Written evidence submitted by NAHT
1 NAHT is an independent trade union and professional association with 28,500 members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Members include head teachers, deputies, assistant head teachers, bursars and school business managers. They hold leadership positions in early years, primary, special, secondary and independent schools, sixth form colleges, outdoor education centres, pupil referral units, social services establishments and other educational settings. The membership represents leaders in 85 per cent of primary, 40 per cent of secondary and virtually all special schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
2. Which groups in the UK are most at risk of FGM (whether in this country or abroad), and what are the barriers to identification and intervention?
2.1) The information available to schools identifies those areas of the world where FGM is commonly practised, the inference being that girls and young women whose antecedents lie in those areas are most at risk.
2.2) This is useful to a point but incurs the risk of stereotyping certain groups and schools need to show considerable sensitivity in approaching the matter. The perception may be that there is a prospect being accused of being racist. The advice NAHT has written for members on FGM includes a comment from the campaigning group ‘Forward’ : ‘Do not let labels of 'tradition' 'culture' 'religion' or a fear of being called a 'racist' stop you from taking action to protect girls at risk of FGM, it is a violation of human rights’. NAHT believes that this is a fundamental point that needs to underpin discussion and guidance.
2.3) Our perception is that many schools are ignorant about FGM. This is not intended to be a pejorative comment but highlights the crucial need for action to be taken to rectify the situation. NAHT has attempted to contribute to this by producing an advice document for members.
2.4) This is not to say that accurate and comprehensive sources of information are not available, rather that they have not been signposted to schools. NAHT’s sampling of Local Safeguarding Children Boards’ coverage of FGM concludes that although reference is made to FGM it tends to be somewhat scant. We have, however, seen some excellent practice and would wish to highlight the leaflet produced for schools in Bristol as an exemplar of good practice.
3) What are the respective roles of the police, health, education and social care professionals, and the third sector; and how can multi-agency co-operation be improved?
3.1) NAHT has called for the government, as a matter of urgency, to update its multi-agency advice document with particular reference to the chapter devoted to schools. It makes reference to curriculum content and structures that will disappear as a consequence of the reform of the national curriculum. The document has much to commend it including content on identification of FGM victims. As a first step we would like to see an updated version sent to all schools in England accompanied by a letter from the Secretary of State.
3.2) The nature and scale of FGM is such that no one agency can tackle it on its own. NAHT believes that the new relationships between the education, social care and health sectors provides an ideal opportunity to identify and define joint working arrangements with regard to FGM. The association further believes that Public Health England has a key role to play, particularly given its commitment to improving the well-being of children and young people in the process.
3.3) The key to successful multi-agency work is not merely creating effective structures but improving identification both of those at risk and victims. Schools, to do this, need greater awareness and understanding of FGM; greater clarity from safeguarding boards and resources and training to include FGM in Personal. Social and Health Education provision.
3.4) NAHT believes that the voluntary sector is leading the way currently. Our advice document to members recommends that they supplement it with materials produced by ‘Forward’ and the Royal College of Midwives. The depth of knowledge and expertise possessed by these and other bodies is a rich resource. Groups such as ‘Forward’ have close ties with ‘at risk’ groups and this adds further richness to that which they offer.
4) How can the systems for collecting and sharing information on FGM be improved?
4.1) It is important to define ‘information’. NAHT’s evidence thus far alludes to the factual information and its interpretation that schools and other agencies need within which to frame effective policies, procedures and responses.
4.2) ‘Information’ can also encompass ‘soft’ data in the sense of sharing suspicions and concerns and the harder data of specific evidence of incidence.
NAHT contends that all the connotations of ‘information’ need to be addressed in developing effective, co-ordinated multi-agency responses to FGM.
4.3) From the perspective of schools, NAHT believes that the vast majority of schools have effective safeguarding practices and would clearly identify FGM as being a safeguarding issue. The association suggests that its exploration of the coverage of FGM in LSCB documentation needs to be taken forward at a national level to ensure that FGM is given due prominence and that there is consistency between areas.
4.4) The first definition of information – dissemination of relevant and accurate factual material, accompanied by focused training– assumes a crucial role therefore in strengthening the ability to recognise abuse.
5) How effective are existing efforts to raise awareness of FGM?
5.1) The extent to which the Guardian’s campaign and its associated petition have ‘taken off’ is evidence of a perception that efforts to date have been ineffective.
5.2) Although particular organisations have sought to raise awareness we appear to be in situation where those involved in the work are in conversation with others so-involved.
5.3) The higher profile given to FGM in some quarters of the media and the increased awareness it has engendered must not be allowed to be a temporary phenomenon and NAHT urges the government to show leadership in developing a systematic and embedded response. The association notes the lead taken by the Scottish government in this respect.
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