How schools can best support young people
The role of individual staff members in supporting a young person will depend on their position and the nature of their relationship to the young person. A number of staff members are likely to be involved in coordinating a supportive response, with certain staff members taking a lead for addressing child protection concerns.
Young people who have experienced gender-based violence (GBV) often blame themselves for what happened to them, fear not being believed by those who they disclose to, and worry about being judged. Schools can relieve some of the harm and help support their recovery by:
- listening to young people and asking them about their needs
- believing them when they disclose
- helping them to recognise that what happened was not their fault
- outlining what support is available at school and facilitating access to appropriate specialist support
- explaining procedures and making appropriate arrangements to encourage engagement with school and access to support services
- protecting confidentiality and only sharing information with others that needs to be shared. Always try to do this in discussion with the young person.
Schools are sometimes worried about taking an approach of believing those who disclose violence or abuse, if the reported perpetrator is also a member of the same school (eg. a staff member or a student) before there has been any investigation. This can be managed however, by ensuring any investigation is conducted by someone separate, so that staff members involved in directly supporting the young person can focus entirely on their wellbeing and safety needs.
Experiencing GBV can be traumatic. In response to traumatic events, people commonly develop adaptive responses intended - often unconsciously - to help them survive, such as avoidance, disengagement, lack of trust, and dissociation (‘tuning out’). These responses might help in the short term, but they can often lead to longer-term problems. It’s important for schools to be aware that young people affected by GBV might display some of these behaviours and to consider what the underlying causes might be. This will seek to show understanding and gradually build trust with the young person, helping them to develop more positive strategies and behaviours over time.
Many people heal from GBV and learn to cope with what happened to them in their own way. There is no set time for healing, so it’s important to adopt a non-judgemental approach and go at the young person’s pace. Above all, ensure young people are involved in any decisions affecting them, wherever possible.
