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GTC Scotland regulates to protect
Scotland's new Child Protection Guidelines, published in December 2010, build on the foundations of the past and place child protection firmly at the heart of 'Getting It Right For Every Child'.
Of course, a regulatory body such as GTC Scotland has a key role to play in child protection. While we are not on local child protection committees, teachers registered with the Council are very much at the forefront of child protection and are closely involved in securing better outcomes for Scotland's children and young people.
Given the time they spend with children (for example, a primary school child can spend up to 52 per cent of their year at school), teachers are pivotal in delivering a safer Scotland. Through employers, teachers receive annual child protection training. This training will help them to identify any vital signs that something might be wrong in a child's life - either at home or elsewhere. The SHANARRI indicators (Safe, Healthy, Active, Nurtured, Achieving, Respected, Responsible and Included) which teachers will be familiar with are also essential in enabling every child or young person to reach their full potential.
Therefore, GTC Scotland, working with others, must make sure teachers and other professionals are supported in the vital job they do.
Regulators such as GTC Scotland will never win Oscars for the work we do. Our regulatory role may not always make us popular within the profession. We see the focus of regulation as being one of protection and not punishment. However, we accept that being removed from the teaching register may be seen as a punishment (especially by the individual concerned). But such action may be both necessary and proportionate to protect the safety and welfare of pupils and students, and the trust of the public in teachers and in the teaching profession.
GTC Scotland defines protection in a very broad sense - extending it to include teacher competence. In essence, we aim to ensure that anyone who is not suitable, either by virtue of unsuitable conduct or an ongoing lack of competence, does not remain in the profession.
For the teaching profession, there is a carefully mapped and supported journey, which starts on entry to university, continues through teacher education programmes and the induction scheme and develops through every teacher's career.
Teacher competence is central to this journey and central to the protection of children.
Therefore GTC Scotland is committed to regulating in a fair and transparent way, and through the 80,000-strong teacher workforce playing its part in protecting children.
New Child Protection Guidelines were introduced in December 2010 and can be viewed at: www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/12/09134441/0