Safeguarding Children in Education Governors’ Responsibilities Training for School Governors

Aim To explore the role and responsibilities of Governors in relation to safeguarding children in Devon schools

Safeguarding and Child Protection ‘Safeguarding’ is: Protecting children from maltreatment Preventing impairment of health or development Ensuring children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care Taking action to enable all children to have the best possible outcomes ‘Child Protection’ is: A part of safeguarding and promoting welfare Refers to the activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm

Education Act 2002 Section 175 requires school governing bodies, local education authorities and further education institutions to make arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Such arrangements will have to have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State. The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 apply the same duty to proprietors of Independent Schools (which include Academies/free schools).

Keeping Children Safe in Education – July 2015 Statutory Guidance from the Department of Education Replaces Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education 2006 and Keeping Children Safe in Education 2014 Guidance applies to: Maintained schools (including maintained Nurseries) Academies Free schools Non-maintained special schools Further education (FE) and sixth-form colleges Independent schools Alternative provision academies Pupil referral units

Keeping Children Safe in Education – July 2015 Part one: Safeguarding information for all staff Part two: The management of safeguarding The responsibility of governing bodies and proprietors Part three: Safer Recruitment Part four: Allegations of abuse made against teachers and other staff

Governing Body’s Responsibilities The Governing Body must ensure that: They comply with statutory safeguarding procedures; They have regard to the DfE statutory guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ to ensure that the policies, procedures and training in their schools and colleges are effective and comply with the law at all times.

Governing Body’s Responsibilities The Governing Body should ensure that: all staff have read Part One of Keeping Children Safe in Education; The school contributes to inter-agency working in line with statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015; Their safeguarding arrangements take into account the procedures and practice of the local authority and LSCB; The school has a child protection policy and procedures and a staff code of conduct which are given to all staff on induction, reviewed annually and made available publicly e.g. on the school website;

Governing Body’s Responsibilities The Governing Body should ensure that: They appoint a member of the school’s leadership team who is designated to take lead responsibility for dealing with child protection issues and that this is explicit in their job description; DSL to have appropriate authority and be given time, funding, training, resources, support etc. to fulfil role – training updated every 2 years; cover always available for this role; The headteacher and all staff members undergo child protection training which is updated regularly, in line with LSCB guidance; They appoint a designated teacher to promote the educational achievement of children who are looked after;

Governing Body’s Responsibilities The Governing Body should: Ensure that a member of the governing body, usually the Chair, is nominated to liaise with the designated officer from the LA and partner agencies in the event of an allegation of abuse made against the headteacher, principal of a college or proprietor or member of a governing body of an independent school; Consider how children may be taught about safeguarding, including online, through teaching and learning opportunities – e.g. through PSHE and SRE; Ensure that the child’s wishes are taken into account and there are systems in place for children to express their views and give feedback; Ensure that staff members do not promise confidentiality to a child and always act in the interests of the child;

Governing Body’s Responsibilities The Governing Body is expected to: Put in place appropriate safeguarding responses to children who go missing from education settings, particularly on repeat occasions; Prevent people who pose a risk of harm from working with children by adhering to statutory responsibilities to check staff who work with children and ensuring volunteers are appropriately supervised. The Governing Body of maintained schools is: Required to ensure that at least one person on any appointment panel has undertaken safer recruitment training under the school staffing regulations; schools may choose appropriate training, taking advice from LSCBs.

Governing Body’s Responsibilities The Governing Body should ensure that: There are procedures in place to handle allegations against other children; There are procedures in place for handling allegations of abuse against members of staff and volunteers; There are procedures in place to make referrals to the DBS if a person in regulated activity has been dismissed or removed due to safeguarding concerns. This is a legal duty and failure to refer when the criteria are met is a criminal offence.

Governing Body’s Responsibilities The Governing Body does not: Have a role in dealing with individual cases Have a right to know the details of individual cases (unless it is in relation to an allegation against the Headteacher, in which case the Chair of Governors should lead on this matter)

Annual Governors’ Safeguarding Report Purpose of annual report: To enable the governing body to monitor compliance with the requirements of ‘Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education’ To identify areas for improvement Annual report constitutes: Key Personnel Summary of Safeguarding Training Policies and other documents relating to safeguarding Quantitative data Return to LA requested following presentation to GB by end of school year

Safeguarding Audit Safeguarding Children in Education – annual checklist for Maintained and Independent Schools, Academies, Pupil Referral Units, Sixth Form and FE Colleges to support arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people up to the age of 18.

Ofsted Framework – September 2015 Areas under which safeguarding will be inspected: Effectiveness of leadership and management: actively promote equality and diversity, tackle bullying and discrimination and narrow any gaps in achievement between different groups of children and learners actively promote British values make sure that safeguarding arrangements to protect children, young people and learners meet all statutory and other government requirements, promote their welfare and prevent radicalisation and extremism. Inspectors will always report on whether or not arrangements for safeguarding children and learners are effective.

Ofsted Framework – September 2015 Personal Development, behaviour and welfare: understanding of how to keep themselves safe from relevant risks such as abuse, sexual exploitation and extremism, including when using the internet and social media knowledge of how to keep themselves healthy, both emotionally and physically, including through exercising and healthy eating personal development, so that they are well prepared to respect others and contribute to wider society and life in Britain.

Ofsted Expectations Safeguarding action may be needed to protect children and learners from: neglect physical abuse sexual abuse emotional abuse bullying, including online bullying and prejudice-based bullying racist, disability and homophobic or transphobic abuse gender-based violence/violence against women and girls radicalisation and/or extremist behaviour child sexual exploitation and trafficking

Ofsted Expectations Safeguarding action may be needed to protect children and learners from: the impact of new technologies on sexual behaviour, e.g. sexting teenage relationship abuse substance misuse issues which may be specific to a local area or population, for example gang activity and youth violence domestic violence female genital mutilation forced marriage fabricated or induced illness poor parenting, particularly in relation to babies and young children other issues not listed here but that pose a risk to children, young people and vulnerable adults

Ofsted Expectations Safeguarding is not just about protecting children, learners and vulnerable adults from deliberate harm, neglect and failure to act. It relates to broader aspects of care and education, including: children’s and learners’ health and safety and well-being the use of reasonable force meeting the needs of children and learners with medical conditions providing first aid educational visits intimate care and emotional well-being online safety and associated issues appropriate arrangements to ensure children’s and learners’ security, taking into account the local context.

Essential Publications Working Together to Safeguard Children www.education.gov.uk/publications Keeping Children Safe in Education www.education.gov.uk/publications What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused www.education.gov.uk/publications Guidance for Safe Working Practice for the Protection of Children and Staff in Education Settings

Important Contacts