On 1 September 2020 the DfE published the updated September 2020 version of “Keeping Children Safe in Education“.
Whilst there are some additional paragraphs, the main changes to this 2020 edition refer to three circumstances:
- Firstly, where legislation has required it e.g. to reflect mandatory Relationship Education, Relationship and Sex Education and Health Education from September 2020.
- Secondly, where there is helpful additional information that will support schools to protect their children e.g. mental health, domestic abuse, child criminal and sexual exploitation and county lines.
- Finally, important clarifications which will help the sector to understand and/or to follow the guidance better.
Notably, there is a focus on both mental and physical health being relevant to safeguarding and welfare; particularly highlighted in paragraphs 34-38. Governing bodies and proprietors are required to ensure they have clear systems and processes in place for identifying possible mental health problems, including routes to escalate together with clear referral and accountability systems.
The new statutory guidance also highlights that the new safeguarding partner arrangements should now be in place in all areas. Locally, this means the local authority, a clinical commissioning group for an area within the local authority and the chief officer of police for an area will make arrangements to work together with appropriate relevant agencies. Designated safeguarding leads should make themselves aware of and follow their local arrangements. The three safeguarding partners will have set out in their published arrangements which organisations and agencies they will be working with and the expectations placed on any agencies and organisations by the arrangements.
Part 4- Allegations of abuse made against teachers, and other staff, has been updated to reflect the area of “transferable risk”. This is to recognise that where a member of staff or volunteer is involved in an incident outside of school which did not involve children but could have an impact on their suitability to work with children, an assessment must be made. For example, a member of staff is involved in domestic violence at home. No children were involved, but schools will still need to consider what triggered these actions and could a child in the school trigger the same reaction, therefore being put at risk.
Click here to view our briefing on Special Educational Needs and Disability.
Annex H: Sets out a table of substantive changes from KSCIE September 2019.