[arista]

They told her
they have no insurance,


She should have known that,


[The mother and entrepreneur Davina Schonle was
refused entry to an annual tech event.
It's no wonder the industry is still
male-dominated, she stated.]


In today Times newspaper

[Ammi]

‘I was turned away from a major work event because I had my baby with me’

A female entrepreneur was left feeling “absolutely humiliated” after she was refused entry to London Tech Week because she was with her 18-month-old daughter.

Davina Schonle had travelled for three hours to get to the event at Olympia, where she planned to meet potential suppliers for her new start-up AI company.

But on arrival on Monday, she said officials prevented her from entering with her daughter, Isabella, who was in a pram.

The incident at the event, which was addressed by Sir Keir Starmer on the same day, has been widely condemned at a time when the tech industry tries to shake off its male-dominated tag.

A recent report by Tech Nation showed that just 26 per cent of people in the UK tech industry were women, with more technical roles seeing an even wider gender gap.

Writing on LinkedIn, Ms Schonle, aged 40, said: “I hate that I’m having to write this, but today I was refused entry at London Tech Week… because I had my baby with me.

“It’s a three-hour drive one way for me to come to London. At this stage, I limit how many hours I am away from my baby girl. This is about new environments for her as much as it is about me. I should be able to build my company with her by my side.

“As someone passionate about innovation, tech and the future of work, I was excited to attend, connect, have meetings and contribute. In today’s age, shouldn’t we be more inclusive?
“This moment was more than inconvenient. It was a clear reminder that, as a tech industry, we still have work to do when it comes to inclusion beyond buzzwords.

“Parents are part of this ecosystem. Caregivers are innovators, founders, investors, and leaders. If major events like London Tech Week can’t make space for, what message does that send about who belongs in tech? I don’t necessarily mean make it kid-inclusive event in general, or do I? Doesn’t our future belong to the kids?”

Ms Schonle later told The Times she had been left feeling “absolutely humiliated” and “angry” by the incident.

As founder and chief executive of Humanvantage AI, which is developing a conversational role-play corporate training platform using AI technology, she had reportedly arranged three meetings with exhibitors.

In response to her LinkedIn post, Rebecca Taylor, an expert in cyber threats and human intelligence who gave a TED talk last year, said she was “so sorry”, and signalled her support for the mother.

She wrote: “I honestly don't know what to say. The 'juggle' is real, and if you're doing your best to make life happen and be part of the conversation, other individuals and communities should be empowering you to do that. Here if you ever want to talk.”

Janthea Brigden, ambassador for Children at Events, wrote: “It feels so humiliating, doesn’t? Like you are a ‘non person’!”

London Tech Week is expected to attract more than 45,000 people from across the world.

On Monday, in an address at the event, Sir Keir vowed to persuade a “sceptical” public that AI can improve millions of lives and transform the way business works.


In a statement about the incident, London Tech Week said: “We’re aware that one of our attendees wasn’t allowed to enter with their child yesterday. As a business event, the environment hasn’t been designed to incorporate the particular needs, facilities and safeguards that under-16s require.

“We want everyone in the tech community to feel welcome at London Tech Week. We’ve reached out directly to the person involved to discuss what happened and use this experience to inform how we approach this at LTW in the future.”

[Livia]

Parents have to make arrangements for their kids, not expect everyone else to accommodate them.

[Kate!]

Yes they were in the right.

[Niamh.]

Yeah sorry but some places are not suitable for children trying to get any work done with an 18 month old is ridiculous. She doesn't even say she doesn't have anyone to look after her, she just didn't want to be away from her.

[arista]

[A female entrepreneur was left feeling “absolutely humiliated”
after she was refused entry to London Tech Week
because she was with her 18-month-old daughter.]

Yes no insurance
to keep a baby safe.............

[bots]

i don't think babies should be taken to work events unless they have a nursery, however, the not insured excuse is beyond lame

[Ammi]

…I liked the last line of the article in what the tech event people said…


“We want everyone in the tech community to feel welcome at London Tech Week. We’ve reached out directly to the person involved to discuss what happened and use this experience to inform how we approach this at LTW in the future.”

…they didn’t have any facilities to have accommodated but they’ll look into whether there should be provisions for the future and that seems the way forward to me…

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by bots

i don't think babies should be taken to work events unless they have a nursery, however, the not insured excuse is beyond lame

…why is that lame though, as the insurance would have been voided surely, if a baby had been brought in by staff but not covered by any insurance …I mean, there would have most definitely had to have been a specific risk assessment done because if not, it wouldn’t just void any insurance connected to the baby and any possible event to happen but the whole insurance in general would be voided, surely…

[bots]

Originally Posted by Ammi

…why is that lame though, as the insurance would have been voided surely, if a baby had been brought in by staff but not covered by any insurance …I mean, there would have most definitely had to have been a specific risk assessment done because if not, it wouldn’t just void any insurance connected to the baby and any possible event to happen but the whole insurance in general would be voided, surely…

it really depends on the insurance policy detail, but public liability insurance doesn't usually specify thing like under 16's. I'm sure the company would be covered if glass broke on an under 16 walking past outside. It just struck me as a lame excuse and the woman with the baby probably thought exactly the same

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by bots

it really depends on the insurance policy detail, but public liability insurance doesn't usually specify thing like under 16's. I'm sure the company would be covered if glass broke on an under 16 walking past outside. It just struck me as a lame excuse and the woman with the baby probably thought exactly the same

…it was a gruelling day for little Isabella, eh…a three hour journey to get there and then another three hours home…I expect she was so relieved that the day wasn’t drawn out any further with a Tech meeting…mum wasn’t having blue sky clear thinking that day, was she…

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Ammi

…it was a gruelling day for little Isabella, eh…a three hour journey to get there and then another three hours home…I expect she was so relieved that the day wasn’t drawn out any further with a Tech meeting…mum wasn’t having blue sky clear thinking that day, was she…

Was thinking that as well, surely it would be better for Isabella to have stayed with her dad or a babysitter that day

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

Was thinking that as well, surely it would be better for Isabella to have stayed with her dad or a babysitter that day

…Isabella when she realises what the day out with mom actually was…



…I wouldn’t say that the planned day was ‘being with her daughter’ in any type of positive way for Isabella, tbh…

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Ammi

…Isabella when she realises what the day out with mom actually was…



…I wouldn’t say that the planned day was ‘being with her daughter’ in any type of positive way for Isabella, tbh…

Aww

But yeah definitely not a fun time for a toddler

[Alf]

She should go to work and let the state bring up her child. Like all the rest. Maybe then the child will learn that they can be whoever they want and not answerable to their parents.
@nannystate

[Mystic Mock]

She kind of lost me at "inclusivity."

If the only contribution that someone brings to the company is what's between their legs, then they don't deserve the job, it's that simple.

I don't know her situation obviously, but she'd be horrified to find out that a lot of companies don't really want a baby on the premises.

[BBXX]

I once had a colleague whose wife would come into the office with his children on his lunch, and they'd run around the office playing while others were trying to work while him and his wife saw at his desk eating. I was flabbergasted... it's a special kind of entitlement to think the rules don't apply.

As someone who doesn't want children, ever, I do find it the case that there is a small percentage on parents who think the rules don't apply to them because they have kids, and it's extremely frustrating. I also find parents getting special treatment in the workplace. Where I used to work parents were allowed flexible working hours but if you didn't have kids you weren't afforded the same luxury, plus it was always those without kids who were asked to work the additional unpaid events... like I didn't have family of my own and my time wasn't as valid.

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by BBXX

I once had a colleague whose wife would come into the office with his children on his lunch, and they'd run around the office playing while others were trying to work while him and his wife saw at his desk eating. I was flabbergasted... it's a special kind of entitlement to think the rules don't apply.

As someone who doesn't want children, ever, I do find it the case that there is a small percentage on parents who think the rules don't apply to them because they have kids, and it's extremely frustrating.

…yeah, that’s understandable also because people do need that calm/chill time to regenerate and can have often had stressful working mornings so lunch breaks are important for many reasons ….the children wouldn’t really bother me but then, my whole working life has been children …my big lunchtime nightmare is colleagues who cook sardines and the like for lunch that make the whole staffroom have to suffer their lunch also…:fistshakingsmilie:/down with that sort of thing…

[BBXX]

Originally Posted by Ammi

…yeah, that’s understandable also because people do need that calm/chill time to regenerate and can have often had stressful working mornings so lunch breaks are important for many reasons ….the children wouldn’t really bother me but then, my whole working life has been children …my big lunchtime nightmare is colleagues who cook sardines and the like for lunch that make the whole staffroom have to suffer their lunch also…:fistshakingsmilie:/down with that sort of thing…

Also, not everyone took their lunch at the same time, and so people were still working.

Fishy lunchs in a microwave is a big no-no. I feel like a 'Workplace Pet Peeve' thread might be quite the success

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by BBXX

Also, not everyone took their lunch at the same time, and so people were still working.

Fishy lunchs in a microwave is a big no-no. I feel like a 'Workplace Pet Peeve' thread might be quite the success

…yeah, oily fish is incredibly healthy but not in the workplace and not on my watch…do it, do it…build it and they/we will come…make that thread…!!!!!!…

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by BBXX

Also, not everyone took their lunch at the same time, and so people were still working.

Fishy lunchs in a microwave is a big no-no. I feel like a 'Workplace Pet Peeve' thread might be quite the success

…yeah, virtually all teachers work through their lunch as well and grab 10 minutes or so to eat their lunch…yes children, teachers work through their lunches, it’s not all one big break time…..