On the edge of quitting my job today.

[Sonolanona]

I've worked in special ed for over 20 years.
Change of management means that we are thrown into different classes constantly (as never enough staff), which apart from being really bad for the children who need stability, means you never know where you will be, and as an older experienced TA I often get sent to the 'difficult' classes.
Thanks to years of managing challenging behaviour I now have a bad back.. lateral cervical stenosis to be accurate. I've adapted how I do things with my usual (early years) class.. I squat not bend to change pads, we hoist non mobile cildren etc..it's fine. BUT if my head is yanked back to the floor by a hair puller or I have to help with a large child who is attacking, I can't any more..and this is the class I keep being sent to.
In the holidays I emailed and politely requested that I wasn't put in a particular class where the risk of very challenging behaviour is very high.(and I did get a reply 'thanks for letting us know' Guess where they have put me today and tomorrow?
I'm already job hunting, but I think when I arrive in half an hour and they haven't changed it... I'm going home. It would be a sad end to a long career and I really don't want to be jobless (I can only work part time due to other caring duties) but I feel like they really do not give a toss as long as the numbers are covered :(
AIBU?

I would ask for occ health appointment and if you cant work suggest taking sick leave this is work related stress surely

Did you tell them of your condition, that it impacts your daily life and has done/will continue to do so for more than a year, therefore you consider it to be a disability and you are therefore requesting x, y, z as a reasonable adjustments due to your disability to help you continue at work? If not, do it now, go off sick until it's resolved.

Absolutely don’t walk out! It’s an employers market currently and it’s far easier to find another job whilst working. Are you in a union seek advice from them, ask for a referral to occupational health who can make recommendations on what work is safe for you to carry out. Whilst they are only recommendations as a manager I would be implementing them unless they are totally unrealistic!

Absolutely the wrong answer! There are 4 million unemployed and 750,000 vacancies! It’s an employers market and walking out on a job would not be looked on favourably! An OH referral is the first step!

Use all the available channels to escalate and document your condition, your requests and their responses. Involve your GP and specialist, Occ health, HR, union etc put everything in writing and keep notes, email then to yourself and Cc the union rep and your manager.

Then look at sick leave if you are injured or suffering stress because they aren't making suitable accommodations. It's in their interests to retain an experienced member of staff and not to go down a lengthy (costly) sickness process or even end up with a disability discrimination/ unfair dismissal route but you need to stand your ground, don't let them push you to work unsafely and definitely don't just quit unless you have an excellent financial safety net and a good plan B lined up.

Ask for an occupational health assessment and also ensure from now on that every injury or pain is logged in the accident book. Being injured at work must be reported to H& S executive. Start keeping notes

you can also self certify for 7 days

@Sonolanona how did it go today?

Sorry to hear this. You are a valuable member of staff. I used to be and retired as a schools inspector (with spl ed responsibility) and Ofsted team inspector. Go to HR. The school has a duty of care to its staff and to you.. You need and deserve additional support, care and adjustment to your responsibilities on health grounds at least. HR should know this and therefore negotiate with management.. Good Luck.

Well they did a fast about face and changed the cover... and stitched up another member of staff (whose unsuitability to be in that class is very well documented...) I felt awful about it, but I stuck to my guns and when she tried to do the same, got told 'tough there is no one else' so she felt obliged :(

That makes us sound like bunch of old wrecks... but what we are ,are staff who have been there such a long time and dealt with SO much over the years that we do now have damaged spines and necks. It's difficult to explain to people who don't work in schools that cater for severely challenging behaviour, but you are expected to suck up stuff that I don't think would be tolerated in most jobs (for example in my 'easy' class today I have still acquired one long scratch down my face and two more on my arms from a disregulated pupil). 20 years of it does a fair amount of damage, we are always short staffed and they won't put agency staff in those classes, even if they have been working at school a year, as they haven't had individual training.

I have never left a job without having another to go to, but I'm done. The changes in management have not benefitted the children at all, just created more paperwork , policies and pretty logos, and I think I am sad, burned out and just done.

I have been talking it over with dh (before today) and have decided to leave at half term. If I find something soon, great, if not we can manage without. I'm still caring for two grandchildren, one adult son with ASD and an increasingly dodgy mother... I won't get bored!

Go to your GP and get them to write you up for lighter tasks due to your diagnosis. Is there not an Occupational Health department at school you can contact? They should support you and tell your managers where they can and can't send you during your working day. Good luck.

I wish I could talk to you directly. I am 56 and have worked in SEN for 22years. I have been trained in physical intervention methods and then suddenly they stopped bothering training everyone so the staff wasn't safe and the pupils weren't safe from other pupils or from harming themselves. No one bothered with signing or using symbols adequately. Lessons plans became a thing of the past. Singing and PE disappeared. There was such a lot going wrong. So I left and took my skills elsewhere and after being almost suicidal I am so happy in my new role . Dont give up, us wise old birds have loads to offer we have the patience and the experience and the compassion. We have seen it before and we have a few tricks up our sleeves.

I worked in a mainstream school with a high number of challenging SEND children and do sympathise. I handed in my notice too before the end of the academic year because I felt unsafe. The crunch point was when I was a 1-1 with a pupil with severe ADHD left by myself in the school corridor and another member of staff had left a bucket of rounders bats the other side of the swing doors. Definitely put yourself first.

I suspect (without sounding rude) the pay isn't great for a TA anyway? That's why you decided you could do without the job even though you've done it for 20 years,

A friend had the same problem. She left, went as a supply assistant. Seems to feel more valued by the agency who employ her.

You should have a risk assessment in place if you have a medical condition that can be worsened by the physical contact. Are you a member of a union? I wouldn't blame you at all for walking out because the management sounds very poor.

I thought reasonable adjustments had to be made at work for ppl with physical problems

@Sonolanona do you have a risk assessment? I work in SEN school and many staff have risk assessments for many reasons and cannot work in certain classes due to their risk assessments. If you don’t is this something your employer offers

Op you need to re send email but cc OH, team lead, supervisor, and manager, add this episode too,
They have a duty of care op to you,
Risk assessment,
OH meeting,

I am a retired TA, for nhs, we had all above and one followed the other, can only stress you need a paper trail with all above cc in,
And if needs be get signed off sick until someone starts acting on your behalf,

Remember, duty of care , to you op,

Talk to your trade union and to HR in the local authority or academy chain or whatever the managing organisation is.

Right my wonderful SEN warriors are we members of a union? Because Unison was researching its SEN staff members on their feeling and experiences around safety. Are there any Unison members on here?

Go sick and contact your union. Your health and mental wellbeing are more important. They need to do assessment. You have the stronger hand, they will not won't you to leave as they will lose an experienced staff member. Also I just want to say having worked in a special school for a year, I am awe of you all and the work you do. Honestly, I have the utmost respect it's one of the hardest jobs I have ever done.

Are you in a union? If so reach out to them.
Put a time line together of your issues.
Keep all documentation relating to your issues with the employer and make sure you have it safe as Union will want to see all communication and a timeline of events.

Have you had consultations with your GP re your health issues because it sounds like you have long term conditions that will come under the Equality Act.
If you have not then make an appointment so it is documented with them.

Ask for a referral to OH so you get a report from them on your health issues relevant to your job and they will request your manager does a risk assessment and from that put reasonable adjustments in place.
Your employer cannot refuse you a referral to OH.

It also seems to me there is a lack of safe systems of working.

If you are in a Union seek advice immediately from them.

I wouldn’t do that job with a GOOD back. Surprised so many people are prepared to do it at all. Sounds like just being a punch bag. How much education are some of these children actually capable of?

I wonder have you considered private tutoring as you could I imagine work the hours that suit you. I see one person suggested being a supply TA. I would think supply TA's are much needed due to stress leave. To me it sounds like you need to change schools. I wish you all the best.

Please don't throw in the sponge after 20 years. This new team haven't a clue but that is good for your case. If you can - and you can - get professionals to vouch for you about your condition - right up to labelling it 'disability' then I really think you should give it a shot. Just walking away makes them the winners and if they get away with it with you, they'll carry on with someone else. You owe it to yourself to soldier on and I really hope you will???