Incyte Safeguarding Update
February 2021
A belated happy new year to all Incyte consultants and school, college, FM Companies, learning centres and other professionals. Let’s hope that this year brings more continuity with education for all.
We hope that the term has settled after a changeable start and continues to go well and that you and yours remain safe and healthy.
Safeguarding updates
Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) January 2021
Two changes have been made to KCSIE in the January 2021 update in light of the UK leaving the European Union:
Where Paragraphs 149 & 165 (bullet 5),
What Removed references to checking Teacher Services for EEA sanctions.
Where Paragraph 172
What Amended to provide advice on how schools and colleges can check the past conduct of individuals who have lived or worked overseas following the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.
The link to this updated KCSIE January 2021 is below:
Changes to Working Together to Safeguard Children (DfE)
In December 2020, changes were made to the statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children (DfE) to include changes to legislation or for clarity. The version date is on the back cover as the front contains the original one – it can be misleading!
Key changes include:
· clarification about information sharing; for example, stating that 'you [schools] do not need consent to share personal information...provided that there is a lawful basis to process any personal information required’ (page 106);
· updating the definition of safeguarding to include mental health specifically;
· clarity about the Homelessness Duty, especially early assessments for 16/17-year-olds; and,
· strengthening of the wording of domestic abuse by including coercive control.
Recommendations from Incyte:
· Update policy and CPD around information sharing changes
· Update policy and CPD about domestic abuse.
The following link gives the details:
Coronavirus: updated safeguarding briefings and remote teaching content NSPCC
The NSPCC has a series of safeguarding briefings which are really useful in keeping up to speed with the changes and for handy guidance. The link below is to the most recent one for schools.
Safe remote working
It might be worth revisiting this document which gives clarity about how to keep safe as education professionals when delivering online learning.
https://swgfl.org.uk/assets/documents/educational-professionals-remote-working.pdf
DfE guidance
The DfE has collated information, guidance and support into a single webpage for leaders and teachers on how to educate pupils during the coronavirus pandemic. This includes updated expectations for remote education during the period of restricted attendance for England. Most will have seen it but just in case!
https://get-help-with-remote-education.education.gov.uk
Employment from January 2021
Government staffing and employment guidance has been updated to reflect legal changes following the UK’s exit from the European Union. The EEA check has been removed as outlined above as a key change.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/staffing-and-employment-advice-for-schools
Safeguarding in the news
Ofsted
In December, Ofsted published its final set of reports looking at the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on children and young people. Findings from visits by inspectors to social care and education settings in England in November 2020 include:
Some school leaders reported increases in behavioural problems and a deterioration in mental health for some pupils;
Many school leaders said they had not seen cases of newly vulnerable children as a direct result of the pandemic, but pre-existing issues had been exacerbated by the national lockdowns;
Children moving into secure children’s homes had to isolate for 14 days, increasing anxiety and in some cases violent behaviour or self-harm.
The NSPCC link below is useful as an analysis of the work:
Useful items for sharing with schools and other organisations
Online learning and safeguarding
The SWGFL has put together guidance for schools on recording online lessons/sessions and advice on the use of cameras by teachers and pupils.
Fridge posters for parents\carers
The Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) has joined forces with the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP) to produce a 'fridge poster', which signposts when and where young people should seek help during the pandemic.
This is a really useful resource to share with parents/ carers, especially during this most recent lockdown period which is more challenging for all.
https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/resources/advice-parents-young-people-during-coronavirus-posters
University of Oxford Co-Space study
A report on the mental health and anxiety/ depression experienced by parents during the lockdowns. The Supporting Parents, Adolescents and Children in Epidemics (Co-SPACE) study has been tracking parents, children and young people’s mental health since March 2020 and this report outlines its findings.
Useful reading when supporting parents alongside their children.
https://cospaceoxford.org/findings/changes-in-parents-mental-health-symptoms-and-stressors-jan-2021/
Reminder
Incyte’s Excellence in Safeguarding Award continues to be conducted virtually. If any of your contact schools or organisations are interested, please do get in touch.
carolinem@incyteinternational.com
Deborah Wring
February 2021