Stress Management Background Stress – largest single cause of sickness absence Currently accounts for approx 23% absence within Children’s Services Directorate HSE stress audit June 2006 Follow up work with consultant to enable stress risk assessments to be prepared locally

Stress Management What will the Consultant do? Part 1 Modify existing Well Person Questionnaire Undertake three pilot studies Analyse returns from two premises Organise and steer four focus groups Report findings to Directorate Prepare Action plan for each premise Amend questionnaire (if necessary)

Stress Management What will the Consultant do? Part 2 Deliver training to all Headteachers and Senior Managers / Team Leaders

Stress Management Current Situation Following training, all HT’s / Managers were equipped to go back into the workplace to undertake localised surveys ultimately leading to the completion of a stress risk assessment. Many assessments now completed Some areas of resistance Most now in final stages of process.

Stress Management Problems Encountered Resistance from some areas - H&S team targeting known areas Analysis of data too onerous - Development of an analysis tool using MS Excel Insufficient timescale due to other pressures e.g. OfSTED - Additional support from H&S team - Extension of dead-line

Stress Management Impact so far…. Increased awareness of the causes and effects of work related stress Development of localised action plans to facilitate improvement (most not fully implemented yet) Decreased stress related sickness absence for the first time in almost two years

Stress Management What do we do next? Develop a programme of monitoring to establish how many premises / teams have stress risk assessments in place Undertake site visits as per monitoring programme Monitor stress related sickness absence figures Establish how to identify and manage individual cases Review policy