I don’t know what to do.

[Howisthisok1]

i work as a TA in an inner city primary school. Three weeks ago, the children went on a residential to Wales. I opted not to go. A few days ago, one of the girls told me she’d left her accommodation on one of the nights and slept elsewhere with another group. I reported this. Her parents were called in.

The following day she told me she was angry, because another girl had done the same but would not be getting into trouble. I told her she should report the other girl. She then told me that three of them had gone to the DSL to report it and were told ‘keep this to yourselves, you are too late to report it - stop throwing others under the bus.

AIBU to think this is totally wrong and you never tell children to keep quiet about safeguarding?

Edited to add he did tell the girl she could bring it up at her forthcoming meeting but that he did not wish to be involved.

OP I’m so shocked at some of the awful responses you’re getting, totally missing the point and minimising the situation.

You are absolutely right to take this further,

Especially if the DSL has previous form for lying/spiteful behaviour: they should not be the DSL!

Thank goodness for decent people like you doing the right thing

I work in a school and no DSL or H/T should be saying that an incident is 'too late to report'. We are all repeatedly told that 'safeguarding is everyone's responsibility'. Which is absolutely true, it is.

My guess is that you are spot on with your thought process. The DSL was the person in charge on the trip, and the responsibility would fall squarely on his shoulders. He doesn't want a fuss caused because, he would get into trouble. The H/T doesn't want a fuss caused either, because questions would be asked, and they could equally be in trouble.

Do you have a Whistleblowing policy? If you are in a Union, then I'd ask for advice. If not, look at the schools Whistleblowing policy.

Seriously you should not risk your job over this

The SLT are aware and it is on them to take action

You wanting to take action based on a theory that something may happen to these children in the future is a bit strange

Children do this type of thing - and you said there’s no suspicion they were doing anything inappropriate so what might end up happening is the school would simply stop these trips moving forward

Simply because a few kids left their tent - surely the parents would be raising this kid f they felt it was an issue

Yes, join a union today.

1 - join a union! They won’t be able to help you with this issue, but it’s absolutely bonkers to work in a school and not be a member.

2 - look for the school whistleblowing policy. It probably involves speaking to the chair of governors.

3 - LADO for advice. It’s not for any of us to decide if this is a safeguarding concern, but it is the LADO’s actual role.

I’m a long time HT and DSL.
This post nails it.

Absolutely a LADO issue and why I spend my time writing whistleblowing policies. There should be a safeguarding governor too.

Is it an academy or LA school? That could make a difference.

If you suspect misconduct from another colleague around child safeguarding you need to report it yourself to the LADO.
DSL's are not above this rule.
You need to report the DSL to the LADO if you feel they have put children at risk.
It's your duty of care to report if you feel the DSL is not doing their job properly.

But you go to the LADO for the staff.

The original report has not been dealt with and will not get dealt with if you just go to the LADO.

The safeguarding of the children needs reporting. You can go to the DDSL. They have a duty to deal with the child incident and the staff incident.

She will literally get managed out if she does this.

@Samysungy the LADO would look into that. IMO it’s the safeguarding culture that needs to be challenged.
The original incident may well have been minor (for all any of us know) and children pushing boundaries on residentials is common place. However, my real issue here is that DSL and HT aren’t creating a conducive safeguarding environment or following anything from KCSIE.
It‘a their behaviour that’s concerning OP (and others) not necessarily the children.
They are letting safeguarding incidents happen, and wanting them not to be mentioned, which is a massive breach of their professional duty. Hence the need for the LADO- that’s exactly their job

That’s why I asked if LA or academy. The LADO works for the LA, same as OP. Whistleblowing policies exist to protect this. The LA is the ultimate employer, not the school itself.
An academy is harder for protection

I think its complete overkill that because people were out their tent/pod its classed as a safeguarding issue. No wonder the world is going to hell in a handbasket.

The issue isn't the small incident that happened. The issue is that a child was told to keep it to themselves and the incident was not noted down at all. Every incident can be noted down - it's not difficult.

If it later transpired that one of these children was groped in a tent they weren't supposed to be in - the original notes of children swapping tents (as minor as this sounds) would be vital.

Do you know for an actual fact that the DSL told the girl she’s too late to report it, or has you’ve just been told this by the child?

He could have said, yes, that’s all been dealt with already.

Unless you have actual facts from the adults you work with, DSL and H/T then there is nothing to report.

You seriously need to act on this today. The delay in your reporting it is already really bad. I know it is really stressful but you have got to do the right thing.

Just Imagine your daughter had told a staff member at school something troubling, and no one else knew and that member of staff did nothing else with the knowledge. That’s dreadful.

You know what you have to do but you’re just avoiding it and trying to rationalise it’s ok to yourself because it is very difficult to do.

I don’t think that kids milling about at night on a school trip is troubling. I’m not sure why the kids owned up to it in the first place as no harm came to them

The more troubling part is the way it’s already been handled by the DSL at school. You don’t sound like you are safeguarding trained. So perhaps not best for you to comment with general opinions? The safeguarding lead in a school is not following policy which is extremely troubling in an educational setting.

No one was touched! Everyone is saying the DSL did nothing wrong in telling the girls to keep quiet. I am giving a hypothetical scenario by saying what if they were touched and kept it quiet.

I am a recently divorced 35 year old with three kids and no money. I desperately need this job. I posted here because my head is all over the place. I expected all posts to say I was doing the right thing but most are almost laughing and saying it’s not report worthy and ridiculous. I actually don’t even know what to believe anymore.

I am fighting with big wigs in an academy right now and I’m telling you to protect your job at all costs. If you think you have done everything your job requires you to do and no one has been hurt then leave it.

How awful that by doing the right thing puts your job in jeopardy.

I have been in turmoil because 50% of people on here are saying it’s ridiculous to report and others are saying it’s very serious. I have reported to head and not yet put cpoms on as she told me she would speak to those involved but hasn’t done so. I do not want to lose my job over nothing (as most people are implying) but also do not want this to get ignored if it is very serious . I think it is serious and DSL has form for lying/covering up but I am absolutely terrified as lady person who complained had to leave the school

I work in a school. If the DSL tried to cover up a safeguarding issue and was supported by the head of report to both The Chair of Governors and LADO.

They are acting in they’re best interests not the children and this is a significant safeguarding breach.

OP- are you an LA or academy school? I’ve asked this a couple of times.
I am a long-standing HT and DSL. Feel free to DM me

How do I DM anonymously please?

academy