AUSTRALIA

Searching students' phones a 'duty of care', principal says

Nine News reports that the principal of a Queensland private school has developed a new strategy to prevent bullying – seizing and searching students' mobile phones. Principal Paul Thompson believes it is part of his duty of care. While he demands access to phones to uncover bullying, often it is the students who approach him. He argues that he is fulfilling his duty of care obligations in looking at mobile phones without consent. It is particularly necessary, he says, to be vigilant in a school setting where children's safety is at stake.

ACT Greens education election commitment to fund mental health

The Canberra Times reports that the ACT Greens are planning to address mental health concerns in young people. The Greens' approach is to invest in better school support for students with learning difficulties as a result of mental health concerns. The party has committed to investing $4 million over the next four years for these services. The Greens will also financially support school psychologists in 2017 to build assessment capacity so that families do not need to foot the bill for private consultations.

WA kindergarten student almost hangs himself after school hat gets caught on playground equipment

ABC News reports that a kindergarten student in Western Australia has nearly hanged himself on his school hat cord after it became stuck in a playground climbing frame. The four-year-old was dangling from the play equipment when he slipped. Luckily, the cord snapped but the boy suffered rope burns, according to his mother. Kidsafe, the Child Accident Prevention Foundation of Australia, has warned parents that similar occurrences are rife.

Queensland to review disability education

News.com.au reports that Deloitte Access Economics will examine Queensland's current disability policies and practices through an online survey. State school principals, students, their families and carers, teachers and teachers' aides will be surveyed for their views. Disability and advocate groups are encouraged by the announcement by Education Minister Kate Jones, as they believe that students with disabilities are too often left behind. Angela Tillmanns, CEO of support and advocacy group Choice, Passion, Life (formerly the Cerebral Palsy League), believes that all children deserve the best opportunities at school in order to maximise their potential in life.

DHHS faces questions after senior worker at child protection unit charged with abuse

The Age reports that there have been accusations against the Victorian Government's department responsible for protecting the State's most vulnerable children. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) allegedly ignored serious abuse complaints about a senior staff member and a boy in her care over 20 years ago. The 50-year-old woman who works for the DHHS was charged with two serious sex offences last week. The allegations came to light in 2015 after a whistleblower inside the DHHS provided evidence to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse who referred the case to the Victorian Police.

Autism cage student receives personal apology from Education Directorate

The Canberra Times reports that the autistic student who was kept in a cage at school has received a personal apology from the Director-General of the ACT Education and Training Directorate, Natalie Howson. Ms Howson has met with the boy and his family and ensured them the Directorate's full support. The family has said that it is pleased with the early transfer of the boy to high school. ACT Education Minister, Shane Rattenbury, said that there has been significant, regular contact with the family since the story was released in March last year. Co-convenor of Autistic Families Australia, Briannon Lee, has welcomed the apology. She recently brought disability abuse in Australia to the attention of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Canberra Liberals call for minister Chris Bourke's sacking over child protection revelations

ABC News reports that Canberra Liberals have instructed the Territory's Chief Minister, Andrew Barr, to dump the Minister for Children and Young People, Chris Bourke, over his mismanagement of child protection issues. This follows ABC's special investigation into the series of mistakes made by child protection authorities which culminated in the death of two young people in Canberra in early 2016. The program highlighted problems in the system, namely that the Public Advocate and Children's Commissioner's Office was overworked and underfunded. Mr Bourke has refused to comment on the two deaths.

Durham teacher disciplined for ‘inappropriate’ social media communications with students

Durham Region reports that a teacher in Durham, England has been accused of using inappropriate social media communications with students. The behaviour, that crossed professional boundaries, involved communication with two male students with explicit language that made offensive remarks about a teacher at the school. The teacher was reprimanded for inappropriate use of social media in November 2011 but continued to communicate with students in this way following the warning. According to the Durham Region's article, she sent 500 text messages to a student in 2011 and had long distance phone calls with him.

Heartbreaking photo shows deaf student's belongings dumped in a toilet by high school bullies

The Daily Mail reports that a deaf student from Nebraska in the US has been the target of an atrocious attack at Omaha's Burke High School. The bullies threw all his belongings from his backpack into a toilet, including his tablet, debit card, school supplies and English homework. The student reported that he was very upset because he had worked hard on his project and wanted his mother to be happy that he did a good job. Adding insult to injury, the bullies also destroyed his cochlear implant, without which he cannot hear. While he has been bullied for his disability before, this was the first time he has revealed feeling unsafe at school. School officials have suspended one of the students and are investigating a second suspect.