In the case of myself being a senior teaching assistant, and at lunch time a colleague comes to me and states that she has seen a teacher bullying children at dinner time, yet the staff member asks me to keep it a secret as she was worried of losing her job there are a number of avenues I would advise her to take.
In the first instance I would advise her that she should follow the whistle blowing policy. I would ask her to make a detailed written report of the incident, including times, dates, names of the children involved an accurate description of the events that took place. I would then advise her to pass this information onto the head as soon as possible. I would refer her to the whistle blowing policy, that states that;
“Under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, employees who speak out against corruption and malpractice at work will have statutory protection against victimisation and dismissal, providing that the disclosure is made in good faith. It will be automatically unfair to dismiss any employee because they have made a protected disclosure and it will be unlawful to subject them to any other detriment, such as demotion. Employment Tribunals can award redeployment or compensation to successful claimants.”
This should go a long way to combat her concerns, and ensure she does the right thing and report the offence, and allow the matter to be dealt with appropriately.
The whistle blowing policy comprehensively covers all aspects of the procedure, including the complete process and how the members of staff will be dealt with. It states that the member of staff whose behaviour is being questioned will be kept informed of progress, from the inquiry stage right through to the end. They will also be able to have another member of staff present with them, or union representative whilst being interviewed etc. They are also protected from malicious complaints, and where the allegation is proven to be intentionally false, the whistle blower will be subject to disciplinary action. This offers protection from personal issues with other members of staff, and helps provide staff protection against such behaviour and actions.
The person who has identified poor practice will be protected from victimisation, and they can remain anonymous wherever possible, if they wish.
There are a number of ways in which you can ensure confidentiality is kept. The allegation should not be discussed with anyone, the whistleblower should approach the head teacher, then it should not be discussed until the investigation is underway with the external member, and then only with the specific formal investigator. This will ensure confidentiality is not breached.
There are a number of ways that a member of staff can ensure they protect themselves within everyday practice both on and offsite. The main ways to combat this is to follow school policy and try to ensure that you are never alone with a child or children; this is usually ensured by there being other members of staff in the yard, in classrooms etc. If for any reason you are alone momentarily with a child ensure the door is always open and there are other members of staff close by. Equally during off site visits there should not be an occasion when you are alone with a c child, but the same protocol should be followed.
It is key that you always behave in an appropriate professional manner at all times, you are a key role model and it is important the children also understands what is expected of them, we will set an example through our own behaviour and interactions.
Equally you should always attempt to have minimal physical contact with children, particularly if there is no one else around, and should not initiate contact. Young children can be very demonstrative and can often hug, and occasionally it may be appropriate to put your arm around a child who needs comfort. Always ensure you follow school policy in the case of a special
