Safeguarding Briefing - 22nd May 2023
For all Schools
Last Advanced Safeguarding for DSLs Course (Online) - Thursday 22nd June 2023
The next Advanced Safeguarding for DSLs Course is tomorrow (Tuesday 23rd May. After the that the last course for this academic year is Thursday 22nd June 2023. This will be an ideal opportunity for any new DSLs to get acquainted with the role before September. You can book here: Book Online
School and College Security Guidance - UK Government
Recently there have been a number of incidents in the proximity to schools that have led to them being put into lockdown. In one, a rampaging bull was killed outside a school in Cheshire, and in another, six people were badly injured by two dogs 'dangerously' out-of-control in the West Midlands. A third situation followed a police alert of a 'suspicious vehicle' in North Yorkshire. These events provide a timely reminder to ensure that our schools has effective lockdown procedures to keep children safe inside the school. Whilst it is important to know what to do in these rare incidents, often this will mean ensuring staff know what to do, without unduly alarming pupils, especially younger children.
Non-stautory guidance for schools can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-an d-college-security/school-and-college-security
National Safeguarding Advisor Vacancy - Creative Education Trust
Due to an exciting period of growth, the Creative Education Trust are looking for an experienced Designated Safeguarding Lead to join us as our National Safeguarding Advisor. The advisor will lead the operational delivery of the safeguarding strategy across 17 schools, working as part of the team led by Director of Safeguarding, Louis Donald. This is an exciting opportunity for a DSL to take on their first trust leadership role. You do not need to be a qualified teacher for this role. The closing date is Monday 5th June 2023.
Find out more here: https://www.tes.com/jobs/vacancy/national-safeguarding-advisor-westminster-1857745
Did Someone Forward this Safeguarding Briefing to You?
If you would like to receive your own copy of the Safeguarding Briefing, simply go to: https://www.safeguardinginschools.co.uk/safeguarding-briefing-joining-page
Online Software - MedicalTracker
We first featured Medical Tracker in the Safeguarding Briefing 7 years ago. Since then, they have now become schools' favourite online software method for first aid/illness recording and reporting, mental health tracking, medication expiry date reminders, medical condition management and more. Founded in 2015 by a School Business Manager, Medical Tracker now helps over 50,000 daily users, 1,500+ schools and MATs, and is established across four countries. Always staying current for schools, the newest functionality includes witness statements for serious accidents or incidents, accident investigation templates, online authorisation of IHCPs and medication administration, as well as trust-level controls to help CEOs stay DfE compliant across multiple sites.
To find out more about their services, please follow the links below:
Primary Education: https://www.medicaltracker.co.uk/primary-schools
Secondary Education: https://www.medicaltracker.co.uk/secondary-schools
MATs: https://www.medicaltracker.co.uk/multi-academy-trust
EXCLUSIVE Safeguarding.Pro Member Call - Wedenesday, 24 May 2023 4.15 - 5.15pm
The next online seminar for Safeguarding.Pro members will be on Wednesday this week. Our monthly seminars aim to keep you up to date, looking at some of the current issues in safeguarding and provide a catch up and reflection for last month.
Register for the Member Call here: https://www.safeguardinginschools.co.uk/products/safeguarding-pro-resources/categories/2149313100/posts/2167795965
This monthly member call is only available for Safeguarding.Pro members. If you're not already a member of Safeguarding.Pro you can join us here: http://www.joinsafeguarding.pro/
Why join Safeguarding.Pro?
- A Safeguarding.Pro account gives the following key benefits:
- Fast-tracked response to your questions
- Access to slide decks and resources to help you lead training sessions
- Join with other colleagues in the Safeguarding.Pro community
- View a growing catalogue of videos and online seminars on a range of topics
- Live monthly member-only seminars to develop and share your safeguarding knowledge
You can join Safeguarding.Pro here: http://www.joinsafeguarding.pro/
Artificial Intelligence and ChatGTP
Artificial Intelligence has been much discussed in the media recently, so I thought I would check it out. I set up an account and asked ChatGTP, 'I'm a new DSL, but I don't know what to do.' You can find out the anser and what I asked in this video here: Member Call April 2023 ChatGTP Extract
This extract was taken from last month's Safeguarding.Pro exclusive member call.
What do I need to know about ChatGPT? A guide for parents and carers:
https://www.childnet.com/blog/what-do-i-need-to-know-about-chatgpt-a-guide-for-parents-and-carers
ChatGPT - The Future of Content Creation?
https://swgfl.org.uk/magazine/chatgpt-the-future-of-content-creation
Omegle Guidance - Internet Matters
Omegle has been a headache for those concerned with protecting children for a decade and a half. On first glance the site is a simple internet chatroom, reminiscent of platforms from the internet's early years. It has no registration or account system. Being designed with the originally innocent objective of getting strangers to talk to each other, but this allows under-18s to easily use the platform, without needing parental assistance, money or even an email address. This already creates a dangerous situation to young pupils, but its insistence on users needing a webcam to chat places anyone underage in an extremely vulnerable place. To find out more about Omegle and the risks it poses, please follow the links below:
Internet Matters: https://www.internetmatters.org/hub/news-blogs/what-is-omegle-what-parents-need-to-know/
Childnet: https://www.childnet.com/blog/what-is-omegle-key-things-parents-and-carers-need-to-know/
Forthcoming Courses
Implementing the role of the Senior Mental Health Lead (DfE Course Code SMHL105)
This is our DfE Quality Assured course for Senior Mental Health Leads. The course offers self-paced learning using the resources in our SMHL.Pro Hub, which is available for 12 months. Each month there is a live online member check-in to catch up with your tutors and each other. The course cost £397+VAT, some schools are eligible for a grant to cover this cost.
For more details, go to: https://www.smhl.pro/course
Advanced Safeguarding for DSLs
This is a four-session course for DSLs over a full-day. The course is offered live and as a recorded replay. When the course is live, there are plenty of opportunities to contribute with observations, questions or answers. As a recording, the interactions from other people are included and feedback notes that this makes it feel like you are not on your own.
"I came to a session in Birmingham back in 2019 (the day after the GE I think) and it was superb. Today [online] was just as good, if not better. The use of video mixed with live speaking was excellent and goes way beyond what other safeguarding courses provide. You've been there and done it, and your openness with your own story is inspirational."
LIVE ON LOCATION remember that you can book Andrew to visit your school, cluster or MAT to share his DSL course. Please contact us for details and bookings.
This Week's Course Tuesday 23rd May 2023 10 - 4pm Book Online
Last Advanced Safeguarding for DSLs Course (Online) Thursday, 22nd June 2023 10am - 4pm Book Online
Whole School Safeguarding CPD Online Session for 2022/2023
In this two and half hour online presentation aimed at staff in all roles, specialist safeguarding consultant, Andrew Hall, explores important aspects of safeguarding in schools including child protection, learning from case studies and the latest version of Keeping Children Safe in Education.
"In my excitement, I forgot to add our star rating to the Safeguarding training we have just watched. If we could, we would give it 10 stars! That was the best Safeguarding training we have ever had, thank you so much. Feedback from staff has, so far, been overwhelmingly positive…I can't thank you enough."
"I would like to extend my thanks to Andrew for his fantastic online training. It was filmed so well - almost as if he were here with us! We were kept engaged throughout and felt so well informed - a huge thank you. It was a real success, and we look forward to booking you again in the future - with the staff team saying it was the best safeguarding training they have ever had. We really appreciated Andrew's real-life storytelling and the way such sensitive information was shared - it was excellent training."
You book your online session here: www.safeguardinginschools.co.uk/availablecourses
Until next time, keep safe and thank you for all the work you're doing,
Andrew Hall
Specialist Safeguarding Consultant,
Success In Schools Ltd