Is this a safeguarding issue?

[StrawberryShortbread2001]

I'm in 2 minds about this so just looking for opinions.

(Before anyone starts this is not a school/teacher bashing thread. I am not planning on complaining just making the school aware)

My DD is 11yo and in Y7. She has ASD and maturity wise is nearer 9yo. She started a new school after October half term. It is a church school. I was aware that once a term they have a mass at the church next to the school but didn't know when.

So context is DD is in P.E (so no LSA) and the teacher says those in one particular house (Dd's house) had to go to the playground and on to the church for mass. It turns out they do it by houses so all DC from Y7-11 in that house went for the mass. Nothing had been mentioned in form time so DD was unaware this was going to happen and has never been to this church before or any RC church. As they were in P.E she didn't have her bag with her ear defenders so when she found it too loud couldn't put them on. She followed the other girls up to the altar and got confused that they were trying to give her 'food' (bread and wine.) So this is just to explain by the end of the service she was a bit distressed.

So when the service finished they were told to go back to their lesson. But DD has noone in her pew who was in her P.E class and she doesn't know her way around yet (school/I are/am working on it with her but she struggles with it.) So she hangs back to try and see someone in her class and in the crowd gets left behind. Once she realised this she did really well and found her way to the office in school and they took her back to her P.E class - so all good.

But I just worry what might have happened. The church is right next to the school and there is a gate from school to the church - they don't have to go on the pavement. But what if in her distress she had wandered off? Or someone found her in a state at the church?

YABU - you're worrying too much, she did the sensible thing and should be ok at 11 yo.
YANBU - this should be raised with the school

I’m “hung up” on keeping her safe and as the parent of a vulnerable child looking for what will do that most effectively and comprehensively. In this situation visibility is key and to ensure that I would consider who can help and their drivers to do so.

Does the provision in her EHCP cover this type of situation? Preparing her for changes in advance and talking her through the day/timetable every morning (and who will do this and where will it take place), how much additional supervision will be in place, who that will be from, does she have a communication card or band that she can use etc..

My DD wears a wristband that can turn to a green or red side. Red means that she needs help in some way. What is also important though is that you have a staff member who is available to monitor and respond to this, and a plan so that your DD knows exactly what will happen if she uses the red side. For example, when she didn’t know what on earth was going on at the church, an adult could have taken her to one side to talk it through…

If her EHCP does cover this type of situation then you need to get straight on to school, in writing, and ask why it isn’t being followed.

If the EHCP is vague and not that helpful, then call a review ASAP and get it tightened up.

It’s not really about what happened already, it’s about what could happen in future.