a call (around 4pm) from the childcare teacher informing me that my three-year-old boy had a fall in the morning, had vomited and seemed to be in a daze.
• The teacher advised me to pick up my son and send him to the clinic for a medical checkup.
• While sending my son to the clinic, my son’s face started to turn pale and he started vomiting foam. Then, blood could be seen from the vomit.
• Upon advice from the doctor of the clinic, I rushed my son to KK hospital where he was rush to the A & E department.
• During this whole process of seeing a few doctors and nurses attending to my son, I felt helpless and in pain when the doctors and nurses used electrons and needles to get blood sample from his small framed body while he was lying motionless on the bed.
• The doctor also rushed my son for a brain scan as he suspected that he might have hurt his head during the fall. Fortunately to my relief, the results showed that my son had not hurt his head at all.
• My son was hospitalised for three days as a result of this incident and during his stay in the hospital, he was unable to consume any water, food and even medicine as he would vomit them out as soon as he took them in.
• On the second day, I decided to confront the principal to investigate the real cause of my son’s fall. However, the principal was not very cooperative and unwillingly agreed to my request after much persistence on my part.
• Later that day, the principal called to explain that my son was pushed on the shoulder by a primary one student running towards the toilet. As a result, my son fell forward towards the ground.
• After relating the principal’s explanation to my friends, they were unconvinced that a normal fall would cause such a serious injury and so, I decided to investigate further.
• On the third day, I called to speak to the principle to seek clarification and was told that my son was actually elbowed by a primary one student and that caused my son to fall forward. My son cried and did not have the strength to stand up so the teacher had to carry him to the toilet to give him a shower.
• After confronting the principal again, she apologised for withholding the whole truth of the accident in the first place and mentioned that the childcare centre would make an insurance claim for this accident on my son’s behalf.
• The principal and the management insisted that the childcare centre would not be held responsible for the accident that happened to my son as it was already stipulated in the enrolment agreement. They then therefore refused to pay out any compensation.
“I would appreciate it if anyone could provide ideas and advice about pursuing compensation from the childcare centre for their irresponsible conduct of the whole affair.”
Fk de Principal