Commenting on the passing of motion 23 at the National Education
Union’s Annual Conference, which is being held virtually, Kevin
Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education
Union, said:
“The disabled staff working in education who have been at greater
risk from Covid have experienced a really anxious year trying to
do their job, obtain a risk assessment and obtain the right
adjustments.
“Many schools did prioritise risk assessments and made the right
decisions about which staff should be allowed to work from home
but many staff with underlying health conditions that placed them
at additional risk were pressured to come into school sites. It's
clear that not enough was done by the government to guide
employers and to give timely advice about supporting staff with
health conditions through Covid.
“Across the country, NEU members worked together to negotiate for
safe arrangements for staff members at greater risk and the vital
role of unions in supporting safety at work became apparent.
“There remains a job of work to do within the education sector
about making sure employers make reasonable adjustments to retain
and value their staff who are disabled. This year in many
workplaces, the Government shielding advice has been ignored and
this caused extreme anxiety for thousands of education staff.
“Families with children with SEND have lived through a highly
pressured and isolating year.
“After Conference, the NEU will campaign for increased SEND
funding a broader curriculum and greater support for SEND
learners, better professional development on inclusive pedagogy,
and a strategy for fully accessible schools going beyond just
ramps.”
The NEU has published a resource about disability equality, aimed
at primary schools, called The Full Story. https://neu.org.uk/full-story
