The BBC Panorama broadcast ‘Undercover School: Cruelty in the classroom’, which aired on 17th June 2024, covering the physical and psychological abuse at the Life Wirral School, was highly emotive and made for difficult viewing. If you have not seen it, there is a link at the foot of this post. The International Coalition Against Restraint and Seclusion (ICARS) posted … Read more
In an era where technology is intertwined with daily life, headphones and earphones have become daily accessories. 24+ per cent of people choose to wear headphones for a significant portion of their day. They provide an immersive experience for music, podcasts, and phone calls, serving as both entertainment and a buffer against the outside world. However, this convenience comes with … Read more
In the realm of organisational management, particularly in sectors dealing with vulnerable populations such as healthcare facilities, schools, and correctional institutions, the discourse around physical restraint has undergone significant evolution. Restraint reduction programmes have emerged as a seemingly noble initiative aimed at minimising the use of physical force in managing challenging behaviours. However, beneath the surface of good intentions lies … Read more
Whilst UNISON survey exposes ‘shocking’ levels of violence in Borders schools, are things any different in your area? 85 per cent of respondents reported experiencing/witnessing slapping or punching – that figure rose to 88 per cent regarding kicking incidents. More than 55 per cent of respondents said they experienced violence multiple times a week. In recent months, the Scottish Borders … Read more
I am sure that you are aware of the Great British Post Office Scandal. It has been described by the Criminal Cases Review Commission as “the most widespread miscarriage of justice ever seen and represents the biggest single series of wrongful convictions in British legal history”. The Post Office is owned by the Government and it is a unique institution … Read more
As reported in the New York Times on the 11th October 2023, “California has become the first US state to ban the use of “excited delirium” as a cause of death, rejecting a term that prominent medical associations have said is rooted in bias and is often used to justify the deaths of people in police custody”. The New York … Read more
Following on from yesterdays LinkedIn post Stress, let’s look into how and why the network of nerves sends messages to parts of the body. The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems work together, delicately balancing our physiological reactions to external stimuli. These systems, sometimes described as the gas and brake pedals of our body, play a crucial role in maintaining equilibrium … Read more
We use well known phrases like the Health & Safety Executives (HSE) definition of work-related violence… Any incident in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work, whether the behaviours are explicit or implicit in nature or design, is a reportable incident. What does the HSE’s Definition Mean to You? These incidents are not … Read more
Violence against shop workers is a pervasive issue. According to a survey conducted by the British Retail Consortium, there were around 455 incidents of violence or abuse towards retail staff each day in the UK. That means there are over 160,000+ reported incidents per year, that’s before we start thinking about the un-reported incidents. Why are some (lots according to … Read more
The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) is a teacher trade union representing over 80% of all teachers across nursery, primary and secondary education in Scotland. They launched the Stand Up for Quality Education (SU4QE) campaign at their AGM in June 2023. The campaign has 3 key priority areas which call for: Build the skills, resources and school culture to address … Read more