Guest Author, Pete Hall Jones, Co-founder at Safeguarding Scenarios
Safeguarding in schools isn’t just about policies, procedures and training days. It’s about the culture we create every single day through conversations, observations, relationships and the small decisions we make in corridors, classrooms and staffrooms.
A truly strong safeguarding culture can’t be built on compliance alone. Yes, we must follow the rules – but we must also lead with curiosity, act with compassion and respond with confidence.
Let’s break it down into the four C’s that underpin exceptional safeguarding practice.
1. Curiosity: The Seed of Safeguarding Awareness
Curiosity might seem like an odd word in a safeguarding context but in truth, it’s where safeguarding begins.
Curiosity means noticing the quiet child who always says they’re “fine,” even when they’re not. It’s wondering why a student suddenly avoids PE, or why they flinch when someone raises their voice. It’s not about making assumptions – it’s about asking gentle, thoughtful questions and choosing to not always accept things at face value when your gut says something doesn’t feel right.
In safeguarding, curiosity says: “What might be going on here?”
Without curiosity, we risk becoming passive observers and occasional reporters. With it, we become active protectors.
2. Compassion: The Heart of Every Response
Once curiosity opens the door, compassion walks in.
Safeguarding is rarely black and white. It can be messy, complex, emotional. Compassion means listening without judgement, responding with care and recognising that behaviour is often communication in disguise.
Compassion ensures that when a child speaks up, they’re met with belief—not suspicion. When a family is struggling, they’re met with support—not blame.
In safeguarding, compassion says: “I care enough to listen. I care enough to act.” Curiosity with compassion can help sperate the ‘pastoral’ from the ‘safeguarding’ and thus help us direct our attention and efforts more effectively for the benefit of all pupils and staff.
3. Compliance: The Framework That Holds It All Together
Of course, caring alone isn’t enough. Safeguarding isn’t just about good intentions; it’s about good practice.
Compliance gives us the structure: the policies, procedures and protocols that ensure children are protected consistently, professionally and lawfully. It’s what makes safeguarding safe, not just kind.
But here’s the key: compliance isn’t the opposite of compassion. It’s what ensures our compassion leads to action. It’s the framework that holds our curiosity and care accountable.
In safeguarding, compliance says: “This is how we do things – because it keeps children safe.” Compassion takes us beyond merely recording incidents, while compliance provides the confidence and structure that drives us on to ensure such records are noted and acted upon effectively.
4. Confidence: The Power to Take Action
Confidence is what turns knowledge into action.
It’s the teacher who isn’t afraid to make a referral. The TA who trusts their instincts. The lunchtime supervisor who doesn’t second-guess whether a comment “counts.”
Confidence grows from training, but more importantly, from culture which encourages everyone to speak up about any concerns.
In safeguarding, confidence says: “I know what to do and I know I’ll be supported when I do it.”
Why All Four C’s Matter—Together
- Curiosity without compliance can lead to gossip or guesswork.
- Compassion without confidence can lead to inaction.
- Compliance without curiosity becomes a tick-box exercise.
- Confidence without compassion risks becoming cold or procedural.
But when all four are present? That’s when safeguarding becomes culture, not just a checklist.
Children thrive in environments where adults are alert, empathetic, informed and empowered. These are the schools where children are noticed. Where concerns are picked up early. Where disclosure feels safe. Where no child “falls through the cracks.”
Building a Culture where Safeguarding is Everyone’s Job
Ensuring that curiosity, compassion, compliance and confidence are in place helps to enable a final C – a great safeguarding culture where children are seen, heard and safe.
The best safeguarding cultures aren’t built in a day or by one DSL. They are shaped every time a teacher checks in on a withdrawn pupil, a receptionist notices a pattern in absence calls, or a senior leader responds to a concern without delay or defensiveness.
So, as you reflect on your school’s safeguarding practice, don’t just ask “Are we compliant?” but also:
- Are we curious?
- Are we compassionate?
- Are we confident?
Because when those four things work in harmony, safeguarding becomes more than policy, it becomes a promise.
How Technology Can Help to Build a Strong Safeguarding Culture
Embedding the Four C’s of safeguarding into your school’s culture requires the right tools to support the recording and monitoring of concerns.
With safeguarding software DSLs can maintain curiosity by identifying patterns early, compassion by treating every concern with care, confidence that concerns will be recorded securely and compliance by providing an auditable framework.
To learn how CPOMS solutions can help your setting create a culture where safeguarding is a shared commitment, book a free demo today.
