We recently participated in a consultation process with the Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science on School Bullying and the Impact on Mental Health. The report from the consultation process has been published and it includes the submission made by DSI. The report makes the following recommendations:
- A Department of Education to conduct an audit of the Action Plan on Bullying (2013).
- The establishment of a National System for the compilation of data on incidences of Bullying and Cyberbullying in all Primary and Secondary Schools.
- Whole School Evaluation (WSE) should include an assessment of school performance regarding anti-bullying initiatives and programmes.
- The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) should be reconstituted and expanded urgently as the National Educational Psychological and Counselling Service (NEPCS).
- The Office of an Online Safety Commissioner should be established.
- The Department of Education should provide a mandatory online Cyber Bullying and Internet Safety Training Programme for all teaching staff.
- Separate Mandatory Modules including School Bullying, Disability, Racism and Inclusivity should be provided in all Initial Teacher Education (ITE) courses, and to all primary and secondary school teachers as part of their Continuous Professional Development (CPD).
- The Department of Education should restore middle management positions.
- A national roll-out of the FUSE Anti-Bullying and Online Safety Programme to all primary and secondary schools, by DCU Anti Bullying Centre.
- The Barnardos Friendship Group and Roots of Empathy Programmes to be piloted in Primary Schools.
We fully support the recommendations contained in the report and look forward to them being implemented in all schools.
You can read the full report (including the submission from DSI) which is available on the Oireachtas website.
