Safeguarding Awareness Week offers all of us—across schools, central teams, and leadership—an opportunity to reflect on the shared responsibility we hold in protecting children and vulnerable individuals.
Here are 10 practical tips from Trust Safeguarding Lead Steven Panter to help your team get involved and make safeguarding visible and impactful during the week:
1. Put the Voice of the Child First
Encourage all staff to go beyond the presenting behaviour and ask, “What might this child be trying to tell me?” Use pupil voice activities, feedback boxes, or informal pupil check-ins to amplify unheard experiences.
2. Lead a Safeguarding Briefing or Drop-In
Take 15–20 minutes during a staff meeting to reflect on a real safeguarding scenario, case study, or local learning review. Use it as a safe space for open discussion about barriers and best practice.
3. Revisit the Basics
Reinforce key messages from Keeping Children Safe in Education (2024). Ensure every staff member knows:
4. Highlight Harmful Sexual Behaviour (HSB)
Use a short CPD or poster campaign to remind staff of the signs of HSB and how to respond appropriately. Share this NSPCC resource:
[https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/child-abuse-and-neglect/harmful-sexual-behaviour]
5. Engage with Parents and Carers
Use the week to send a short newsletter or email signposting families to helpful resources such as:
6. Tackle Online Harm and Exploitation
Remind staff and students of online safety reporting routes. Share CEOP’s age-appropriate resources:
[https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk]
Highlight AI and image-sharing risks, especially with KS3/KS4 students.
7. Update Visibility
Review the visibility of safeguarding posters, reporting routes, and helplines in communal and pupil spaces. Are they current, accessible, and age-appropriate?
8. Review Safer Working Practice
Ensure staff are confident in maintaining professional boundaries, both online and in person. Revisit the Safer Recruitment Consortium’s guidance:
[https://www.saferrecruitmentconsortium.org/GSWP%20Sept%202022.pdf]
9. Make Time for DSL and Pastoral Reflection
Safeguarding is demanding. Use the week to give your DSLs space for reflective supervision, peer support, or even a simple wellbeing check-in. This work is too important to do in isolation.
10. Celebrate What You Do Well
Safeguarding can feel heavy, but it’s also a place of great strength and humanity. Use the week to recognise the care and commitment staff show every day. Celebrate success stories where support made a difference.
A Message to All Staff – Your Role in Safeguarding Matters
While Safeguarding Awareness Week naturally shines a light on the work of DSLs and pastoral teams, it's important to emphasise that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Whether you’re a classroom teacher, administrator, site supervisor, technician, TA, or lunchtime supervisor—you are a vital part of the safeguarding culture within our schools. You are often the trusted adult a child may turn to, or the person who notices a change in mood, appearance, or behaviour. Safeguarding doesn’t rely on formal titles—it relies on vigilance, compassion, and a willingness to speak up. This week is a great opportunity to refresh your understanding, revisit reporting routes, and remind yourself that what may seem small to you might be life-changing for a child. Thank you for the role you play in keeping our pupils safe, seen, and supported—every single day.