Latest news with #ChildProtectionProceduresforSchools
RTÉ News
18 hours ago
- RTÉ News
New historic abuse policy is welcome, but it is just the first step
I don't usually include a personal perspective when writing stories - but this is the exception. Back in 1978, as a 10-year-old child, I was battered by my 4th-class teacher who slapped, punched and kicked me around the prefab cloakroom in a prolonged attack. This wasn't corporal punishment, which was finally outlawed in 1982. This was an assault. Terrified, bruised and sore, I didn't know what to do. I felt there was no point in speaking to the school authorities, as children were regularly being hit. Mistakenly fearing that I may have been in some way responsible for provoking the teacher, I decided against telling my parents either. Having been on the receiving end of this violence, I took a keen interest when the Department of Education updated guidance to schools late last month. The policy - Child Protection Procedures for Schools, 2025 - is an update on its original 2017 document. One of the key innovations is, for the first time, to provide explicit guidance to schools on how they should deal with former pupils presenting with a claim of historic abuse. Such advice is clearly needed given the scale of horror which unfolded over the decades in Irish primary and secondary schools. Just last September, a Government-appointed inquiry into historical abuse at schools concluded that there were 2,395 allegations of sexual abuse in respect of 308 schools recorded by the religious orders that ran those schools. The content is grim, particularly when it comes to victims' testimonies - so much so that the public is warned: "Reading these accounts of abuse may be extraordinarily difficult." One participant to the inquiry testified: "The teacher's domination of the schoolchildren included sexual harassment in confessional encounters outside class, but during school hours. This included humiliating one-to-one costume fittings, full blown sexual assault, and drugging and raping multiple students." "I didn't cry, that in itself was a signal for him to carry on beating you and he done so... It later emerged that some of those who contacted the scoping inquiry team, about the alleged physical abuse that they had endured, were informed that their complaints fell outside the terms of reference. Many turned to RTÉ Radio 1's Liveline to highlight their stories of being whipped, beaten and kicked. In October 2024, RTÉ screened the documentary 'Leathered' which highlighted the different types of insidious physical abuse inflicted on children in our schools. Peter Kane from Navan in Co Meath recalled the fear and anxiety that he experienced going to school as a 12-year-old and the alleged abuse he endured. He said: "I didn't cry, that in itself was a signal for him to carry on beating you and he done so, and bounced my head off the blackboard, bounced my body around the room, knocked me up against his desk, and at one stage, I collapsed and fell on the ground because he done something to my back." With such a catalogue of predatory violence, it is highly likely that victims might, later in life, present themselves at our schools out-of-the-blue. One in Four, which helps adults who have experienced abuse as a child, state that many choose to contact their former school as a first port of call. Accordingly, it is more than appropriate to have teachers prepared for such a scenario. "Child Protection Procedures for Schools, 2025" seeks to do that in Section 3, which is entitled: Retrospective Abuse Allegations. On page 29, it states: "The member of school personnel will need tact and sensitivity in responding to such a disclosure." The document continues: "It is important to be empathetic and express understanding that it may have taken a considerable effort for the person to disclose the past abuse." Schools are advised that a person presenting with a historical abuse claim should be provided with details for the Garda National Protective Services Bureau. They should also be given contact numbers for helplines such as the Rape Crisis Centre; Towards Healing; the National Counselling Service; One in Four; Connect Counselling; and the Samaritans. The forward to the document is written by Minister for Education Helen McEntee, however, much of the policy had been shepherded through by former minister for education Norma Foley; former Minister of State Josepha Madigan; and senior officials at the Department of Education. Minister McEntee wrote that the new policy document also identifies "requirements [on schools] to report retrospective abuse". If a school is informed of historic abuse, it needs to be more than just be empathetic to the victim. Schools are obliged to outline that they do not have an investigative role and, under certain circumstances, may have to notify the child and family agency Tusla or An Garda Síochána. One clear advantage for the victims is that the new policy gives an individual a right of recourse should an individual school fail to live up to its specified obligations. "For survivors, reaching out like this is often a big emotional step. The way the school responds really matters.. The new policy will now be studied in detail by groups representing those who have experienced physical and sexual abuse in schools. Chief Executive of One in Four Deirdre Kenny described the new guidance to me as a positive step forward. She said: "For survivors, reaching out like this is often a big emotional step. The way the school responds really matters - it can make a big difference in how supported and understood they feel. "That's why it's so important for schools to have clear, compassionate guidance on how to handle these situations." She added: "However, there is an obvious gap in the guidelines: they do not currently include context about why survivors might get in touch with a school - whether for acknowledgement, support, or to protect current students. Including this information would be really helpful, as it would enable staff to respond with even greater understanding and sensitivity." Chief Executive of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre Rachel Morrogh said the policy appears to take a victim-centred approach to meeting disclosures, which is very welcome. However, she said: "That approach must be embedded clearly, with appropriate training and resourcing, so that teachers and educators can handle disclosures sensitively and with as little re-traumatisation as possible. "A young person might tell someone about their experience, but if the trusted person doesn't know how to sensitively meet a disclosure, it could mean that the child might experience further shame and isolation and be retraumatised." She added: "While child abuse is often viewed as being a historical issue, those working on the frontlines of supporting survivors of sexual violence can tell you that it is very much still happening in Ireland today. "We must ensure our young people are protected and supported to the full extent necessary, and a strong child protection policy in schools is an important component of that." One in Four and the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre view the new policy as a welcome first step - but just that: a first step.
RTÉ News
27-05-2025
- General
- RTÉ News
Inspectors criticise uniform policy at Dublin school
Department of Education inspectors have criticised student uniform and code of behaviour policies at a Dublin fee-charging school, saying their implementation does not support students' educational, social and personal wellbeing, and in some cases impedes it. In what is an unusually critical Whole School Evaluation (WSE) report, department inspectors recommended that The High School in Dublin's Rathgar review the sanctions that it applies to students for breaching the policies. It has recommended that the school "prioritise" amending both the school's code of behaviour policy and its procedures for students who have been suspended "in order to align with the existing Tusla guidance". Inspectors spent a number of days at the co-educational Church of Ireland school earlier this year. The inspection included the observation of teaching and learning as well as meetings with staff, parents and groups of students. They noted that during focus group meetings students expressed ongoing concern at what they deemed the "unfair" application of sanctions at the school. In their report, published this month, inspectors found that leadership and management at the co-educational school required "improvement to achieve a good standard". They added that trust and positive working relationships at the school had been eroded by "ineffective communication practices coupled with a lack of a system to resolve concerns". The WSE report also found that the majority of teachers at the school did not feel that their views were valued in the school's decision-making processes. In criticisms of the school leadership and management the inspectors noted that policy development practices did not sufficiently reflect the views of teachers and draft policies were not shared with students. It recommended that the board and senior management team "should actively take account of the views of students and teachers to develop policies that are more inclusive". The WSE report said communication between teachers, and the principal and board "lacked sufficient effectiveness" and that "many teachers expressed frustration, a lack of trust and poor relationships with the board and the principal". It added that students felt "unheard" by the school. However, the inspectors noted positive developments around implementation of new national 'Bí Cineálta" anti-bullying procedures and a "highly committed" student council which meets with the principal once per term. The school has not ensured that all teaching staff have completed the necessary Child Protection Procedures for Schools training, the report said. It states: "Members of the board should be aware of the responsibilities associated with their role, particularly concerning child protection procedures". It also noted that students in 'form three' finished the school year a week earlier than students elsewhere. Last Friday, Form 3 students at The High School began their summer holidays, once again a week earlier than students at other second level schools. This is despite criticism of the practice "over the last three years" in the WSE report. The inspectors have called on the school to ensure that all students are provided with the required minimum of school days and hours of tuition. 'Action plan to resolve the issues' In relation to support for student wellbeing, the report noted that teachers and students expressed "serious concerns" about the uniform policy and implementation of the policy by the principal. It has recommended that the board and senior management seek the views of staff and students to clarify their concerns "and implement an action plan to resolve the issues". The inspectors noted as "concerning" the rate of student suspensions and noted "reports of high levels of sanctioning applied to students relating to lateness and uniform by some of the senior management team". It has called on the board, senior management and teachers to collaborate "to agree approaches that will better support positive behaviours with a view to prioritising consistency and inclusion". The inspectorate has recommended changes to the school's board structure "so that it aligns with the spirit of partnership as espoused in the Education Act". Inspectors categorised the overall quality of support for students' wellbeing as well as the quality of teaching, learning and assessment observed as "good". It found that interactions among students, and between teachers and students were "respectful and positive". They have recommended that the school leadership, in consultation with teachers, establish "more effective systems of communication, including processes for addressing concerns, seeking and valuing teachers' views to inform decision-making and rebuilding relationships". The report has also recommended that the school strengthen student and parent partnerships in the school. Responding to this critical Whole School Evaluation report, the school said the findings "will be carefully considered for consequential next action". It said: "A series of engagements are under way and planned across the whole school community to consider the findings presented in the report. "The report findings will be reviewed along with the quantitative results from [a] survey conducted among parents, students and teachers to form a comprehensive and balanced perspective and to determine the appropriate response."
