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Changes in Pressures in the Safeguarding Sector - Research in Practice
The latest report from Research and Practice is available on Safeguarding Pressures in the system. The mixed methods research brings rich evidence on the current safeguarding pressures on Children’s Services. Multiple housing concerns, health challenges such as delayed access to assessment or treatment plans, and the lasting impact of COVID-19 is impacting children, young people and families. Alongside new insights into these pressures, the report provides data showing the real and positive impact of sustained investment in early help to children, young people and families in reducing pressures on statutory child protection and care services. If interested, please follow the link below:
https://www.researchinpractice.org.uk/children/news-views/2025/january/latest-research-shows-changes-in-safeguarding-pressures
CyberFirst Overview - National Cyber Security Centre
CyberFirst is an excellent government programme designed to streamline talented young people, into a cybersecurity career. Bursaries and state support are available for those who apply. These include support for undergraduates, and thousands of free places on CyberFirst run courses across the country. Each activity involved in this system is designed to offer training with and exposure to cybersecurity issues, to make the scheme as useful as possible. Successful individuals will be the future first line of defence, in the CyberFirst world. You can get access to their developmental stage guide, and their annual report from 2023 – 2024, by clicking the link below. The programme provides brilliant access to a potential career course for school leavers.
Go to: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/cyberfirst/overview
CyberFirst Navigators highlights some of the most common cyber scams and malicious activity that a pre-teen and teenage internet user might come across and empowers them to make choices to keep themselves more secure online.
The interactive video follows Olivia, Luca and Raheem as they navigate their lives online – from communicating with each other, to online gaming, to social media and ads. During the video, the characters are faced with various choices – the learner can make the choices for the character and watch how they play out.
Find out more about CyberFirst Navigators for 11 -14 year olds here: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/cyberfirstnavigators
Ofsted Confidence Review
Occasionally I receive emails asking about resources to prepare for Ofsted inspections. I have never created anything specific because I don't want to give an impression that there is something 'special' we need to do. Secondly, it's all in the Keeping Children Safe in Education statutory guidance; and thirdly, I don't want add to anyone's workload.
Having said all that, since the specific 'Inspecting safeguarding...' document was withdrawn, it occurred to me that a 'confidence' review might be helpful. In other words how could we reassure ourselves that we know where our evidence is. With this in mind, I've taken the Ofsted framework document, pulled out the safeguarding paragraphs and left a space to review that aspect and ensure it is covered somewhere.
This is a self review to help school leaders feel confident that they understand the Ofsted framework.
It is important to say that this is a confidence tool, nothing more, nothing less. It is designed to provide confidence and it is definitely not a checklist or to be used as a sole audit document. Please don't use it to unnecessarily add to your workload (or anyone else's!)
For members of Safeguarding.Pro, an editable MS Word version of the Ofsted Safeguarding Confidence Review can be downloaded here: https://safeguarding.pro/mp-files/ofsted-safeguarding-confidence-review-september-2025.docx/ (You will be asked to log-in before downloading)
If you are not currently a member of Safeguarding.Pro, you can find an uneditable .pdf here: https://6282.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/Ofsted+Framework+re+Safeguarding+CONFIDENCE+REVIEW+January+2025+v.1.1.pdf
To join Safeguarding.Pro, go to: https://safeguarding.pro
Health Protection in Educational Settings - UK Health Security Agency
Face-to-Face education is the most important ingredient in securing good social and educational outcomes, for children. However, in school environments the transmission of illnesses and infectious diseases is liable to be heightened. This can cause significant disruption when it occurs, with hundreds of pupils confined to single spaces. The UK Health Security Agency, has published a practical guide for staff on managing these cases. Their guidance covers education, those working in children and young people’s social care and across the secure estate. It is largely focused on curtailing disruption, to necessary educational activities. To read more please follow the link below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-protection-in-schools-and-other-childcare-facilities
Downloadable posters - UK Health Security Agency
How long should you keep your child off school - checklist poster
Managing cases of infectious diseases in all education and childcare settings poster 1
Managing cases of infectious diseases in all education and childcare settings poster 2
Question of the Week
A child gives you a gift. What does our school policy say about receiving gifts?
'Settings should have policies in place regarding the giving of gifts or rewards to pupils and the receiving of gifts from them or their parents/carers and staff should be made aware of and understand what is expected of them.' (GSWP Safer Recruitment Consortium, 2022)
What is our policy on giving children gifts?
What examples could there be where a member of staff wants to buy a child a gift? Are there any occasions where it could be legitimate. If so, what should the policy cover?
More about this issue can be found in 'Guidance for Safer Working Practices' pages 9 and 10 here:
https://www.saferrecruitmentconsortium.org/_files/ugd/f576a8_0d079cbe69ea458e9e99fe462e447084.pd
NEW Course available on Safeguarding.Pro: Introduction to AI
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is here to stay. Until fairly recently, AI was unknown to most of the general public. The course is a short introduction to Ai, what it is, what it can do and what some of the challenges can be. Like many great inventions, AI can be a great tool or a terrible threat. Like most things, it will be a mixture of the two.
This new course is available now and can be shared with all the staff you have on your account.
For more details or to join, go to https://safeguarding.pro/
Safeguarding.Pro is a great resource offering safeguarding courses for online learning. A range of membership levels are available depending on how many staff you wish to include.
Child Sexual Abuse and the Family Webinar - The Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel
The Child Safeguarding Practice Panel is hosting an extra webinar to cascade the key messages from its national review on child sexual abuse within the family environment. The event will take place virtually on Wednesday 22 January 2025, 12.00 to 13.00. This 1-hour ‘lunch and learn’ event will include an overview of the key themes, local recommendations for safeguarding partners, and input from the Centre of expertise on child sexual abuse. It is suitable for safeguarding partners, senior and middle managers, and frontline professionals who work with children. The webinar will be hosted by Panel Chair Annie Hudson and Panel Member Jenny Coles. It will conducted via Microsoft Teams and you will be sent joining instructions and a full agenda via email from the Panel Mailbox one week before the event. If interested, please follow the link below to sign up:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/webinar-child-sexual-abuse-within-the-family-environment-2-tickets-1142581665519
Advanced Safeguarding for DSLs
"I just wanted to say that I thought today's training was absolutely fantastic. By a mile it was the most engaging training I have done."
Next live online course - 11th February 2025
Wednesday 11th February 2025 Book here
The on-demand course is always available and is updated after each live session Book Online
Other available online courses include:
- Whole School Safeguarding Course for 2024/2025 (2 hours of content plus a break)
Online courses - Safeguarding.Pro
All our other courses are now available in Safeguarding.Pro These courses can be accessed for a full year.
Current courses include:
- Safeguarding Refresher
- An Introduction to Cybersecurity
- An Introduction to AI
- Safeguarding for Governance
- Safeguarding Induction for new staff
For further details, go to: https://safeguarding.pro/
Until next time, keep safe,
Andrew Hall
Specialist Safeguarding Consultant,
Director, Success In Schools Ltd.
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