Safer working practice

'Keeping Children Safe in Education (opens new window)' states:

"Governing bodies and proprietors should ensure they have processes in place for continuous vigilance, maintaining an environment that deters and prevents abuse and challenges inappropriate behaviour."

To support this, it is important that school and college leaders create the right culture and environment so that staff feel comfortable to discuss matters both within, and where it is appropriate, outside of the workplace, which may have implications for the safeguarding of children. It is important that all staff understand the process and procedures to follow if they have a safeguarding concern about another staff member.

Schools and colleges should have their own procedures for dealing with safeguarding concerns or allegations against those working in or on behalf of schools and colleges in a paid or unpaid capacity, this includes, members of staff, supply teachers, volunteers and contractors.

There are two levels of allegation/concern:

1. Allegations that may meet the harm threshold
2. Allegations/concerns that do not meet the harm threshold - referred to for the purposes of this guidance as 'low-level concerns'

Allegations that may meet the harm threshold

These include:

• Behaved in a way that has harmed a child, or may have harmed a child and/or
• Possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child, and/or
• Behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates he or she may pose a risk of harm to children, and/or
• Behaved or may have behaved in a way that indicates they may not be suitable to work with children

Concerns and or allegations that do not meet the harm threshold

The term 'low-level' concern does not mean that it is insignificant. A low-level concern is any concern - no matter how small, and even if no more than causing a sense of unease or a 'nagging doubt' - that an adult working in or on behalf of the school or college may have acted in a way that:

• Is inconsistent with the staff code of conduct, including inappropriate conduct outside of work, and
• Does not meet the harm threshold or is otherwise not serious enough to consider a referral to the LADO

The first point of contact for educational settings regarding concerns and/or allegation issues (including for supply teachers) is via the Local Authority Education Duty Desk on 01603 307797. A Duty Advisor (not a LADO) will give advice and guidance on next steps.

If the advice is to make a referral to the LADO service then the LADO referral form (opens new window) should be completed. The completed LADO referral form is then sent via e-mail to LADO@norfolk.gov.uk. 

The Guidance for Safer Working Practice for professionals working in education settings written by the Safer Recruitment Consortium is a document that seeks to ensure that the responsibilities of senior leaders of educational settings towards children and staff are discharged by raising awareness of illegal, unsafe, unprofessional and unwise behaviour. It should assist staff to monitor their own standards and practice and reduce the risk of allegations being made against them

Whistleblowing

It is crucial that a robust whistleblowing policy and procedure are in place. All staff and volunteers should feel able to raise concerns about poor or unsafe practice and potential failures in the school's or college's safeguarding regime and know that such concerns will be taken seriously by the senior leadership team.

Appropriate whistleblowing procedures should be put in place for such concerns to be raised with the school's or college's senior leadership team. Where a staff member feels unable to raise an issue with their employer, or feels that their genuine concerns are not being addressed, other whistleblowing channels are open to them:

• General GOV.UK guidance on whistleblowing can be found on their website: 'Whistleblowing for employees (opens new window)'.
• The NSPCC's Whistleblowing Advice Line offers free advice and support about what you can do to report abuse and is available as an alternative route for staff who do not feel able to raise concerns regarding child protection failures internally, or have concerns about the way a concern is being handled by their school or college. Staff can call 0800 028 0285 - the line is available from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Monday to Friday, or email help@nspcc.org.uk.