CCAU Labels School Monitor Slap as Isolated Incident Amid Legal Probe

The Consell Comarcal de l'Alt Urgell (CCAU) has described an alleged slap by a school dining hall monitor against a child as an "isolated incident," while stating it has no record of other family complaints about staff treatment in facilities run by Iausa, the public company under its management.

The incident, reported at the end of last year, prompted a criminal complaint from the child's mother. It now forms part of an ongoing legal process involving not only the monitor but also Iausa's technical manager, the school's educational inspector, and the centre director. CCAU officials emphasised that, due to the judicial nature of the case, they will make no further statements until proceedings conclude, prioritising child welfare above all.

In response to queries, the council confirmed Iausa immediately triggered its internal protocol and cooperated fully with the school management, educational inspectors, and Mossos d'Esquadra police. Officials insisted no other situations mentioned by families—such as a girl allegedly grabbed by the cheeks, another dragged by the ears, or a five-year-old taken by the arm across the dining hall and forced to eat alone—have been reported to them.

The CCAU did not address several key questions, including whether Iausa has a formally approved protocol for preventing and responding to violence against children, tailored to dining hall services, or if staff receive mandatory annual training on child protection. Experts in child welfare and legal advisors note that regulations require a designated coordinator or child protection officer, and protocols should ensure minors are heard by competent forensic authorities to avoid contaminating testimonies through internal interviews.

The council did confirm that all Iausa employees hold up-to-date negative certificates for sexual offences.