Shona, shock, sadness and frustration...I remember first coming across the
No Blame approach a long time ago and feelings of excitement and real
hope...there is a lot to be learned here too.
Thank you for sending the piece ...keeps me in touch with the webs we're all
part of
Love Penny
----- Original Message -----
From: "Shona Cameron" <shona.cc@...>
To: <NVC-EducationUK@...>
Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2006 4:23 PM
Subject: [NVC-EducationUK] Fw: [EPNET] Anti Bullying Alliance


> Dear All
> I am wanting to pass on a message which came throught the Educational
> Psychology List that I subscribe too- mainly to share what is happening
> in
> the world of education and as a way of supporting Barbara Maines' work
> which
> with its emaphasis on restorative work in schools fits with our hopes for
> nvc in schools
> I would enjoy to hear reactions from others
> Shona
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: The Educational Psychology List [mailto:EPNET@...]On
> Behalf Of Barbara Maines
> Sent: 06 February 2006 22:49
> To: EPNET@...
> Subject: [EPNET] Anti Bullying Alliance
>
>
> Successful Strategy under Attack
>
> When a society behaves at its worst it is often the result of oppression
> by those who hold power. Compliance, maybe reluctant, is given by those
> who are powerless.
>
> Since the first publication of the No Blame Support Group method in 1991
> we have been both supported and criticised. We have never complained
> about that – the work is controversial and should be evaluated and
> debated. Some of the negative comments have been personalised and we
> have tried hard to be restrained in our responses, whilst continuing to
> promote non-punitive, restorative and solution focused process.
>
> The principal source of the criticism has come from Kidscape, members of
> which have misrepresented our 7-step method by suggesting that it is a
> process during which the victim has to confront the bullies and the
> bullies ‘get away with it’. That is definitely not what we advocate but,
> through popularisation of this variation, we have found that some
> schools misuse the method and end up with different results. If you want
> the cake you have to follow the recipe!
>
> Since the formation of the Anti-bullying Alliance and our appointment as
> regional coordinators in September 2004 the negative press has escalated
> and become very unpleasant.
>
> Towards the end of 2005 a Labour MP in Bristol took the opportunity to
> attack the recently elected Lib-Dem Bristol Council by asking Tony Blair
> to condemn the use of the No Blame method as referenced in the Bristol
> policy document.
>
> On 16th of December we received a phone call from Paul Ennals, Chief
> Executive of the National Children’s Bureau which hosts the service
> agreement for the ABA, telling us that our contracts as regional
> coordinators would not be renewed. Until that point we had been led to
> believe that we would be signing new contracts before the end of the year.
>
> At a meeting of regional coordinators on 9th January Paul Ennals
> explained that he was under extreme pressure from the Prime Minister’s
> office including frequent phone calls both to his home and at work. The
> threat was to withdraw funding for the ABA if we continued in post as
> coordinators because we are associated with a non-punitive approach to
> bullying. Paul Ennals assured us that our work was supported by the ABA,
> that we had not promoted our own work in our roles as regional
> coordinators, and that we had done nothing wrong.
>
> At subsequent meetings our colleagues (coordinators and members of the
> advisory group) unanimously and in the strongest terms condemned the
> action and asked Paul to reverse his decision. He refused. Our contracts
> have not been renewed and ongoing work has been interrupted, including
> development of an accreditation scheme for schools and creative work
> with Looked After Children.
>
> This is a short, factual account of what has happened. We should add
> that we have been devastated by this and as we left the coordinators
> meeting we broke down in tears, feelings of rage at the injustice and
> overwhelmed by the support and concern expressed by our colleagues.
>
> Whilst criticism is often voiced publicly and makes good press, messages
> of support are usually sent to us privately. We are now contacting
> colleagues to ask for help on three counts.
>
> 1. We want to explain what has happened and allow people to express
> their views on a political process that threatens professional freedom
> and integrity for all of us.
> 2. It is important that the voices advocating punishment and retribution
> do not go unchallenged and that those who support restorative, problem
> solving and emotionally literate methodology have a strong voice
> 3. We need to protect our reputation and access to our work.
>
> For clarification we can confirm to you that we are Sage employees on
> salaries and we have not had any personal financial gain from the ABA.
>
> During recent weeks we have been updating our website with new
> information which will go live on the 6th February.
> http://www.luckyduck.co.uk/supportgroup
>
>
> If you would like to express your views by email they should go to:
> barbara@...
> george@...
> ccloke@... - Chair of ABA
> PEnnals@... - Chief Executive NCB
> conorfryan@... - Prime Minister's Office
>
> We have made the decision to resign as members of the ABA and make
> public what has happened to us. We have made contact with the office of
> the Children's Commissioner and will be meeting with his team to discuss
> ways in which we can continue to make a contribution to this
> anti-bullying work.
>
> We will be contacting colleagues in the UK and overseas inviting them to
> join an interest group to share good practice, training and research in
> the range of non-punitive methods to combat bullying. It you would like
> to join please email barbara@luckyduck and we will keep in touch .
>
> If you have received our training or used the Support Group Method then
> we would be very grateful if you would complete the enclosed questionnaire
>
> Thank you
> Barbara Maines and George Robinson
>
> 1. How did you learn about the method?
> 2. Have you ever used it
> 3. Did you follow the 7 steps
> 4. Have you used other methods to change behaviour of bullies
> 5. What has worked
> 6. What has not worked
> 7. Other comments
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> The views expressed in this EPNET message are solely the author's.
> They are not to be represented as the views either of the member's
> employer or of educational psychologists generally
>
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