SAFEcic Briefing Paper on Keeping Children Safe in Education 2019 - the changes from 2018.

This document came into force in September 2019. Keeping Children Safe in Education¹ is statutory guidance that schools and colleges in England must have regard to when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

• Governing bodies of maintained schools (including maintained nursery schools) and colleges;
• Proprietors of independent schools, (including academies, free schools and alternative provision academies), and, non-maintained special schools. In the case of academies, free schools, and alternative provision academies, the proprietor will be the academy trust; and
• Management committees of pupil referral units (PRUs)

NB All staff in these schools or colleges must read at least Part One² of the guidance. The persons described above should ensure this. They should also ensure that mechanisms are in place to assist staff to understand and discharge their roles and responsibilities as set out in Part One

Reference to “transitional arrangement from the 2018 summary has been removed as the new three safeguarding partner arrangement will be in place by September.

PART ONE

• There has been a rearrangement of paragraphs to improve the flow. Content has not been changed
• However the information included at the end of part one covering abuse and neglect has been moved to the section “What school and college staff should look out for” starting at paragraph 18
• The peer on peer abuse section paragraph 27 now includes upskirting, which typically involves taking pictures under a person’s clothing without them knowing. This is now a criminal offence.
• Paragraphs 29 to 30 are new and headed serious violence, describing indicators and associated risks.
• Paragraph 53 has the updated link to the NSPCC helpline

PART TWO

• In the section on Multi-agency working, paragraphs 68 to 75 have been updated to explain the new safeguarding arrangements. See, ‘Working Together to safeguard children 2018 updated 2019’³
• In the section Opportunities to teach safeguarding paragraph 89 has been updated to reflect the new requirements covered by the publication, ‘Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education Statutory guidance for governing bodies, proprietors, head teachers, principals, senior leadership teams, teachers 2019’.⁴ New regulations will make the following mandatory by 2020:
  • Relationships Education or all Primary pupils
  • Relationships and Sex Education for all Secondary pupils, and
  • Health Education for all pupils of state funded schools
• The section, Inspection paragraph 91 has been updated to reflect ‘The education inspection framework Ofsted May 2019’.⁵
• It has also removed the reference to the School Inspection Service as they no longer inspect independent schools. The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) is approved to insect certain independent schools and also has a framework of inspection, ‘The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) Inspection Framework 2018’.⁶

PART THREE

• In the section Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks was paragraph 118 now 122 removes reference to section 167A of the Education Act 2002
• In the section Individuals who have lived and worked out side the UK what was paragraph 151 no 157 has had the wording changed for overseas trained teachers. It now directs to GOV.uk for further information. The direct link to guidance has been removed as it is currently being revised and will be updated it due course.
• In the section Maintained school governors was paragraph 167 now 173 provides clarity on section 128 checks.In the new section Associate members paragraph 174 is about associate members appointment by the governing body to serve on governing body committees

PARTS FOUR AND FIVE no changes

ANNEX A

• Was page 77, now page 79, that the number of children with family members in prison was for England and Wales.
• Was page 80, now page 83, heading now has Female Genital Mutilation and Forced Marriage added to make it clear what is included in this section.
• In the section What is sexual violence and sexual harassment? On what was page 86, now page 89, new section added on upskirting to reflect the fact this is now a criminal offence.

ANNEX B No changes

ANNEX C

• was page 93, now 96, a link has been added to ‘Teaching online safety on school June 2019’.⁷ This guidance outlines how schools can ensure their pupils understand how to stay safe and behave on line as part of existing curriculum requirements.

ANNEXES D,E,F,G No changes

ESSENTIAL READING

1. The complete guidance, Keeping children safe in education
Statutory guidance for schools and colleges September 2019
2. Part one: Keeping children safe in education Statutory guidance for schools and colleges September 2019 Information for all school and college staff
3. Working Together to safeguard children 2018 updated 2019
4. Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education Statutory guidance for governing bodies, proprietors, head teachers, principals, senior leadership teams, teachers 2019
5. The education inspection framework Ofsted May 2019
6. The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) Inspection Framework 2018
7. Teaching online safety on school June 2019