PROMOTING TEACHER ATTENDANCE

1. PROMOTING TEACHER ATTENDANCE HEALTH & WELFARE SERVICES SOUTHERN EDUCATION & LIBRARY BOARD SELB HEALTH & WELFARE SERVICES 2010

2. PROMOTING EMPLOYEE ATTENDANCE • Attendance management – 3 H’s - Healthy - Happy - Here • Absence Management – 3 R’s - Retention - Rehabilitation - Retirement SELB HEALTH & WELFARE SERVICES 2010

3. OBJECTIVES • To set the context for the need to manage teacher sickness absence • To identify key elements of the Teacher Attendance Policy and key stakeholder roles and responsibilities • To share experience of common absence issues and identify strategies for dealing with these SELB HEALTH & WELFARE SERVICES 2010

4. FINANCIAL CONTEXT • £11 million - substitute cover for sickness absence (2008/09) • £15.8 million – sick pay bill for teachers (2008/09) NIAO Report: The Management of Substitution Cover for Teachers, Follow-up Report (May 2010) Public Accounts Committee Report – The Management of Substitution Cover for Teachers (2002/03) SELB HEALTH & WELFARE SERVICES 2010

5. LEGAL CONTEXT • Health & Safety at Work legislation • Employment legislation • Disability Discrimination Act • Personal Injury Claims SELB HEALTH & WELFARE SERVICES 2010

6. KEY ELEMENTS OF TEACHER ATTENDANCE PROCEDURE (TNC 2008/2) • Monitoring attendance • Attendance meetings • Medical referrals • Reasonable adjustments • Termination of employment SELB HEALTH & WELFARE SERVICES 2010

7. THE STAKEHOLDERS • Teacher • Principal • Board of Governors • Employing Authority • Occupational Health Professional • Teacher Unions SELB HEALTH & WELFARE SERVICES 2010

8. Roles & ResponsibilitiesBoard of Governors • To adopt and promote the Managing Attendance at Work Policy • To ensure welfare and attendance issues form a standing agenda item for Board of Governors’ meetings • Monitor implementation through Principal reports to promote teacher well-being and manage teacher attendance • Nominate a designated governor responsible for health, welfare and attendance • To ensure appropriate and timely action is taken in relation to referrals to Occupational Health • Ensure the Principal is effectively managing teacher attendance and incorporate it as a performance target SELB HEALTH & WELFARE SERVICES 2010

9. Role and Responsibilities Principal • To monitor & manage sickness absence of teachers in a fair, consistent and confidential manner • Report regularly to Governors • To ensure teachers are informed of the procedures • Seek advice from the Employing Authority/Health & Welfare Service where medical evidence indicates a notifiable illness – work related stress, disability, requiring welfare support • To maintain appropriate supportive contact with teachers SELB HEALTH & WELFARE SERVICES 2010

10. Role of Principal cont’d • Initiate requests for referrals to Occupational Health & liaise with teachers as appropriate • Carry out attendance meetings & keep records • Support as far as practicable a rehabilitation programme recommended by Occupational Health • To ensure staff are aware of the welfare support services SELB HEALTH & WELFARE SERVICES 2010

11. Roles and ResponsibilitiesThe Teacher • To report all sickness absence in accordance with the procedure • To maintain contact with the Principal during any period of absence • To comply with arrangements for attendance at medical referrals • To follow any professional advice aimed at ensuring a timely return to work • To maintain appropriate standards of conduct during sickness absence • To advise the Principal of any appropriate matter impacting on their health & wellbeing • Inform the Principal where an absence is due to an accident outside of school & a claim for damages from a 3rd party is or will be involved SELB HEALTH & WELFARE SERVICES 2010

12. Roles and ResponsibilitiesThe Employing Authority – Health & Welfare Services • To provide available information to Principals • To advise, and support Governors and Principals in managing teacher welfare & attendance • To facilitate the medical referral process • To advise Principals on rehabilitation; risk assessments & reasonable adjustments • To promote the implementation of the Promoting Teacher Attendance Procedure • Ensure Governors & Principals are trained on the procedure SELB HEALTH & WELFARE SERVICES 2010

13. OBJECTIVES • To set the context for the need to manage teacher sickness absence • To identify key elements of the Teacher Attendance Policy and key stakeholder roles and responsibilities • To share experience of common absence issues and identify strategies for dealing with these SELB HEALTH & WELFARE SERVICES 2010

14. COMMON ISSUES • Management of different types of absence • Managing the Attendance Interview • Occupational health support • GP’s ’Fit Note’ • Stress related absence • What else? SELB HEALTH & WELFARE SERVICES 2010

15. OVERCOMING DIFFICULTIES(Group exercise) • To identify the types of difficulties involved in managing absence • To identify methods of overcoming these difficulties • To develop a ‘can do’ approach to absence management SELB HEALTH & WELFARE SERVICES 2010

16. EMPLOYING AUTHORITY SUPPORT • SELB Health & Welfare Services Tel: 028 3751 2559/2323/2575/2419 • CCMS Diocesan Education Offices Armagh Diocese – (Dungannon) 028 8775 2116 Dromore Diocese – (Newry) 028 3026 2423 • CCMS Teacher Welfare Service CCMS HQ – 028 9042 6972 • STAFFCARE - 0500 127 079 SELB HEALTH & WELFARE SERVICES 2010