AIBU or should we fund welfare officers in schools and leave teachers to teach

[CanelliniBeans]

Listening to lots of debates n this.
It seems teachers are not able to focus n teaching because they are so busy dealing with basic social issues, making sure students are safe and even fed properly, and able to concentrate. They also have an array of special educational needs and poor behaviour to deal with.
So, instead of giving teachers more time off so there's even less time to educate, why not relieve their stress by addressing the actual issues and spend the money on welfare staff in each year group who deal with everything outside actual education. If we already have them, get more of them. Let them sit in classrooms and deal with behaviour and safeguarding.

That's really good to hear. Some schools could do with more than one of these. Take the pressure off teachers and properly support families so children can do better in school.

I heard that there was an initiative to give teachers shorter days but I don't see how that helps because the problems that they face are still there. I thought using funding to make the job more reasonable would be a better value option both for retention and to support pupils.

I agree with this.

Unfortunately the way elections run there's no incentive for long term thinking. If Labour set up a proper SureStart and support for families the benefits would only really start to show in years to come. Not in time for a general election. Same with the NHS: radical changes take time to show benefits and governments don't want to spend money when another party might get the glory.
We need more long term thinking in both education and health.

I think you'll find this is fairly standard. In my kids school there is a full time student support manager for every year group along with a head of year who although does teach, has a limited timetable so can address pastoral concerns. There is also a senco, a welfare office, and several other staff children can go to.