What is Safeguarding?

Schools and their staff are an important part of the wider safeguarding system for children. This system is described in the statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children. 

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and their families has a role to play. In order to fulfil this responsibility effectively, all practitioners should make sure their approach is child centred. This means that they should consider, at all times, what is in the best interests of the child.  No single practitioner can have a full picture of a child’s needs and circumstances. If children and families are to receive the right help at the right time, everyone who comes into contact with them has a role to play in identifying concerns, sharing information and taking prompt action.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined as: 

• protecting children from maltreatment 

• preventing the impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development 

• ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care, and 

• taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.