This section of TeacherNet is aimed primarily at schools and local authorities. More information is also on the Safeguarding Children webpages of the Every Child Matters website.
The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 will introduce a new vetting and
barring scheme for all those working with children and young people from 2008.
Ahead of the new scheme, the Secretary of State for Education and Skills
announced in June 2006 that regulations would be tightened and new guidance
introduced to clarify responsibilities for safer recruitment.
This new guidance document "Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in
Education" is a consolidated version of earlier guidance
material. It looks at the recruitment and selection processes, recruitment and
vetting checks, and duties for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of
children in education. It replaces "Child Protection: Preventing
Unsuitable People from Working With Children and Young Persons in the Education
Service", "Criminal Records Bureau: Managing The Demand for
Disclosures", "Safeguarding Children In Education", Safeguarding
Children: Safer Recruitment and Selection In Education Settings" and
"Dealing With Allegations of Abuse against Teachers".
All schools, including non-maintained schools, independent schools, and Academies, Further Education institutions, and Local Authorities exercising education functions, should use this guidance to review and, where appropriate, modify their practice and procedures for safeguarding children and dealing with allegations of abuse made against teachers and education staff.
Working Together to Safeguard Children guidance published in April 2006 sets out how individuals and organisations should work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. The guidance has been updated since the previous version which was published in 1999. The new version reflects developments in legislation, policy and practice.
The guidance is addressed to all practitioners and front-line managers who have particular responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and to senior and operational managers in organisations that are responsible for commissioning or providing services to children, young people, parents and carers.
It is also addressed to senior and operational managers in organisations that have a particular responsibility for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. However, it is not necessary for all practitioners to read every part of the guidance - the table on pages 19-20 sets out which parts of the document are particularly relevant to different roles.
To help Local Safeguarding Children Boards implement the guidance we are providing a a set of outcomes for safeguarding training and an example of a local protocol for working with sexually active under 18-year-olds.
Questions and Feedback
Frequently Asked Questions on child protection.
