People in Positions of Trust
1.2.24
The updated 'Working Together to Safeguard Children' was published on 15.12.23. The Executive Board are considering the changes to Working Together in the Spring Term. The documents and resources published on the Education pages will be updated to reflect any changes as soon as possible, likely at Easter.
Resources:
Low Level Concerns:
Useful resource from the Farrer & Co Safeguarding Unit
Allegations:
LADO Briefing for the Education Workforce:
Please click the link below to watch the LADO education workforce narrated presentation. This presentation is very useful as a training tool. It is suggested that the presentation could be used with Senior Leadership Teams first, then cascaded out to teachers, support staff and other members of the education workforce, such as administrative and premises staff. Please remember that the education workforce also includes paid and unpaid adults, which encompasses volunteers.
The presentation is 35 minutes long and contains descriptions of the LADO role, the LADO threshold and case management model, the referral process, investigations and LADO meetings, and the 5 LADO outcomes. The presentation also has a quiz and case studies at the end for the purposes of staff training.
LADO Education Workforce Presentation Oct 22
Complaints:
The Ofsted Annual Report and Accounts 22-23 contains a range of information about the national complaints picture for complaints made to Ofsted:
In Sheffield some current themes for complaints made to Ofsted and other external agencies about education settings are:
- Not following safer recruitment statutory guidance from KCSiE
- Recording of safeguarding concerns (e.g. incomplete, poor detail, not recording rationales)
- Conference and core group compliance (e.g. non-submission of reports, non-attendance)
- Understanding of LADO procedures (e.g. not referring allegations to the LADO, not following the refreshed LADO processes)
- Policies (e.g. out of date, not fit for purpose, not following safeguarding policy and procedures)
- Risk assessment and safety planning (e.g. not fit for purpose, not completed effectively, not including young person's voice, not consulting with parents/carers)
If a complaint made to an external agency (such as Ofsted) is received and it has a safeguarding element, you will be contacted by your linked Safeguarding Children Advisor for more information, discussion and any learning points, actions or support needed around the issues raised.
The Safeguarding Children Advisors are there to support settings, which sometimes involves the need to challenge so please be available to discuss concerns with an open approach, and embrace learning opportunities to improve practice.
Whistleblowing:
From Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023: Annex A: Para 23.
"Where staff feel unable to raise an issue with their employer or feel that their
genuine safeguarding concerns are not being addressed NSPCC whistleblowing advice line is available. Staff can call 0800028 0285 – 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Monday to Friday
and email: help@nspcc.org.uk. Alternatively, staff can write to: National Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), Weston House, 42 Curtain Road, London
EC2A 3NH."