NAHT
Call us: 0300 30 30 333
Home Menu

Pupil support and safeguarding

 
Pupil wellbeing icon.jpg

NAHT members are at the forefront of safeguarding children. School leaders are committed to keeping children safe, so they can learn well. NAHT believes that all pupils should receive the support they need to maintain their well-being and achieve their potential, both within school and from wider services including health and social care.

NAHT is campaigning to:

Enable schools to play their part in supporting pupils' well-being

  • Lobby for pupils and schools to get the support they need from wider services including health, social care, police and youth services
  • Influence the implementation of the proposals from the mental health green paper, including the senior lead for mental health and mental health support teams
  • Support schools to access relevant, high-quality training and resources to enable pupils to exercise their right to support for their mental well-being.

 

Support schools to safeguard and protect pupils

  • Engage with the DfE over proposed changes to the role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead
  • Influence changes to Keeping Children Safe In Education, Working Together and Sexual Violence and harassment guidance
  • Campaign to improve online safety for children and young people
  • Press the government to ensure home educated children are adequately safeguarded
  • Promote guidance and resources to support schools to protect children at risk of harm including involvement with violence and other crime.

 

Enable schools to support vulnerable groups of pupils

  • Campaign to ensure pupils with SEND can receive the support they need from schools and wider services
  • Press for improved alternative provision and collaborative approaches across communities to support pupils excluded from school
  • Provide information to schools to help them to support disadvantaged children
  • Enable schools to make informed decisions regarding parental requests to home educate
  • Ensure reforms to behaviour guidance and networks is evidence-based and appropriate for all schools and a diverse pupil population. 
 

Keeping children safe in education statutory guidance 2020

The Department for Education (DfE) has published the 2020 keeping children safe in education (KCSIE) statutory guidance. This new guidance, found here, will come into force from 1 September 2020, when it will replace the 2019 guidance. However, until the 1 September, schools must continue to use the 2019 guidance. 

Due to the exceptional circumstances prompted by the coronavirus pandemic, the consultation on changes to the KCSIE 2020 statutory guidance was halted. NAHT has worked closely with the Department for Education (DfE) to ensure there were no significant changes enacted by the 2020 guidance that created new responsibilities or additional burdens for schools and colleges.

Subsequently, the guidance has reverted to the KCSIE 2019 version, with some small changes. These fall into three categories: 

  • those that reflect legislative changes and as such are essential to ensure the guidance remains accurate
  • those that provide additional helpful support and information, such as on mental health and children in need
  • important clarifications which will help the sector better understand and/or follow our guidance. 

A full breakdown of the changes is included in Annex H, pg. 115. The significant changes proposed in the postponed 2020 consultation will be taken forwards to be consulted on in the new academic year for the 2021 version.​

 

 

 

First published 18 June 2020

First published 18 June 2020