Education Staff Welfare

As a teacher myself, and with a clear understanding of how staff welfare directly affects school performance and, ultimately, pupil outcomes, I want to highlight the work I have been doing through the Education Scrutiny Committee, especially with my education colleagues who may need to hear it.

This week, the Education Committee considered a report on sickness and absence. I could not sit by while the authority gave the impression that school staff are universally well supported. While I accept that some staff are managing these pressures successfully, I also know from experience that many are not — and that my experience is far from unique.

I spoke from my own experience, but with the intention of ensuring the council, as a corporate body, recognises its responsibility in protecting staff wellbeing.

Predictably, the response was to deflect responsibility to Welsh Government and individual schools, with little acknowledgement of the authority’s own role. I was asked to feel reassured that school staff in Flintshire are well supported. I am not. However, I will continue to use my role as a backbench councillor to push for better.

Importantly, at the conclusion of the item, other councillors echoed these concerns and supported a recommendation that the council considers how its corporate decision-making and organisational structures impact the wellbeing of school staff.