Essex County Council

Schools, Children & Families Directorate

County Hall

Chelmsford

Essex CM2 6WN

Headteachers of Secondary and Special Schools 22 October 2013

Dear Colleagues

Update on safeguarding issues

Daniel Pelka

The Serious Case Review about the tragic death of Daniel Pelka has been published and can be found at There are a number of issues highlighted in the report for schools that have been collated in the appendix to this letter. We have also produced a presentation that can be used with school staff as part of school safeguarding training. The presentation is in the Education Essex Weekly Newsletter of 22nd October 2013.

Domestic abuse

You will recall that I wrote to you on 2nd September to let you know that we have a new approach to sharing domestic abuse incident information. Those incidents assessed as either ‘high’ or ‘medium’ risk on cases open and current to Children’s Social Care will be forwarded to the appropriate school. Thank you to nearly all schools that have now provided a named contact in the school. If you have not yet provided a secure e-mail please can you send the email address you wish to be used to

Child Sexual Exploitation

Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) has received increased public attention. Essex along with Southend and Thurrock through the Essex Safeguarding Children Board (ESCB) is developing a CSE Champions approach. In consultation with the headteacher associations it has been agreed that the Designated Teacher is best placed to fulfil that role. The ESCB is currently developing a training package for CSE Champions. We will direct further information about the training to the named lead you in your school for domestic abuse notifications.

If you would like to know and understand more about CSE this publication provides a good understanding -

When you have concerns about a child, you will consider whether a referral to Children’s Social Care through IRT is needed.There is also the Family Solutions Early Help and Advice Hub and you can make contact with them either by telephone on 0845 603 7627 or by email at .

Disclosures of childhood abuse

The NSPCC has also recently published a new report ‘No one noticed, no one heard: a study of disclosures of childhood abuse’. Of those interviewed for the study over 80% of children tried to tell someone about the abuse and 90% of them had negative experiences of disclosure, mainly because the people they told responded poorly. The research highlighted the need for greater awareness about the signs of abuse that children do disclose but we do not hear those disclosures. The research also stressed the important role of other adults in noticing the signs of abuse and hearing disclosures in all their forms. As teachers in regular contact with children and young people you are well placed to provide a listening environment that provides better knowledge about boundaries, their rights to protection and safe and healthy relationships with information about where and how to seek help.

CRB documentation for visitors to school

There has recently been a question raised concerning some schools asking to see CRB documentation when a council member of staff is visiting the school. This is not necessary.Statutory guidance states: that “Individuals such as psychologists, nurses, dentists, centrally employed teachers and other public sector staff will have been checked by their employing organisation, […] It is not necessary for schools or FE colleges to see their CRB Disclosure as appropriate checks will have been carried out. Schools and FE colleges will however want to check identity when an individual arrives to ensure imposters do not gain access to children” - Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education’ 2007 (s.4.76) This guidance applies also to social workers.

Safeguarding survey

You will also be aware from previous communications that in October 2012 the Education and Learning Directorate undertook a safeguarding survey across all schools in Essex. The survey was part of the Essex Safeguarding Children Board responsibilities to complete the section 11 multi -agency audit annually. In total 71% of Essex schools completed the survey. Key points from the survey included:

  • Strategic and organisational arrangements - Nearly all schools reported they had a named senior teacher championing safeguarding and promoting child welfare and nearly all had adopted the LA’s model child protection policy. Only 60% of schools had used the Section 11 Audit Tool. Nearly a fifth felt the safeguarding audit process could be better.
  • Work with individual children and families - Around 19% of schools had plans that did not fully take account of children and families’ views. 29% of schools said there is a need for better signposting for pupils and parents on safeguarding and mental health issues.
  • Staff training and workforce development - The majority of schools have induction processes for all staff and volunteers that include safeguarding. Around 13% do not train staff or volunteers to recognise signs of abuse and neglect. Nearly a quarter said that not all governors are trained in safeguarding.
  • Safer recruitment - Nearly all Schools check references and verify qualifications. Over a quarter do not train all staff involved in recruitment in “Safer Recruitment”. Schools have at least one person involved in recruitment trained in “Safer Recruitment”.
  • Effective inter-agency working - Those schools not meeting the effective inter-agency working wanted more guidance on procedures.
  • Recommendation
    - The LA’s Section 11 Audit Tool is promoted more widely. An updated web based self-evaluation tool version will be available in Spring 2014. This will enable you to evaluate and review school systems and procedures to manage child protection and safeguarding.

It has been agreed that a report on safeguarding work by schools will be presented to the ESCB annually.

We also need to specifically follow up with schools that did not complete the survey and we will be writing to them individually.

Child Protection Procedures

The Southend Essex and Thurrock (SET) Child Protection Procedures are currently being updated and the new version will be available later in the autumn 2013.

Approach to child protection conferences

There is a new strength based approach to child protection conferences which is significantly different to previous experiences of attending child protection conferences. The Essex Safeguarding Children Board is holding a series of briefings throughout the autumn. If you would like to attend one of the briefings you can book a place through the Essex Safeguarding Children Board website.

Anti-bullying

Positive Assertive Confidence Skills (PACS) - Essex County Council is delighted to be working in partnership with Kidscape to offer the Big Lottery Funded programme to schools in Essex. PACS is a fun 6 week early intervention programme focused on anti-bullying that you can run in your school for small groups of young people in years 5, 6, 7 and 8. The day is aimed at head teachers and learning mentors / support staff to come and find out more about the programme at the official launch on Friday 8th November 2013 at Wat Tyler Country Park, Basildon between 9:30am – 12:30pm (buffet lunch included) To book your place please email or phone on 01245 436012 (maximum of two places per school).

Child Suicide – Working Together to Reduce the Risk

The Essex Safeguarding Children Board is holding a conference to examine the issues around this difficult and challenging subject. The event will be held jointly for decision makers and young people, with an ambition to improve the outcomes for all children and young people in Essex. The event is free of charge and will be held on Thursday 21st November in the Pavilion Suite at Essex County Cricket Ground in Chelmsford between 10am and 2pm. Places are limited to ten participating secondary schools, inviting two young people from each school and one member of staff to attend the day. We are hoping that schools will bring pupils who they feel would benefit most from and be able to contribute the most to this event. It is envisaged that this will include a range of secondary age children with differing abilities, all of whom would come interested in making a positive contribution to this event. If you would like to book places on this conference, please contact the ESCB on 01245 434927 or email

Additional post to support schools

In order to support schools with safeguarding responsibilities some additional resources have been put into the Standards and Excellence Service. Cathryn Adams has an additional role in leading on safeguarding for schools. In addition a new post of Schools Safeguarding Advisor has been created and is currently being recruited to that will available to provide advice and guidance on child protection and safeguarding matters during the working day on 01245 433360. The role will also work to support schools to fulfil safeguarding responsibilities and will work in partnership with other agencies to support schools as required and contribute to the work of the Essex Safeguarding Children Board (ESCB).

Yours sincerely

Tim Coulson

Director of Education and Learning

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