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Original poster

The word 'Safeguarding' is being used for everything?

30 replies

Cocktailglass · 09/05/2026 23:48

For me, the decades in the teaching profession we've always had whatever is the new vocabulary to adhere to. So much CPD on incorporating all new strategies into lessons and being scrutinised at micromanagement level to ensure this is done.

This includes applying Blooms for teaching factual subjects like Maths and sciences, where you really don't need a cross dimension discussion about the intricacies of the text.

Anyway, sorry, back to the point...

EVERYTHING has been referred to as a safeguarding issue, it's something that has stuck and because that word is serious it's a serious issue.

So many SLT and parents have jumped into naming everything as a safeguarding issue, which means a DC is in danger from being physically hurt, which will be acted upon immediately, to being offended by a trigger, told no, teacher trying to get students to follow the prescribed powerpoints, which indeed are boring.

Just one example, I have thousands more...

Sam, Y9 student, known as very difficult, I loved him as I 'get' them, purely understanding and patience. He was usually sent to me in whatever lesson I was teaching because I could integrate him into the class or spend time giving going over previous learning and a quick worksheet.

So, yes, getting to the point...

Sam was in our actual lesson and had come in late from issues from previous lesson, kept back and given detention for behaviour. He was clearly at the height of meltdown so I said just wait outside for a couple of minutes to calm down and I'll come and speak with you.
Of course SLT came past (which you never see when you need them) and shouted at him why he was outside the classroom. I immediately jumped in and said it's OK, I told him to, time out pass. SLT said I wasn't safeguarding because Sam was outside and couldn't be trusted. Ok, got that in the neck and brought him in.

At that point Sam was really struggling but stayed in his seat. Got on with the lesson, he said he didn't have a pen. Gave him one, he stood on it, pulled out part of it and stabbed himself in the hand!

The outcome for me? Being questioned why I hadn't realised and prevented Sam from doing this a safeguarding issue. I tried to, gave him space before coming in but he was bawled at by SLT and had to come in, with the send him to me if any problems. Yeah, trying to send Sam out to see you means he will run off and this will also be my responsibility and a tell off.

Apart from this type of situation, yes safeguarding is mentioned for everything, somehow anything can be linked to it. You looked away for a second, a fight starts. What makes it harder is parents have of course latched on because schools' priority to enforce it. So, why wasn't my DC safeguarded from falling over in the playground/trigger warning from watching a cartoon/saying a particular phrase.

So much, glad I'm out of full time teaching now because it really is so stressful having to second guess everything you say and do.

OP posts:
Original poster
Cocktailglass · 13/05/2026 17:38

Rumors1 · 12/05/2026 09:46

I completely agree, I work in child protection and it is regularly used as a trigger word by people who want to get their own way on some issue. I am dealing with a case at the moment where a child was involved in a very minor incident in school. There is a conflict in the accounts over what happened and the parents are calling every tiny issue or conflict a safeguarding issue. The have complained over the way staff in the school and social services have handled the matter and called their behaviour a safeguarding issue because they wont side with the parents - basically everything they dont agree with is a safeguarding issue. No wonder we cant get social workers

I can completely relate, it's scary how some people can translate any little thing into safeguarding. This will never go away but continue to be used as a weapon to pass blame.

OP posts:
Original poster
Cocktailglass · 13/05/2026 17:39

BlueberryMill · 10/05/2026 10:25

I've seen that on mumsnet. People will post things like "My dc was told off for messing around. I'm concerned they are not safeguarding him and am going to complain to ofsted." It's used as revenge when they'd be better off supporting the school.

Shocking and sooooo ridiculous 😒

OP posts:
Original poster
Cocktailglass · 13/05/2026 17:40

Looseweightlooseinterest · 10/05/2026 00:07

Agree,my other irritating word is boundaries! I find it patronising. I personally associate it with land ,not people!

This too!

OP posts:
Original poster
Cocktailglass · 13/05/2026 17:51

Hogwartsian · 12/05/2026 13:26

I am a teacher too and I am planning to leave either at the end of this year or next, partly because of a similar situation to what you described. The blame game by SLT. As soon as anything goes wrong, usually involving a child becoming dysregulated for reasons I can't avoid, fingers are pointed and I hear, 'you didn't safeguard blah blah blah'.

I can't be in two/three/four places at once. I can't do it. I'm a good teacher but I'm leaving because of SLT.

So sad to hear so many doing the same, including me a couple of years ago. After a stella track record of being good, caring and above and beyond teachers, many of us are now being questioned by young SLT about the most pathetic tiny things.

Why weren't you outside the door with bell tasks?
Because I just arrived to the room with a trolley full of books from the other side of school on the 3rd floor and no one was around to get the lift key so had to trundle and run down the flights of stairs. Have to login so register can be done within 10 mins or will get a call.
Why haven't these books been marked since last week?
Priority of y11 mock exams to mark, which took several hours at home, along with reports, parents' evening and doing a stall at school fayre. This set of books, along with other classes, is gor my weekend joy 😊

Oh and due to incidents where students have fallen out with each other I've had to spend time writing these up and getting witness statements, while also speaking to parents. Funnily enough they were best friends the next day so all that time was wasted because we have to follow up on trivial things like this!

OP posts:
Original poster
Cocktailglass · 13/05/2026 18:03

BloggersNetwork · 12/05/2026 10:43

The problem, OP, is that you failed to be in two places at once. Shame on you.

Seriously though, I recognise a lot of what you describe. Safeguarding is obviously essential, but in some settings the word gets stretched until it becomes a managerial catch-all for anything that has gone wrong or might go wrong.

What you describe with Sam is exactly the sort of impossible bind that drives good staff to leave their jobs. I left a job in education which I loved and was good at after 9 years of working under the ridiculous expectations of a top heavy SLT team.

With Sam you used your professional judgement, you noticed he was dysregulated, gave him space, and tried to reduce the risk. SLT then overrode that judgement, escalated him, and when the predictable consequence followed, responsibility was pushed back onto you.

There can be such a gap between what staff are expected to manage on the ground and what SLT seem are willing to understand or care about the actual job. The expectations on me often felt impossible, the support was non existent, and then the language of safeguarding was used as if it settled everything. But there is a real difference between safeguarding as a thoughtful, proportionate and shared responsibility, and safeguarding as a stick to beat staff with after the fact. That does not make children safer, it makes staff more anxious, more defensive, and less able to use the kind of calm judgement that young people need. Under the guise of safeguarding I found myself acting in ways that I knew full well caused harm to the students I was meant to support, mostly neurodivergent ones, and in the end I had to leave.

Exactly 💯! As experienced and good teachers who just want to teach, we have to analyse and predict the outcome of the most trivial things which the mind goes into overdrive with. If I do this... this could happen...if I do this...this can happen. It's mentally draining. There was a time we were trusted and supported acting in common sense and instincts.

There used to be a HT and 2 deputy heads, now so many assistant headteachers who all have to show their worth with what they're assigned with. Sadly each of their own little segment of 'value' impacts on daily teaching and then of course the students.

A is in charge of ... and had to implement it, same for B etc, all these strategies to incorporate into lessons.

We all know it's it's batshit, unsustainable and 100pc damaging. When is the education system going to wake up?!

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