Why a strong network is so important for safeguarding in schools

Safeguarding consists of the measures we take to prevent harm and abuse to learners, and to respond when we become aware of it. While responsibility often falls to a dedicated welfare and protection coordinator (read more about well-being frameworks for school here), it’s most effective when the whole community plays a part. Everyone, from teachers and administrators to parents and policymakers, should be involved in developing a comprehensive strategy.

As students spend more time online and cyber threats keep evolving, school communities must ensure this strategy extends to digital environments. The challenge is engaging everyone in online safeguarding when people have varying levels of familiarity with technology.

In this article, we explore the importance of community in school safeguarding, especially when it comes to digital learning. We look at how to develop and update policies that involve everyone, preventing possible cracks in your system.

Why is safeguarding in schools a community-wide concern?

Safeguarding must be a community concern as the threats posed to students extend beyond the school grounds. Educators can’t address all the possible risks without the support of families, authorities and local organisations. 

Given the role of the internet in our daily lives, community involvement has never been more important. The overwhelming majority of educators agree that safeguarding in schools has become harder now young people spend much of their time online. They’re vulnerable to serious threats like cyber bullies, online predators and scammers - and schools alone can’t protect students from potential dangers.

Involving the entire community means schools can fill gaps in safeguarding they can’t normally reach. “It’s important to evolve from an individual to an institutional response regarding safeguarding,” says Oscar Belmonte, Policy Making Director of UNICEF, Spain, “Each member of staff is responsible for the protection of children and must play the role within the chain of responsibilities.”

How community initiatives can make a difference in safeguarding in schools

Here’s how members of the wider community can play a role in protecting the wellbeing of your students:

Training staff and students to spot safeguarding issues

Regular, scenario-based training can help staff recognise early warning signs. You should cover a range of situations where students are potentially at risk both inside and outside the classroom, including:

• Group activities
• Work with volunteers
• One-on-one meetings
• Rented spaces
• Digital learning platforms
• Online communication

Teachers can’t always be there to direct students away from threats, especially now a lot of learning takes place online. So, you can offer similar training to students, focusing on how to raise concerns and seek help. 

“It’s crucial to establish clear guidelines and education on safe online interactions,” says Pamela Byrne, an Arts teacher at the British Council School in Madrid, “emphasising the importance of privacy and boundaries to create a culture where students feel comfortable discussing their online experiences and know how to report concerning interactions to teachers.”

Engaging families through workshops and talks

Open communication between schools and families can encourage collaboration on safeguarding in schools. You can educate parents and guardians about emerging threats like phishing through gaming platforms and risky social media trends. With their help, you can identify and respond to issues with students sooner.

Consider hosting a series of talks on the biggest, current threats to your students. This gives parents and guardians a chance to ask questions and learn what to do if they have concerns. Look at this research report by Ofcom on children’s media use and habits for ideas on the kind of topics to tackle by age group.

Establishing a safeguarding committee for families

If your school has a parents’ association, suggest they form a safeguarding committee with a member of staff as a liaison. This gives them a dedicated forum to share concerns and suggest improvements to your current welfare and protection policies. 

Where your staff are concerned, you can get more support for classroom safeguarding initiatives. For example, 30% of teachers say mobile phone policies are challenging to enforce. Families may be unsupportive if they’re neutral or even opposed to your rules, perhaps wishing to remain in contact with their children throughout the day. Starting a committee may be a great opportunity to field complaints about your policies and explain why it’s necessary to regulate device use in the classroom.

Partnering with professionals in the community

Many regions have professional services you can lean on for support when implementing and enforcing your safeguarding in schools initiatives. Here are some you could look for:

• Charities and non-profit organisations
• Government programmes
• Local council services
• Teachers’ unions
• Training providers
• Education networks (like British Council Partner Schools)

Organisations like these can advise you and help you ensure your school community is following best practices. They can use their expertise to point out gaps or inconsistencies in your policies. Some may even be able to supply training for staff, students, and families. Listen to our top three recommendations by British Council Account Relationship Manager, Amy Newsome, on safeguarding for schools.

Many organisations are increasingly focused on online threats. Speaking on behalf of the Senior Leadership team in British Council, Madrid, Sam Inder, says, “Our ambition is to create a digital learning environment which allows students to take full advantage of the tools and opportunities that online learning provides but to do so in a way that prioritises student safety and wellbeing. This includes mitigating risks to unsupervised interactions, exposure to inappropriate content, and ensuring a secure online learning space.”

Closing thoughts

It’s challenging to predict risks. Involving the whole community in safeguarding helps to prevent blind spots, and protect students no matter where they’re learning. Now this community extends to everyone in the British Council’s network. Our Partner Schools can rely on us to provide guidance on how to safeguard young people.

Explore our safeguarding resources as a starting point for strengthening your school’s practices. Inside, you’ll find a collection of trainings, guidelines, and tools to help you implement effective policies and practices. Moreover, it includes our brand new advanced safeguarding course for educators. If you’re not already a Partner School, contact us on how to become one.