Bryan Slater Director of Education	Distribution
	All Norfolk LEA Schools

The attached document is provided for your information:

ACTION	Title	Support for suspended employees
	Summary of contents	The support available for suspended employees has been reviewed and improved and new documentation has been prepared in order to raise awareness of suspended employees as to the support available.
	Associated documents	Schools Disciplinary Procedure (EPS Personnel Handbook)
	Date	February 2004
	Summary of action required	To note contents of attached letter
	To be completed by
	LEA Contact	Your allocated Personnel Consultant
	E-mail address
	Norfolk Self Review reference	5. How well does the school care for its pupils? 7. How well is the school led and managed?
	Document reference	MI 65/04

Improved Support Arrangements for Suspended Employees

The LEA has reviewed its processes in relation to the suspension of employees under the Schools Disciplinary Procedure. The emphasis of the review has been on the support available to the suspended employee during the period of suspension.

It is important for us to bear in mind that suspension is an extremely difficult experience for any individual and it can bring about not only a sense of isolation but also significant medical issues such as anxiety and depression. We have to remember that suspension is a neutral act and the employer therefore needs to do what it can to give support to the suspended employee regardless of the nature of allegations made against him or her.

Support mechanisms have been in place for sometime but we have now extended these and have prepared some guidance notes to be issued with any suspension letter. There are two sets of guidance notes available: one for Headteachers and one for all other types of school employee.

One additional element in the guidance notes for suspended Headteachers is the allocation of a Senior LEA Officer who will keep in touch during the period of suspension. There is an expectation that the allocation of a senior officer will be agreed in consultation with the suspended headteacher. Another form of support available will be a Well-Being Officer (from the LEA’s Well-Being Team) who will make and maintain contact with the suspended Headteacher.

These new arrangements will ensure that support is available for suspended employees from a variety of sources. The guidance notes will ensure that suspended employees are aware of that available support at the earliest possible stage.

As usual, Education Personnel Services will continue to offer direct advice and support to Headteachers dealing with the serious misconduct of a member of staff (or working with the Chair of Governors if it is the misconduct of the Headteacher being addressed) and the first point of contact should be with the school’s allocated Personnel Consultant.

In addition, in cases of Headteachers on long term sick leave, we will arrange for a member of the Well-Being Team to keep in touch. I am sure you will agree that these improved support arrangements will improve considerably the way in which the LEA supports Headteachers and other staff during long term absences from work.

If there are any queries resulting from these changes, please contact your allocated Personnel Consultant in the first instance.

Yours sincerely

Bryan Slater

Director of Education

cc Mr Bob Werrett (National Association of Headteachers)

Mr Rob Young (Secondary Heads Association)

Mr Colin Collis (NASUWT)

Mr Tony Mulgrew (NUT)

Mr John Barnes (ATL)

Jan Tanner (PAT)

Jonathan Dunning (UNISON)