The Child Protection and Safeguarding Handbook for Schools has been specifically designed with you, the designated person for child protection in your school, in mind. It provides everything you need to be able to meet statutory requirements for schools and fulfil the responsibilities of your role. The handbook has been written especially for schools, so you can apply the contents to your setting, and the guidance applies to all phases.

The first of its kind – guidance specifically for your school

This comprehensive handbook is the first to combine all of the information you need in one easy-to-use resource. It will help you with the important task of providing a strong, whole-school approach to child protection and safeguarding.

The book includes guidance on:

• your school’s safeguarding and child protection policy and what it should look like
• what to do if you need to reform policy and practice in your school
• how to achieve a unified agreement to which all parties involved have signed up
• raising awareness of staying safe with pupils and students through the curriculum
• how to deal with an emergency (this is presented in a quick guide format and can be reproduced and handed round to staff)
• the relevance of the SEAL ethos, as well as healthy schools within a child protection context
• school-based abuse prevention programmes – what they are, how to implement one in your school and a discussion of their effectiveness
• children with special needs, social and emotional behavioural difficulties and looked-after children
• inspection and self-evaluation – what to expect and how to prepare, along with a quick guide for staff and a staff directory of support services
• the role of the designated senior person for child protection – its statutory responsibilities and characteristics
• safer recruitment
• the roles and responsibilities of the governing body with regard to safeguarding and child protection
• the challenges of inter-agency cooperation and working with parents and carers along with advice on best practice.

Benefits

The Child Protection and Safeguarding Handbook for Schools will enable you to:

• increase your understanding of child protection and safeguarding
• know the general expectations and scope of your role and responsibilities as designated person
• apply policy and guidance to your own unique setting
• clearly explain to others what to do in an emergency
• know and share key facts, misconceptions and recent policy developments
• help your school to meet statutory requirements
• train colleagues in basic child protection and safeguarding
• work effectively with other organisations and understand your role in the context of a multi-agency approach
• respond sensitively and confidently to concerns from staff and parents
• react swiftly and sensitively to pupil disclosure
• create a safe environment for listening to children, staff and parents
• create, review, implement and communicate your school’s child protection policy.