Louise Thompson has received criticism for raising concerns about parents who send their children to school in diapers. The backlash came as struggling mothers shared the challenges of the UK’s backlog in diagnosing children.
The 36-year-old Made in Chelsea personality, along with her 35-year-old husband Ryan Libbey, sparked controversy on their podcast, He Said, She Said. They discussed a survey revealing that 24% of reception pupils are not fully toilet trained. Louise questioned whether it was a “cop-out” by parents who seemed unwilling to make the effort.
According to the survey, 28% of children starting reception struggle to drink or feed themselves independently. This results in teaching staff spending 2.4 hours addressing these needs, with 1.4 hours specifically dealing with toilet-related issues.
Despite focusing on non-SEND children, the Kindred² 2025 School Readiness Survey highlighted the challenge of children entering school without a diagnosis due to lengthy assessment waitlists. This reality disproves the notion of parents taking the easy route.
Carla Hoskins, a 38-year-old mother of six from London, shared her experience of raising two autistic children. Her six-year-old son, Romeo, still requires diapers and attends mainstream school part-time. Carla emphasized the embarrassment and shame parents like her face, apologizing to school staff for situations beyond their control.
Critics, like 29-year-old Frankie Gulliver from Devon, whose son has autism and global development delay, condemned the remarks as a display of privilege disconnected from the struggles of many families amid a Cost of Living crisis. Financial constraints often prevent parents from adequately preparing their children for school.
Teachers, including one with 18 years of experience, criticized the inadequate SEND funding situation and other factors affecting children’s school readiness. These factors include the closure of SureStart clinics, impacting families seeking support for children under five.
In response to the backlash, the podcast removed the controversial post and acknowledged the oversight regarding the SEND community. They expressed a desire to understand the challenges faced by these families and learn more about the topic.
Louise Thompson and the Department for Education have been approached for comments on the matter.