Groupdemandsprobeintoschool toilet provision

A WOMEN’S campaign group h a s c a l le d for a n “u r ge nt ” investigation into toilet provision in Tayside schools after claiming gender neut ra l faci l it ies may breach national safeg uarding standards.

An open letter issued to local authorities by Susan Sinclair of Scottish Women accused both Angus and Dundee City Councils of “violating children’s rights”.

The group highlighted Sidlaw View Primary School and Harris Academy in Dundee, both of which it said had failed to comply with regulations due to their use of mixed-sex sanitary facilities.

According to a freedom of information response received by Scottish Women, Sidlaw View Primary has an obligation to provide 28 WCs – at least half of which should be for girls and half for boys.

The group found no single-sex facilities were provided by the school and, of the 29 mixed-use toilets on the premises, only three complied with unisex facility standards of being separately located and for use by one person at a time.

Harris Academy operates separate mixed-use hand wash areas so was also not considered to be providing single-sex sanitary facilities for its pupils.

Angus Council confirmed Brechin Community Campus, Forfar Community Campus and Warddykes and Timmergreens primaries all have “open-plan toilets where girls and boys can mix/see each other”.

Stewart Hunter, convener of Dundee City Council’s children and families services committee, said: “I fully appreciate that this is a sensitive subject. The council is preparing a response.”

Angus Council said it is “considering the information this group has provided”.