Increase in violence and aggression involving school pupils
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THE number of incidents of violence and aggression involving school pupils in Moray has increased by 48 per cent on last year, a report has shown.
In 2018, reported events rose to 980 compared to 659 in 2017.
A survey has been carried out to give a clearer view of the situation and that data is now being analysed.
The issue was highlighted in the local authority's 2018 health and safety report, which went before the policy and resources committee today.
The report, based on statistics from January 1 to December 31, 2018, stated: "While increased reporting of incidents will be contributing to this, a survey has been undertaken to quantify the scope and scale of the situation and to contribute towards the formation of a baseline of information from which future improvement actions may be identified."
Councillor Frank Brown (Elgin City North) said: "For those of us who were in the children and young person's committee last week, we heard a fairly graphic description of the type and level of aggression and violence that teachers are subjected to and the Educational Institute of Scotland representative who was telling us this would suggest this is happening on almost a daily basis."
Cllr Brown said increased reporting would be a factor, but added: "I do think we need to really get a hold of it because it is an important matter, both for health and safety but also for the attainment issues in our schools."
Frances Garrow, the acting joint head of HR & ICT, said survey analysis was now underway, adding: "There will be actions arising in a number of areas, that may be training, it may be support that is provided within schools. Until we have that close analysis, it would be a little bit premature to say what the specific actions will be.
"At this point in time, we are taking a broad perspective on it so that we are not ruling anything out."
Cllr George Alexander (Forres) described it as a concerning trend.
He said: "The fact that it has gone up by 48 per cent in one year is worrying, but if you look at the graph, it is the trend over the last six years that I find particularly worrying because that can not possibly be due to increased reporting."
Chief executive Roddy Burns said interventions would be determined from the survey results in the interests of both staff and students.
Elsewhere, the number of accidents and dangerous occurrences reported in 2018 was broadly similar to the previous two years.
While an overview stated the council continues to provide a healthy and safe environment for its employees and service users, a number of incidents were listed to show the range of risks.
That included a case of equipment failure involving a cherry picker which almost had "catastrophic consequences".
The report stated: "The platform was in its cradle at the time so no one was injured, but the consequences could have been extremely serious had it been fully in operation. An investigation was carried out, deficiencies with maintenance and inspection arrangements were highlighted and improvements have since been put in place."
In another case, a series of excavation collapses in graveyards highlighted that staff were being put at serious risk while working in lairs to install or remove shoring.
The report stated: "This suggested that shoring arrangements are inappropriate and information from other councils suggested that safer systems of work are indeed available.
"These are currently being pursued by the section in question."
