Parents in plea to tackle primary bullies
- Published: 03 September 2008
By John Walshe
Some children who enjoyed a carefree summer are going back into a situation of "intimidation and hurt" in school, the National Parents Council (Primary) claimed last night.
It made an urgent call to schools and parents to work together to help prevent bullying in primary schools.
They should take preventative measures to reduce the incidence of bullying occurring and to empower children to tell an adult they trust if they find themselves in a bullying situation.
The council said that bullying was the single biggest issue raised on its Helpline and was the subject of more than 300 calls from parents in the last school year.
It is seeking volunteers to help provide a new service early next year for parents whose children have been subjected to bullying.
Responsibility
It said parents should talk to their children in an age-appropriate manner regarding bullying to ensure children have clear messages before a potential bullying situation arose.
School measures should include parents and children, reviewing and renewing the school anti-bullying policy. They should also involve:
- Awareness building in the school regarding positive behaviour and unacceptable behaviour.
- The whole school community taking responsibility for identifying and reporting incidences of bullying.
- A policy and support programme should be in place for a child who has been the victim of bullying behaviour.
- A policy and support programme should be in place for a child who has been exhibiting bullying behaviour.
The council said that bullying can only exist in an environment of fear and disempowerment; it is the responsibility of the adults in children's lives to inform and empower them to seek support when they need it.
However, last night the Irish National Teachers' Organisation rejected the description of fear and intimidation as reflective of the general situation in schools.
John Carr, the union's general secretary, said that a great deal had been done to tackle the problem with anti-bullying policies and the Stay Safe programme. He said that schools needed to be resourced to further improve the situation and class sizes needed to be reduced.
Needy children hit by school club cut
- Published: 03 September 2008
By John Walshe
Services for disadvantaged young people who are at risk of leaving school early have been cut, it was revealed last night.
Staff for breakfast clubs and homework clubs face reduced hours because of a 3pc cut in payroll costs for the School Completion Programme (SCP).
The programme employs 189 full-time staff and 566 part-time staff across 124 projects nationally, and provides supports for around 25,000 vulnerable and disadvantaged young people who are at risk of leaving school early.
A spokesperson for Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe said it was not expected that there would be any significant diminution of services or that the move would lead to job losses. He said it was hoped to achieve rationalisation and greater efficiency in the operation of the SCP projects.
Union
But the IMPACT trade union said cuts were being felt in the following regions:
- Munster -- two projects are cutting back on staff at their breakfast clubs. Cuts to staff hours will also affect out-of-school homework clubs and mentoring programmes.
- Leinster -- one project is going to have to cut breakfast clubs, homework clubs and behavioural supports; while another project will have to make cuts to counselling, attendance tracking and homework clubs.
- Dublin West -- the union has learned of plans to reduce staff hours, after-school services and an overall reduction in breakfast club services. Support teaching hours for children in mathematics are also to be cut.
- Dublin Central -- cuts are likely in psychotherapy and the Family Club which provides support for parents.
- The North East -- homework clubs, in-school supports, counselling services and individual behavioural support programmes face cuts.
Niall Weldon, chairman of IMPACT's SCP branch which represents the workers, explained: "SCP co-ordinators throughout the country face impossible choices about which services to cut in order to achieve the required savings.
"Co-ordinators have told me they'll be forced to cut homework clubs, breakfast clubs, counselling, attendance tracking and behavioural support programmes in order to meet the targets set by the department.
"The information we have received to date indicates that vulnerable children are set to lose out on a range of essential services."
Scam Updates for European City Guide & Avant Garde Software
- Published: 05 August 2008
European City Guide Update:
Your school may have received correspondence for a "European City Guide". While apparently similar to other European initiatives, the Guide has a cost of €857 included in the small print. If you have offered your schools details to this guide you will find that you will be invoiced for this amount. All subsequent attempts to cancel inclusion of your school details in the Guide will not be permitted and you will then receive threatening emails and phone calls from a debt collector causing much distress to principals and treasurers. Following legal consultation, IPPN recommends that should you find yourself in such a scenario, do not engage in further correspondence or telephone conversations as this is an elaborate scam. All demands for payment should be ignored.
Avant Garde Software
Your school may also have received an invoice from Avant Garde Software for two poetry cd roms. The invoice states that if you do not pay it within ten days the matter will be referred to Kilroys Solicitors.
IPPN have been in contact with Kilroys Solicitors and can confirm that Kilroys Solicitors of 69 Lower Leeson Street, Dublin 2 has no knowledge of Avant Garde Software and is not acting on their behalf.
We recommend that you firstly, verify that you ordered and have indeed received the CDs prior to payment of any invoice from Avant Garde Software, and secondly, that any cheque payments are made and posted to the correct service provider.
Is mise le meas
Seán Cottrell
Delivery of sex education shows research shortfall, study finds [IrishTimes]
- Published: 29 November -0001
A NEW STUDY has highlighted the lack of research into the effectiveness of using outside facilitators to deliver sex education in schools.
The Crisis Pregnancy Agency commissioned Dr Jan de Vries of Trinity College Dublin and a research team to review international literature to examine the effectiveness of sex education delivered by people from outside the classroom.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
