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Hill West Research Papers

Taking into account the recent Munro Report why and how might schools work in partnership?

By J Thomas 1

2013

Part One: Taking into account the recent Munro Report why and how might schools work in partnership?

Eileen Munro was asked by the Department of Education to conduct an independent review of child protection in England. Such an evaluation was necessary, as the newly elected Coalition government stated that the child protection systems currently in place were overly complex, with an excessive focus on targets and performance indicators. Therefore, the aim of the Munro Report was to encourage a reform of the system to create a child centred approach. In her final report Munro (2011: 6) argued that ‘Instead of doing things right, we need to make sure we are doing the right thing’.

Munro’s Final Report (2011) made four key recommendations: 1. valuing professional expertise; 2. sharing responsibility for the provision of early help; 3. developing social work expertise and supporting effective social work practice; and 4. strengthening accountabilities and promoting learning.

The recommendation of ‘valuing professional expertise’ establishes a positive link between the amount of information shared between professional partnerships and the level of help children in need receive. As a result a multi-agency approach within child protection is encouraged (Department for Education, 2011: 7). Munro (2012: 9) explains that all professionals within child protection only have a partial picture of a child’s life, and the full extent of the needs and dangers can be hidden until all professionals combine their knowledge.

The implication of this recommendation on schools is that staff may find it difficult to use their judgment when deciding what information to share and when to share it with other professionals (Department for Education, 2011: 7). However, Munro’s recommendation sets realistic expectations of professionals, encouraging them to use initiative and humility to reflect on their own weaknesses in their practise (Munro, 2012). Furthermore, training is provided to schools, ensuring that their child 2

protection officers are responsive to children’s changing needs and are confident in training other members of staff on their school’s policy and expectations (Children’s commissioner, 2012: 13).

Munro’s recommendation of ‘valuing professional expertise’ is dependent on professionals understanding the rules within other professional’s practices, for example within child protection it is imperative that a child’s social worker and teacher have a solid understanding of each other’s roles and responsibilities, to avoid an “it is not my job” attitude (Daniels et al, 2007: 14).

Munro’s recommendation of ‘sharing responsibility for the provision of early help’ stresses that preventative services can do more to reduce abuse and neglect than reactive services (Munro, 2011: 7). This recommendation is crucial to a child’s education, as recognising these signs and tackling them early increases the child’s ability to learn (Children’s commissioner, 2012: 5). This early identification of ‘need’ has been identified as being closely associated with multi-agency working (Barnes, 2008: 2).

Schools can implement the preventative approach by providing advice and workshops to parents in relation to common child protection issues, such as domestic violence and drug abuse (Epstein, 2011). Although many teachers may feel that they are not adequately trained and that it is not within their job role to provide this service, they can certainly establish links with other professionals and directly refer parents onto other professionals.

Teachers, who have regular contact with children, are uniquely placed to notice signs of neglect and poverty in children (Digman and Soan, 2008: 55). Munro’s preventative recommendation encourages schools, in circumstances where neglect is not serious but is impacting on a child’s ability to concentrate in class, to meet with parents and express their honest concern. Digman and Soan (2008: 55) argue that this may be enough to prompt the parents to provide better care. Over and above recognising the initial signs, schools must be well equipped at knowing what steps to take when they are faced with a range of scenarios. Robust systems of reporting and regularly updated child protection training for the school should ensure that 3

serious instances of neglect are not missed.

The multi-agency approach in child protection requires professionals not only to cooperate, but to go further and co-ordinate their services (Roaf, 2001: 2). Epstein (2011: 389) explains that the main driving force to encourage schools to work in partnership is that it helps children succeed in school and later on in life.

Jacques and Hyland (2007: 211) assert that it is important for schools to act in partnership with parents. Cheminais (2011: 2) provides further support, affirming that family engagement is crucial for a child’s educational success. When teachers work in partnership with parents a ‘caring community forms around children’, which is essential when a school is working towards the preventative approach in child protection (Epstein, 2011: 389). However, it is important to note that there is no one size fits all model of partnership working, as ‘the context of each educational setting will vary’ (Cheminais, 2011: 9).

A range of skills are necessary to work effectively in partnership, both with parents and other professionals. Munro’s recommendation of ‘professional expertise’ requires excellent communication within child protection partnerships, with schools needing to be able to differentiate their communicative techniques with both parents and professionals; using both formal and informal approaches whilst remaining professional. Harry and Lasky (cited in McNaughton, 2008) argue that communication is the key to effective collaboration between families and education professionals. It is important to understand that various skills come under the umbrella of ‘good communication’, namely; listening, speaking, empathy, body language, tone of voice, understanding and vocabulary.

Lasky (cited in McNaughton 2008) explains that at present there are ‘few validated interventions’ to address the communication skills of educational professionals.

Therefore, it is important for schools to train their own staff to encourage outstanding communication within the child protection partnerships. This will give teachers confidence in discussing sensitive issues as well as dealing with professionals that they may consider intimidating such as social workers, solicitors and police officers.

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Munro’s recommendation of the preventative approach is more likely to be effective in schools where staff are available and approachable, both to parents and professionals (Children’s commissioner, 2012: 19). With parents this could be demonstrated with steps such as staff and leadership teams being visible at the beginning and end of the day and by teachers adopting an open door approach (Children’s commissioner, 2012: 19). With other professionals this could be achieved by providing them with times that they can contact teachers and easy methods to do so, such as providing an email address. Epstein (2011: 79) argues that a perceived lack of respect is often given as the reason for the lack of communication between a school and parents, so it is important for teachers to show that they are listening to parents and that they understand their views.

It is important for teachers to consider strategies for working in partnership with parents. One example of building good relationships with parents is asking them to volunteer at the school; this will make them feel valued and included in their child’s education. However, this must be considered in addition to other strategies, as it isolates any parents that work within school hours. Parental involvement programmes must include all families, not only those who are presently involved or easiest to reach (Epstein, 2011: 56). To do this, teachers must personalise involvement and consider various approaches to suit all of the parents. This can be done through considering the interests of families, and providing activities for families that are not always education related, as some parents will feel daunted by their personal experience of education (Cheminais, 2011).

Teachers must also consider the barriers to family involvement and identify solutions to these. For example, Cheminais (2011: 65) stresses that teachers must address barriers to time commitment when considering how to strengthen partnerships with parents. Schools should consider using alternative forms of communication to suit working parents, such as email and text message. This will make working parents feel involved, and is more likely to encourage them to involve themselves in future events. It would also be beneficial for schools to run workshops or social events at a time that working parents can attend. Further ideas of including all parents is to send

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regular newsletters informing them of upcoming events and updating information, write blogs about the children’s work/ progress and to provide a parent noticeboard.

The greater the range of techniques, the more likely it is that ‘family engagement and participation will increase’ (Cheminais, 2011: 10).

One approach to working in partnership with parents in relation to child protection is to offer parents sessions in basic safeguarding awareness and assist them in understanding the school’s responsibilities and policies (Children’s commissioner, 2012: 13). I have seen this strategy implemented in practice during work experience at a primary school. It gave teachers the opportunity of building good working relationships with parents, whilst developing parent’s understandings of schools rules and the types of problems that they can discuss with teachers. This was an excellent example of a school working towards the preventative approach and was extremely effective in developing good parent-teacher working relationships.

Taking into account the Munro Report and its recommendations, it is clear that schools must work in partnership both with parents and other child protection professionals. Staff must receive adequate training to ensure that they have an understanding of the importance of their roles and other professionals’ roles within child protection and the impact that it has on the welfare of children within their school. Teachers must consider the range of skills that they need to work effectively in partnership with both parents and professionals with training provided by schools to ensure that outstanding communication techniques are delivered. It is important for schools to identify the personal needs and interests of families when implementing strategies to create good working relationships and to involve parents in their child’s education.

References

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Barnes, P. (2008) ‘Multi-agency working: what are the perspectives of SENCOS and parents regarding its development and implementation?’, British Journal of Special Education, vol. 35, no. 4, December, pp. 230-240.

Cheminais, R. (2011) Family Partnership working: a guide for education practitioners, London: SAGE. Children’s commissioner, (2012) “You have someone to trust”: outstanding safeguarding practice in primary schools: practical tips for schools, London: Children’s commissioner publications.

Available at: http://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/content/publications/content_627, Accessed: 15/10/2012.

Daniels, H., Leadbetter, J., Warmington, P., Edwards, A., Martin, A., Popova, A., Apostol, V., Middleton, D. and Brown, S. (2007) ‘Learning in and for multiagency working’, Oxford Review of Education, vol. 33, no. 4, pp. 521-538.

Department for Education (DfE), (2011), A child-centred system: The Government’s response to the Munro review of child protection, DfE Publications.

Digman, C. and Soan, S. (2008) Working with parents: a guide for education professionals, London: SAGE. Fisher, R., Ury, W. and Patton, B. (1991) Getting to yes: Negotiating an agreement without giving in, 2nd edition, London: Century Business.

Epstein, J.L. (2011) School, family and community partnerships: preparing educators and improving schools, 2nd edition, Boulder- Colo: Westview Press.

Harry, B. (1992) and Lasky, S. (2000), in McNaughton, D., Hamlin, D., McCarthy, J., Head-Reeves, D., Schreiner, M. (2008) ‘Learning to Listen: Teaching an Active Listening Strategy to Pre-service Education Professionals’ Topics in Early Childhood Special Education , vol. 27, pp. 223-231.

Jacques, K. and Hyland, R. (2007) Professional studies: primary and early years, 3rd edition, Exeter: Learning Matters.

McNaughton, D., Hamlin, D., McCarthy, J., Head-Reeves, D., Schreiner, M. (2008) ‘Learning to Listen: Teaching an Active Listening Strategy to Pre-service Education Professionals’ Topics in Early Childhood Special Education , vol. 27, pp. 223-231.

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Munro, E. (2011) The Munro Review of Child Protection: Final Report, A childcentred system, London: DfE Publications.

Available: http://www.education.gov.uk/munroreview/downloads/8875_DfE_Munro_Repor t_TAGGED.pdf Accessed: 10/10/12.

Munro, E. (2012) Progress report: Moving towards a child-centred system, London: DfE Publications.

Available: http://www.education.gov.uk/a00209245/munro-progress Accessed 12/10/12.

Parton, N. (2012) ‘The Munro Review of Child Protection: An Appraisal’, Children & Society, vol. 26, pp. 150-162.

Roaf, C. (2002) Co-ordinating Services for Included Children: Joined up action, Buckingham: Oxford University Press.

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