Safeguarding Governor

Role Description

Safeguarding Governor

Keeping Children Safe in Education requires schools to ensure that their safeguarding arrangements take account of the procedures and practice of the Local Authority (LA) and the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB). The role of the safeguarding governor is to act as a critical link between the school and the LGB to ensure that safeguarding arrangements are in accordance with the procedures and practices of the LA and the LSCB and that the school’s safeguarding policy reflects current guidance and legislation and is adhered to.

The safeguarding governor should ensure that the members of the LGB are well informed about issues relating to safeguarding and child protection by:

liaising with the Headteacher/Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) over child protection issues;
reviewing attendance of staff and governors at safeguarding training;
ensuring the annual safeguarding report is completed no later than the end of term 2 and submitted to the LA;
raising awareness of any local risks;
raising the awareness of child protection issues in respect of the curriculum e.g. safe environment, protective behaviours, personal safety, racial awareness, sex and drugs education;
ensuring that any incidents of racial bullying are reported to governors.

Key knowledge

Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of legislation in respect of safeguarding and disseminate this appropriately to the governing body.
Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of the requirements relating to the safeguarding of children in education including the Prevent duty.
How staff are recruited to the school and how this compares to good recruitment and retention practice.

Key activities for the role

The safeguarding governor shall be expected to:

champion safeguarding and child protection issues within the school,
monitor and review relevant safeguarding policies and bring proposed amendments to the LGB for discussion,
support the DSL in their role,
ensure that there exist clear lines of accountability within the school in respect of safeguarding,
ensure there is a robust system for recording, storing and reviewing safeguarding concerns,
attend regular safeguarding training and other training as appropriate to the role and promote safeguarding training to other LGB members,
have responsibility for the oversight of procedures relating to allegations made against the headteacher;
ensure that safer recruitment training is in place as part of robust safer recruitment procedures;
be satisfied that interview panels are convened appropriately and safer recruitment practices are followed;
have oversight (including a termly sign-off) of the Single Central Record (SCR), ensuring that it is up-to-date and maintained in line with statutory requirements;
raise awareness of safeguarding matters amongst staff members and ensure that appropriate policies are in place to deal with any such concerns e.g. managing allegations against staff;
promote awareness of and ensure that the school’s curriculum is covering safeguarding concerns related to e-safety and social media;
review data and actions in place regarding children missing in education;
monitor progress against any outstanding actions from the safeguarding audit tool; and
monitor, with the support of school staff and other governors, the safety and security of the school site and environment.

The safeguarding governor should meet at least three times a year with the DSL to monitor the effectiveness of the school’s safeguarding policy. Discussion should take place covering the following topics –

How the safeguarding agenda is embedded in the ethos of the school.
How the Prevent guidance is embedded within safeguarding across the school.
How the school is ensuring that key safeguarding ‘messages and lessons’ run throughout the curriculum.
How the pupil voice is heard and how safe pupils feel when they are in school.
Procedures for monitoring children missing from education – including a review of any action that has been taken.
Any items of which the LGB should be made aware in respect of safeguarding themes or issues.