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School teachers 'to be trained to spot domestic abuse signs'
10 March 2010
Teachers in England are to be given additional training to help them spot children suffering domestic abuse, the government has announced.
In addition to the new guidance, teachers will incorporate awareness-raising lessons about the issue into the new Personal, Social, Health and Economic education curriculum, according to the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
Fiona Dwyer, spokesperson for Women's Aid, said: "The commitment by the government […] reaffirms and validates the work that is already being conducted by some schools on these issues.
"Teachers need training on […] all violence against women issues to be able to effectively tackle what has been traditionally a 'taboo' subject."
The measures follow the government's acceptance of all of the recommendations made in a recent report by the Violence Against Women and Girls Advisory Group.
Also included in the new package is a pledge to increase access to support and advice for parents, to enable them to discuss the issues surrounding domestic violence with their children.