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Dear Colleague,
Recruit teachers from overseas (DfE)
On 1st January 2021 the UK introduced a points-based immigration system. This affects how you employ teachers who are not UK or Irish nationals. All overseas nationals arriving in the UK from 1 January 2021, including those from the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland, come under the points-based immigration system.
Safeguarding checks for teachers from overseas: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/recruit-teachers-from-overseas#safeguarding-checks-for-teachers-from-overseas
This week the government announced that it is is piloting a new funded acclimatisation service for a limited number of schools who employ international teachers of:
- physics
- mathematics
- MFL (modern foreign languages) teacher
Further information here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/recruit-teachers-from-overseas#acclimatisation-pilot-scheme
Half of teachers need more help on pupil sexual conduct (TES)
The TES reports that nearly half of teachers they surveyed thought that there wasn't enough official guidance on allegations of sexual harassment. In general, it is my belief that there is enough guidance and it has been around since 2015. I think that this survey response may mean that it is not been disseminated enough in safeguarding CPD events. Peer-on-peer abuse can be a huge and complex subject, so I think it is important that it appears regularly in different forms in your safeguarding CPD plan.
Remember that although guidance on sexual violence and sexual harassment was brought into Keeping Children Safe in Education, there is a standalone guidance document: 'Sexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools and colleges' (DfE, 2018).
I do however agree with one of the secondary teachers who told the TES, "More realistic guidance needed on how to achieve uninterrupted education alongside keeping alleged victims and perpetrators separate." Whilst more clarity would be better, the issue here is that in serious cases until the police have completed their investigations, the alleged perpetrator is legally not be found found guilty of any crime and so should be able to continue to access their education. It is hard to see how that circle could be squared. For less serious cases, the school's disciplinary systems will guide their next steps. However, this may only be possible, if the school can be sure of what has happened, probably for incidents on their own premises.
The 'Sexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools and colleges' (DfE, 2018) says, in allegations of rape 'Whilst the school or college establishes the facts of the case…the alleged perpetrator should be removed from any classes they share with the victim. The school or college should also consider how best to keep the victim and alleged perpetrator a reasonable distance apart on school or college premises and on transport to and from the school or college, where appropriate. These actions are in the best interests of both children and should not be perceived to be a judgment on the guilt of the alleged perpetrator.'(see paragraph 63)
For cases of sexual violence or sexual harassment 'the proximity of the victim and alleged perpetrator and considerations regarding shared classes, sharing school or college premises and school or college transport, should be considered immediately.'
You can download a flowchart for managing incidents of sexual violence and sexual harassment here: https://6282.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/Safeguarding+Handbook+for+Schools+December+2020+v.11.2+SVSH+Flowchart.pdf
Download the government guidance here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sexual-violence-and-sexual-harassment-between-children-in-schools-and-colleges
Webinar: Could your school have a rape culture? https://event.webinarjam.com/register/216/mqkopigv
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New Domestic Abuse Act 2021
Data from Safe Lives tells us that there are 130,000 children in the UK living in homes with domestic abuse where there’s a high risk of murder or serious harm. Thousands more live with less serious domestic abuse every day. Nearly 2 in 3 children (62%) exposed to domestic violence were also directly harmed themselves.
There are some 2.3 million victims of domestic abuse a year aged 16 to 74 (two-thirds of whom are women) and more than one in ten of all offences recorded by the police are domestic abuse related.
The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 has now been enacted and will come into force over the next twelve months or so as legislation once the necessary preparatory work has been completed.
Amongst to many aspect of the Act, from a child and schools' perspective the changes will:
- Recognise that a child who sees or hears, or experiences the effects of, domestic abuse and is related to the person being abused or the perpetrator is also to be regarded as a victim of domestic abuse.
- Extend the law to young people over the age of 16
- Create a statutory definition of domestic abuse, emphasising that domestic abuse is not just physical violence, but can also be emotional, controlling or coercive, and economic abuse.
- Provide for a new Domestic Abuse Protection Notice and Domestic Abuse Protection Order.
- Place a duty on local authorities in England to provide accommodation based support to victims of domestic abuse and their children in refuges and other safe accommodation.
- Clarify the circumstances in which a court may make a barring order under section 91(14) of the Children Act 1989 to prevent family proceedings that can further traumatise victims.
- Extend the controlling or coercive behaviour offence to cover post-separation abuse.
- Extend the offence of disclosing private sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distress (known as the “revenge porn” offence) to cover threats to disclose such material. (Preferred phrase now is 'Intimate image abuse'.)
- Create a new offence of non-fatal strangulation or suffocation of another person (the so-called 'rough sex' defence)
- Place the guidance supporting the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (“Clare’s law”) on a statutory footing. (This gives anyone a right to ask the police if they believe that they or someone they know is in a relationship with an individual that could be abusive towards them.)
- Provide that all eligible homeless victims of domestic abuse (include the over-16s) automatically have ‘priority need’ for homelessness assistance.
Further reading
Government Fact Sheets: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/domestic-abuse-bill-2020-factsheets
What new domestic abuse legislation means for social workers (Community Care) https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2021/05/13/new-domestic-abuse-legislation-means-social-workers/
Domestic Abuse Bill: Key measures for children and sector reaction (Children and Young People Now)
https://www.cypnow.co.uk/news/article/domestic-abuse-bill-key-measures-for-children-and-sector-reaction
NEW On-call incident response app (TeamSOS)
A new tool to safeguard staff and students during incidents and emergencies has been launched. teamSOS is a unique on-call solution that works across desktop, tablet, mobile and even a help button that can sit on a lanyard. From serious medical emergencies to urgent safeguarding issues, teamSOS helps staff take control of incidents.
'When I heard that 4 in 10 staff encounter violence in the classroom each year, I was truly shocked' says Richard Jewell, CEO of teamSOS, a new on-call incident response system. 'We wanted to develop a solution that would get help to the scene of incidents when staff and student welfare is most compromised'.
The app includes:
- A simple 'call for help' button for every member of staff
- Response team 'hunt groups', ensuring immediate specialist support
- In-the-moment guidance, with school-specific tasklists and first-aid videos
- Imminent integration with CPOMS to ensure a holistic view of each pupil
- teamSOS works across mobile, tablet, desktop and clickable personal panic buttons that attach to a lanyard.
To find out more visit: http://www.teamsos.co.uk/
Residential Visits (OEAP)
Updated DfE guidance allows residential visits to take place from Monday 17th May 2021. If you planning such a trip, the Outdoor Education Advisers' Panel has updated their national guidance documents 4.2b Residentials and 4.4k Coronavirus.
You can find the guidance here: https://oeapng.info/8959-residentials/
Parents with alcohol and drug problems (New Guidance from Public Health England)
Not all children of parents who use alcohol or drugs problematically will experience significant harm, but children growing up in these families are at a greater risk of adverse outcomes.
Research shows that problem alcohol and drug use can reduce parenting capacity and is a major factor in cases of child maltreatment. In 2019 to 2020, Department for Education (DfE) statistics on the characteristics of children in need found that parents using drugs was a factor in around 17% of child in need cases, and parental alcohol use was a factor in 16%.
DfE analysed serious case reviews between 2011 and 2014 also found that parental alcohol or drug use was recorded in over a third (36%) of serious case reviews carried out when a child has died or been seriously harmed.
The harms children experience can cause problems in the short term and later in life. Evidence shows that this includes intergenerational patterns of:
- substance misuse
- unemployment
- offending behaviour
- domestic abuse
- child abuse and neglect
These problems can then cause further harm, as well as increasing the financial cost to the different agencies who work to support the people who experience harm.
Find the guidance here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/parents-with-alcohol-and-drug-problems-support-resources/parents-with-alcohol-and-drug-problems-guidance-for-adult-treatment-and-children-and-family-services
Cyber security training for school staff (National Cyber Security Centre)
Since late February 2021, an increased number of ransomware attacks have affected education establishments in the UK, including schools, colleges and universities. In March 2021 one of the country's largest Multi-Academy Trusts sustained a ransomware attack affecting its 50 primary and secondary academies leaving 37,000 pupils and staff unable to access their email.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) previously acknowledged an increase in ransomware attacks on the UK education sector during August and September 2020. The NCSC has therefore updated this Alert in line with the latest activity.
In response the NCSC has launched a free cyber security training course to raise awareness and help school staff manage some of the key cyber threats facing schools.
The training is available in two formats: a scripted presentation pack for group delivery; and a self-learn video for staff to complete by themselves is also available on YouTube.
Find the training programme here: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/information/cyber-security-training-schools
Enjoy the Bank Holiday!
No Safeguarding Briefing next Monday (31st May 2021) as it is half-term - enjoy your break!
Forthcoming Courses
Advanced Safeguarding for DSLs
ONLINE Wednesday, 26 May 2021 BOOK NOW
ONLINE Wednesday, 9 June 2021 BOOK NOW
...and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for your convenience BOOK NOW
NEW Safeguarding and Governance
In this online course, you'll learn what an effective safeguarding systems looks like, how to ask the right questions to judge impact and the answers to the top three questions that safeguarding governors ask.
ONLINE BOOK NOW
Also available as a live course for groups, please email for details.
Safeguarding for Everyone
Excellent as an online safeguarding session for all staff. Set up for your school on request.
For more information, go to: Whole School Safeguarding Course (Online)
Until next time, keep safe.
Best regards,
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