SCHOOL sin-bins where disruptive pupils can be taken to calm down are under threat from council cutbacks, teachers have warned.
A paper on local authority funding cuts by the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) teaching union also claims a raft of other measures to control behaviour could be hit.
The warning comes at a time when the spotlight is on the Scottish Government's drive to reduce exclusions for bad behaviour.
The policy has been introduced because it is seen as preferable to deal with disruptive pupils within schools because expulsion or suspension can have a long-lasting impact on their education.
A number of strategies have been introduced, including additional support staff, restorative justice and behaviour support units – known as sin bins.
However, some teachers are already concerned councils eager to reduce their exclusion figures put pupils back into classrooms inappropriately.
In a recent case in Glasgow a secondary school allowed a pupil back into class despite the fact he had brought a knife into school.
And the EIS report warns some support measures are disappearing, which could make the situation worse.
The report stated: "Behaviour support bases have proven very successful in supporting the needs of these pupils, and many other pupils in the school. Increasingly, budget cuts mean special behaviour support bases are no longer being supported.
"In a time of cuts to local authority budgets there has also been a decline in resources that help reduce exclusion – including cuts to classroom assistant numbers and reductions in administrative and clerical support staff, quality improvement officers and educational psychologists – which are adversely affecting classroom teachers."
EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan said: "Educating pupils who have exhibited challenging behaviour within mainstream schools is not an easy or a cheap option, and must be supported by adequate staffing levels and other dedicated resources.
"The growing threat to the continued operation of pupil support bases is a matter of significant concern."
A report by school inspectors in 2001 said in-school behaviour support units allowed teachers to remove trouble-makers from the classroom without disrupting their education or that of their peers.
The report said sin-bins could be used to exclude pupils for a cooling-down period of an hour or two, or as a temporary classroom for those whose behaviour failed to improve.
A Scottish Government spokesman said exclusions in schools had fallen steadily since 2007. He added: "The Government supports a number of initiatives to improve behaviour and we recognise behaviour support bases have been a useful means of intervention. However, it is up to local authorities to decide how best to manage behaviour issues in their area."
Councillor Douglas Chapman, Cosla spokesman on education, children and young People, said: "We have not had the opportunity to study the EIS report, so we are not in a position to make a specific response to these claims.
"However, the Scottish Advisory Group on behaviour in Schools noted in its report that a number approaches are being used to address pupil behaviour, including nurture units and restorative practices.
"These and other alternative methods used suggest evidence of having a considerable impact on improving behaviour – a clear indicator of the benefit of early intervention.
"It is clear from the 2012 report that councils are striving to achieve the best outcomes possible for pupils with emotional/behaviour needs, while having to make tough decisions on the use of resources."
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