Extend and improve assault leave for teachers now

Extend and improve assault leave for teachers now - The Labour Party

• New Bill proposes improvement to leave due to assault, accidental injuries from physical and projectile contact

Labour’s Further and Higher Education and Disability Spokesperson Senator Laura Harmon will publish a Bill next week to urgently reform the current assault leave scheme for teachers and education staff, following alarming reports that too many people are left to cope alone after attacks in the classroom.

Senator Harmon said:
“I have been in contact with Sophie Cole since last November, a courageous teacher from Cork who has spoken out about the serious gaps in the current assault leave scheme after she was attacked in her classroom in 2022. Sophie’s injuries have left her living with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, a debilitating condition that has turned her life upside down.

“Sophie’s experience is, sadly, far from unique. A staggering 60% of teachers reported experiencing physical aggression in the classroom, according to a recent INTO survey. These incidents include scratching, punching and biting. Many teachers told the INTO they felt a moral obligation to stay in work despite injury or fear, and that stigma, fear of professional consequences, and a lack of awareness prevented them from reporting incidents.

“It is clear that the current assault leave scheme is simply not fit for purpose. Teachers shouldn’t have to accept physical aggression and physiological unsafety as part of their daily work. Our Bill, in consultation with Fórsa Trade Union and the recommendations of the INTO will seek to improve assault leave by providing for time extensions, better access to cancelling and resuming leave, and ensuring renumeration for medical expenses associated with an assault.

“We know that children are not to blame for many of these incidents, but the State has a duty to ensure that teachers are adequately supported to manage complex situations in a safe, professional and compassionate way.

“Too often teachers are left feeling abandoned when they are injured at work. If the support schemes are not working properly, we will lose good, experienced teachers and worsen the recruitment and retention crisis facing our schools.

“Teachers must be backed up by a system that is flexible, responsive, and humane. Labour is calling on all parties to support this vital Bill when it is published next week, to ensure no teacher is left behind after suffering an assault at work. We need to stand up for teachers’ right to a safe workplace and to recover properly when things go wrong.”