Schools - violent, aggressive and dangerous behaviour: risk assessment guidance

Section 1: Introduction

What is violence and aggression?

The Health and Safety Executive was established under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and decide/implement, hea lth and safety policy. The Health and Safety Executive defines violence as:^[3]

“Any incident in which a person is abused, threatened, or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work.”

This can include^[4] physical attacks, verbal abuse, including face to face, online and via telephone.

Why is this guidance required?

The Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research (BISSR) 2023 highlighted concerns around an increase in significant disruptive behaviour in educational settings including aggression and violence:

• 59% of respondents to the survey had encountered physical aggression and 43% physical violence between children in the classroom in the last week
• 25% of head teachers, 8% of teachers, and 19% support staff said they had experienced violence towards them or others in last week
• since the 2016 survey a higher proportion of headteachers reported having experienced at least one instance of physical violence and aggression and verbal abuse towards them personally in the last 12 months compared with other staff
• since the 2016 survey a higher proportion of support staff report having experienced the greatest number (21 or more) instances of physical aggression and violence towards them in the last 12 months compared with other staff
• outbursts of aggression and violence led to a reported increase in levels of anxiety in both teaching and support staff

The Scottish Government highlight that: “Risk and health and safety assessments should be carried out to determine any potential concerns arising from the child or young person’s behaviour and should identify any steps deemed necessary to support the child or young person in preventing harm to themselves or others. The risk and health and safety assessments should be informed by the information gathered using the National Practice Model (in the context of Getting it Right for Every Child) and should be shared with the child or young person, their parents, and all staff who are involved with the child or young person.”^[5]

All local authorities are required to have arrangements in place for their educational settings to support health and safety risk assessments, and environmental audits.^[6] This guidance supports the development of these approaches and specifically covers risks involving potentially harmful behaviours such as aggression or violence. It is separate from, though may inform, any School Safety Plan.^[7]

It should be noted that assessing risk is just one part of the overall process used to manage risks in educational settings.

This guidance should guide and inform local authorities and educational settings on:

• established processes for both preventing and responding to violent, aggressive, and dangerous behaviour^[8]
• professional learning to support understanding of the factors underlying certain behaviours including aggression or violence (all behaviour is communication)
• teaching and learning resources to support children to develop social and emotional competencies and skills including self-regulation

Importance of understanding risk

• Risk is an inherent part of growing up, with children learning through exposure to risk. In terms of child development, we cannot, and should not, seek to eradicate or remove risk completely.
• Risk is a dynamic concept that may be multi-dimensional, fluid and critically shaped and characterised by events, context and where it occurs.
• When aspects of a child’s behaviour pose a risk of harm to self or others, however, school staff are to intervene and protect the child from causing such harm and to reduce the risk or impact of further harm to others.
• To prevent or reduce the likelihood of any further incidences, and to reduce the severity should any incident occur, risk assessment processes including health and safety risk assessment are likely to be conducted.
• Evidence-based risk assessments support the understanding of violent, aggressive, and dangerous behaviour and planning control measures that could reduce the likelihood of it re-occurring, and severity if it does.
• Risk assessments are appropriate when a child’s behaviour poses a risk to others or a risk to themselves.^[9]
• Risk assessments and interventions around an individual child should sit within the context of a Child’s Plan.^[10]
• Any plan for risk reduction should link to the plan around how the child’s social, developmental, and psychological needs can most appropriately be met in a way that is safe for all in line with the principles of GIRFEC and child protection.
• Professional relationships play a key role in promoting understanding and upholding rights, and in developing resilience by ensuring children can actively participate and understand what is happening with and around them. This includes discussing risk with them and them being active participants in planning to manage and reduce that risk.