The findings of a survey by the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) reveal that roughly 50% of primary school educators experienced physical aggression in their classrooms over the past year. Special needs settings were of significant concern in this regard. The union emphasises that this indicates pupils’ need for enhanced therapeutic and mental health aid and calls for further professional training for teachers.
The study focuses on 440 union participants’ experiences, more than 50% of whom were employed in either mainstream institutions with a special class or special schools. The statistics showed that 58% of educators on the whole had been exposed to physical aggression. Subsequent figures reveal that this number increased to 96% for those working in special schools and 61% in mainstream institutions with a special class.
Of those educators who experienced direct aggression, 50% suffered physical harm, with 41% requiring medical attention thereafter. INTO General Secretary, John Boyle, stated that the survey highlights the harsh realities facing many of their members. As a result, some even needed time away from school for recovery.
Boyle also expressed that this issue does not lie with a specific child but rather a consequence of insufficient comprehensive services for those students who most need it. The union advocates for educational and health authorities to tackle the root causes of physical aggression within schools, linking it directly to children’s mental health and inadequate therapeutic services.
The report further states that a mere 4.7% of total incidents were reported to the Health and Safety Authority, despite 11% of those affected missing at least three days of work as a result. Personal accounts from union members detail experiences of being subjected to biting, scratching, and even sustaining a broken finger during an assault.
Frequent targets, especially those affected regularly, recognised the potential mental health repercussions. A few members requested enhanced support for both their students and themselves. The union reiterated the need for refined guidelines in managing classroom aggression and proposed that the School Inclusion Model should be fully implemented. This model, a program trialled over a five-year span, is aimed at delivering additional support to students with increased care needs.