How has the Welsh Government worked with local authorities to safeguard teachers in the workplace?
It is important that all staff are made to feel safe in the work environment. Positive behaviour and attendance are essential foundations for effective learning environments in which all members of the school community feel respected, safe and secure.
All schools are required to have a behaviour policy which promotes good behaviour on the part of its pupils. School behaviour and attendance policies shape the school ethos and they make a statement about how the school values and includes all the people in it.
Welsh Government will be developing guidance which aims to support senior leaders in schools and pupil referral units (PRUs) to make well informed decisions about their behaviour strategies.
The guidance will include areas such as strategies which can help prevent behavioural issues from occurring, deal with behaviour issues when they happen and set out the importance of consistent and clear behaviour strategies that promote positive behaviour.
We recognise pupils with additional needs, including additional learning needs such ADHD may not be behaviour in the same way as their peers due to, for example, experiencing anxiety or having difficulty concentrating. As such we are keen to ensure the guidance is inclusive of all maintained education settings – including special schools and PRUs.
Officials will be engaging with the sector over the coming months on the development of this guidance.
We have provided grant funding to the charity Education Support, since 2020/21 and this funding has been increased to £608,000 for academic year 2022/23. Education Support provide a tailored package of support to the education workforce across Wales, including training, telephone and peer support, wellbeing events, webinars and e-learning modules, along with their Taking Care of Teachers hub. This is specifically for the education workforce in Wales and provides a wide range of resources and downloadable content, much of which is available in Welsh.
In addition, Education Support set up their School Wellbeing Advisory Service in Wales in 2020 and it has been very well received by schools and the education workforce. The Wellbeing Advisors engage directly with schools, developing bespoke mental health and wellbeing support for those schools and continue to support them, as required over a period of time.
At the end of January this year Education Support, in conjunction with Welsh Government, expanded the Wellbeing Advisory Service with 4 new Advisors based around Wales., It has moved to a regional delivery mode that links to our Whole School Approach to mental health and well-being and has increased capacity to reach significantly more schools across Wales.
Our Whole School Approach to Mental Health and Wellbeing statutory guidance places the wellbeing of the whole school community at the centre of our education system. It is important that schools understand and address the root causes of poor behaviour and meet the wellbeing needs of school staff affected by any incidents. In 2023-24 we have provided over £14m to support the implementation of the statutory guidance. Funding has been used to deliver universal and targeted wellbeing interventions for learners and train staff on their own and children’s wellbeing issues. Pupils and staff can also access counselling services to support their wellbeing needs, through their school or LA. Sessions can be offered on the school premises or at an alternative location in the community.