1. Improving outcomes for LGBT(QI) children and young people in schools
Janet Palmer Liverpool 04 November 2016
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2. National priority
Nicky Morgan, when she was Secretary of State for Education, said:
“Homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying affects everyone, not just young people who may identify as LGBT.”
Any child “who is different can find themselves subjected to distressing and intimidating homophobic abuse.”
‘A commitment to British values means that we also hold to account those… where homophobia goes unchecked, where young people aren’t being made aware of the many facets of British culture.”
‘One in three students say they change their educational plans because of homophobic bullying at school. Their life chances are completely screwed because of the fear that comes from being who they are.’
A priority for Ofsted also
Note the two key documents used by all inspectors of schools
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3. National priority
When the current Secretary of State for Education Justine Greening was asked about coming out as a lesbian during Pride London 2016 she stated:
three-quarters of LGB people are still scared to come out, I can certainly relate to that. But I just felt I didn’t want to be part of that 75 per cent [any more]
hopefully I can encourage the [remaining] 75 per cent to be happy about who they are,
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4. Ofsted priority
Ofsted’s School Inspection Handbook guides inspectors to consider how well leaders and governors: ‘Promote all forms of equality and foster greater understanding of and respect for people of all faiths (and those with no faith), races, genders, ages, and sexual orientations (and other groups with protected characteristics), through their words, actions and influence within the school and more widely in the community’
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5. Ofsted priority
Ofsted’s Inspecting Safeguarding in Early Year, Education and Skills, settings states that safeguarding can involve a range of potential issues such as:
bullying, including online bullying and prejudice- based bullying
racist, disability, and homophobic or transphobic abuse
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6. The law
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7. Education and equality acts
The Education and Inspections Act section 89 of the Act - schools must identify and implement measures to promote good behaviour and respect for others and prevent all forms of bullying.
Equality Act makes it unlawful for the responsible body of a school to discriminate against, harass or victimise a pupil: in relation to admissions; in the way it provides education for pupils; the way it provides any benefit, facility or service; by excluding a pupil or subjecting them to any other detriment.
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8. Protected characteristics
Age
Disability
Gender reassignment
Marriage and civil partnership
Pregnancy and maternity
Race
Religion and belief
Sex/gender
Sexual orientation
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9. The equality act
Are there exemptions to the Equalities Act for childminders, faith groups, management committees, early years settings, academies, free schools, faith schools?
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10. The equality act NO
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11. biphobia
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12. biphobia
Bisexuals face biphobia from people that are homophobic and from ones who aren't.
They are often accused of being dishonest about really being straight or gay.
Biphobic attitudes from gay and lesbian people have made many bisexuals unwilling to come out to them, preferring to remain 'under the radar' and pass as lesbian or gay.
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13. Common biphobic attitudes
Bisexuality confuses me so bisexuals must be confused.
Bisexuals are just greedy.
Bisexuality is being equally attracted to men and women.
Bisexuals can't be faithful.
Bisexuals have to date both men and women.
Bisexuals always alternate between the genders.
Bisexuality is an 'easy option‘.
Bisexuality is just a phase.
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14. LGBT school life
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15. Who uses derogatory language?
‘I heard a teacher who I thought was nice say to a kid that he was acting like ‘a fag’ because he was crying’
‘I hear teachers using the word ‘gay’ in a negative way just as much as I hear the word being used by children’
‘It was only the other day that my teacher told a boy to stop wearing purple socks because he ‘looks a bit gay’
‘If someone makes a racist or sexist remark then staff and some students are quick to punish those who made the remark. But if someone makes a homophobic remark then no one says anything and people just brush it off as if it's alright to say these things’
The School Report, Stonewall 2012
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16. Does every child matter?
‘I heard a teacher tell a gay student to ‘act less gay and stop poncing around and flaunting it’ while he was complaining to her that he was getting bullied’
‘I hate it when students use homophobic words like ‘gay’ or ‘faggot’, its horrible. I always tell them it’s wrong but only a few of the teachers say anything’
‘I’ve been hit, punched and kicked since I was 6. I had a death threat sent to me saying how someone wanted to ‘ … shove a knife up my arse and in my throat …’ because I’m gay’
The School Report, Stonewall 2012
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17. Why isn’t it reported?
‘I was too uncomfortable with my sexuality to report bullying’
‘I’m too embarrassed to report it: they get your parents in!’
‘dinner ladies don’t do anything about it’
‘if the teachers think it’s banter then they’ll just laugh it off’
‘if Mr M hears you say ‘gay’ like that he’ll really, really tell you, but no-one else does.’
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18. The best days of your life…
‘My locker was broken into and my property vandalised with anti-gay words’
‘I was nearly stabbed with a knife by three lads in a food design lesson. I was getting abuse and bullied everywhere I went in the school’
‘It happens anywhere, but particularly in sports lessons. I have to change in a separate changing room now because of the abuse’
The School Report, Stonewall 2012
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19. The statistics 55% of LGB pupils have experienced direct bullying
99% of LGB pupils hear the phrases ‘that’s so gay’ or ‘you’re so gay’ in school
96% of LGB pupils hear homophobic language such as ‘poof’ or ‘lezza’
3 in 5 LGB pupils say that teachers who witness the bullying never intervene
Only half of schools in the survey say homophobic bullying is wrong, even fewer do in faith schools
32% LGB pupils experiencing bullying change their future educational plans
41% of LGB pupils have attempted or considered taking their own life
Stonewall School Report 2012
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20. LGBT pupils who are also ‘looked after’
are more likely to run away from their home than their heterosexual peers
are over-represented in CLA groups
suffer from poor emotional wellbeing
have less of a sense of connectedness to families, schools and communities
These features are vital in fostering resilience, and reducing risky behaviour.
Public Health England 2012
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21. transphobia
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22. Common terms
LGB are terms relating to forms of sexual orientation: transgender is different. The following are common terms to describe gender identity. the medical term is gender dysphoria, gender variant or gender identity disorder.
Transsexual – someone who is in the process of or has changed gender through e.g. hormone therapy and possibly surgery as an adult. A child cannot be a transsexual
Transvestite – a person who dresses as the opposite assigned gender
Intersex – someone born with atypical physical sex characteristics (may be chromosomal, hormonal, genital)
Gender fluid – a person not identifying as either male or female
Gender variant – a term used to describe a child whose gender identity does not match the sex assigned at birth
Trans – a broad and inclusive term used in the UK for those who do not conform to typical gender boundaries
Public Health England 2014
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23. How many transgendered people are there?
The Office for National Statistics and government statisticians believe approximately 0.5% of the population will at some time in their life identify as transgendered, or 1 in 200.
One child in an averaged sized primary school?
4 or 5 in an average sized secondary school?
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24. Outcomes for transgendered children and young people (cyp)
75% have feigned illness or played truant to avoid bullying and the majority leave school at 16 or become NEET.
25% of trans CYP experience physical abuse.
75% of trans young people have self-harmed (NA 13% Year olds)
84% have considered suicide and 50% have attempted suicide.
58% have a disability or chronic health condition in later life.
NHS public health outcomes survey 2012
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25. Outcomes for Transgendered cyp
These figures actually mean that in 2012 out of the approximately 320K trans CYP in the UK:
238,000 had played truant, and the same number have self- harmed
160,000 had attempted suicide,
80,000 had been physical abused
Would more action have been taken if it was any other group?
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26. Janet Palmer Educational Consultancy

27. What transgender cyp want
This is a list of tips for teachers and students produced by a group of trans young people at a conference in January 2016:
Don't make assumptions about people’s gender
Promote inclusion
Don’t out someone before they’re ready
Provide a glossary
Have mixed sports activities with mixed teams
Provide a list of support groups
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28. What transgender cyp want
Have gender-neutral PE kit
Teach people how to handle it
Don’t lock disabled toilets
Have specialised teacher training
Respect name and pronoun preference
Elect equality representatives
Don’t feel pressured to come out
Promote individuality and experimentation
Know your rights as a trans person
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29. Trans-friendly schools
train all staff
check policies, procedures and forms are inclusive of transgendered parents and children (including using chosen rather than birth names)
ensure anti-bullying and equality policies refer to transgender
consider whether an adult or transgendered child would be safe
avoid gender stereotyping: boys=blue; girls=pink; boys v girls; making fun of being ‘girly’ or ‘butch’
include transphobia in behaviour policies and incident logs
develop the curriculum to meet the needs of trans learners by: reviewing the content of books and resources; and ensuring staff do not make assumptions about children’s families
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30. Transgender help and support
Transkids: for teachers
Mermaids: for parents of transgendered chidren
Gender Identity Research and Education Society (GIRES) for teachers and professionals
The angels for parents of transgendered children
The Beaumont society for transpeople
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31. Children in lgbt families
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32. The Centre for Family Research, University of Cambridge
Interviews and focus groups were held with children of lesbian, gay and bisexual parents - 82 children from the age of 4.
Very young children don’t think their families are different from other people’s families.
Children with LGB parents don’t like the way the word ‘gay’ is used as an insult. Children say adults don’t respond to anti-gay language in the same way they respond to racist language.
Children with LGB parents want their schools to talk about different families and stop homophobic bullying. This would make them feel less invisible and more able to be themselves in school.
Remember that it is school’s PSED under the 2010 Equality Act to:
Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it.
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33. Aren’t pupils too young?
n 2014 YouGov surveyed a sample of 1020 primary staff.
44% primary school teachers said children experience homophobic bullying/taunts.
One in five primary school teachers say children experience homophobic verbal abuse in their schools.
Two in five primary school teachers heard children using homophobic language such as ‘poof’ or ‘dyke’.
Three quarters of primary teachers heard children use expressions such as ‘that’s so gay’ or ‘you’re so gay’.
Two in five teachers said boys who are not into sports are bullied.
One in five said boys who are academic, experience homophobic bullying 
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34. Good practice
The Jenny Hammond School – good practice case study - same-%E2%80%93-creating-school-community-celebra
Elmer by David McKee.
It's Okay to be Different by Todd Parr
No Matter What by Debi Gliori
The Boy With The Pink Hair by Perez Hilton and Jen Hill
The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch and Michael Martchenko
Stoke Newington School bullying-and-ingrained-attitudes-at-school
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35. How to support LGBT inclusion in school
Train all staff
Check child protection and safeguarding training includes gender identity as well as sexuality.
Develop the curriculum to include references to all forms of diversity including gender identity and LGB. For example through teaching about role models.
Ensure compliance with equalities duties (PSED)
Display positive messages and images of diversity
Ensure information is available for LGBT pupils (displays/planners/leaflets)
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36. inspection
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37. Examples of reporting on equalities
Anti-bullying strategies are not high profile in the school and a few expressed a lack of confidence in the school’s systems to keep them free from harassment. There is considerable racial harmony in the school, but students’ awareness of some types bullying, such as the casual use of homophobic language is limited.
Students also understand the worth of different types of relationships and they are challenged if they use words like ‘gay’ in an inappropriate manner.
Students say teachers will always react if they use derogatory language; for example the wrong use of the word ‘gay’ to describe something they do not like.
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38. From everyone who is or may be or may know someone who is LGBTQI Thank you
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