Legal requirements
Exploring the issue of knife crime
0Over the past few months, the issue of knife crime has once more hit the headlines. In this article, Suzanne O’Connell identifies some of the key issues for schools raised in Ofsted’s latest report. Summary Knife crime cannot be tackled by schools on their own. Schools have adopted many different strategies for addressing the issue. A consultation on a public health duty has been launched. Theresa May and Home Secretary, Sajid Javid, recently compared knife crime to an infectious disease. Whether we agree with the comparison or not, knife crime does seem to be on the rise and of increasing…
Breaking the cycle of domestic abuse
0Finally, it seems as though the impact of domestic abuse on children is being recognised. In this article, Elisabeth Carney-Haworth outlines the draft Domestic Abuse Bill and provides some suggestions for how schools might respond. Summary Domestic abuse is a crime that cuts across all groups in society. Children should be recognised as victims in their own right.Operation Encompass provides guidance on teaching about domestic abuse. There is a new Domestic Abuse Bill being put before Parliament entitled ‘Transforming the response to domestic abuse: Consultation response and draft bill’ (January 2019), which has important implications for those in education. The…
21st century law for 21st century children?
0In a second article based on his session at the Forum Attendance Matters conferences, Ben Whitney raises more questions about how we record attendance and respond to absence. He challenges us to consider whether attendance monitoring is currently fit for purpose.