Safeguarding information for governors

Safeguarding Children is everyone's business

Everyone has a responsibility to protect children from harm. Some children can be at risk of neglect, emotional harm, physical abuse and sexual abuse in any environment including with close family members as well as strangers.  

Supporting your role

The statutory guidance, Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE), places requirements on all boards to ensure their schools have effective safeguarding policies and procedures in place that take into account local risks, any statutory guidance issued by the Secretary of State, any Local Authority guidance and locally agreed inter-agency procedures.

Read Keeping children safe in education (GOV.UK)

Within the Maintained Schools Governance Guide and The Academy Trust Governance Guide it is stated that a board has a duty to ensure that it;

• carries out its functions with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children
• has regard to the statutory guidance issued by the Secretary of State for Education relating to arrangements required to fulfil its safeguarding duties

This is outlined in:

•  section 175 of the Education Act 2002 - for maintained schools
•  Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 - for academies

Governing bodies have a strategic leadership responsibility for its school’s safeguarding arrangements and must have regard to statutory guidance when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. They must:

• comply with their duties under legislation
• have regard to KCSIE guidance
• ensure that policies, procedures and training in their schools are effective and comply with the law at all times

Governors, associate members, trustees and Local governors should ensure they have read and follow at least part 2 of the KCSIE guidance.

In addition, it is expected that at a minimum all governors, trustees, committee members and associate members undertake the following;

• Essential safeguarding for governors and trustees - e-learning, NGA Learning Link
• Prevent Duty Training  - DfE
• Safer recruitment training – e-learning, NGA Learning Link module.  

Within ‘Part 3 Safer Recruitment’ of KCSIE statutory guidance (GOV.UK), governors can find more detailed information about required safer recruitment practices.  

Getting help

If you are concerned that a child or young person is in an emergency situation you should contact the police urgently on 999. Any other concerns about a child should be referred to the Cumberland Safeguarding Hub.

Report a concern about a child
 

Your school will have details of the LA Designated Officer (LADO) who can also be contacted regarding safeguarding concerns.

You can also read more information on the Cumbria Safeguarding Children Partnership website.