Protect teachers in abuse cases, union demands

Teachers must be given anonymity to protect them from false accusations of child abuse, a union said yesterday after new figures showed only a tiny minority of allegations resulted in convictions.

Staff accused of physical or sexual abuse of children were often driven to "professional ruin, nervous breakdowns, family break-ups and even suicide" because of the publicity, the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers said. The union's figures show that only 62 of its 1,557 members who had been interviewed by police since 1991 after claims by pupils were convicted.

The number of claims against teachers has steadily risen over the past decade, the union's figures show. In 1991, 44 allegations of physical or sexual abuse by teachers resulted in police action. Four were convicted. Last year, 180 accusations were made and only one led to a conviction.

Taking into account the false claims dealt with in the school, the proportion of true claims was less than 2 per cent, the union said. Teachers should be given anonymity until claims were proved.

In the first six months of this year, 97 union members were interviewed by police after pupils made allegations. Only 35 of the cases had been resolved, with the teacher being cleared in the one case that went to court, the union said. The remaining 62 were waiting for their cases to be dealt with.

The NASUWT, the other five teaching unions and NEOST, the national employers' organisation, have issued new guidance to schools advising headteachers to think carefully before suspending teachers.

The guidance accepts that "in rare instances" staff have abused children, but warns that teachers are vulnerable to "false, malicious or misplaced" allegations. It says: "An over-hasty or ill-judged decision immediately to suspend a member of staff when an allegation of abuse is made can have a substantial detrimental effect upon the person's career.

"Suspension is not only a traumatic experience for the individual involved, but also for their family, for other children at the school, their parents and for other staff."

The NASUWT has launched a counselling service for teachers facing malicious or exaggerated claims. "Investigations are lengthy and intrusive, with the teacher's name dragged through the mud. Many cannot sustain family relationships, have nervous breakdowns and cannot return to the classroom when the ordeal is over. We want to minimise this loss to the profession," it said.

*#149; A headteacher and her deputy who were suspended over claims that they taped shut a boy's mouth on a school trip have resigned. Hilary Mynott, head of Lyons Hall County Primary School in Braintree, Essex, and the assistant headteacher, Chris Webb, were accused of punishing Ryan Scott, 10.