UNISON Northern Ireland

UNISON UPDATE FOR MEMBERS WORKING IN EDUCATION

UNISON has met DE EA and the PHA as part of an all education union delegation and raised a wide range of concerns for staff and pupils on substantive matters of health and safety.

The key message delivered was that for schools who remain open (by political decision of the Executive (special schools and schools to support the children of essential key workers) it could not and should not be business as usual. Numbers attending have to be manageable on a daily basis to allow all safety protocols to be maintained. The delegation asked that DE would ensure ministerial support to allow local school leadership teams to make the call on what staff can safely sustain.

We are awaiting their response.

There was agreement that:

  • Safety for all from the pick-up at the start of the day is a priority. Immediate action is necessary.
  • The current mitigations identified by DE in guidance do not provide the protections necessary for complex CYP putting both staff and pupils at increased risk. 2m social distancing is expected in school environments but unrealistic in special schools.
  • Post primary aged pupils & those with CEV in special schools are at increased risk from COVID as the additional mitigations eg. face coverings & social distancing introduced by Ed Minister are not implementable.
  • Instructing special schools to remain open must also ensure flexibility to immediately improve safety for all.
     

Going forward:

  •  Updated risk assessments & mitigations must be used by principals to their full effect to ensure a safe school environment for all with support from EA & HSC.
  • Blended learning is an available mitigation to improve social distancing and aim to create schools that can sustain staying safe and provide support.
  • Vaccinations will provide confidence & a level of protection going forward. Currently the delivery of vaccinations decided by JCVI, beyond the current groups identified, are not expected for at least 2 months. However, all parties present agreed the campaign will continue to be made for the inclusion of education workers in direct contact with pupils to be moved up the list for vaccination.
  • DE Covid Response will push for the updated list of symptoms in children agreed by the 4 CMOs in December to be released urgently.
  • A message from the Executive must go to the public as a whole that NO ONE SHOULD BE IN SCHOOL WITH ANY SYMPTOMS OR IF THEY HAVE COME IN CONTACT WITH ANYONE WHO MAY BE SYMPTOMATIC
  • Bubbles protect all and should be maintained.

UNISON and other unions are next meeting directly with the Education Authority to discuss in detail the particular concerns of support staff.

We have stressed that classroom assistants require the presence and support of designated teaching staff as appropriate to the arrangements for children in place.

We fully expect DE guidance to be adhered to when staff are required be present in closed schools and this is only for essential duties which must be clearly set out and agreed in advance. We do not expect this to mean the mobilisation of full teams of support staff.

This post will be updated on developments as they occur.