AI-assisted online grooming
As a former headteacher with a deep passion for safeguarding, I am greatly troubled by the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) by sex offenders to masquerade as children or…
What are my legal and moral duties when it comes to safeguarding?
What are my legal and moral duties when it comes to safeguarding? Safeguarding is governed by a range of laws and regulations, which vary depending on the type of vulnerable…
Safeguarding questions for schools and audits
What questions could an auditor or OFSTED inspector ask you about safeguarding your schools? During an external safeguarding audit or an OFSTED inspection, they may ask you a variety of…
How worried should we be about TikTok challenges?
When I am delivering Safeguarding training, I regularly talk about the blackout challenge. The challenge involves children choking themselves to achieve a ‘high’, which causes them to lose consciousness and…
‘It could happen here….’ shouldn’t the phrase be ‘How do I know it doesn’t happen here?’
'It could happen here' Having heard this phrase time and time again through the safeguarding and child protection training I provide and the statuary guidance of Keeping Children Safe has…
Why Multi-Academy Trusts should have Trust Wide Safeguarding/Safer Recruitment training.
As we all know there are a lot of positives when you join a MAT, one of which is Trust Wide Training. I have in the past been part of…
Shout out to the LADO / DO
Every local authority has a Designated Officer, known as LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer) or DO (Designated Officer). I have worked with 3 LADOs in my educational career in Northamptonshire…
Why did I launch About Safeguarding?
I had been in the education profession for over 18 years, 8 years as a Senior Lead and just shy of 6 years as a Headteacher. University doesn't quite prepare…