Safeguarding Guidance for schools

The DfES produced a new guidance document for schools "Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education" which came into force in January 2007. The document is a consolidated version of earlier guidance material. It looks at the recruitment and selection processes, recruitment and vetting checks, and duties for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in education.

It replaces "Child Protection: Preventing Unsuitable People from Working With Children and Young Persons in the Education Service", "Criminal Records Bureau: Managing The Demand for Disclosures", "Safeguarding Children In Education", Safeguarding Children: Safer Recruitment and Selection In Education Settings" and "Dealing With Allegations of Abuse against Teachers".

All schools, including non-maintained schools, independent schools, and Academies, Further Education institutions, and Local Authorities exercising education functions, should use this guidance to review and, where appropriate, modify their practice and procedures for safeguarding children and dealing with allegations of abuse made against teachers and education staff.

Access the "Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education" document.

Child Protection Policy

One of the support responsibilities of the local authority outlined in sections 175 and 157 of the Education Act 2002 is to provide model policies and procedures for maintained schools on all aspects of safeguarding children. The Education Sub-group of the Local Safeguarding Children Board met on 13 June 2007 and approved a Model Child Protection policy. The requirement of the legislation is that governors review and update, as required, the child protection policy for their school/educational establishment annually.
View the Model Child Protection policy.