Ukraine is updating its approaches to preventing and responding to bullying and violence in educational institutions, the Ministry of Education and Science reported on Wednesday, UNN writes.
Details
"The updated Procedure for Responding to Cases of Bullying and the Procedure for Applying Educational Measures have been approved," the statement said.
The documents were updated in connection with changes in legislation on protecting children's rights. In particular, the approaches to defining bullying have been aligned with the Law of Ukraine "On the Protection of Childhood" and the nationwide system for responding to cases of violence and cruel treatment of children.
What is changing
The MES explained what has changed in the updated procedures:
- A single commission has been introduced to consider cases of violence and bullying. From now on, instead of two separate response mechanisms in educational institutions, there will be a unified approach: one commission will consider all cases of violence and cruel treatment of children, including reports of bullying.
- A list of signs that may indicate violence has been established. These include economic pressure (including deprivation of property or obstructing access to educational services), psychological violence (insults, threats, humiliation, harassment, intimidation), unwanted verbal, nonverbal or physical behavior of a sexual nature (gestures, jokes, nicknames, distribution of material of an intimate nature), and any unwanted physical actions, from pushing to striking.
- Clear deadlines for responding to reports of violence have been established. The head of an educational institution must consider a report within one day of its registration. If signs of violence are identified, the head is required to immediately, but no later than within three hours, notify the National Police and the children's services.
- Only a court establishes the fact of bullying, not the commission. Instead, the commission assesses the circumstances of the case, identifies the child's needs, organizes the necessary support, and makes decisions guided by the principle of the best interests of the child.
- The range of people covered by the procedure has been expanded. Whereas previously the document applied only to participants in the educational process, it now covers the broader concept of members of the community, which includes students, employees of the educational institution, and other people involved in the educational process.
- Mandatory monitoring of the implementation of commission decisions has been introduced. If the measures determined do not produce the expected result, the commission must review them and, if necessary, adjust them.
- Children's rights during the consideration of cases of violence have been strengthened. The updated procedure guarantees a child's right to be heard in accordance with their age and level of maturity. The child's position must be recorded during the consideration, and the hearing takes place with the participation of the parents or their representatives and a practical psychologist or social educator (or without the parents, with their written consent).
- The criterion of systematic violence has been clarified. Violence is considered systematic if it is committed two or more times within 12 months from the day a report of the first case was registered or from the day it was committed, even if the first case was not officially reported.
- Every educational institution must create its own violence-prevention system. Educational institutions must approve internal regulations on preventing and combating violence, designate a person responsible for receiving and registering reports, provide various channels for submitting complaints, and keep records of all reports. In the near future, the MES will propose methodological recommendations to help implement these changes in practice.
- Reporting violence will become easier. Educational institutions must provide several ways to submit reports, including via email, telephone hotlines, or special boxes for written submissions. In addition, reports of possible cases of violence may be submitted anonymously.
You can read the full text of the order at the link.