Babies to be used in Highland schools to help stop bullying
Babies are to be employed as ‘tiny teachers’ in classrooms throughout the Highlands to make schools a safer place.
The move is part of a pioneering Action for Children programme to reduce levels of bullying and aggression in the classroom.
Roots of Empathy – ‘empathy’ being the ability to identify and understand another’s feelings – is being rolled out in eight schools in the Highlands.
The programme aims to reduce problem behaviour - including fighting and bullying – by encouraging children to interact in a nurturing manner.
A spokeswoman for the group said: "A real baby and its parent are brought into the classroom over the course of a school year to allow pupils to observe the attentive, loving interaction between the parent and child.
"The overall aim is to give pupils a better understanding their own feelings and the feelings of others."
The schools taking part in the region are Merkinch Primary, Central Primary, Dalneigh Primary and St Mary’s Primary (Inverness); Upper Achintore Primary; Caol Primary; Bridgend Primary and Obsdale Primary (both Alness).
Louise Warde Hunter, strategic director of children’s services at Action for Children, hopes that the introduction of "tiny teachers" will help good behaviour.
She said: "Roots of Empathy teaches school children to understand their own feelings and the feelings of others by using a baby as the ‘tiny teacher’.
"This raises levels of empathy amongst classmates, resulting in more respectful relationships and a dramatic reduction in levels of aggression among school children."
Bernadette Cairns, senior manager of Additional Support Needs at Highland Council, said the project compliments existing work over a number of years to raise awareness of developing positive relationships and emotional literacy with children and young people.
She said: "Having the opportunity to work with Action for Children in achieving this aim in an innovative and fun way in some of our primary schools was an opportunity not to be missed."
According to the group, independent evaluations of the programme carried out in Canada - where it originated and has been active for the longest period of time - revealed a significant increase in peer acceptancein 74% of children and a decrease in social aggression in 39% of children.
Eight baby volunteers from the Highlands have been recruited to take part in the programme. With their parents, the ‘tiny teachers’ will take part in nine visits to primary three classes over the course of the next year.
