Safeguarding Handbook
Links
This page gives you a working link to every resource referenced in the Safeguarding Handbook for Schools 2026. The sections below follow the order of the book, so if you are reading a page in the handbook you will find its links under the same heading here.
All links checked September 2026. If you find one that has stopped working, please email [email protected] and it will be fixed here, which means it is fixed for everyone holding a copy.
The four Categories of Child Abuse
When to suspect child maltreatment (CG89)
NICE. On the static list, still published, no longer updated.
Guideline
Child abuse and neglect (NG76)
NICE.
Guideline
Children's attachment (NG26)
NICE.
Guideline
Harmful sexual behaviour among children and young people (NG55)
NICE.
Guideline
Domestic violence and abuse (PH50)
NICE.
Guideline
Adverse Childhood Experiences and Protective Factors
Addressing trauma and adversity
YoungMinds. Free resources for professionals.
Resources
Adverse Childhood Experiences
Public Health Wales. Home of the ACE Hub Wales.
ACE pages
About the CDC-Kaiser ACE Study
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The original 1995 to 1997 study.
Study overview
Beacon House resources
Beacon House Therapeutic Services and Trauma Team. Free downloads, animations and podcasts on developmental trauma.
Resource library
Working Together to Safeguard Children (2026)
Working together to safeguard children
Department for Education. Statutory guidance.
Main document page
Statutory Guidance: Keeping Children Safe in Education
Keeping children safe in education
Department for Education. Statutory guidance, current edition September 2026.
Main document page
Creating an effective safeguarding system
Education Support
Charity providing a 24/7 confidential helpline and wellbeing support for education staff.
Website
Information Sharing and Child Protection Records
Data protection in schools: data retention
Department for Education. Gives the retention periods for child protection files, including the 75th birthday period for files relating to child sexual abuse.
Data retention guidance
Accessing pupils' information
Information Commissioner's Office. Subject access and education records.
ICO guidance
Information sharing advice for safeguarding practitioners
Department for Education, 2024.
Main document page
Developing Safe Working Practices and Safer Recruitment
Guidance for safer working practice
Safer Recruitment Consortium. The starting point for a staff code of conduct.
Safer Recruitment Consortium
Stop It Now
Lucy Faithfull Foundation. Anonymous helpline, email and chat on preventing child sexual abuse.
Website
Disclosure and Barring Service
Disclosure and Barring Service
The DBS on GOV.UK.
Organisation page
Find out what type of DBS check you can get
GOV.UK tool for employers.
Check tool
DBS barring referral guidance
Disclosure and Barring Service.
Collection
Guidance on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975
Ministry of Justice.
Main document page
Filtering rules for DBS certificates
Disclosure and Barring Service.
Filtering rules | DBS filtering guide
What is filtering?
Nacro. Plain English explanation for individuals.
Nacro guidance
Which cautions and convictions will be removed from a DBS check?
Unlock. Includes worked examples.
Unlock guidance
Disqualification under the Childcare Act 2006
Department for Education. Statutory guidance.
Full guidance
Single Central Record and Pre-employment Checks
Documents you need for a criminal record check
GOV.UK. Identity document groups.
Document list
Check a teacher's record
Department for Education. The Employer Access service, for prohibition order and QTS checks.
Teacher record check
Teaching Regulation Agency
Regulated Professions Register entry, with contact details.
TRA entry
Criminal records checks for overseas applicants
Home Office. Country by country guidance.
Overseas checks
International Child Protection Certificates
ACRO Criminal Records Office. For UK citizens working overseas.
ICPC certificates
PRADO, Public Register of Authentic Identity and Travel Documents Online
Council of the European Union. For checking identity documents.
PRADO
Right to work checklist
UK Visas and Immigration.
Checklist
Low level concerns about staff
Developing and implementing a low-level concerns policy
Farrer and Co Safeguarding Unit. A guide for organisations working with children.
Guide
The Role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead
When to call the police: guidance for schools and colleges
National Police Chiefs' Council, with the DfE, Home Office and PSHE Association. Non-statutory.
Guidance (PDF)
The Role of the Governing Body
Making barring referrals to the DBS
Disclosure and Barring Service.
Referral guidance
Teacher misconduct: referral form
Teaching Regulation Agency. Separate forms for employers and members of the public.
Referral forms
Contextual Safeguarding
Contextual Safeguarding
Global Centre for Contextual Safeguarding, Durham University.
Website | Toolkits
Child Sexual Exploitation
Child sexual exploitation: definition and guide for practitioners
Department for Education.
Main document page
Child-on-Child Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence
Beyond Referrals: harmful sexual behaviour
Contextual Safeguarding, Durham University. Self-assessment toolkit for schools.
Toolkit
Harmful sexual behaviour framework and audit
NSPCC Learning, with Research in Practice and Professor Simon Hackett.
Framework and audit
Sexual Behaviours Traffic Light Tool
Brook. Distinguishes expected from concerning sexual behaviours up to age 18.
Traffic Light Tool
Sharing nudes and semi-nudes
Sharing nudes and semi-nudes: advice for education settings
UK Council for Internet Safety, updated March 2024.
Main document page | How to respond to an incident
Report Remove
Childline and the Internet Watch Foundation. For under-18s to report and remove an image of themselves.
Report Remove
So You Got Naked Online
SWGfL. Advice for young people, available in English, Welsh and audio.
Resource
Look At Me: teens, sexting and risks
Internet Matters with Youthworks and Kingston University.
Report (PDF)
Female Genital Mutilation
Multi-agency statutory guidance on female genital mutilation
Home Office, DfE and DHSC.
Statutory guidance
Mandatory reporting of female genital mutilation: procedural information
Home Office and Department for Education.
Procedural information
Fact sheet on mandatory reporting of FGM
Home Office. Available in ten community languages.
Fact sheet | Serious Crime Act 2015 factsheet (PDF)
Female genital mutilation: resource pack
Home Office.
Resource pack
FGM protection orders: family court statistics
Ministry of Justice, Justice Data.
Statistics
FORWARD
Charity working to end FGM and other harmful practices.
FGM pages
Recognising and Preventing FGM
Virtual College. Free introductory awareness course, under an hour, no payment details required.
Free course
Duty to Prevent Terrorism
Prevent duty guidance: England and Wales
Home Office. Statutory guidance in force since 31 December 2023.
Statutory guidance
The Prevent duty: safeguarding learners vulnerable to radicalisation
Department for Education. Written for DSLs and education staff.
Guidance
Prevent duty training
Home Office. Free online training, including Channel awareness.
Training
The use of social media for online radicalisation
Department for Education and Home Office.
Briefing note
National Risk Register 2026
Cabinet Office.
Risk register
Safeguarding and Mental Health
Promoting and supporting mental health and wellbeing in schools and colleges
Department for Education.
Guidance
Mental health and behaviour in schools
Department for Education.
Main document page
Teaching about mental wellbeing
Department for Education. Includes a staff training module.
Training materials
Make it Count: guide for teachers
Mental Health Foundation.
Guide
Children's mental health
NHS Every Mind Matters. Written for parents and carers.
Every Mind Matters
Self-harm: assessment, management and preventing recurrence (NG225)
NICE.
Guideline
Eating disorders: recognition and treatment (NG69)
NICE.
Guideline
Beat
The UK eating disorder charity.
Website
Step by Step
Samaritans. Free postvention support for schools and colleges after a suspected suicide, on 0808 168 2528.
Step by Step
Support After Suicide Partnership
Hosted by the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Directory of bereavement support services.
Website
Hub of Hope
Chasing the Stigma. The UK's largest mental health support directory, searchable by postcode.
Directory
Mental Health First Aid England
Training provider.
Website
Senior Mental Health Lead Pro
Andrew Hall. Training and a wellbeing monitor for education settings.
SMHL Pro
Private Fostering
Private fostering: better information, better understanding
Ofsted, 2014.
Report (PDF)
Private fostering
CoramBAAF. Practice guidance, FAQs and awareness materials.
CoramBAAF pages
The Children (Private Arrangements for Fostering) Regulations 2005
legislation.gov.uk.
Regulations
Online Safety
Teaching online safety in schools
Department for Education. Non-statutory guidance.
Guidance
Education for a Connected World
UK Council for Internet Safety. The framework of digital knowledge and skills by age.
Framework
UK Council for Internet Safety
GOV.UK organisation page.
UKCIS
CEOP
National Crime Agency. Report online child sexual abuse, and education resources by age group.
CEOP Safety Centre | CEOP Education
UK Safer Internet Centre
Partnership of Childnet, the Internet Watch Foundation and SWGfL.
Website
SWGfL
Charity providing online safety services, tools and helplines.
Website
LGfL SafeguardED
London Grid for Learning. Training, policy templates and resources.
Safeguarding pages
Internet Watch Foundation
Reporting and removal of child sexual abuse imagery.
Website
The Manosphere and Incel Culture
Costello, Whittaker and Thomas (2025), The Dual Pathways to Involuntary Celibacy
Archives of Sexual Behavior.
Article
Artificial Intelligence and Safeguarding
Safe and effective use of AI in education
Chartered College of Teaching, funded by the Department for Education.
Resources
Shore
Lucy Faithfull Foundation. For teenagers worried about their own sexual thoughts or behaviour.
Shore
Stop It Now
Lucy Faithfull Foundation. For adults seeking support.
Stop It Now
Report Remove
Childline and the IWF. For victims under 18.
Report Remove
Revenge Porn Helpline
SWGfL. For adults affected by non-consensual intimate image sharing.
Helpline
Cybercrime and Cyber Security
Meeting digital and technology standards in schools and colleges
Department for Education.
Standards overview | Cyber security standards
