- Conference
- 2024 Local Government Service Group Conference
- Date
- 20 February 2024
- Decision
- Carried
Almost 14 years of austerity measures and continuing starvation of funds for public service have now taken its toll on all services which has left them with very few resources to provide the vital support all service users require and very much need. One of these services is Education.
Since 2010 we have had a continuation of year-on-year funding cuts for schools. We’ve seen a set of reforms introduced in 2014 which was meant to protect school’s budgets and extend provision from birth for children and young people who have SEND that the tory government at the time claimed would give families greater choice in decisions and ensure their children’s needs were properly met.
In the last 10 years we have seen public services and education funding cut to the bone that historically supported empowerment, inclusivity, and equality into communities, such as Sure Start Centres and a broad and balanced curriculum in schools to mention two that gave the previous cohorts of children / young people the springboard when they left school to, have a chance to climb the social mobility ladder as adults. This has been replaced with no such support for children and parents at the start of their life and the curriculum has been narrowed to an extent where it no longer supports a proportion of children to experience success in their education which consequently affects their success later in life to thrive in adulthood.
The consequence of narrowing the curriculum and the impact cuts have inflicted on society, mean we are seeing a lot more mainstream schools with high numbers of children who have complex needs. In the past few years, we have seen a growing increase in violent incidents against school support staff. Since the new SEND reforms were introduced in Sept 2014 there’s been very little direction for schools on how to deliver SEND provision in the setting. Also, with the reduction of an inclusive curriculum, means we have seen the children who once managed in schools at SEND Support status struggle significantly, which unfortunately has led to some of them disengaging in their learning or being permanently excluded or progressing through the EHC assessment process. Therefore, what staff and families are experiencing now is the following:
1) Lack of specialist schools. Especially in ASD provision. Sadly, the impact of this is leading to mainstream schools having a higher proportion of children and young people who have complex needs on roll at their school, which is challenging. As it is often not the appropriate learning environment for them with very little funding to provide the support the children and young people need;
2) School having to deliver a narrowed curriculum that not all children are able to access. (We need a broad and balanced curriculum so children can thrive, and their strengths can be harnessed for them to experience success in their education and then on into adulthood;
3) School budgets have been slashed which has led to experienced support staff having to leave the profession to secure other employment. Consequently, this has left schools to manage children / young people with complex needs, who require the adults to have skills at a level that can be responsive to their needs.
In 2016 UNISON surveyed 14,500 support staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland which found:
a) that more than half (53%) of TAs had experienced physical violence in the previous year;
b) 20% of educational support staff (including librarians, technicians, administrative support, and catering staff) had also experienced violence;
c) 85% said they had seen threats issued by pupils;
d) 26% had experienced threats originating from parents.
Following on from the results of this survey UNISON commissioned research IN 2022 which is based on in-depth interviews with 16 teaching assistants who have experienced violence in England and Scotland. Dr Amanda Holt from the University of Roehampton carried out the qualitive research. Teaching Assistants told researchers they had been hit in the face, bitten, had objects thrown at them and received death threats, with incidents reported in primary and secondary schools. Their injuries included cuts, a black eye, a dislocated thumb, a broken finger, and torn ligaments, according to the University of Roehampton study.
Improving the reporting process around attacks, providing staff with medical and psychological support will support this skilled work force’s emotional well being and assure them that these incidents are being treat seriously and dealt with accordingly by school leadership. As well having policy and procedures in place for when these incidents happen.
Newcastle City Branch has been working with headteachers on how they can adopt UNISON’s Model Policy and implement it in their schools supportively, consistently and with confidence. Several schools are happy to adopt this. As well as the policy the staff will have access UNISON advice and guidance for schools which will support the success in the implementation of the policy. The work with all schools continues for them to adopt UNISON’s model policy and sign up to the Violence at Work Charter.
Conference, we call upon the Local Government Service Group Executive to support the campaign to have UNISON’s Model Policy (Preventing Violence Against School Staff) adopted by every school in England by:
i) Publicly endorsing and promoting the campaign for schools to adopt the model policy;
ii) Encouraging other UNISON branches to collaborate with individual schools and MAT’s on this campaign in adopting the policy;
iii) Encouraging individual UNISON members to promote the campaign within schools they work in.