A Shropshire mother has been left absolutely horrified and furious after her 11-year-old daughter returned from a school-organised trip with her hair completely shaved off.
The young girl was on a residential visit to the Pioneer Centre in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, with her school, Hadley Learning Community in Telford. The shocking transformation occurred without the mother's prior knowledge or consent.
'I Was Gobsmacked and Fuming'
The distressed mum, Stacey Kelly, recounted the moment she saw her daughter. "I was gobsmacked. I couldn't believe what I was seeing," she said. "My initial thought was that something terrible had happened to her, like she had an accident or was ill. I'm absolutely fuming that this was allowed to happen."
Her daughter, Faith, explained that a staff member at the adventure centre had shaved her head after another child had initially cut a chunk of her hair as a prank.
Serious Questions Over Safeguarding
The incident raises serious safeguarding concerns about the level of supervision and the protocols in place at the centre. Cutting a child's hair is a significant personal alteration that typically requires explicit parental consent.
Both the school and the Pioneer Centre have launched investigations into the matter. A spokesperson for the Learning Community Trust, which runs the school, stated they are "taking this matter very seriously" and are in contact with the family.
The Pioneer Centre expressed that their "priority is always the welfare of the children in our care" and confirmed a "thorough investigation is underway."
For Stacey Kelly, the emotional damage is already done. "It's not just about the hair; it's about the principle," she stated. "They had no right to do that to my child."
