Safeguarding model policies

Model safeguarding policies for schools to use and link to schools' health and safety information.

Keeping children safe in education 2023 (publishing.service.gov.uk) states that governing bodies and proprietors should ensure there are appropriate policies and procedures in order for appropriate action to be taken in a timely manner to safeguard and promote children’s welfare.

To support schools and colleges in their safeguarding practice, the education subgroups have developed and signed off a Derby and Derbyshire template Safeguarding/Child Protection policy for education providers (July 2023) for use by Derby and Derbyshire providers. This template must be amended to reflect the individual education setting.

In July 2023 all schools were sent the Derby and Derbyshire Safeguarding Children Partnership (DDSCP) template Safeguarding/Child Protection policy for schools for tailoring and adoption. Following further input from the Education Data Hub, an Addendum to address the records management aspects has been created with the Safeguarding Partnership. This is available for all schools to add to their template policy at their earliest convenience.

The template policy:

• reflects the whole school/college approach to safeguarding, including child-on-child abuse,
• incorporates support and reporting systems within the setting, including those to external agencies. It is vital that the school/college review and amend the template to ensure it is in-line with the establishments internal pastoral and early help offer and agreed reporting systems. It must also outline how the school or college systems will be promoted, be easily understood and easily accessible for children to confidently report any form of abuse or neglect, knowing their concerns will be treated seriously,
• describes procedures which are in accordance with the government guidance,
• refers to Derby and Derbyshire agreed multi-agency safeguarding arrangements put in place by the Derby and Derbyshire Safeguarding Children Partnership (DDSCP),
• references and complements a range of other school/college policies, such as online safety and special educational needs and disabilities.

Once the school or college have reviewed and amended the template policy to reflect the individual education setting and its own internal provisions, vision, and ethos etc, the policy:

• should be reviewed annually, (as a minimum) and updated if needed. It is the responsibility of the individual school or college to ensure it is kept up to date with safeguarding issues as they emerge and evolve, including lessons learnt and national or local changes,
• the school or college safeguarding/child protection policy must be available publicly either by the establishment or by other means.