LGBT Inclusive Education Implementation Group minutes: February 2021

Attendees and apologies

Attendees:

• TIE
• LGBT Youth Scotland
• Equalities, Inclusion, Health and Wellbeing
• Education Scotland
• Respectme
• Scottish Youth Parliament 
• Equality and Human Rights Commission
• Scottish Government
• National Parent Forum Scotland
• Education Scotland
• Stonewall
• Equality Network
• Scottish Trans Alliance

Apologies:

COSLA

• EIS
   

Items and actions

Welcome, introductions, and apologies

Note of last meeting (30 September 2020)

No comments on notes of previous meeting- will be published on SG website on LGBT pages. Link for group content will be circulated to IG.

Action plan and risk register

Wanted to create more focused stocktake on progress through action plan. Paper has been created detailing remaining actions. Detailed progress so far and actions left to cover. Main outstanding actions RSHP review, toolkit for teaching resources and toolkit of learning resources

Focus on impact on teachers and CYP. Ongoing work on CLPL package. 

Onward progress of group especially considering entering pre-election period from 25/03/2021. Intention to continue with work and continue with IG meetings throughout pre-election period, providing briefings where appropriate. Ongoing work from May will depend on future administration. 

Question regarding pre-election bar on announcements- to be aware of. Evaluation to be priority following election outcome.

Timeline of delivery of actions impacted by COVID-19- some will need to move later into 2021 including evaluation. Want to evidence impact on CYP, LA and school staff. Action for group to establish what focus and criteria of evaluation should be. 

Update of RSHP guidance- review of current guidance resulted in extensive engagement. Progress being made looking towards a public consultation later in the year. Ongoing work.

a.    Young people engagement: update

Difficult to engage currently given COVID-19 and resultant home-schooling.

FM announcement around beginning of return to school. Papers in place for meetings. Contact directors of Education by end of month, start to get dates agreed upon .

Emily and C-Jay from SYP agreed to help with engagement, especially around framing/wording of questions to be accessible to CYP. Will discuss outwith meeting.

Need to frame engagement to make sure it is meaningful- series of actions already in motion/complete. Need to clearly establish parameters of how feedback will be used, areas that can and cannot be impacted. Communicate this clearly to CYP involved in engagement process.

Will reconvene subgroup with SYP and LGBTYS on pupil engagement.

b.    Initial Teacher Education institutions engagement: update

Some disparity in approach between different ITE institutions.

Previous chair of SCDE has stepped down.

Have contacted new chair requesting update- awaiting response. Will feed back into next meeting.

c.    Curricular benchmarks: update

Paper put to curriculum and assessment board reviewing benchmarks for LGBT inclusive education.

Looking at where benchmarks mention LGBT and where this could be strengthened.

Board agreed to findings of paper- request short working group to look at benchmarks across curriculum and where they could be strengthened.

Consult with curriculum SEOs to review benchmarks to identify gaps and where greater clarity is needed in where LGBT can be incorporated into existing benchmarks and where new ones might be needed. Closely linked to Es and Os.

Have spoken with TIE, their work has accelerated progress in that area- will continue to work together to look at progressing learner journeys and where can map LGBT inclusion onto benchmarks and Es and Os.

Discussion around implementation- teachers have training and resources.

Engaging in conversation with practitioners- working on this with TIE. Discussion around presenting webinars for teachers on how to introduce this material into their teaching practice.

LGBTYS developed curriculum guide previously mapping Es and Os- happy to feed into this work.

d.    Teaching resources: update

EIS unable to attend to provide update on resources.

ES audit on resources uploaded to National Improvement Hub. Review of how easy this is to access? Looking at creating link between ES website and LGBT page.

TIE:

• submitted proposal for CLPL- stage 1 e-learning module to make available to all regions throughout Scotland, face-to-face where possible, introducing practitioners. Entire content should be developed by end of March- will show to group
• stage 2- curriculum development. Spoken to partners on content. Could be incorporated into Youth engagement., Have engaged with pupils and teachers so have qualitative and Quantitative data on resource
• mapping of themes- looking at what resources would be helpful in rights-based approach. Should be ready by end of March (first block) and will continue to develop
• once all resources in place will discuss launch date with group 
• development of new website to host all these resources currently under construction- should be ready end of March for launch. All hosted 1 location to make teacher access to resources as straightforward as possible
• include logos of organisations on IG on website and resources- reinforce that this has been a partnership approach
• dedicated session sometime in March for TIE to present the website and Stage 1 training. Allow for feedback, changes
• professional learning and leadership team at ES keen to work with TIE on this e.g., endorsement mapped to professional model of learning, online professional learning resource- establish links between this and new website, self-directed learning that could tie into e-learning resource, signposting/comms. Progression for teachers- look at ways to feed into existing CLPL- teacher leadership programme, practitioner enquiries. Targeting school leaders and aspiring school leaders- LGBT inclusive education models for new headteachers- establishing whole school ethos. 
• lgbteducation.scot website- decision made based on feedback from teachers. Use various platforms currently so having one easily directed website most useful. Will include resources from ES audit. Publicly accessible- can be accessed by parents
• include examples of good practice, pupil testimonies
• basic awareness course provides good foundation but need progression pathway from that- utilise existing training, embed into existing professional learning journey
• implementation- identify which action points will enable to get off ground- launch concrete resources. Possible shift to phased rollout to allow for more flexible timeframe for longer term action points
• have general data around bullying- look at how can desegregate into LGBT motivated bullying
• will circulate validated self-assessment paper from Respect me after meeting. Will ask for clearance to share draft toolkit with group

e.    Continuous Lifelong Professional Learning: update

Respectme: Self-evaluation assessment on anti-bullying model. 

Work with adults who look after children to understand bullying to allow for early intervention, provide resources.

Possessing one or more protected characteristic can increase risk of bullying.

Want to evaluate what impact intervention of Respect me makes to children and teachers.

Decided to create evaluated self-assessment tool to enable schools and other youth settings to determine what works well, areas for improvement. 

Keen to establish cohesive approach with IG- avoid repeating work, asking CYP same questions over again.

External evaluation of whole service- need policy and practice toolkit. In draft stages- currently being piloted in Dumfries and Galloway. Pilot will be evaluated externally.

Looks at what additional measures to schools take to look ensure equality for those with protected characteristics, use of information from SEEMiS. work towards inclusion. Expect toolkit to be ready for launch by end of year.

For schools who achieve certain standards able to achieve Respectme award

Need help translating local area policies into local practice- pragmatic implementation in schools.

What made it better campaign- feedback from CYP and adults who have experienced bullying. 

Evaluative approaches

See above.

Needs to be developed in consultation with CYP and practitioners.

SG will present paper at next meeting looking at ways forward in consultation with Respectme and SYP.

Communications strategy

Draft circulated prior to meeting- overview provided.

Currently but especially anticipating launch likely to be approached for comment- allow for consistent messaging, provide support to partners.

Clearly communicate this is a partnership approach.

Counter any inaccurate perceptions.

Can this be expanded to include FAQs, glossary of terms, strategy for social media?

Discussion needed for how to counter misinformation.

Draw focus to inclusion, anti-bullying. Can data/factual information be added to demonstrate need?

Anticipate questions likely to be asked, especially more challenging questions, and prepare standard answers. Possible subgroup?

Youth engagement- once have decided strategy on how to progress this then expand on this point with more specifics on how this has been done.

Measurement and evaluation- add section on engaging with young people to measure progress further down the line- have they noticed an impact of the implementation in their day-to-day experiences of school? 

Some organisations within IG have experience of dealing with very negative responses especially on social media. Can feed into subgroup on what they have learned from this- feed experiences into a clear comms strategy including approaches to engagement (practical step by step approach on what to do in particular highly sensitive situations) as well as key messages.

Teaching resources made publicly available to combat misinformation around what LGBT inclusive education consists of, try to combat creation and furthering of false narratives. 

Coming up to pre-election period- might heighten scrutiny/attention around parties’ policies on LGBT inclusive education and progress so far. Have specific lines in relation to the pre-election period. 

Awareness that the conversation around this will impact individual group members as well as young people seeing the public discussion. Seek to mitigate as much as possible. 

Be clear on what information requires to be shared publicly and what should be kept within the network. With consultations consider target groups and ways to maintain the integrity of that- consult those who have a genuine, invested interest before putting out more publicly. Check on which papers from this group are made publicly available. Minutes of meeting and action plan published on Scottish Government website. 

Joined up approach between organisations represented, local authorities, schools, and parent councils. 

Importance of controlling the narrative- keep messaging factual and on what is involved rather than getting tied up in conversations about what it is not. Maintain a positive focus on messaging. Focus on which members of the group delivery of messages is most likely to be well received from.

Draw more explicit focus to diversity of group- wide range of partners including parent groups, education, LGBT, anti-bullying etc.

Reflect where this came from in the first place- needs/views of young people. Has had widespread support. Clarity on process of wide engagement. 

Launch of website- celebratory video/statements from all the organisations involved- keep pushing positive messaging, emphasise breadth of support. 

Line between negative online behaviour and criminal action- hate crime/harassment. 

Collective statement prior to start of pre-election period on progress made by group so far- anticipate FOIs etc. 

Take forward strengthening of comms strategy via email rather than subgroup.

Any other business

TIE and NPFS have worked with various organisations to create document designed for parents/carers to give them an overview of what is LGBT inclusive education. SG, Stonewall, Equality Network, TIE, LGBTYS, COSLA have endorsed and provided logo to be added to document. Request for other organisations on IG to endorse and have logo added to back of the document. Document will be circulated after meeting for review. Will be circulated initially through parent councils prior to wider circulation. 

Impact of COVID-19 on delivery of recommendations- extended timeline? Agreement around continuation of work. Invited to feed in any comments.

Implementation of PSE review extended to March 2022.

Request future agenda item of bullying/harassment/protection and guidance advice for group members engaging in this work stream- work through some mitigation strategies.

LGBT exclusions rates- will carry through to future meeting.

TIE ongoing engagement with catholic education service- have shared basic awareness course, positive reception. Will continue to engage on an ongoing basis. Unable to attend IG meetings due to capacity issues but will still receive papers and be invited to provide input. 

Next meeting

Special meeting in March to set date for TIE to share basic awareness course.