Stay Safe lessons still optional in many schools

DOZENS of primary schools are still not teaching children self-protection skills that could help them to avoid abuse situations, despite Government plans to make the programme mandatory.

As almost 3,300 primary schools reopen this week, children’s charity Barnardos said there is no reason why Stay Safe should still be an optional programme for primary schools.

The Department of Education said a survey which 80% of primary schools responded to showed that, while 92% of schools use Stay Safe, 123 were not teaching it last year. Although 76 of these were using an alternative child protection course, the figures suggest around 60 primary schools nationally offer no such classes for their pupils.