INTO: Reform needed for assault leave

The Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) has called for an immediate and comprehensive reform of the assault leave scheme for teachers, amid “high levels of physical aggression being experienced in schools”.

The resolution was passed at the union’s Annual Congress, which concluded proceedings in Killarney yesterday, Wednesday.

Teachers and special needs assistants have been able to take a leave of absence - called assault leave - if they suffer a physical assault during the course of the school day.

However, the INTO said many teachers who do take assault leave are forced to use their standard sick leave, which it said results in “financial hardship”.

“In addition to physical injury, they are left alone to manage the long-term, complicated emotional fallout from experiencing an assault in their workplace.

“Teachers understand that these behaviours from pupils are indications of unmet need, but they cannot continue to experience these incidents without adequate response or support,” said an INTO spokesperson.

The resolution was passed unanimously by delegates at this week’s congress.

It calls on the Central Executive Committee (CEC) to negotiate with the Department of Education and Youth in the Republic of Ireland and the Department of Education in Northern Ireland.

The negotiations would call for fora on school safety to be convened; the provision of whole school de-escalation training to help staff address behaviours of concern and crisis situations; and for teacher assault leave schemes to be reformed.

They would also call for investment in behaviour hubs and nurture rooms, staffed by primary teachers and relevant support services, to help schools manage “behaviours of concern”.

Cork-based CEC rep Edel Polly said the levels of physical and verbal abuse in primary schools would not be tolerated in other workplaces.

“Teachers are being kicked, bitten, spat at, sworn at, threatened and in many instances expected to walk back into the classroom the next day as if nothing happened.

“This is not about difficult behaviours, this is about a broken system. This is about a lack of engagement, understanding and care by the DEY, HSE, and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality,” she said

The INTO said the resolution was informed by a survey of 440 teachers carried out by the union in May 2024.

It revealed 58% of teachers reported experiencing physical aggression in school. Incidents commonly included scratching, punching, biting, and objects being thrown.

Of those who said they had experienced physical abuse, 96% were special school teachers, and 61% were in mainstream schools with special classes

41% of the teachers that were injured required some form of medical treatment beyond first aid.

Only 6% of the teachers affected availed of assault leave.