Schools Back Employees Against Violence
- DÜSSELDORF, Germany (AP) — The North Rhine-Westphalia ministry of School and Education has introduced new guidelines aimed at supporting school employees who experience psychological or physical distress.
- School Minister Dorothee Feller emphasized the importance of safety in schools.
- The new guideline supplements existing support services available on the ministry's website.
North Rhine-Westphalia Schools Get New Guidelines to Support Staff
Table of Contents
- North Rhine-Westphalia Schools Get New Guidelines to Support Staff
- Supporting School Staff in North Rhine-Westphalia: A Q&A Guide
- What are the new guidelines for supporting school staff in North Rhine-Westphalia?
- Why were these new guidelines created?
- What kind of support is offered to school staff?
- What is the role of school psychologists and social workers?
- What resources are available to school staff, and how do they work with violence prevention?
- What is the “at least” programme, and how does it fit in?
- Where can I find more information on the guideline?
- How does the ministry address violence in schools?
- What is the general goal of these initiatives?
- Key Resources and Programs Summary
- Where can I find contact information if I have further questions?
DÜSSELDORF, Germany (AP) — The North Rhine-Westphalia ministry of School and Education has introduced new guidelines aimed at supporting school employees who experience psychological or physical distress. The guidelines, titled ”Certainly acting when experiencing employees in schools,” are designed to provide clear and consistent support for teachers and other school staff.
Addressing Violence in Schools
School Minister Dorothee Feller emphasized the importance of safety in schools. “Schools are a reflection of our society, which means that we are also dealing with experiences of violence in everyday school life,” Feller said. “There is no space for violence at our schools; schools have to be safe places.We do not leave those affected alone.”
Comprehensive Support System
The new guideline supplements existing support services available on the ministry’s website. It offers actionable steps for school employees following an incident, ensuring a consistent and legally sound response. Recommendations include intervention strategies, conflict resolution methods, legally permissible disciplinary measures, and information on when to involve external organizations or the police. The guideline also provides an overview of available training programs and links to additional resources.
Expanded Support Network
Minister Feller highlighted the importance of a comprehensive support network. “It is indeed also critically important to us that all employees get knowledge of our very differentiated support network, which consists of school social workers, school psychologists, specialists for systemic extremism prevention and many extra -curricular advice centers,” she said.
The ministry is committed to maintaining a non-violent school culture through continuous evaluation and adaptation of support services and training programs.
Additional Resources and Programs
The “Looking and acting” emergency folder, which includes a crisis prevention manual, is part of the ministry’s broader support initiative. school teams also receive support for advice, violence prevention, and crisis intervention.
North Rhine-Westphalian schools utilize the “guide to Child Protection at School,” developed by the Conference of Ministers of Culture, along with recommendations from the emergency folder and crisis prevention manual, to create protective concepts for violence prevention.
Teachers have access to “Speech: zeit 24/7,” a 24/7 telephone psychosocial support service.
School psychology plays a crucial role in violence prevention, with specialists for systemic extremism prevention based in school psychological services. The 54 school psychological counseling centers across North Rhine-Westphalia offer systemic advice to schools for violence prevention and action in specific incidents. An additional 54 positions for systemic extremism prevention specialists are planned for the upcoming school year, effectively doubling the current capacity.
School social work is also vital, with approximately 2,000 specialists providing social pedagogical expertise. These social workers collaborate with teachers, pedagogical specialists, youth welfare services, and school psychologists to offer support and advice to students and their families, as well as social pedagogical group work to promote violence prevention and strengthen social behavior.
Since 2022, the state has supported municipal school social work through the national program “Promotion of school social work in North Rhine-Westphalia,” enabling further employment opportunities. Currently, about 1,200 full-time positions are supported by this program.
The “at least” program, implemented in many North Rhine-Westphalian schools, focuses on developing social and emotional skills in young people, helping them manage challenges and fostering an atmosphere of respect and thankfulness.
The guideline “Certainly act when experiencing work of employees in schools” can be found at https://www.schulministerium.nrw/leitfaden-icher-handeln-bei-metz
Contact Information
For citizen inquiries,call 0211 5867 40. For journalistic questions, contact the press office of the Ministry of School and Education at 0211 5867 3505.
Supporting School Staff in North Rhine-Westphalia: A Q&A Guide
This article provides information about the new guidelines introduced by the North Rhine-Westphalia Ministry of school and Education to support school employees. The focus is on creating safe schools and offering comprehensive support systems.
What are the new guidelines for supporting school staff in North Rhine-Westphalia?
The North Rhine-Westphalia Ministry of School and Education has introduced new guidelines titled “Certainly acting when experiencing employees in schools.” These guidelines aim to provide clear and consistent support for teachers and other school staff who experience psychological or physical distress.
Why were these new guidelines created?
The guidelines were created to address the importance of safety in schools. School Minister Dorothee Feller highlighted that schools reflect society, thus dealing with experiences of violence. The guidelines aim to ensure schools are safe environments and support those affected by difficult situations.
What kind of support is offered to school staff?
The new guidelines supplement existing support services already available on the ministry’s website. This comprehensive support system includes:
Intervention strategies
Conflict resolution methods
Legally permissible disciplinary measures
Information on when to involve external organizations or the police
Overview of available training programs
Links to additional resources
School psychologists play a crucial role in violence prevention. There are 54 school psychological counseling centers across North Rhine-Westphalia offering advice to schools. Additionally, 54 more positions for specialists for systemic extremism prevention are planned for the upcoming school year, doubling the current capacity.
School social work is similarly vital, with approximately 2,000 specialists providing social pedagogical expertise. They collaborate with teachers,specialists,youth welfare services,and school psychologists to support students,their families and promote social behavior.
What resources are available to school staff, and how do they work with violence prevention?
Several resources are available:
“looking and acting” emergency folder: This includes a crisis prevention manual.
“Guide to Child Protection at School”: Developed by the Conference of Ministers of Culture, it is used alongside recommendations from the emergency folder and crisis prevention manual.
“Speech: zeit 24/7”: A 24/7 telephone psychosocial support service for teachers.
School Psychological Counseling Centers: Offer systemic advice to schools for violence prevention and action in specific incidents.
Guideline for Violence prevention: Includes intervention strategies, conflict resolution methods, and disciplinary measures.
What is the “at least” programme, and how does it fit in?
The “at least” program is implemented in many North Rhine-Westphalian schools. It focuses on developing social and emotional skills in young people. This helps them manage challenges and fosters an atmosphere of respect and thankfulness, contributing to the overall goal of violence prevention and a supportive school surroundings.
Where can I find more information on the guideline?
The guideline “Certainly act when experiencing work of employees in schools” can be found at the following link: https://www.schulministerium.nrw/leitfaden-icher-handeln-bei-metz
How does the ministry address violence in schools?
the ministry addresses violence through a multi-faceted approach:
Emphasis on Safe Schools: Recognizing schools as essential safe spaces mirroring society.
Comprehensive Support System: Providing actionable steps following incidents, including intervention strategies.
Expanded Support Network: Highlighting a network including school social workers, psychologists, and specialists.
Continuous Evaluation: Commitment to maintaining a non-violent culture through the evaluation, and adaptation of support programs.
Collaboration: Encouraging collaboration between various professionals like teachers and specialists.
Proactive Programs: Implementing programs like “at least” to develop social and emotional skills.
What is the general goal of these initiatives?
The overall goal is to maintain a non-violent school culture and provide comprehensive support to teachers and other school staff within North Rhine-Westphalia.
Key Resources and Programs Summary
Here’s a table summarizing the key resources and programs available:
| Resource/Program | Description |
|---|---|
| “Certainly acting when experiencing employees in schools” Guideline | Provides clear support to school staff in distress. |
| “Looking and acting” emergency folder | Includes a crisis prevention manual. |
| “Guide to Child Protection at School” | Developed by the Conference of Ministers of Culture and used for violence prevention. |
| “Speech: zeit 24/7” | 24/7 telephone psychosocial support service for teachers. |
| School Psychological Counseling Centers | Offer systemic advice for violence prevention. |
| School Social Work | Providing support to students and families |
| “at least” program | Develops social and emotional skills in young people. |
Where can I find contact information if I have further questions?
For citizen inquiries: Call 0211 5867 40
* For journalistic questions: Contact the press office of the Ministry of School and Education at 0211 5867 3505