The Government have unveiled new guidance for schools and other education establishments, Local Authorities, the CPS and the Police, on arrangements to speed up the process of dealing with allegations of abuse against teachers and support staff.
The guidance, supported by major teaching unions and endorsed by the Association of Chief Police Officers, has been developed in cooperation with the Home Office and the Crown Prosecution Service. It spells out, for the first time, standard procedures that will apply in all local authorities in England to replace existing local procedures and ensure cases are dealt with consistently in all areas.
The Governments advice applies to England. Similar guidance has also been issued in Wales. Assembly Minister Jane Davidson, Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning, today (Monday 21 November) welcomed revised procedures for handling allegations against teachers and other school staff.
The guidance, published by the Department for Education and Skills, has been developed in co-operation with the Home Office, ACPO, the Crown Prosecution Service and the teaching unions.
The changes include:
- maintain confidentiality while cases are under investigation;
- indicative timescales for stages of the disciplinary process.
- agreement by the police and CPS to liase and review progress of criminal investigations to ensure they are concluded as quickly as possible;
- advice to police and social services about getting consent to share information when it is obtained to enable it to be shared straight away when the investigation is complete.
Commenting on the revised procedures the Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning said: "
There are tremendous positives to be taken from the work that has been undertaken with the Home Office and the Crown Prosecution Service and we will want to discuss with the Association of Chief Police Officers in Wales how best we can share this good practice across the whole of Wales.
We will also want to engage with practitioners and their representative bodies to gauge their views on the changes. I am very keen to move forward by including these revisions within the consultation on safeguarding children’s welfare during the Spring term.
Since I have been Minister, concerns have been expressed by teachers’ representatives that a change in the law was needed. I hope these changes will alleviate some of the devastating effects that unfounded allegations can have on an individual’s health, family and career. We must ensure that our systems are rigorous, transparent and equitable but also that they are resolved, one way or the other, within reasonable timescales. It is right that an accurate conclusion is reached for all concerned.
For the first time there are target timescales for each stage of the process built on a national standard of effective practice and an opportunity for closer co-operation between all agencies involved.
Whilst the number of allegations made each year is proportionately small it is vital that they are dealt with properly and fairly. Whilst we have a duty to protect children we must also be aware of the devastating effect that being wrongly or unfairly accused can have on an individual, their family and career, and how delay and publicity can exacerbate that. It is about striking the right balance and maintaining consistency across all areas. It is about being effective, fair and prompt.
I hope that the proposals will find favour both with those who endorse the Assembly Government’s commitment to protecting our children and those who represent the interests of Wales’ teachers." November 21, 2005
A FACT spokesmen welcomed publication of the guidance but feels they do not go far enough. The fact that an allegation has been made is invariable noted on a staff members file and even when those the person may be innocent it may be recorded on information held by the Criminal Records Bureau with damaging career consequences.