Support staff losing sleep and suffering anxiety ahead of return to school in England, says UNISON

Anxiety is widespread among school workers about their safety, their families’ and that of pupils ahead of a return to the classroom across England, says UNISON today (Thursday). On the day unions are due to meet with education secretary Gavin Williamson, UNISON has published a catalogue of concerns from support staff who make up more than half the schools’ workforce. Teaching assistants, catering staff, administrative workers, caretakers and other school employees have told the union they are being banned from wearing protective masks, denied gloves when handing packed lunches to parents and being spat at by children with behavioural issues. These issues are among hundreds reported to UNISON’s PPE alert web page by support staff, including many who have continued to work in schools during the lockdown. They also include accounts of having to buy their own hand sanitiser, parents failing to social distance when they visit and working without hot water in schools attended by the children of key workers. In separate findings, a survey by UNISON based on responses from 12,781 support staff has found that three in ten (30%) are losing sleep, suffering high anxiety or both as a result of plans to open schools more widely in England. Only a small minority (4%) said that schools had adequate personal protective equipment (PPE). The union is calling on ministers to make schools have enough PPE to protect staff, their families and the children they look after from the risks...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - Category: Food Science Authors: Tags: News Press release coronavirus schools PPE Alert Source Type: news