Safeguarding Wales: Preparing for Estyn Inspections in 2024
In September 2024, the Welsh Inspecting board Estyn will begin a new cycle of inspections, with a revised framework. The aim of the new inspections will be to focus on strengths and areas for development, as well as making inspections a positive experience for everybody involved. The changes are in line with Wales’s national mission […]
Low Mood: 4 Key Indicators of Safeguarding Concerns to Look Out For
Monitoring and supporting the wellbeing of students is a crucial responsibility for education staff, but it can also be a challenging task. If a child is experiencing a low mood, they may feel more sad, tearful, worried, tired or angry than usual, or feel low and less confident about themselves – but then feel better […]
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 Update: How CPOMS Can Help
Guest Author: Jon Trew In December of 2023 the government updated their guidance: ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’. This information is the multi-agency statutory guidance that sets out expectations for the organisations that provide help, support and protection for children and their families. It applies at every level, to all agencies and organisations that work […]
Addressing the Rising Challenge of Children Missing Education (CME)
For many schools and local authorities, the number of children missing education (CME) is a growing concern. The latest figures from the Department of Education state that an estimated 24,700 children were missing education in Spring 2023, with as many as 94,900 missing from education at some point during the previous academic year. According to […]
Monitoring Concerns of Sexual Abuse in Schools
The monitoring of sexual abuse in schools – whether it has occurred within or outside of the school walls – is a complex matter. Ofsted shone a light on the importance of addressing sexual abuse in schools in its Review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges (2021), finding that child sexual abuse offences increased […]
Addressing Safeguarding Challenges in Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs)
Every academy in England is run by a ‘trust’, whether these are Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs), which operate and oversee a number of academies, or single academy trusts that are only responsible for one academy. Though there is strength in numbers, from being able to access wider resources to sharing knowledge and expertise, the scale of […]
5 Steps to Prepare your School for Inspection with Safeguarding Software
All schools, whether independent or state-funded, are regularly required to undergo rigorous inspections to maintain the best possible standards for their students. As part of these inspections, regulatory bodies including Ofsted, Estyn, Education Scotland and the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), will often assess how well a school carries out its safeguarding practices to ensure they […]
The Importance of Monitoring Signs of Malnutrition in Schools
As a result of the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, more children in schools are living in poverty, with millions going hungry or at risk of going hungry. Currently 4.3 million children in the UK live in poverty, and with grocery inflation currently standing at the highest level on record, this number is likely to increase. Growing […]
Breaking Down the Keeping Learners Safe Guidance for Wales
Last year, the Welsh government updated its specific guidance that all schools in Wales, including nursey schools, independent schools and colleges as well as local authorities and governing bodies, must follow. The Keeping Learners Safe guidance is the Welsh Government’s statutory guidance for the Education Act 2002, intended for all those in Wales working with […]
Safeguarding Adults: Addressing the Challenges of Staff Wellbeing
All staff working in education have an important duty of care to safeguard children. However, it’s also important to recognise that adults are not immune to safeguarding risks. 20th – 24th November 2023 is Safeguarding Adults Week – an initiative led by the Ann Craft Trust, dedicated to raising awareness for the safeguarding issues that […]