Working with children and young people offers many rewarding opportunities, and with the many benefits and privileges this brings, it also brings responsibility!
To adequately fulfill your school's safeguarding duties, it is crucial to understand your responsibilities as a school and stay current with any revisions or updates to local laws and best practices or guidance to continually strengthen safeguarding procedures.
In this article, we will provide a summary of how schools can strengthen safeguarding procedures and help to keep their community safe from harm using UK guidance as best practice; however, we recommend that schools also reference their local laws and guidance when creating or updating policies and procedures.
Zenub Khan Professional Development & Education Services (Zen PD) supports the schools with professional development; none are as important however as Safeguarding.
Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the student is everyone’s responsibility! Safeguarding children against harm and ensuring their well-being and welfare is paramount for all professionals, particularly those working in schools. All educational settings should be committed to providing an environment where children feel safe and are protected from harm. This is not limited to school leadership; all staff form part of the wider safeguarding system for each student.
Everyone who comes into contact with a child, their family, and caregivers has a role in safeguarding the student. To fulfill this responsibility effectively, all staff should make sure their approach is child-centered and leadership must ensure that the appropriate level of training has been provided. This means that they should consider, at all times, what is in the best interests of the child. No single professional can have a full picture of a child’s needs and circumstances. If children and families are to receive the right help at the right time, everyone who comes into contact with them has a role to play in identifying concerns, sharing information, and taking prompt action.
Key legislation in schools (UK)
There are several key pieces of legislation and guidelines in place to guide schools and educators.
One of the significant legal guidelines for schools, known as "Working Together to Safeguard Children," describes safeguarding and promoting children's well-being as:
1. Keeping children safe from harm
2. Preventing harm to children's mental and physical health or growth.
3. Ensuring that children live in conditions that offer safe and effective care.
4. Taking steps to help all children achieve the best possible outcomes
KCSIE 2023: Keeping Children Safe in Education
In addition to "Working Together to Safeguard Children," schools in the UK also follow "Keeping Children Safe in Education" (KCSIE) guidelines. The 2023 update of KCSIE reinforces the commitment to safeguarding and provides updated information and procedures for schools. It covers areas such as:
• Safer Recruitment: Ensuring that individuals working with children are suitable for the role through rigorous checks and vetting procedures
• Online Safety: Addressing the Challenges of the Digital Age, including Online Bullying, social media, and Internet Safety
• Mental Health: Recognising the importance of supporting children's mental health and providing guidance on identifying and addressing mental health concerns • Peer-on-Peer Abuse: Highlighting the need to address abuse between children and providing strategies to prevent it
The six principles for safeguarding children
Empowerment
Empowering children can be a potent way for them to safeguard themselves. Sometimes, those in a position of authority may exploit a child's vulnerability, but by instilling confidence in children to speak up, you can gain better insight into their emotions. This, in turn, enables you to assist them and ease their concerns if they encounter difficulties in the future.
Protection
Children, particularly those who have experienced abuse, must receive the necessary support to prevent additional harm. This includes essential measures like access to healthcare, the presence of social workers, and other vital child protection services.
Prevention
Schools must establish and maintain the required policies and procedures to prevent any form of abuse or harm from occurring to children under their care. This can be achieved through staff training, promoting awareness, and ensuring that information is easily accessible.
Every child is unique, and therefore, each safeguarding case is distinct. Consequently, any preventive measures should consider the specific circumstances of each child under your care.
Proportionality
Proportionality ensures that all individuals within the organisation are considered when addressing matters of abuse and safeguarding.
Certain individuals may encounter varying levels of risk, and it's crucial to recognize and minimize these risks as much as possible to establish a safe environment and prevent further abuse.
Partnerships
To ensure effective child protection, it's essential to involve more people. By establishing partnerships with key agencies, local communities, and relevant organizations like NGOs, social workers, and healthcare.
Partnerships enable everyone to collaborate in building a safe environment, both inside and outside the organisation.
Accountability. Accountability means taking ownership of our actions and staying vigilant against harmful behaviors. It's not only about recognising such actions but also about refraining from inflicting harm on others.
We hope this article has encouraged you to think about the most effective ways to enhance your school's safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures. By staying updated on changing laws and guidelines, you can ensure that your policies and practices are in line with requirements and international best practices.
The above is merely a taste of what is taught, learned, and discussed in our safeguarding courses. Delivered face-to-face or online in the Middle East, UK, and China, our training helps build confidence and highlight your responsibilities towards safeguarding pupils while taking into consideration the local laws and reporting procedures.
To learn more/book our Designated Safeguarding Lead, Advanced Safeguarding, Safeguarding in EYFS, or Safeguarding in primary/secondary course, or to learn more about our professional development courses, email info@zenpd.ae or call 00971585873184. We look forward to supporting your school.
The Zen PD Team
info@zenpd.ae
00971585873184.
