Preventing and responding to gender based violence: a whole school framework
This framework provides support to those working with and in schools to develop and strengthen universal and targeted approaches to gender-based violence.
Appendix A: Professional learning and resources
Introduction
There are a wide range of resources and learning available to support staff relating to GBV, and many organisations working to address GBV. This section signposts to some resources and learning on GBV, but the list is not exhaustive.
There will also be local initiatives and learning that school leadership and staff may wish to access. When considering the suitability of available resources and learning, staff may want to be guided by the below set of principles.
Principles for sound learning on GBV
Learning should:
- Place the voices of the person who has experienced GBV at the centre
- Be informed by an understanding of GBV as a cause and consequence of women’s inequality in society, with GBV disproportionately affecting women and girls
- Be inclusive of whole-school communities and consider the experiences of children and young people, parents and carers, school staff and others
- Be evidence-led and informed by relevant research, where appropriate
- Understand that eliminating GBV is everyone’s responsibility
- Be underpinned by national strategies and frameworks, in particular Equally Safe
- Apply an intersectional lens and consider the inter-relatedness of protected characteristics, for example sexual orientation, gender reassignment, race, disability, and sex
- Address the underlying culture and attitudes which cause GBV.
School-Wide Programmes
Equally Safe at School (ESAS) programme: A free suite of tools, guidance and training for secondary schools to embed a whole school approach across policy, practice, curriculum, school ethos and culture.
Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) programme: a peer education leadership programme for young people in secondary schools that gives the opportunity to explore and challenge the attitudes, beliefs and cultural norms that underpin GBV.
Gender 10 Equality Toolkit for Primary Schools: guidance and practical examples designed to embed gender equality into school policy, ethos and the curriculum in order to empower children to challenge inequality and promote respect.
Evaluation
How Good is Our School published by Education Scotland provides the framework for effective self-evaluation for schools in Scotland. The framework also provides the quality indicators which are considered as part of HMIe inspection.
Education Scotland’s Improving Gender Balance and Self-Evaluation Framework designed to support reflection, discussion and planning for a sustainable approach to improving gender balance and equalities for all learners.
Equally Safe at School includes surveys which secondary schools can use to monitor prevalence of GBV incidents.
Resources
Relationships and Behaviour Policy
Who it is for: School staff
Type of resource: PDF document (65 pages)
Description: This guidance sets out national policy on the prevention of and the management of exclusion from school in the context of national government and education authority responsibilities and desired outcomes for children and young people. The overarching aim of the guidance is to support schools, communities and their partners to keep all children and young people fully included, engaged and involved in their education; and, to improve outcomes for all Scotland’s children and young people with a particular focus on those who are at risk of exclusion.
Who it is for: School staff
Type of resource: PDF document (20 pages)
Description: An overview of information, resources, and professional learning currently available on relationships and behaviour.
Information sharing
Resource: Information sharing: advice for practitioners (publishing.service.gov.uk)
Who it is for: School Staff
Type of resource: PDF document (16 pages)
Description: Advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children, young people, parents and carers.
The nature of GBV
Resource: About Gender based Violence (Equally Safe at School)
Who it is for: School staff
Type of resource: Web pages
Description: Information on a range of topics including what is GBV, who is affected, the evidence on GBV and young people, sexual harassment and engaging boys and men.
Resource: Violence Against Women (eis.org.uk)
Who it is for: School staff
Type of resource: PDF document; 21 pages
Description: Advice designed to support the understanding the issue of violence against women.
Resource: Interviews with GBV experts (EIS)
Who it is for: School staff
Type of resource: Short videos
Description: Interviews with experts from Women’s Aid, Rape Crisis, Shakti’s Women’s Aid and the Scottish Trans Alliance project exploring GBV and the role of teachers.
Resource: Chayn – Supporting survivors of abuse across borders
Who it is for: Staff
Type of resource: Digital resource
Description: A trauma-informed resource developed by people who have experienced GBV for supporting recovery including different cultures and experiences and multi-lingual resources in formats such as words, audio and video.
Resource: Solidarity Circle: a feminist facilitator’s guide
Who it is for: Staff
Type of resource: PDF document
Description: To help facilitate conversations in a way which feels safe for everyone involved, the United Nations Girls Education Initiative (UNGEI) has produced guidance on discussing GBV within a school context.
Intersectionality
Resource: Voices Unheard (LGBT Youth Scotland and LGBT Domestic Violence Project)
Who it is for: Staff, children and young people
Type of resource: Educational resources; website
Description: An range of resources with a focus on LGBT young people’s experiences of domestic abuse and other forms of GBV including research, guidance on healthy relationships for young people and support for staff.
Resource: Unlocking sexual abuse and learning disabilities (Rape Crisis Scotland)
Who it is for: Staff
Type of resource: Guidebook; 52 pages
Description: A guidebook for family carers and support staff on supporting adults with learning disabilities who have been sexually abused; gives clear indicators of why those with learning disabilities are at higher risk of being abused.
Who it is for: Staff
Type of resource: PDF document; 40 pages
Description: Insights gained through a project looking at barriers for disabled women.
Who it is for: Staff
Type of resource: Research paper; 72 pages
Description: Research gives a more in-depth understanding of minoritised women’s experiences of sexual violence.
Who it is for: Staff
Type of resource: PDF document; 26 pages
Description: Examples of good practice around Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood Education (RSHP) for children and young people with learning disabilities, linked to relevant evidence in the literature and some primary research carried out by The Scottish Commission for Learning Disability (SCLD).
Resource: RSHP for learners with additional support needs.
Who it is for: Staff
Type of resource: Web pages
Description: A partnership of health boards and local authorities resources to help practitioners deliver learning activities on safe and healthy relationships that can be tailored to the needs of the individual.
Resource: LGBT Inclusive Education | National Platform (lgbteducation.scot)
Who it is for: school staff
Type of resource: Web pages
Description: One-stop platform for teachers to access quality approved materials, resources, and professional learning linked to Scotland’s Curriculum to support the implementation of LGBT Inclusive Education.
Resource: Addressing Inclusion: effectively challenging homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia
Who it is for: School staff
Type of resource: PDF document (20 pages)
Description: This resource provides information and guidance to school staff on addressing homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying in Scottish schools and has been written to complement Respect for All: The National Approach to AntiBullying for Scotland’s Children and Young People.
Rape and Sexual Violence
Resource: Resources section (Rape Crisis Scotland)
Who it is for: Staff, parents/carers, children and young people
Type of resource: Web pages
Description: Resources for people who have experienced GBV, young people, friends and family as well as a section on statistics and key information.
Resource: Rape Crisis Prevention Programme
Who is it for: Young people
Type of resource: Preventative programme
Description: A programme delivered in schools by local rape crisis centres, that educates young people on consent and healthy sexual relationships.
Domestic Abuse
Resource: Domestic abuse- and trauma-informed practice: companion document (improvementservice.org.uk)
Who it is for: Staff
Type of resource: 27 page PDF
Description: Document designed to support all professionals working with women, children and young people affected by domestic abuse and/ or perpetrators and aims to strengthen awareness and understanding about trauma-informed and domestic abuse- informed practice.
Resource: Safeguarding: Domestic Abuse Information for Educators (Education Scotland)
Who it is for: Staff
Type of resource: Web pages
Description: Information on the nature of domestic abuse, the indicators and impact on children and young people, and how to respond to potential cases of domestic abuse. A guide, a summary page and a professional learning presentation are available.
Resource: The Rise Report
Who it is for: Staff
Type of resource: PDF report
Description: The findings of a national research project that investigates young women’s experiences and understanding of unhealthy relationships, domestic abuse and access to support.
Child Sexual Abuse
Resource: Safeguarding: Child Sexual Abuse-a summary of resources (Education Scotland)
Who it is for: Staff, parents/carers, children and young people
Type of resource: Web pages
Description: Information on what is meant by the term child sexual abuse (CSA); guidance and support for senior leaders and practitioner; and links to a range of resources.
Child Sexual Exploitation
Resource: Safeguarding: Child Sexual Exploitation (Education Scotland)
Who it is for: Staff, parents/carers, children and young people
Type of resource: Web page
Description: Information on what is meant by the term child sexual exploitation, guidance and support for senior leaders and practitioners, and links to a range of resources.
Female Genital Mutilation
Resource: Safeguarding: Female Genital Mutilation (Education Scotland)
Who it is for: Staff, children and young people
Type of resource: Web page
Description: Information on what is meant by the term female genital mutilation, guidance and support for senior leaders and practitioners, and links to resources.
Sexual Behaviours
Who it is for: Staff and parents/carers
Type of resource: web page
Description: Information to help staff in education and training settings, from early years to senior level and including Additional Support Needs / Extended Additional Support Needs provision, to identify, understand and respond appropriately to sexual behaviours in young people.
Misogyny and sexual harassment
Resource: Get it right for girls (EIS)
Who it is for: Staff
Type of resource: Guidance and PowerPoint; 11 pages
Description: Guidance for teachers on challenging misogynistic attitudes among children and young people.
Resource: Oor Fierce Girls (Youth Led Project by NSPCC Scotland, YWCA Scotland and Dundee City Council)
Who it is for: Staff, parents/carers, children and young people
Type of resource: Website
Description: Conversation starter toolkits created by young people to encourage discussion on peer sexual abuse and healthy relationships.
Relationships, sexual health and parenthood
Resource: A summary of Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood (RSHP) resources(Education Scotland)
Who it is for: Staff, children and young people
Type of resource: Web page
Description: Links to key information, resources and policies in relation to the Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood (RSHP) organiser of Curriculum for Excellence, including resources for practitioners working with children and young people with autism.
Improving gender balance and equalities
Resource: Improving gender balance and equalities 3-18 (Education Scotland)
Who it is for: Staff, children and young people
Type of resource: Web page
Description: A range of resources and research for practitioners to help challenge gender stereotypes; address unconscious bias; improve gender balance in subject uptake and learner pathways and promote whole-establishment approaches to equality.
Advice for children and young people affected by domestic abuse
Resource: If Home Is Not Safe – Support For Children (Yello Women’s Aid Young Expert Group)
Who it is for: Children and young people
Type of resource: Animation (1 minute)
Description: A short film for children experiencing domestic abuse.
Resource: If Home Is Not Safe – Support For Young People (Yello Women’s Aid Young Expert Group)
Who it is for: Children and young people
Type of resource: Animation (58 seconds)
Description: A short film for young people experiencing domestic abuse in their relationships.
Resource: The Little Things (Border Women’s Aid)
Who it is for: Children and young people
Type of resource: Short film (6 minutes 52 seconds)
Description: A short film depicting what domestic abuse can be like for young women.
Masculinities
Resource: White Ribbon Scotland
Who it is for: Staff, children and young people
Type of resource: Website
Description: Information and training for men, organisations, colleges and schools to stand up to violence against women.
Resource: Beyond Equality
Who it is for: Staff, children and young people
Type of resource: Website
Description: Information on men and boys on working towards gender equality, inclusive communities, and healthier relationships.
Trauma-informed approaches
Who it is for: Staff
Type of resource: website
Description: A summary of supports and resources available to school staff covering professional learning, whole school nurture and trauma informed approaches, interesting practice exemplars, and learning and teaching resources.
Resource: Care experience and trauma-informed practice: companion document (improvementservice.org.uk)
Who it is for: Staff
Type of resource: 36 page PDF
Description: Guidance for everyone who supports children and young people with experience of trauma, with particular advice and guidance for those supporting children and young people with care experience – who may both need and benefit from trauma- informed practice.
Resource: National Trauma Training Programme
Who it is for: Staff
Type of resource: Website
Description: A range of training and other resources to support everyone in Scotland’s workforce to have the knowledge and skills needed to be trauma informed and responsive
Who it is for: Staff
Type of resource: Online resource
Description: This curricular resource is designed to specifically build teacher confidence and support the emotional and mental wellbeing of children in upper primary.
Resources for staff who experience GBV
Close the Gap has developed an Employer Accreditation to support employers to improve their employment practice to advance gender equality at work, and prevent violence against women (Equally Safe at Work), which includes a range of useful resources including Guidance for Line Managers on violence against women and work.
The EIS has produced advice for members on gender equality, bullying and harassment, and dealing with violent and disruptive behaviours.
The NASUWT has a toolkit on violence against women and girls.
Further support resources are available from Rape Crisis Scotland and Scottish Women’s Aid
Scottish Government’s Safer Scotland website includes information on support services available for anyone who has been subject to abuse of any kind.
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