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Greater protections for children from future strike action

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Summary

The government has launched a consultation to introduce new measures to ensure that children and young people do not miss out on any vital learning if there is any future strike action. The proposed minimum service levels will help protect children's education and provide parents with reassurance. The consultation will invite views on a number of proposals such as priority attendance for vulnerable children and the use of rotas for strikes lasting five days or more. This follows discussions between the Education Secretary and education trade unions to explore voluntary agreements in schools and colleges, but not enough progress was made to ensure protections for children and young people in place for the next academic year. The government is also seeking evidence of the impact of strike action in higher education.

Q&As

What are the planned measures to protect children and young people's education during any future strike action?
The planned measures to protect children and young people's education during any future strike action are to provide greater reassurance and certainty for children and parents, and to set regulations for minimum service levels.

What is the minimum service level that will be in place by the next academic year?
The minimum service level that will be in place by the next academic year is that children and young people can continue to receive education and do not miss out on any vital learning.

What groups will be prioritized for attendance during strike action?
The groups that will be prioritized for attendance during strike action are vulnerable children and young people, exam groups, children of critical workers and primary school pupils.

What is the legislation aiming to achieve?
The legislation is aiming to achieve bringing the country in line with other countries like France, Italy, and Spain where public services reliably continue in times of industrial action.

What evidence is the government seeking to determine if a minimum service level can mitigate the impact of future strike action?
The government is seeking evidence of the impact of strike action in higher education to determine if a minimum service level can mitigate the impact of any future strike action.

AI Comments

👍 This is a great initiative by the government to ensure that no matter what, children and young people will be able to access education! It's great that the government is taking proactive steps to protect our children's education.

👎 This proposed regulation could potentially put more pressure on teachers and school staff if they are forced to work during a strike. It also doesn't seem to address the underlying issues of why people are going on strike in the first place.

AI Discussion

Me: It talks about how the Department for Education is introducing new protections for children and young people's education during any future strike action. They are proposing minimum service levels to ensure that in the event of any future strike action, children and young people can continue to receive education and not miss out on any vital learning.

Friend: Wow, that's really important. It's important that children and young people are not left behind if there is any kind of industrial action.

Me: Yes, exactly. The government is trying to put in place protections and provide certainty for children and parents in the event of a strike. They are also looking for views on proposals such as priority attendance for vulnerable children and young people, exam groups, children of critical workers and primary school pupils, as well as the use of rotas for strikes lasting five days or more.

Friend: That makes sense. It's important that children and young people are not disadvantaged in any way due to industrial action. It's also important that the government is taking steps to ensure that children from all backgrounds have equal access to quality education.

Action items

Participate in the nine-week consultation to provide feedback on the proposed measures to protect children and young people’s education during any future strike action.
Reach out to school and college leaders to learn more about the measures they have taken to keep classrooms open and prioritize places for vulnerable children and children of critical workers.
Research the impact of strike action in higher education to determine if a minimum service level could mitigate the impact of any future strike action.

Technical terms

Strike action: A form of protest in which workers refuse to work in order to put pressure on their employer to meet their demands.
Minimum service levels: The minimum level of service that must be provided during a strike, such as providing education for children and young people.
Consultation: A process of gathering information and opinions from stakeholders in order to make a decision.
Legislation: A law or set of laws passed by a government.
Cumulatively: The total amount of something that has been accumulated over a period of time.
Vulnerable: A person or group of people who are at risk of harm or exploitation.
Exam groups: A group of students taking the same exam.
Critical workers: People who are essential to the functioning of society, such as healthcare workers and emergency services personnel.
Rotas: A schedule of work shifts.
Voluntary agreements: Agreements between two or more parties that are not legally binding.