'Teachers are being kicked and spat at' - INTO calls for immediate assault scheme leave

At its Annual Congress, the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) adopted a resolution calling for immediate and comprehensive reform of the assault leave scheme for teachers, amid high levels of physical aggression being experienced in schools.

Primary teachers in special schools and special class settings, in particular, are experiencing such incidents and, oftentimes, injuries are severe and can be life-changing. The complexities of children’s needs in mainstream classes where therapeutic, counselling and psychological supports are seriously lacking has added to the challenge of teaching in recent years.

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It is an unacceptable reality that after sustaining an injury at work, many teachers must use or exhaust their standard sick leave, resulting in financial hardship.

In addition to physical injury, they are left alone to manage the long-term, complicated emotional fallout from experiencing an assault in their workplace. Teachers understand that these behaviours from pupils are indications of unmet needs, but they cannot continue to experience these incidents without adequate response or support.

The resolution, passed unanimously by delegates, demands that the INTO’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) negotiates with the Department of Education and Youth and the Department of Education (NI) to:

• Convene fora on school safety;
• Invest in behaviour hubs and nurture rooms, staffed by primary teachers and relevant support services, to help schools manage behaviours of concern;
• Provide whole school de-escalation training to help staff address behaviours of concern and crisis situations; and
• Announce teacher assault leave schemes that are fit for purpose, which include compensation for losses incurred as a result of assault.

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INTO Survey

The resolution was informed by INTO’s landmark survey in May 2024, which revealed:

• 58% of teachers reported experiencing physical aggression in schools;
• A staggering 96% of special school teachers and 61% of those in mainstream schools with special classes were affected;
• Incidents commonly included scratching, punching, biting, and the throwing of objects;
• Only 6% of teachers affected availed of assault leave, while 41% of those injured required medical treatment beyond first aid.

Speaking on the resolution, Cork based CEC Rep, Edel Polly said:

“We're seeing levels of physical and verbal abuse in primary schools that are not and would not be tolerated in other workplaces. Teachers are being kicked, bitten, spat at, sworn at, threatened and in many instances expected to walk back into the classroom next day as if nothing happened.

“This is not about difficult behaviour this is about a broken system. This is about a lack of engagement, understanding and care by the DEY, HSE, and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality.”

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Reacting to the resolution, INTO Deputy General Secretary Deidre O’Connor said:

“No teacher should ever be expected to endure physical aggression as part of their job. Yet the current system continues to fail educators - emotionally, financially, and professionally.

“Far too many are left to cope with the aftermath of traumatic incidents alone. This resolution delivers a clear and unambiguous message: it is time for administrations, North and South, to uphold their duty of care to teachers.”