Revised safeguarding modules for governors and governance professionals

The Education and Training Foundation (@E_T_Foundation) has published two revised modules to support governors and governance professionals with their safeguarding and Prevent duty responsibilities.

The modules have been significantly re-written, ensuring that they are in line with current guidance and good practice, and have been developed in consultation with the profession, both through their early stages and in pilots. They have been written in a way that also makes them relevant for directors and senior management teams within the wider FE and Training Sector.

Understanding your role as a safeguarding governor is designed to provide information, advice and guidance for governors and trustees who are the appointed safeguarding lead governor or trustee, about their safeguarding responsibilities within their institutions. This module examines:

• The purpose of the named safeguarding governor role
• Relevant safeguarding legislation and statutory guidance
• Safeguarding policies and procedures
• Safeguarding risk assessment
• Safeguarding compliance requirements.

The Safeguarding for governors module, which is for all governors and trustees:

• Defines safeguarding, its purpose and relevance to an education and training provider
• Describes the legal statutory duties and guidance related to safeguarding and Prevent
• Explains what policies and procedures should be in place within the organisation
• Outlines Ofsted’s role in safeguarding and the requirements for effective safeguarding
• Identifies the different roles and responsibilities for effective safeguarding practice
• Describes an effective approach to safeguarding risk management, from strategy to operational implementation, and the Board’s role in assurance for implementation.

It can be accessed on the Foundation Online Learning site.

Polly Harrow, ETF Associate, Assistant Principal Student Experience, Kirklees College, Designated Safeguarding Lead, and Chair of Executive Board, National Association for Managers of Student Services, said:

“Any organisation offering education and activities has a legal and moral duty to safeguard all learners and the workforce. This means doing everything possible to reduce the risk of a person coming to harm and knowing what to do if a learner might be suffering or at risk of suffering from harm caused outside the organisation.

“Equally, every organisation should provide a safe environment where all members are valued and respected and are not subject to bullying, harassment, abuse or neglect. A culture of vigilance maximises opportunities for swift intervention if a safeguarding issue is identified. Everyone in the organisation has a role to play in safeguarding. These revised resources will help ensure governors and governance professionals have an up-to-date understanding of their responsibilities.”

The publication of these modules follows the release in May of a range of new and revised support for safeguarding, focusing on helping practitioners to create safe spaces for online teaching and learning, digital safeguarding, and safely recruiting staff and volunteers. They are part of a suite of ETF safeguarding support.