To ask the Minister of Education to detail (i) the number of reported assaults against a) staff; and b) students, in schools in each of the last five years; and (ii) what specific measures his Department is taking to support victims within an education setting.

Assaults on school staff and pupils are not reported to my Department but instead are reported to the Education Authority (EA).

The EA has provided the following data, which details reported assaults against staff and students within both Controlled Schools and Catholic Maintained Schools in each of the past 5 years:

The EA has developed a Violence at Work Policy along with associated guidance documents, designed to minimise risk from aggressive or violent behaviour and to ensure the prevention, reduction and management of violence and aggression towards staff in the workplace. They also provide a framework for good practice including the steps to take and the support available to victims in an educational setting that have been subjected to an assault. This Policy has been finalised, and discussions are currently underway with all education sectors and trade unions regarding its rollout and implementation.

Boards of Governors of grant-aided schools have statutory duties under Articles 17 and 18 of the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 to promote and safeguard the welfare of all their pupils, including keeping them safe from harm when required.

While the Department is not involved in individual school arrangements, we work with the Education Authority Child Protection Support Service (CPSS) who engage with schools where a concern has been raised in order to ensure guidance is being followed and to seek wider assurance. Any form of assault may constitute a criminal matter and need to be referred to the PSNI.

All educational settings should put in place a Safety and Support Plan which considers the physical and emotional safety of any child who has allegedly been harmed. The child, parents/carers, school staff, Social Services, the PSNI and external support agencies should be included in the development of the Safety and Support Plan.