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Written question asked by Dan Jarvis (Labour) on Thursday, 19 March 2015, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 24 March 2015 (named day). It was answered by David Laws (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 24 March 2015 on behalf of the Department for Education.

Teachers: Stress

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support her Department provides to teaching professionals affected by work-related stress.

Answer

Supporting the teaching profession and reducing unnecessary workload which can lead to stress is an absolute priority for the Department for Education. Our response to the Workload Challenge[1] set out a comprehensive programme of action to be taken at every level in the school system, and the department will continue to do everything it can to relieve unnecessary burdens on teaching professionals.

School employers are responsible for the health of their workforce. It is vital that they have systems in place that identify and tackle the cause of stress in their staff and provide appropriate support for them. Headteachers also have a duty to promote the safety and wellbeing of staff and to lead and manage staff with a proper regard for their wellbeing. This includes the expectation of a healthy balance between work and other commitments outside the school.

[1] www.gov.uk/government/publications/workload-challenge-for-schools-government-response

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
228486
Session
2014-15
Subjects
Teachers Stress
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk