We Are Greater than Violence: Education Hive Launch

We received valuable feedback from the Primary Summit’s ‘table discussion’ sessions, where delegates like yourself highlighted the need for proactive support amid curriculum constraints. You told us that there isn’t enough time in the school day to fully address ‘healthy mind and body’ development or the impact of trauma on young people. You also shared that responding to challenging behaviour and managing the increasing number of pupils who are not ‘primary school ready’ each morning disrupts effective curriculum delivery. We hear you loud and clear, and we’re taking action.

A consistent message emerged: schools need a dedicated communication platform to stay informed. You asked us to ‘tell you more about what is out there’ to ‘give you someone or someplace to connect with’, and to ‘make right person, right care work’. Many of you expressed frustration with having to repeat your story multiple times before finding the right support. You suggested a central record of support to streamline early help and intervention and called for a single point of contact. We understand how crucial it is for not only Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) and Local Authorities (LAs) to access resources quickly, but for individual schools and staff as well. ‘Right person, Right care’ matters because it serves the best interests of our pupils. We will do our best to support the immediacy behind, ‘Right person: Right care’.

You also emphasised the importance of sharing messages from the Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit across your networks. One delegate proposed that everyone attending the 3rd of October summit should bring a ‘Plus 1’ to the next event, and we’re embracing this idea to expand our reach.

In response, we’re launching regular blogs on our ‘We Are Greater than Violence: Education Hive’ as a service to schools. These will cover topics such as understanding ‘Right person, Right care,’ guidance on involving the police, and strategies for managing weekend anti-social behaviour. We’re also committed to ensuring every school has direct access to ‘Right person, Right care,’. Our goal is straightforward: when a single point of failure occurs and you need help, a backup option will activate immediately, so you won’t have to search endlessly for support. Together, these initiatives aim to bridge the information gap, promote timely engagement, and streamline access to help across Greater Manchester.

– Dr Antony Edkins, Education Lead for Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit

Article posted on: 13/11/2024 10:11am