We have been made aware of the recent incident at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester. We recognise the heightened levels of concern around protests and other planned activities which have an impact on the communities throughout Bristol. We want to share the correspondence from Department for Education as below. If you have any questions or require any assistance, please reach out to our team anytime at Safeguardingineducationteam@bristol.gov.uk
Dear all,
We understand that this may be an unsettling and worrying time and we want to acknowledge the concern this incident may cause within your school community. As part of our ongoing commitment to prioritising the safety and wellbeing of children, young people and those who support them, we’re sharing some resources that we hope you will find helpful.
Please remember that every setting is unique, and it’s important to consider what measures are most appropriate and proportionate for your specific context.
- DfE’s Educate Against Hate website provides schools and parents with free, quality assured resources to help them navigate discussions on sensitive topics and confront hate and prejudice in our schools and communities. Resources on antisemitism can be found here.
- The following online resources may also be helpful in managing difficult conversations with young people:
In addition, anyone impacted by the terrorist attack in Crumpsall, Manchester, or any terrorist attack, can access emotional and practical support services. The Home Office Victims of Terrorism Unit (VTU) funds three organisations to provide emotional and practical support to Victims of Terrorism, outlined below:
- Victim Support operates a 24/7 support line for anyone affected by a terrorist attack, whether they were directly involved, a witness, or feel otherwise impacted by the event, regardless of when it happened. Their number is 0808 168 9111 and is free to call. Victim Support can then refer onto other services, if appropriate.
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trustprovide a service focused on outreach, screening, assessment and onwards referral for psychological treatments.
- The Peace Collective facilitate a long-term peer support network for victims and survivors of terrorism and provide one-to-one casework support.
To access these services, speak to Victim Support first by contacting their 24/7 helpline on 0808 168 9111 or their live chat at: https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/
All victims and survivors, regardless of nationality, will be supported after a UK based attack, whether that be someone who has suffered physical, mental or emotional harm, those who have been bereaved, witnesses and first responders to the scene of the incident. These services can be accessed whenever an individual requires support, regardless of when the incident took place. So, if it isn’t something an individual feels ready for, they can access support later down the line. Further information on the support available can also be found at: https://victimsofterrorism.campaign.gov.uk/
In addition,
- The Community Security Trust have published several educational resources to support understanding and identifying antisemitism.
- Tell MAMA provides resources to help counter anti-Muslim sentiment and Islamophobia.
National security is the first duty of any government, and we take any activity that poses a significant threat to our security and public safety extremely seriously. Together with partners, we continue to use all the appropriate tools at our disposal to support education settings, this includes working closely with the National Counter Terrorism Security Office and cross government officials.
With our partners DfE has produced comprehensive non-statutory guidance and a range of high-quality resources to help settings improve protective security awareness and preparedness.
- ACT for Youth is aimed at 11–16-year-olds, teaching them about the three recommended actions to take during a marauding terrorist attack – RUN, HIDE and TELL. These lesson plans use a film and activities to show students that, if caught up in an attack, they should RUN to safety, HIDE if they are unable to run, and TELL the police when safe. This will support those in the sector to mitigate the risk from terrorism and protect their students. These lessons should not be a ‘one off’ or delivered in the immediate aftermath of a knife or gun attack, as this is likely to raise feelings of anxiety for young people rather than provide reassurance.
- ACT for Education e-Learning is aimed at those working in education settings (all staff, including contractors). The e-learning course includes identifying security vulnerabilities, identifying and responding to suspicious activity / item, and how to respond to a marauding attack.
- The non-statutory Protective Security and Preparedness for Education Settings Guidance is aimed at all those working in settings who have responsibilities for emergency responses, site security, communication and leadership. It is also for all those working across education settings who have responsibility for keeping learners safe, particularly those who are new to concepts of protective security and preparedness to help develop good preparedness and response plans. The guidance offers simple, practical and low-cost steps to deter attacks and keep learners safe in education settings by rolling out good security practices. The guidance sets out how to communicate during an incident (found at page 28 onwards) and provides guidance on how you should best co-ordinate to different people during an incident. There is also significant information and examples on conducting drills and testing scenarios which you may find helpful. There are also a number of templates as part of the guidance, which may be of use.
- ProtectUK is a Counter Terrorism Policing platform to help organisations counter terrorism, increase awareness and stay alert. ProtectUK offers actionable content that can help counter terrorism and provides advice and guidance to businesses and the public to help keep them safe.
- National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) covers a range of advice and guidance that is free to access. We advise reading the Security-Minded Communications Guidance for Educational settings which we published in conjunction with NPSA. The document provides tailored guidance for educational settings in the UK, enabling settings to consider how to use communications to deter hostiles.
If you have any questions about the resources provided or need further guidance, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’re here to support you and your teams during this difficult time.
Best wishes,
DFE Regional Prevent Coordinators
