RAMBIS minutes: May 2018

Attendees and apologies

In attendance

• Ian Rivers - University of Strathclyde - Chair
• John Urquhart - Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)
• John Edward - Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS)
• Maggie Nesbitt - Scottish Secondary Teachers Association (SSTA)
• Sara McFarlane - Connect (formerly SPTC)
• Gillean McCluskey - Scottish Council of the Deans of Education
• Sonia Kordiak - EIS
• Maggie Fallon - Education Scotland
• Phil Alcock - Scottish Government
• Carolyn Wales - Scottish Government Secretary

Apologies

• Cara Spence - LGBT Youth Scotland
• Caroline Amos - Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES)
• Jim Thewliss - School Leaders Scotland (SLS)
• John Wilkes - Equality and Human Rights Commission
• Bruce Adamson - Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland
• Martin Hayward - Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)
• Carol Young - Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights (CRER)
• Frank Thomson - Education Scotland Link Officer Network (South Lanarkshire)
• Charlotte Harrison - National Parent Forum of Scotland (NPFS)
• Sophie Bridger - Stonewall Scotland
• Maria Plant - Education Scotland Link Officer Network (Edinburgh)
• Lorraine Glass - respectme
• Tara Lillis - NASUWT

Correspondence only

• Susan Hunter - YouthLink Scotland
• Jordan Daly - Time for Inclusive Education (TIE)
• Sarah Marshall - Police Scotland

Items and actions

Action Summary

Minutes from 5 April 2018

No.	Action	Lead	Deadline/Status
AP01	Amend Feb minutes, reissue to group for approval and publish on SG website.	CW	Reissued 27/4/18
AP02	Update guidance and reissue to group	CW	Completed – reissued to group 27/4/18
AP03	Update and reissue recommendations to the group.	CW	Completed – reissued to group 27/4/18

1. Welcome, introductions and apologies

1.1 IR welcomed members to the meeting. IR confirmed that the group has completed the tasks that had been set by the Deputy First Minister and that this would be the final meeting before the recommendations would be submitted.

2. Note of meeting 5 April 2018

2.1 The note of the previous meeting was agreed. The amended note of the meeting from 27 February 2018 was also cleared.

AP01 - CW to add both sets of minutes to the website.

3. Actions from previous meeting

3.1 The Group noted actions 1, 2 and 3 had been cleared.

4. SEEMiS/guidance update

4.1 No further discussions have taken place with SEEMiS colleagues following the last meeting. However, IR informed the group that PA, MF and CW were meeting with SEEMiS colleagues in Hamilton to discuss the proposal further. PA confirmed that some of the financial aspect of the proposal from SEEMiS could be met.

4.2 A revised near final version was issued to the group on the 27 April (version 9). IR invited comments on the guidance. A discussion took place on the PDF version around format/size layout. CW confirmed that the photos on the front cover would be updated to be more schools focussed. It was agreed that colours/format should remain to be in line with ‘Respect for All’ and other guidance documents on relationships and behaviour. The group agreed that the size of the document should be reduced to A5. IR thanked members for their work on the guidance.

4.3 CW confirmed that the guidance is with the Scottish Government Legal Department (SGLD) for comments. CW will issue a final version to the group when reflects today’s discussion and any changes requested by SGLD. Group members should email CW with their final suggested amendments.

4.4 Group members asked if the guidance would be available in other languages. PA confirmed that this would not be issued in different languages as the guidance would only be used by schools. PA agreed for the guidance document to be available in Gaelic.

AP02 – CW to issue updated version of the guidance

5. Recommendations and revised timeline

5.1 The recommendations and revised timeline were issued to group on 27 April. IR invited final comments on the recommendations and timeline.

5.2 An email has been issued to the RAMBIS Distribution group for a copy of each organisation’s logo.

AP03 – CW to issue updated recommendations and timeline

Evaluation

5.3 CW shared the link to the EHRC publication ‘Eight Principles for Evaluation’ which was produced by the Equality and Human Rights Committee. The evaluation will be taken forward later this year by the Working Group.

5.4 Once all the documents have been agreed and finalised by the group, CW will submit the recommendations and guidance to the Deputy First Minister. Following this, CW confirmed that:

• the Deputy First Minister will provide a response to officials about the recommendations and this will be communicated to the group
• the Deputy First Minister will issue a letter to all Directors of Education outlining the new process for recording and monitoring incidents of bullying. In addition, the letter will also highlight the purpose of the Operational Management Group and ask for a volunteer from each local authority to join the group
• Caroline Amos from ADES has offered to chair the Operational Management Group and Scottish Government will provide a support function. The first provisional date for the Operational Management Group meeting is 26 June at Optima House.
• the Deputy First Minister will also write to the Scottish Parliament’s Equalities and Human Rights Committee to update members on the outcomes of the Recording and Monitoring Working Group, and also details of the purpose/remit of the new Operational Support Group
• the Deputy First Minister will write to the Regional Improvement Collaborative’s to inform them of this work going forward
• the Deputy First Minister will write to all Independent Schools outlining the new process for recording and monitoring incidents of bullying

5.5 The Recording and Monitoring Group will meet in six months time (November 2018) and CW will continue to provide secretariat for this group. CW will write out with a date for this meeting after the summer.

6. AOB/close

6.1 IR thanked group members for their hard work over the past six months.

6.2 PA also thanked group members for their work on the documents. PA thanked IR for chairing the meetings. PA confirmed that IR would continue to chair the meetings of the Recording and Monitoring Bullying Incidents in Schools.

RAMBIS minutes - May 2018.pdf

File type

4 page PDF

File size

246.5 kB