Safeguarding

What does ‘Safeguarding’ mean?

Safeguarding refers to the process of protecting children and adults to provide safe and effective care. This includes all procedures designed to prevent harm.

The Children Act 2004 reinforces that all people and organisations working with children and young people have a responsibility to help safeguard and promote welfare across the UK.

In relation to Children, young people, and vulnerable adults, safeguarding means:

• Protection from harm
• Preventing impairment of young people’s health or development
• Making sure that the environment is safe and provides effective care
• Taking action to make sure that the best outcomes can be achieved

Safeguarding action may be needed to protect young people and vulnerable adults from any forms of neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse or emotional abuse. A fuller list can be found in “Working Together to Safeguard Children” (DfE latest update September 2016).

Safeguarding is not just about protecting young people and vulnerable adults from deliberate harm, neglect and failure to act. It relates to broader aspects of care and education including:

• Learners’ health and safety and wellbeing including their mental health
• Meeting the needs of learners who have special educational needs and/or disabilities
• The use of reasonable force
• Meeting the needs of learners with medical conditions
• Providing first aid
• Educational visits
• Intimate care and emotional wellbeing
• Online safety and associated issues
• Appropriate arrangements to ensure learners’ security, taking into account the local context