Statutory Guidance
Schools and colleges and their staff form part of the wider safeguarding system from children. This system is described in statutory guidance Working together to safeguard children.
Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and their families and carers has a role to play in safeguarding children. In order to fulfill this responsibility effectively, all professionals should make sure their approach is child-centered. This means that they should consider, at all times, what is in the best interests of the child.
Schools and colleges must follow the guidance set out in 'Keeping children safe in Education 2016'.
All teaching professionals should read and understand part 1 of this document.
Early Help:
All schools and college staff should be prepared to identify children who may benefit from early help. Early help means providing support as soon as a problem emerges at any point in a child’s life, from the foundation years through to the teenage years. In the first instance, staff should discuss early help requirements with the designated safeguarding lead. Staff may be required to support other agencies and professionals in an early help assessment.
All staff are required to be aware of the early help process, this includes identifying emerging problems, leasing with the designated safeguarding lead, sharing information with other professionals to support early identification and assessment and in some cases, acting as the lead professional in undertaking an early help assessment.
The importance of information sharing:
Information sharing is vital to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people. Child protection is like a jigsaw, it’s only when information comes together can a picture be formed and action taken.
A key factor in the majority of child abuse cases is a failure to record information, share it, and understand the significance of the information shared and to take appropriate action.
Your duties:
It is your duty to report any concerns about the welfare of a child to your designated member of staff for child protection
You need to be able to: recognise and respond, know who to contact and share information appropriately. These are your core responsibilities.
Any staff member can now refer their concerns to children’s social care directly.
Shocking and saddening scale of online child sex abuse
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-37834244
Rotherham child abuse: Eight jailed for rape and sexual abuse of three girls
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-37873340
Domestic violence 'biggest factor' for social services children
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-37873212
Useful Links:
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/child-abuse-and-neglect/neglect/
https://www.elearning.prevent.homeoffice.gov.uk/
Simply Education is committed to providing CPD to our teaching staff. For information on our current courses please follow the link below.
http://www.simplyeducation.co.uk/workshop
If you have not completed safeguarding training within the past 3 years please book on the earliest available course.