Professional Guidance - Critical Incident Plan
- Published: 08 December 2022
A critical incident is any incident or sequence of events, which overwhelms the normal coping mechanism of the school. The main aim of the Critical Incident Plan is to assist school leaders, their management team and staff to clear about their roles and act quickly and effectively in the event of a critical incident in the school. This enables all involved to maintain a sense of control and ensure the appropriate procedures are in place as well as the most appropriate supports for the staff, pupils, parents and all in the school community before, during and after the incident. This involves being prepared for a critical incident, which can occur at any time, managing the critical incident when it happens and restoring some form of normality after the incident is over. Why not review your policy and check that all contact details of relevant personnel are still in order? Discuss the plan with the NEPS psychologist and ensure that the NEPS emergency number is near at hand in the school. Use the Critical Incident Guidelines (DES) and presentation for a Staff Meeting (www.gov.ie)to brief all staff on what will happen in the event of an incident occurring. Relevant templates for use when such an incident happens are all available at www.gov.ie
SCHOOLS SEEKING SUPPORT SHOULD CONTACT THEIR LOCAL NEPS OFFICE
Local Garda Station
There may be many times in the life of a school that contact will be made with Gardaí. In the event of requiring the emergency services, the school can call 112 or 999 from any phone. Both numbers are free of charge. At other times, the school may need to contact the local Garda station. Check your local station and have the number near at hand in the school in the event of support being needed in an emergency.
Schools & Cost of Living
- Published: 01 December 2022
The Minister for Education has announced an additional capitation payment, approximately 40 per cent increase in current capitation rate payments for this academic year. This once-off payment will be paid to schools before the end of the current school term. It is to provide additional support to schools given general inflation and increasing energy prices. Rates have been centrally negotiated by the DE for electricity and bulk heating fuels. Information on how to avail of these arrangements is available via the Schools Procurement Unit section.
EducationPosts.ie Automatic Approval Reminder
- Published: 01 December 2022
Existing Accounts:
Adverts activate automatically on the system after approximately 30 minutes and are published on the website according to the chosen ‘Requested Activation Date’. Adverts uploaded when the office is closed (e.g. weekends, Christmas holidays) are automatically activated by the system. Pending adverts can be amended during the 30-minute window. Further information can be viewed on FAQs HERE.
New Accounts:
Newly created school accounts that have not used EducationPosts.ie previously require manual approval by the Support Team. Approval occurs during office hours (9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday). Adverts uploaded from new school accounts during the Christmas break will be reviewed when the office reopens in January 2023.
Ongoing Advocacy
- Published: 01 December 2022
IPPN is continuing to ensure that a focus is maintained on issues that are affecting the practice of leadership in our primary schools. Specifically, the focus has been on the sustainability of school leadership and the impact of teacher and substitute shortages on continuity of provision to children.
In both cases, IPPN’s advocacy has been strengthened by the information that members have provided by way of responses to surveys on these issues. That data is now being quoted by journalists and commentators in different fora and is serving to highlight the need for action.
On the issue of teacher and substitute shortages, the data gleaned from IPPN’s member survey prompted RTE to seek further information on the number of supply panel posts that remain unfilled. The following link is to the article that references this data and includes quotes from interviews that were undertaken to contextualize the data.
IPPN will continue to advocate on these issues on behalf of school leaders and their school communities.
Professional Guidance – Wellbeing
- Published: 01 December 2022
At this particular time of year, worries and anxieties often leave people in a vulnerable state. It may be opportune to discuss with staff the supports and services available to them under the Employee Assistance Service provided by Spectrum Life. Posters with contact details are available to download for the staff room on the website.
The Employee Assistance Service (EAS) provides advice to employees on a range of issues including:
- Wellbeing
- Legal
- Financial
- Bereavement
- Conflict
- Mediation
The EAS also provides advice and support to managers and delivers interventions to help them deal with health and wellbeing issues in the workplace.
Where appropriate, short-term counselling is available to employees and their family members. A family member includes a spouse, civil partner or dependent, where the family member can be described as a person over the age of 18 and residing at the family home. In addition, online cognitive behavioural therapy is provided to employees.
A bespoke wellbeing portal and app are available offering a host of online services with access to live chats, videos, podcasts and blogs on topics around mental health, family life, exercise and nutrition. The platform is available via web, iOS app or Android app.
As part of the EAS, a Mental Health Promotion Manager is also available to develop and deliver evidence-based mental health and wellbeing initiatives. Spectrum Life also provides a series of webinars and presentations.
The EAS is accessible through the dedicated Free-phone Confidential Helpline and is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
- Freephone: 1800 411 057
- SMS & WhatsApp: text ‘Hi’ to 087 369 0010
- Follow this link for Information on services available
