When we think about the duty of care to pupils within schools, we are thinking about the legal obligation that schools and teachers have, to ensure the safety of each student.
This means taking reasonable steps to protect them from foreseeable risks, including physical and emotional harm.
The duty to care covers topics such as Inclusion, Diversity, Mental Health, Wellbeing, and Safeguarding.
These factors are interconnected and mutually beneficial to one another.
Legal Duty
There are a number of ways in which schools can breach their duty of care to pupils. For example, if there is poor supervision during break times, or if dangerous equipment is not properly maintained, accidents could happen which the school would be held responsible for.
Similarly, if staff members do not take appropriate action when they are made aware of bullying happening within the school, this could also be seen as a breach of duty of care.
Wellbeing Of Pupils
Teaching staff, volunteer(s) and support staff also have a duty of care and responsibility to ensure they raise concerns about a pupil’s wellbeing.
Inclusion & Diversity
It is essential that all schools foster an environment which respects diversity and inclusion.
This means that no pupil should feel like they are not part of the school community because of their background, culture, race, religion, gender or sexual orientation.
Mental Health
More and more young people and children are struggling with their mental health, and it is vital that schools create an open and supportive environment where pupils feel comfortable discussing any problems they may be experiencing.
If a pupil does disclose that they are struggling with their mental health, then staff have a duty to provide appropriate support and signposting to services which can help.
Safeguarding
Safeguarding describes the measures taken to keep young people safe from harm, both inside and outside of school.
This includes preventing access to harmful materials (such as drugs or alcohol), as well as providing support for pupils who may be at risk of exploitation or abuse.
Staff should also be aware of the signs that a child may be being abused, so that they can take appropriate action.
Wellbeing
Promoting positive wellbeing in schools is essential in order to create a happy and healthy environment for all pupils. There are many different aspects to wellbeing, such as physical health, emotional wellbeing, and social harmony.
By promoting wellbeing within the school, it can help to reduce stress and anxiety levels amongst pupils, as well as helping them to develop skills which will benefit them in later life.
Expertise
Some of the things that schools can do to promote wellbeing include providing support for pupils who are struggling emotionally with their wellbeing.
The mySchoolWellbeing platform automatically solicits pupil feedback on a regular basis, using our tried-and-true questions library, and delivering you an easy-to-understand health assessment directly to your inbox.
Our simple report includes a monthly wellness score as well as further analysis in four areas (Engagement, Culture, Development, and Leadership), allowing you to create a focused wellbeing plan, to move forward with.
Given that they were produced with Ofsted and government bodies in mind, our wellbeing reports are perfect for showcasing how you interact effectively with all children and address any wellbeing concerns in a substantive manner.
Summary
Whether you’re the head teacher of state schools, private schools or boarding schools, pupils require wellbeing support and to be educated on topics such as mental health and wellbeing.
Contact Us
If you would like to explore how the mySchoolWellbeing platform can help your school, contact our wellbeing experts by phone or email today.
Why wait…..
Download your free wellbeing sample report from our website to further understand our platform’s features and benefits, and sign up today to start improving wellbeing at your school!
The mySchoolWellbeing platform is the perfect tool to help your school create a happy and healthy environment for all pupils!
Published: 24th June 2022
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