Every report is one too many, says School & Safety Foundation. The figures show that it is necessary to continue working towards an open school culture in which misconduct has no place. That is why we are joining forces with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and the education councils to jointly support schools with a broad-based approach.
The importance of an open and positive culture
School & Safety advocates an open and positive school culture. This also applies to sexual integrity. After a long period during which students were unable to attend school, many students have had to get used to the social fabric of the class and the school again. Learning to deal with relationships and sexuality with integrity is part of this. Teachers have an exemplary role in this.
School & Safety provides support:
Helpdesk and emergency response team
First of all, as an education professional, you can contact the telephone helpdesk on school days with any questions about social safety at school. For example, if you are unsure how to deal with a situation. You can also contact the helpdesk if an emergency has occurred. Depending on the severity of the emergency, the helpdesk will consult with the school and deploy an adviser from the emergency response team.
More space and visibility for confidential advisers
School & Safety also believes it is important for confidential advisers within the school to be given more space and visibility, so that complaints about (sexual) inappropriate behaviour are reported to them sooner. That is why School & Safety has developed a guideline specifically for school boards and has completely revised the handbook for confidential advisers.
Support in developing a good pedagogical climate
An open and positive school culture does not arise by itself and requires continuous effort. Teachers deserve to receive support in developing the pedagogical expertise that contributes to this.
That is why School & Safety is part of the Stimulus Programme for Relational and Sexual Education. In this way, School & Safety contributes in various ways to creating a socially safe climate: training for Healthy School advisers, a train-the-trainer programme, and support for future teachers through teacher-training colleges and teacher education programmes.
Cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the Inspectorate of Education and sector councils
To address the problem of sexual inappropriate behaviour by education personnel towards students in a comprehensive way, School & Safety is working with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the Inspectorate of Education, the PO-Raad, VO-raad and MBO Raad on an action plan. This is to take shape at the beginning of 2022.