TACKLE HOMOPHOBIA

England

Tackling homophobia in schools is essential to effectively meet the Every Child Matters agenda.
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The Education and Inspections Act 2006 requires schools to ensure homophobic bullying is dealt with.
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Guidance produced by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) in 2007 provides specific information about how schools can tackle homophobic bullying: Homophobic Bullying. Preventing and Responding to Homophobic Bullying in Schools.
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This guidance provides information for governors, heads, teachers and other school staff about recognising, preventing, responding and monitoring homophobic bullying. It highlights that:

‘Schools need to take an active approach to tackling all forms of bullying, including homophobic bullying. .. A preventative approach to bullying means that schools safeguard the welfare of their pupils.'

The earlier government guidance, Stand Up For Us. Challenging Homophobia in Schools (DfES 2004), remains a useful and relevant document.
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Government guidance makes it clear that all schools, primary and secondary have a responsibility to tackle homophobic bullying.

The Equality Act (2010) provides a new cross-cutting legislative framework to protect the rights of individuals and advance equality of opportunity for all; to update, simplify and strengthen the previous legislation; and to deliver a simple, modern and accessible framework of discrimination law which protects individuals from unfair treatment and promotes a fair and more equal society. Click Here to View (Website)