Questions and answers

Question reference: S5O-02247

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 June 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how it is progressing the Distress Brief Intervention pilot.

Question reference: S5O-02218

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 June 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the Young Women Lead report on sexual harassment in schools.

Question reference: S5O-02190

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 May 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when it will report on the consultation on its Review of the Regulation of Legal Services.

Question reference: S5W-16500

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what structures and processes it will put in place to ensure that the longer-term recommendations of the Short Life Working Group on Recording and Monitoring Bullying in Schools are progressed.

We recognise that it is important that the universal approach to recording and monitoring incidents of bullying in schools is implemented with as much support available to schools as possible. Members of the Short Life Working Group have agreed to continue to meet to oversee implementation and to ensure that it is making a difference to children and young people and is meeting the needs of all school staff.

We are proposing to establish an Operational Support group who will be available to assist schools and local authorities as the new approach is implemented.

Question reference: S5W-16497

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how (a) it and (b) education authorities ensure that the collection and analysis of data relating to prejudice-based bullying is robust for each school.

We acknowledge that the existing system for recording and monitoring needs to change. The Short Life Working Group on Recording and Monitoring of Bullying Incidents in Schools was convened in December 2017 to recommend improvements to SEEMiS which will inform the implementation of universal approach to record and monitor incidents in schools.

SEEMiS is the national school management system which allows schools to record incidents of bullying through it’s Bullying and Equalities application.

As part of the introduction of a universal approach the Short Life Working Group are developing an evaluation process to ensure that schools are recording appropriately.

Question reference: S5W-16493

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what consultation was carried out during the development phase of Respect for All: The National Approach to Anti-bullying for Scotland’s Children and Young People.

The development of ‘Respect for All’ was informed by a number of engagement sessions with children and young people; parents and carers; and, practitioners. Questionnaires were also issued to children and young people, and parents and carers.

In addition, in November 2016, I agreed to pause the publication of ‘Respect of All’ to enable further engagement with the Equality and Human Rights Committee, as part of their investigation into Bullying in Schools.

Question reference: S5W-16499

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it issues guidance to education authorities regarding using data gathered from local recording and monitoring of prejudice-based bullying to inform policy development and practice.

It is crucial that anti-bullying approaches focus on prevention and early intervention and that at the centre of this is the recognition of children’s rights.

Education Scotland, with local authorities, has a role to play to support the implementation of positive relationship and behaviour approaches and embed children’s rights.

We have issued guidance for local authorities within ‘Respect for All’, which set out the importance of recording and monitoring bullying incidents to ensure that an appropriate response had taken place. Recording of incidents also allowed for the identification of trends or themes emerging and where improvements could be made to support the wellbeing of pupils.

The Short Life Working Group on Recording and Monitoring of Bullying in Schools will also provide further guidance to local authorities and schools later this year in support of the universal approach to recording and monitoring that is being introduced.

respect me is also available to assist education authorities develop appropriate responses to help children and young people within their schools. “respect me ” has at its heart, a rights based approach. This is reinforced through its training programmes with practitioners, emphasising the message that bullying is a breach of children’s rights.

Question reference: S5W-16494

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how its description of prejudice-based bullying in its strategy Respect for All: The National Approach to Anti-bullying for Scotland’s Children and Young People compares with the protected characteristics as defined in the Equality Act 2010.

The National Approach to Anti-Bullying for Scotland’s Children and Young People, “Respect for All”, is underpinned by the values of fairness, respect, equality and inclusion to ensure that children and young people feel safe and secure and are able to build strong and positive relationships. The guidance is clear that all types of prejudice-based bullying should be treated with equal importance

‘Respect for All’ is underpinned by the Equality Act 2010 and provides a description of each of the protected characteristics as defined in the Equality Act 2010 –Age, Disability, Gender Reassignment, Marriage and Civil partnership, Race, Religion or belief, Sex and Sexual Orientation. Respect for All does not include Pregnancy and maternity within the list of prejudice-based bullying.

‘Respect for All’ also includes additional characteristics which may lead to bullying that are not included in the Equality Act 2010: Additional Support Needs, Asylum seekers and refugees, Body image and physical appearance, Gypsy / Travellers, Intersectionality, Looked after children and young people, Sectarianism, Socio-economic prejudice, Young carers.

Question reference: S5W-16490

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what responsibility education authorities have in training (a) teachers and (b) education administrators regarding (i) prejudiced-based bullying, (ii) sexualised racial assault and (iii) potential hate crimes.

As part of local authorities' role to support the implementation of positive relationship and behaviour approaches there is a need to ensure that all staff have access to high-quality Career–Long Professional Learning to help improve outcomes for children and young people. All teachers must demonstrate the behaviours set out in the Standard for Registration. This requires teachers to consistently implement a school’s positive behaviour policy including:

- implementing strategies for understanding and preventing bullying;

- managing pupil behaviour in and around the school, in a fair, sensitive and informed manner; and

- recognising and taking action when a learner’s behaviour may signify distress and the need for further support.

It also requires that teachers:

- have an understanding of the legal and professional aspects of a teacher’s position of trust in relation to learners and how these affect his/her daily responsibilities;

- have a secure working knowledge and detailed understanding of their contractual, pastoral and legal responsibilities as teachers.

The Professional Standards are managed by the General Teaching Council for Scotland and are currently being reviewed. This review provides an opportunity to consider whether commitments in this area require to be strengthened and the Scottish Government will ensure that GTCS considers this recommendation in taking forward this work.

To support local authorities and schools, the Scottish Government has fully funded respect me , Scotland’s anti-bullying service to provide direct support to build confidence and capacity to address all types of bullying, including prejudice-based bullying effectively. respect me provide specific anti-bullying training for anyone who works with children and young people.

All those working with children and young people should have a clear understanding of what bullying is and the importance of children’s rights and child protection. All people working with children and young people should be very clear on what action to take if they feel that a crime may have been committed. In each and every case a crime is suspected, Police Scotland should be contacted.

Question reference: S5W-16489

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that victims of sexualised racial assault in schools are assisted in reporting this as a crime.

The safety of children and young people in schools is of paramount importance, everyone who works in a school has a duty of care to ensure the welfare of all pupils.

Child protection is vitally important and the Scottish Government agrees that everyone working in schools should clearly understand their child protection responsibilities.

All those working with children and young people should have a clear understanding of what bullying is and the importance of children’s rights and child protection. All people working with children and young people should be very clear on what action to take if they feel that a crime may have been committed. In each and every case a crime is suspected, Police Scotland should be contacted.

We are working with schools, local authorities and Police Scotland to ensure that children and young people have the ability to report a crime. The work of Police Scotland’s Campus Officers has been invaluable in this regard.

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