Stop Violence @ Work!
Have you been bitten, scratched, hit, punched or
even worse at school? Have you been told its only
children? Well that’s not on. You have the right to
be safe at work and free from violence in the
workplace just like anyone else. Your school has a
‘Duty of Care’ to you.
If any of the above happen to you, make sure you
record them on the school’s health and safety
reporting system. Check the report is accurate and
ask for a copy of the report.
If there is persistent violence make sure the school
has a proper behaviour plan and a risk assessment
for the child/student. Let UNISON know if you can’t
get the right support to stop being the victim of
violence at work.
Don’t Put Your Back Into It
Are you lifting children? Do you work in Early Years
and lifting is seen as part of keeping the children
safe? Well think twice. Many Early Years workers
suffer from back or related problems as they get
older through constantly picking children up.
Discuss how you could implement a no lifting policy
in your school with UNISON.
Is there a Child Q in Your School?
In the Summer Term, Hackney
Safeguarding Board released a report
into the horrific strip searching of a 15-
year-old female student by the police.
The report concluded that the police
officers went beyond their remit and
probably reacted in a racist manner.
The staff in the school were also
criticised for not challenging the police
sufficiently to safeguard the rights of the
child. Camden UNISON has been assured
that no children have been strip
searched in Camden schools. If this is the
case, this bucks the trend of the alarming
number that has taken place in London.
The DfE have renewed their guidance to
schools on searching and confiscation in
schools – Searching, Screening and
Confiscation (publishing.service.gov.uk).
UNISON believes no strip searching by
the police or any other agency should
take place in school and certainly not
without parental consent. We have
asked the local authority to look at this
guidance with us to provide advice to
school staff with responsibility for
safeguarding.
Training for Supporting ASD/ADHD
Support Staff in mainstream schools are supporting students with a variety of needs that in the past
would have seen the child placed in a Special School. It seems teachers are getting training in
supporting these children but there is no training for support staff. But it’s support staff that work
with them almost 1:1 in some cases.
Camden UNISON is pushing for proper training for Teaching Assistants- not cascade training from
teachers – in paid time. Let UNISON know if you need this.
JOIN UNISON TODAY – Get Organised
If school support staff are not in a UNION that can negotiate your pay, terms and conditions they
need to join with you. Please ask them to join.
And if you don’t have a shop steward in your school, you’re only getting half the support you need.
Members with stewards are better informed and deal with issues that come up – Please elect one!
For further information either call 020 7974 3996 or email unison@camden.gov.uk