1300 attacks on council staff

MORE than 1300 physical attacks on Dumfries and Galloway Council staff were recorded last year, shock new figures have revealed.

The vast majority of incidents took place in schools, with teachers and other staff members bearing the brunt from out of control pupils.

A freedom of information request submitted to the local authority shows that 1303 physical violence incidents were recorded against council employees in 2025/26.

Of those, 1092 took place in schools, with a further 168 recorded across other education resources departments.

The figures come against a backdrop of a sharp upward trend over the past five years.

In 2021/22, there were 761 recorded incidents. By 2022/23 that had risen to 1056, climbing further to 1347 in 2023/24 and reaching a peak of 1483 in 2024/25 before dipping slightly in the most recent year.

Last year’s total of 1303 incidents equates to nearly four physical attacks being recorded each day.

Schools have consistently accounted for the overwhelming majority of incidents throughout that period, reflecting a pattern that councillors have already flagged as alarming.

Meanwhile, the social work department recorded 36 incidents involving adult social work staff in 2025/26, with a further four in children, families and justice services. Two incidents were recorded in transport and infrastructure.

Despite the scale of the problem, the number of staff absent for more than seven days as a result of an attack has remained relatively low — just two cases were recorded in 2025/26, and the figure has never exceeded three in any single year across the five-year period.

A Dumfries and Galloway Council spokesman said that the local authority has a “zero-tolerance approach to violence or abuse towards colleagues and contractors.”

He added: “Violence or abuse towards council employees is not acceptable in any circumstances. Through our ongoing Respect Our Colleagues campaign, the council continues to reinforce this message publicly and to encourage respectful behaviour towards everyone delivering council services across Dumfries and Galloway. When incidents do occur, they are taken seriously and are supported by a range of preventative measures, reporting and support mechanisms, procedures, training and reporting systems.

“Where appropriate, this can include support from managers, human resources and health and safety colleagues, together with Police Scotland where serious threats or criminal behaviour are involved.

“The council remains committed to supporting colleagues, following up reports of abuse and continuing to strengthen our zero-tolerance approach to abuse.”