I have had the privilege of having a career where I have been encouraged by various Head Teachers to be outward facing. Coupled with what one would describe as your ‘id’, or what drives you, this has enabled me to stretch the boundaries of what we are told we can or can’t do or have at any given point in time. It has also enabled me to take on opportunities locally, nationally and internationally as part of my journey of self-improvement. This has required time, commitment and at times tenacity to ensure that the school business leader voice is heard for the good of the many.
When I first began my career in Human Resource Management and School Business Leadership, I was taken aback by an article in Personnel Today which landed on my desk with the headline “Walker v Northumberland County Council [1995]”. Within the article IRLR 35 found “that the general duty of care owed by an employer to his employee could extend to the risk of psychiatric damage caused by the work, which the employee was called on to perform.” It wasn’t the topic per se which shocked – but more the fact that this was written about my Dad and I genuinely hadn’t realised the impact his case had on the wider public.
Having taken a ‘career break’ to raise my three boys and seeing my Dad almost daily, I had not appreciated or understood the full impact of stress at work and an employer’s duty of care. As part of my Post-Graduate studies I then went on to research the full case history and of course had various conversations with my Dad, who told me he had not received any help whatsoever from his employer; despite stating many times that he was under too much stress and needed additional support.
Indeed, support was originally offered but swiftly withdrawn, ultimately resulting in not just one breakdown, but two. I have to confess that on reading the Judgement I sat and cried. No-one should have had to endure this complete lack of care from their employer.Of course, many years have gone by since this initial judgement and employers have indeed had to change their practices. However, within the education sector the level of care offered to those struggling with well-being and in particular mental health varies tremendously.
Over the past few years, I have had the privilege of operating within the national field of School Business Leadership and it is within that context that I forged relationships with various school leaders who were looking to provide a different, bespoke service led ‘by schools for schools’ – a real ‘Game Changer’ for the education sector. This led to the creation of Education Mutual, a non-profit staff absence provider for the education sector. I saw an opportunity to be part of the solution, to offer educators a level of care that protected their well-being and mental health.
In Education Mutual, I have the support of an organisation that is aligned to my ethics and passion for ensuring that mental health provision is paramount. We provide a service that offers mental health first aid and ongoing support programmes to ensure that those who have chosen to use Education Mutual can rest assured knowing we will support you. At times, for some, this can be life-saving; I do not state this phrase lightly as there are some staff who need a range of care support services to help them recover from serious mental health issues.
I also see this as part of my duty as a Director to ensure that staff have access to this support as and when they need it. We use a self-referral system which remains confidential so no referrals are needed from managers and we find that this helps reduce anxiety to help staff recover back to full health.
No-one should have to have help refused if they suffer from mental health and/or stress related conditions. In Dad’s case, his suffering has ultimately helped thousands of employees and if I, through Education Mutual, have been able to play just a small part in making sure that staff are supported then I count that a privilege.
Education Mutual – by schools for schools – making sure your staff well-being is at the heart of what we do.
About The Author
Tracey Gray is the Director of Support at Walbottle Campus in Newcastle. She is a Fellow of the CIPD and a Fellow of ISBL and is a qualified ILM Coach. Tracey’s role encompasses the role of Business Leadership incorporating Strategic Human Resource Management, Health & Safety, Finance, Income Generation, IT and Technical infrastructure, Estate Management/Leisure and Community. Tracey’s work ensures the students and staff are well supported to achieve their potential within a safe environment which is sustainable and financially stable.
Tracey became a founding Director for Education Mutual in July 2018 which has been set up ‘for schools by schools’ and seeks to promote ethical and affordable solutions around staff absence and well-being for its members. Education Mutual now has over 1000 member schools who are enjoying the benefits of the mutual approach.
Tracey was Chair of Trustees of the Institute of School Business Leadership [ISBL] for 5 years [May 2013 to June 2018] and led the organisation’s strategic direction on their journey to Institute. Tracey is currently onthe SBM Committee for Schools North East representing Newcastle Secondary Schools. She has also presented nationally at the Westminster Education Forum and Edexec Live as well as various local and national conferences and seminars for School Business Leaders and Governors. Tracey has a Masters in Professional Practice, Post-Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management and Development and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies.
https://educationmutual.co.uk/