Figures reveal attacks on support staff in Edinburgh schools

Calls have been made for staff to be given more support after 1,675 injuries were sustained in attacks since 2015 in Edinburgh

Support staff have been attacked or abused by pupils 2,478 times in Edinburgh during the last three years.

Calls have been made for staff to be given more support after 1,675 injuries were sustained in attacks since 2015.

During 2017/18, 738 incidents of support staff being attacked or abused by pupils were reported - including 512 assaults that resulted in injury.

Of these incidents, 532 were against support assistants, 43 against learning assistants and 10 behavioural teachers.

The number of incidents last school year have fallen from the 1,006 reported in 2016/17 including 645 violent attacks resulting in injury.

The number of times support staff were on the receiving end of threatening behaviour has also dropped from 75 to 41 in the space of a year.

Violence and aggression

Opposition councillors have called for more support to be provided to staff.

Mary Campbell, Green education spokeswoman, said: "Any violence or aggression against staff is obviously a source of concern and the scale of what is reported is significant.

"From speaking to school staff it seems that often young people will have additional needs and we know that the number of support staff available has not kept pace with the level of additional needs.

"That needs sorted and schools also need to ensure staff have the best training and guidance to deal with issues, alongside cool-off spaces to avoid confrontations."

Conservatives have called for the council to do more to ensure the safety of staff working in schools.

Callum Laidlaw, Conservative education spokesman, said: "Support staff are the unsung heroes of our schools performing a vital role in delivering education to some of our most vulnerable and challenging young people.

"The significant number of attacks on these key workers is concerning and suggests that the council needs to put in place more robust safeguards to help prevent and swiftly deal with any abuse. If we don't we will continue to shed support staff, with rising numbers leaving the profession, and struggle to fill vacancies."

Zero tolerance

Teaching union, Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), said it was crucial for a zero tolerance of violence in the classroom.

An EIS spokesperson said: "Every teacher and pupil has the right to a safe educational environment. The EIS is clear that a zero tolerance approach should be taken to incidents involving violence or the threat of violence.

"It is essential that when serious incidents do occur, they are dealt with swiftly and firmly - this may include police involvement where a teacher has been physically assaulted or placed under severe threat.

"Thankfully, serious disruption and violence continue to be a much less common problem than persistent low-level classroom disruptions.

"Teachers and support staff work extremely hard to ensure a positive and welcoming environment for pupils, and the vast majority of young people in our schools are positively engaged in their learning."

The city council has introduced additional training in schools for staff.

Behavioural management

A council spokesman said: "We treat the safety of our school staff very seriously.

"It is unfortunate that physical forceful behaviour can occur in schools and we aim to ensure staff have the skills and confidence to manage these situations to reduce the risk of injury.

"We have introduced a far-reaching training programme in schools which includes restorative approaches and positive behaviour management strategies.

"Whilst it is welcome that overall injury and violent incidents against staff have fallen in the past year there is still more to be done.

"By increasing understanding of the factors that underlie pupils' distress we want to reduce the risk of harm to staff."

The figures were obtained from the City of Edinburgh Council under a freedom of information request.