Safeguarding Officer

[cantthinkofanythingwitty]

Hi,

I was wondering whether anyone is a safeguarding officer and could advise me on what qualifications you require to become one.

Thank you

[ASauvignonADay]

No specific qualifications - more based on experience and training courses. What qualifications/experience do you have?

[cantthinkofanythingwitty]

I am a secondary school teacher, just at the beginning of my career really but this is an area that I want to eventually progress into.

So I guess the route in is via maybe asking to get involved in some way with safeguarding and working up from there maybe?

[HairyMaclary]

In our LA you need to have done 3 full days of training to be a DSL. It needs updating formally every 2 years but they expect representatives from the school to be at every termly briefing. It is however not amjobbdine by itself but alongside other teaching/SLT commitments.

[ASauvignonADay]

@cantthinkofanythingwitty definitely - you may be able to take on some more pastoral responsibility and go from there. In our school all safeguarding leads and the DSL are non-teaching.

[Smurfy23]

You would probably need to ensure you have pastoral experience. I had to do a 2 day course for new to role dsl's

[Leedersafeguarding]

cantthinkofanythingwitty.
If you would like, and you use Twitter, I am @leeder_nigel. BSCP Manager.
There are two documents you need to be familiar with: working together 2018 & Keeping Children Safe in Education 2019. After that, a lot depends on where in the country you work. I'll look out for you on Twitter but in the meantime, i hope that helps? All school staff need to be trained at least to level 2 in safeguarding - even the ancillary staff, hlta's, smsa's. Best wishes.

[fedup21]

It’s always been the head and deputy head who are the safeguarding leads in the schools I’ve worked in.

[sd249]

Neither head or deputy in my school. (Secondary though).

Usually in secondary you would go up the pastoral route to SLT. In our school we have someone who manages our behaviour provision and she is the DSL, followed by another member of SLT (who used to be the SENCO).

Definitely not a full teaching member of staff. Both our DSL teach but not much.

[Smurfy23]

The DSL has to be a senior member of staff- I.e. a member of SLT

[cantthinkofanythingwitty]

Hi,
Thank you for the information it is really useful. Our DSL is a non teaching member of staff. I am going to have a chat with her when we go back to school and also will speak to SLT about getting involved more pastoral work in a more official capacity.

@Leedersafeguarding I will pop over to twitter and follow you now.

Thanks again

[Leedersafeguarding]

Cantthinkofanythingwitty
Look for
@leeder_nigel
Best wishes
Nigel

[fedup21]

Our DSL is a non teaching member of staff

Do you mean a teacher who has a non-class based role or someone who isn’t a teacher?

[Be1atrix]

I'm not SLT and not a teacher, and my sole job is DSL :) it doesn't need to be SLT at all.

I had a degree in Education and lots of pastoral experience. Happy to chat.

[Smurfy23]

@be1atrix KCSIE states that the DSL needs to be a senior member of staff from the leadership team (annex b in the 2019 version)

[Be1atrix]

Yep, however it can also be a full time member of staff- checked with the head of the CPSLO. (may just be Hertfordshire though) I know of at least 7 others who are the same as me- full time DSLs, non SLT (we are in a Herts SEN DSL network).

[ASauvignonADay]

I know several DSLs who are not teachers but they are SLT.

[fedup21]

I know several DSLs who are not teachers but they are SLT.

I have never worked in a school where SLT aren’t all teachers-is this secondary? Is this usual?

[Littlewhitedove]

I am a DSL. I'm not a teacher nor am I SLT. I am, however, very experienced and in a lead pastoral role.
I don't see why being a teacher/SLT should be a prerequisite to being a DSL. I am not the only DSL in our school.

[Smurfy23]

Kcsie says the lead safeguarding officer has to be in the senior team/member of SLT. I imagine it's to do with accountability/ofsted but it clearly states that needs to be the case. Deputy safeguarding leads dont need to be and can be experienced pastoral leads etc.

[Be1atrix]

^ yet there's many schools doing it.

[NoLeopard]

I wouldn't be particularly happy reporting concerns to non-SLT. And having read the KCS document in the last few days it definitely says the lead needs to be a senior member. All our deputies are as well but that's not mandatory apparently.

[MsAwesomeDragon]

Our official DSL is on SLT, one of the deputies. But the main part of the job is actually done by the deputy safeguarding officer, who is a teacher with additional pastoral responsibilities. Then the senco is also a deputy safeguarding officer and deals with any safeguarding issues that come up with the pupils with Sen, because she knows them best and has a relationship with them that the other teacher doesn't have. And our school nurse is a deputy safeguarding officer, as she is often the person kids talk to during her health drop in sessions. So while the DSL is on SLT she doesn't actually deal with safeguarding much in day to day terms, only when something huge comes up, but it is officially her responsibility within the school.

In terms of qualifications, all our staff have safeguarding level 1, which was an online module. All pastoral staff have done safeguarding level 2, which I believe it's mostly online with a face to face session at the end. Then there are 6 people in school (one deputy head, senco, school nurse, and 3 heads of year) who have safeguarding level 3, which was a course, I'm not sure how long the course was though.

[Leedersafeguarding]

'Everything is in the name'
It has been said on here already, but just to re-emphasise, KCSIE - which is 'Staturoty Guidance' is quite explicit. A member of SLT must retain the responsibility of Designated Safeguarding Lead. No ifs - no buts. However, what often happens is that day to day duty is delegated to a member of the Patoral Care Team and exercised very effectively. But if there isn't a member of SLT and Governor identified as the responsible for Safeguarding then it is going to be Ofsted asking the question. The question is 'if the DSL isn't a member of SLT in your school; who line manages the DSL?' I suspect you will find the buck stops with them? 20 years experience of Safeguarding in Schools - the DSL will be a member of SLT. Has to be. KCSIE19 Annex B; page 92. Best wishes.

[Be1atrix]

I hear you. I’m just saying it isn’t what happens everywhere. Not at my school, not that of others on the thread, or colleagues of mine from other schools.

I’m a full time DSL- no other responsibilities.

Ofsted were happy with me- I got a glowing report- and I’m line managed by the Head.

[ASauvignonADay]

I wouldn't be particularly happy reporting concerns to non-SLT
Why? Someone being SLT doesn't necessarily make them more experienced or knowledgable.