Education workforce – health and wellbeing support: report findings and recommendations

Results

3.1 Context

Due to the timescale, the chosen research methods could not provide a full and detailed analysis of the current themes. There was significant variability in the nominated representatives, their knowledge base, their roles within their organisation and what could be captured in each interview. As such, this data gives us evidence of the main themes as perceived by participants. It is included here as it helps to create a context from which LAs are developing wellbeing offers for their education workforce in the light of changing priorities and resources post-pandemic.

*Table 2. The factors identified as informing HWB approaches.

3.2 Results

Data Informing Strategy

Understanding how LAs identified priority areas to support the wellbeing of staff was key. It was, therefore, important to understand the varied approaches and opportunities for education practitioners to share feedback with their organisation and service. It was also key to gain an insight into how that information was used to inform practice. Figure 3 details the staff consultation approaches, and the methods for gathering workforce data, identified through the semi-structured interviews with nominated representatives.

*Figure 3. LA approaches to staff consultation activities

The workforce data, captured through the methods outlined in Figure 3, were important in gaining an understanding of the rationale for specific approaches in LAs to supporting their education workforce HWB. The methods provided a framework for discussion and allowed a better understanding of how LAs with different organisational structures engage with their workforce and use various forms of feedback to respond to the needs of their staff.

Figure 4 highlights the number of LA's who have their own Education HWB strategy (34%) which includes approaches to supporting staff wellbeing, in addition to LA's who have an Education Service with an identified HWB lead or team (72%).

*Figure 4. Strategic approach to education workforce HWB in LAs

Figure 5 illustrates the emerging themes that were identified, through workforce data, and discussed through the interviews with collaborative partners as being factors informing the specific approaches to support workforce wellbeing in LAs. As demonstrated in figure 5, there were consistencies in the responses from colleagues whether they represented a LA or an ESG.

*Figure 5. The factors highlighted as informing HWB approach.

From the 39 interviews conducted, relationships, demands, communication and support were the strongest themes identified as the most likely to be referred to in the interviews as factors informing the specific approaches of LAs.

Collaboration

A deeper understanding was required of the different organisational structures of LAs and their approaches to ensuring there are comprehensive structures for all staff, whilst also allowing for service-specific planning. Collaboration in the development of offers to support the wellbeing of the workforce was universally referenced by LAs, summarised below in figure 6 and considered in more depth in the key findings section.

*Figure 6. Summary of collaborative partnerships referenced by LAs.

Some examples included.

• Educational Psychology (EP) Services' participation in strategic groups. Overseeing staff wellbeing at whole Council and education service levels to identify how staff wellbeing is monitored and reviewed, to consider and implement sustainable support which can be put in place at a systemic level, and for individuals.
• Trade Unions supporting LAs using survey data from members to inform areas requiring development work.
• Probation manager network collaborative work with GTCS

Health & Wellbeing Provision

In gaining an understanding of the structures of education services across LAs, the HWB provision offered to education practitioners was explored. In doing so, different categories and examples of support began to emerge, as demonstrated in Figure 7.

The information in Figure 7 begins to outline the HWB provision available to all staff across LAs, but also highlights that education services are developing additional provision which is implemented on a targeted basis.

*Figure 7. Support Continuum outlining how staff HWB provision is offered.

Professional Learning

27 of the 29 respondents discussed the PL being offered in their LA in supporting education workforce HWB. Respondents described a range of approaches to PL and often described more than one of the listed approaches. As can be seen in figure 8, the highest number of references were made regarding activities developed and delivered by the LAs themselves. More than half of respondents (16) referred to participation by their staff in national offerings (as described previously) and 13 respondents discussed procurement of PL and development from third parties, businesses or charities. 8 conversations referenced PL devised and delivered through wider collaboration, either among local authorities or with Trade Unions.

*Figure 8. Access to PL opportunities by LA staff

Relational Approaches

During the interviews there were 62 responses recorded that were classified as relational approaches. 19 LAs referred to the existence of peer support networks in terms of supporting HWB with various target groups such as newly qualified teachers, heads of establishment and guidance staff. There were 11 references to LAs developing coaching approaches and 4 references to having procured third sector support to establish or provide approaches.

In terms of supervision there were 11 references to LAs having begun to provide a locally devised model of supervision, 5 respondents referred to supervision models being provided by a third party and a further 4 LAs had plans to develop their own approach. 8 conversations referenced mentoring and 7 respondents talked about induction programmes. Peer support networks appeared to be the most embedded and the biggest area of growth in relational approaches was in the field of supervision.

*Figure 9. Responses on relational approaches to supporting HWB mentioned by LAs.

Communication

As can be seen in figure 5, 69% of LAs and 80% ESGs cited communication as a factor that influenced workforce HWB with 2 LAs stating it as a strength in figure 10. When analysing the LA responses related to communication, 9 responses referred to it in terms of making staff aware of what was being offered, 4 related to the uptake of the offers and 5 references were made to the impact of communication barriers on staff accessing support. A further 2 respondents referenced a desire to improve communication to include more staff groups. All but 2 of the ESGs referred to communication as a main area for consideration, mostly as it pertained to the offers created, and that staff were made aware of them.

Evaluation of Impact

Although the discussion proforma included specific prompts around the evaluation of the impact of the approaches taken by LAs, there was little data gathered in this section. Some were able to discuss impact, however many LAs discussed the challenges in measuring HWB and were unable to reference specific examples.

Self-Evaluation

Areas of strength were captured during the semi-structured interviews. These were captured in the interview proformas and are collated in Figure 10.

*Figure 10. Areas identified as being a particular strength by LA respondents.