Catch up with the latest in safeguarding for schools: best practice, thought leadership, and all the latest insights within single central record management.

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Attending school regularly is crucial for a child’s overall development. Regularly attending classes and interacting with their peers and instructors is instrumental for academic progress, social skills development, life skills reinforcement, better career outcomes, and an environment of psychological safety. Being regular at school keeps the child attuned to the curriculum and extra-curricular activities alike. Attendance is directly linked to performance outcomes. 

All schools record details of children’s attendance and absence at school, usually at the beginning of the school day and the afternoon sessions. If there’s a reason for absence, such as an appointment, death in the family or illness, parents must inform the school. Each school’s attendance policy lays down these guidelines. If the parents don’t inform the school about the absence, it is recorded as an “unauthorised” absence. 

School absences have been an increasing concern for a while, with multiple reports sharing how children’s attendance has taken a hit in the aftermath of the pandemic. Department for Education shared that 22.3% of children were “persistently absent” in the academic year 2022-23. A child’s attendance is categorised as a persistent absence if they have missed 10% or more sessions in a year. 

The School Absence Tracker Report by the Centre for Social Justice points out a 2.6% increase in the overall absence rate in Autumn 2022 at 7.5% when compared to pre-pandemic numbers. Then there’s the severely absent children — those absent more often than they were present, at an alarming 1.7% of the school population. That’s 125,222 children who missed school more than they attended, a number that stood at 60,244 in 2019. The 2023 figure stands at 140,000 children – an increase of 134% since before the pandemic.

Many factors are at play here — from the hardships of parents who have recently experienced layoffs, to the division of caretaking responsibilities, and the adaptation to school routine after the lockdown. Normally, it is the legal responsibility of a parent to ensure that a child between the ages of 4 to 16 is receiving quality, full-time education. Attendance is monitored at the school level, and in some cases, specific bodies investigate discrepancies, like the Education Authority (EA) does in Northern Ireland.

Attendance is not just a superficial disciplinary measure or metric, it is a barometer of a child’s well-being, too. Absence from school — prolonged or erratic or consistent — usually is a sign of a bigger challenge they may face at home or in school. A child’s attendance at school could be impacted by bullying, lack of facilities or special needs provision, home environment, commute to and from school, housing or care arrangements, parental work and financial challenges, etc. There’s no gainsaying that attendance is a safeguarding issue. 

When children are frequently absent from school, it could be a sign that they are going through adverse personal circumstances. Constant monitoring helps track this better - if a child starts missing school, both parents and the school can take note and make gentle inquiries from the child. Parents can normally access the attendance guidance from the school website. And they should adhere to it. 

If a school is concerned about spurts of absence or persistent absence, they might want to work with social services to make arrangements, such as offering home tuition in case of chronic conditions, arrange for caretaking to reduce the burden on parents, offer a safe space to the child in case they’re facing bullying or other distress at school. 

How can we ensure robust school attendance?

There are many reasons a child might be missing school, and some of them are not an alarming safeguarding concern unless it happens persistently over a prolonged period. The onus of ensuring a child’s attendance lies on the parents, so we advise parents to ensure this in the ways mentioned below. When school absence becomes concerning, the school can get involved in insulating the child against safeguarding risks. Let’s look at these measures.  

The following steps by parents can help ensure regular attendance at school:

Get your child used to a routine early on, and stick to the same waking hours and bedtime routine. 

Apprise your child of the importance of regular attendance, and try to make the morning time fun as they prepare to head to school. Teach them the importance of discipline, routine, and punctuality.

Take a genuine interest in their education and school life, and learn what’s happening at school when they are particularly excited or demotivated to go to school. Observe patterns and use them to motivate your child when they’re feeling dispirited.

Regularly check in with your child about the events and activities happening at school; if anything is concerning, address it with their teacher/principal immediately. 

Let them take time off school when they’re sick or having an emotionally hard time, but keep strict boundaries for minor ailments, injuries, and during holidays. 

Try to schedule appointments after school hours or at weekends. 

If your child has a chronic condition that requires frequent leaves, discuss this with the school, communicate early, pre-empt different scenarios, and come up with a plan to help your child make up for the lost time.

If there’s any disruption to the child’s school schedule, bring them back into routine as soon as the disruption is resolved. 

Apart from the regular challenges, if there’s a pattern in the child’s absence at school, there could be an underlying safeguarding issue. Very often, vulnerable children are affected the most. Previous years since the pandemic have shown that the children who are in receipt of Free School Meals (FSM) or Special Educational Needs (SEN) support are more likely to be severely absent — as high as triple — than their peers.

The socio-economic background of children also plays a role. Consider this: 30% of children living in the most disadvantaged areas were persistently absent over the course of 2021/22, as against 14.3% of children living in the most affluent areas over the same period. In such cases, school absences become an early warning sign that the child might be going through hardships at home, their parents might be struggling, or conditions at home endanger their wellbeing. 

Fining parents for their child’s absence when they may already be undergoing hardships is not an effective solution, as it puts more pressure on parents who may already be struggling. Let’s understand how we can effectively address these safety concerns. 

The government is running a pilot, with plans to scale the program, whereby mentors are recruited to work with children in the worst-affected areas. The mentors work individually with children, encouraging them to talk openly about any challenges they might be facing, such as financial hardships at home, mental health concerns, bullying, etc.

Attendance hubs have also been set up to address the school absence crisis: These are support-group-style hubs led by senior leaders in schools with effective attendance practices. Through their hubs, lead schools share their strategies and resources for improving attendance. Senior leaders from mainstream maintained schools and academies can apply to join the hubs and discuss their challenges.

Proposed measures also include free breakfast clubs for primary schools to incentivise children to come to school. When feeding the children a nutritious meal at home is hard, whether due to financial constraints or caretaking challenges, this solves the problem for both parents and children. Magic Breakfast, a charity organisation working on this, reported improved attendance in schools with the free breakfast provision in 2023, with 78% of schools agreeing that breakfast has a positive impact on attendance.

Homeschooling numbers are higher than ever before. Proposals have been put forth for introducing a compulsory national register of home-schooled children to ensure regular education. 

Another incentive-based step, encouraging the engagement of children in sports and other extra-curricular activities, can help boost attendance numbers. This will ensure attendance as well as robust growth and development of children. 

Multiple reports confirm that children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) have been missing school far more than their peers. One aspect is that schools may not be fulfilling these needs. Another concern is the need to attend medical appointments among children with SEND. Both will contribute to dismal attendance at school, a place where they should flourish. Schools should prioritise resources for inclusion of children with SEND, and parents should demand this for their children.


We’ve extensively shared resources for children’s mental health and the need to create a psychologically safe space in schools. Mental health challenges, especially in the aftermath of the pandemic, can impact a child’s school attendance. Even when there are resources to access, children are often met with long waiting periods. The capacity of mental health services needs to be expanded in the educational setting. 

Subsidiary issues: Transport and Uniform Costs

Attending school can also have tangible barriers for children. When parents are either struggling financially or are too stressed (due to layoffs, dismal job market, or tough conditions as we navigate the post-pandemic world), or if the caretaking is too haphazard, details like the child’s commute from and to school, their uniform, etc can slip through the cracks. DfE offers support for transport costs to low-income families, but this should be supplemented by community support to ensure the safety of children during commutes if parents are at work. 

Spotlight: Use of AI in managing school absences

Among the many proposals floating for tackling school absences, one involves the use of artificial intelligence to identify absence trends by “joining up existing records for children and improving coordination between education, social care and the wider services that support families”. Research has shown that AI can help track patterns: Monday morning was the most common time for absenteeism at the school, for example. Interventions or campaigns can address the root cause of the problem. 


The use of AI in the process of tackling school absences should be done with caution. There are concerns about data privacy and the bias of the tool that needs to be addressed before moving to such a system.

Navigating School Attendance and Absences From a Safeguarding Lens

The statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023 (KCSIE) sets out information for schools and colleges in England of how to deal with low-level concerns regarding teachers and other staff, volunteers, and contractors. Low-level concerns should also be considered in all industries where staff come into contact with children or vulnerable adults.

A low-level concern is any concern that an adult has acted in a way that:

·       Is inconsistent with the staff code of conduct, including inappropriate conduct outside of work.

·       Does not meet the threshold of harm or is not considered serious enough for the school or college to refer to the local authority (a referral to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).

Low-level concerns include a spectrum of behaviours that could be:

·       Intentionally designed to facilitate abuse or;

·       Unintentional, inadvertent, or thoughtless.

·       Singling out a child or young person to spend time alone or within a secluded area.

·       Taking photographs of children or young people.

·       Using inappropriate touch or sexualised/offensive language.

What is the importance of managing low-level concerns? 

The early identification and management of low-level concerns is critical to effective safeguarding and for creating a positive and safe environment for pupils. It contributes to the overall well-being of all stakeholders within the organisation. In order for a culture of safety to exist it is essential to have policies and systems that manage and record low-level concerns. Pupils and staff should feel safe to learn and work and additionally speak up and know that their concerns will be taken seriously. When we consistently manage low-level concerns it not only contributes to a positive culture but also teachers and staff members are more likely to feel supported and motivated in an environment where minor issues are addressed promptly. Staff will also feel protected against potential misunderstandings or false accusations.

It is fundamental that we are able to clearly see all of the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle and to also deal with concerns at the earliest opportunity so they either do not escape our attention, escalate, or cause significant harm. These protocols will help to prevent the development of serious code of conduct breaches or behavioural issues that can escalate to abuse or risks for pupils and other colleagues.

There has to be a full accountability for both the organisation and the staff to be able to show accountability for their actions but to also notice and share concerns about others.

What are the risks that come with not managing low level concerns effectively?

This serious case review was commissioned on behalf of the Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster Local Safeguarding Children’s Board, following the reported sexual abuse of at least 54 pupils at an independent international day school in London.

William Vahey (and American citizen) was a teacher at Southbank International School London and his offences were committed both in the UK and on school trips abroad over a period of 4 years.

The review found that “whilst aspects of Vahey’s behaviour could have alerted senior staff at the school to the possibility that he was sexually abusing pupils, at no point was this given any formal consideration.”

The report states that “A USB stick owned by Vahey was found to have multiple images of the abuse of school aged children. During subsequent FBI investigations he admitted the abuse but before any further inquiries could take place, he took his own life. The abuse of children at Southbank School was discovered following analysis of the USB stick.”

Vahey’s child sexual abuse convictions were not picked up, his wife was also highly influential in the international school community, and recruitment processes were and still remain less formal within international schools. 

Some of the low-level concerns regarding Vahey that were highlighted in the report were:

·       His presentation of an unconventional teaching style.

·       His insistence that he care for ill pupils and administrating drugs with no medical records.

·       Having pupils alone in his room.

·       His inappropriate boundaries to watching boys in the shower.

·       Singling out vulnerable or popular and influential pupils.

·       His power of creating a feeling that pupils were special and ‘chosen to go on a trip.’

The review states that “some teaching staff raised concerns regarding his behaviour with each other and less frequently spoke to staff who had safeguarding responsibilities. None of these concerns led to any formal safeguarding enquiries. There was only one occasion when any parents raised a concern about his behaviour but when Vahey apologised the complaint was dropped.” There were no formal complaints made by pupils, although some pupils did use language that insinuated, he may be a sex offender.

·       Ensure all parties understand what a low-level concern is and what it means to build a culture of safety.

·       Share lessons learnt and implement this in high quality training and induction processes.

·       Share codes of conducts and behaviour policies widely.

·       Fully understand why low-level concerns are important and how to report concerns.

·       Ensure there is both a policy and a procedure for reporting that is fully understood.

·       Ensure there is a tracker/system to document low-level- concerns so that they are regularly monitored, understood, and dealt with in line with additional safeguarding and HR procedures.

·       Ensure HR and Safeguarding are working together to understand risks and safer recruitment processes consider low-level concerns as a serious matter. 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64f0a68ea78c5f000dc6f3b2/Keeping_children_safe_in_education_2023.pdf 

https://www.farrer.co.uk/globalassets/clients-and-sectors/safeguarding/developing-and-implementing-a-low-level-concerns-policy.pdf 

https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/pdf/Southbank%20SCR%20REPORT%2012%201%2016.pdf

The importance of dealing with low level concerns

In recent years, the safety of children in the online dimension has been a primary concern of educators and parents alike. It forms a crucial part of any safeguarding plan. And the perimeter of concern only keeps expanding. We have previously shared how safeguarding protocols must adapt to the increasing adoption of advanced technologies that leverage AI.  

At the same time, we are now dealing with novel issues that jeopardise the safety of anyone on the internet, including the sophisticated tools that create deepfakes (and the alarming pace at which they are developing), cyberflashing (incidents of which have been reported reluctantly, even though 33% women have experienced it) and the like. 

The Online Safety Act seeks to address these and many other evolving pieces of online mishaps, but its driving focus is the safety of children online. Let’s take a look.

Widely called a landmark legislation, the Online Safety Act introduces additional security and safety mandates for tech companies to protect their users. It imposes a legal “duty of care” on these tech firms to protect users, especially children, from exposure to content that can be classified as racism, death threats, sexual exploitation, dodgy adverts, etc. and from illegal content and activity like pornography and fraud. 

Tech companies, including search engines, social media sites, forums, could storage services, video sites, etc will be required to

Monitor and moderate activity to remove illegal content

Monitor and moderate activity to remove “harmful” content

Activate age verification for most of the sites accessed by children

Extend control to users so they can protect themselves against content they don’t want to see

The premise of the entire bill is rooted in extending tangible safeguards in the virtual world. As Damian Collins, chair of the joint committee on the draft bill was quoted as saying, “What’s illegal offline should be regulated online. For too long, big tech has gotten away with being the land of the lawless. A lack of regulation online has left too many people vulnerable to abuse, fraud, violence and in some cases even loss of life.” Surely, educators and parents can appreciate the intent of the bill. 

Various provisions of the bill aim to protect children from exposure to harmful content, including 

Any safeguarding plan would involve protecting children from such content, but what sets the Online Safety Act apart is the idea of shifting the onus of the protection — “duty of care” — on the tech firms. This opens up a huge discussion on how these tech firms are supposed to action it. For example, how can they verify the age of a user in a watertight manner without jeopardising their sensitive information?

Most important, there is the question of defining what is considered “harmful” content. The judgment is left up to Ofcom, which can then levy heavy fines or even block access to sites that offend people. This ambiguity and subjective definition around what is considered harmful or inappropriate leaves room for the deletion of incriminating evidence, the pushing of political narratives, and the limiting of free speech. 

The bill has evolved into a guardian of children's online safety, but in doing so, it has sparked many discussions about the best way to ensure online safety. However, the bill has also attracted criticism for its consequences on the freedom of speech and cybersecurity. Digital rights advocacy groups and child safety campaigners are aggrieved that subjectivity in defining what we consider acceptable waters down the impact of the regulation. In contrast, the added safeguards (like age verification for accessing sites) put sensitive information at risk. 

Electronic Frontier Foundation, for instance, points out, “People shouldn’t be fined or thrown in jail because a government official finds their speech offensive…It would also significantly deviate from the new E.U. internet bill, the Digital Services Act, which avoids transforming social networks and other services into censorship tools.” The Open Rights Group has expressed similar concerns. 

Consequences for tech companies that fail to comply

The bill lists the UK’s media watchdog Office of Communications (OFCOM) as the regulator in charge of holding tech companies accountable, assessing the nature of content, as well as, fining tech companies if they fail to adhere to instructions for the removal of content. The criminal liability extends to senior management at such tech companies. 

However, it is not possible to build a foolproof system that caters to the extent of content moderation that the bill demands. Algorithms are imperfect, human effort is expensive, and real-time processing/moderation is not feasible. It remains to be seen how the demands of the bill will be met once implemented, because those sophisticated automated moderation or age-verification tools don’t exist at present. 

The Online Safety Act does not change anything for educators or school authorities. It only impacts tech companies at large, shifting accountability for online safety to them. But as we have seen, tech companies are yet equipped with the tools and resources needed to deal with the deluge of data. As American cybersecurity researcher Marcus Ranum said, “You can’t solve social problems with software.”

This is a good reminder for educators and parents that nothing can substitute human interaction. In order to truly protect children from harmful content, parents and educators need to communicate robustly and preemptively with children about the safety measures they should follow while on the internet. 

Schools remain the frontrunners in ensuring children’s safety. The legal responsibilities of the Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) also remain intact. We also anticipate that the latest Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSiE) guidance will have added modalities. What this bill does is extend that responsibility to tech companies. How this gets implemented will determine how effective it will be. It will take time to come into action effectively.

The Online Safety Act mandates tech companies to protect users, particularly children, from harmful online content. It introduces a "duty of care," compelling companies to monitor and remove illegal and harmful content. The bill signals a shift, holding tech companies accountable, yet its effectiveness hinges on practical implementation and the evolution of digital safeguards.  While the bill places responsibility on tech firms, it underscores the irreplaceable role of human interaction. Educators and parents must engage proactively with children about online safety. 

Online Safety Act and Safeguarding: All You Need To Know

We all know why Ofsted inspections are necessary and without them it may be hard to imagine what some children, young people and adult learners’ experiences would be like if you consider the findings from some recent inspections of our sectors.

Preparing for your new provider monitoring visit, full inspection or monitoring visit after full inspection can be a positive experience but it can also be quite stressful for some individuals.

This blog will discuss what you can do to ensure you are always prepared so that when the call comes (bear in mind that Ofsted can arrive unannounced) you feel confident to throw open your doors and let them in because you know exactly where your organisation is in its journey.

Some recent inspections interactions with inspectors have highlighted the following:

- Safeguarding - Ensure your policies are up to date with recent legislation both statutory and non-statutory.

Does your policy reflect your learners in as much as the age of the learners- do you refer anywhere to children and young people or adults within it and do you cite Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023 (KCSiE). How do you safeguard you staff and other stakeholders? Schools and colleges should have fully embedded the KCSiE into their practices and all staff should be aware of any changes and updates and what they mean for the people and the organisation.

Does your policy identify the relevant dangers or potential harms that are current such as Incels in the training room, the Online Safety Bill and what this means for them- if you have adult learners and if they are managers in their organisations what it means for their staff. If you are an education establishment, you must review your Prevent Risk Assessments to ensure they are robust enough and include the new legislation including any Prevent Duty Updates 2023 that come into force in December this year. For example, reducing permissive environments means not allowing extremists in your environments.

Schools and Colleges and other training settings must be aware and review their policies to include filtering and monitoring, and the online pre-recruitment checks for shortlisted candidates. Do you use an appropriate organisation to support your checking of candidates such as Sign in Central Record as part of your Safer Recruitment process and procedures which should include filtering and monitoring?

If you have a low-level concerns policy, this will need to include filtering and monitoring or if this is part of your safeguarding and prevent policy it needs to be within this policy. Safeguarding needs to be driving this and not the IT support function of your organisation. Training Providers need to look at the DfE’s Cyber Security Standards and ensure this is part of your usual safeguarding processes and procedures.

You must ensure anyone who comes onto your premises such as guest speakers or people/organisations renting office/classroom space or using rooms/space for other activities such as after school clubs are following the After-Schools Clubs, Community Activities and Tuition Safeguarding Guidance for Providers. You will be responsible for ensuring they follow this guidance. This will support the capture of low-level concerns. Ofsted will be checking this during inspections and monitoring visits.

For schools and colleges, you need to include prevent information in your safeguarding files and these will need to be shared with the new education setting when an individual moves from school to college or from school to school or college to college. Make sure this information is sent in a timely manner and that it has been received.

- Destinations - for Ofsted has become especially important. 

How are you tracking you learners’ success and not just in outcomes of their qualification, but have they received a pay increase, a promotion, are they more confident in their role now. If they move employer or job how long are you tracking the learner for and how are you then using this information? How are children gaining the resilience they need to move into F.E. or into apprenticeships or the world of work?

For post 16 learners, do you know what impact you have had on the learners in meeting their career/life aspirations such as if they can now afford to buy their own home? Ofsted are now working more closely with the ESFA around soft skills intelligence for inspections.

What impact have you had on the employer and their organisation, how do you know, how are you collecting, collating, and acting upon this information? What can you show to identify this?

- Self-Assessment - Do you have a robust Self-Assessment Report (SAR) process?

This is not just the document itself, but the process of when you start to write your SAR and who you involve and how for example, do you run learners focus groups, how do you get employer feedback? How do you involve parents/carers or guardians? How do you use this feedback within your SAR and if an inspector asked a learner or employer, parent, carer or guarding how they feed into your SAR, what do you think they would say, would they know how they do this and how do they know what you have improved or are improving from their feedback?

You need to be honest especially when grading yourself against the Education Inspection Framework otherwise Ofsted will have a concern that you do not truly understand where your organisation is and therefore the Leadership and Management judgement may be affected. 

The Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) this should drop out of the content of your SAR, does your QIP include a Goal Statement, e.g., what the solution looks like when it’s fixed.

- Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) 

Recent inspections have brought this to attention, and a number of organisations have been graded requires improvement due to a lack of robust and meaningful CEIAG. How are you ensuring that your learners receive good quality careers advice? Do you use the Ifate road maps as these can be useful. Do you use the National Career Service for example?

For post 16 or adult learners do you work with employers to review all potential roles within their organisation that learners can be promoted to either in their own departments or within others or potentially another site where employers have multiple sites? Do you identify how this can support the employer’s succession planning with them? Have you considered asking the EPA/s if they can complete a supportive visit and complete a careers advice session, there are a number of sectors specialist publications that publish the different roles that can be achieved, and this can be useful. Whist we need to be careful not to advise learners to leave their current employers, we can ensure they are aware of the many different types of industry where their qualifications and experience would be seen as desirable if they had to change career paths for whatever reason.

Think about how you embed CEIAG throughout the learner’s journey and not just something you stick on the end of their learning programme or before they leave school or college. This will also help to ensure the learner is on the right programme and the right level if you start to look at career planning at induction.

During reviews, look at the next 3 months as a minimum and what the learners will be doing to align on and off-the-job training or what other additional learning or courses in particular around the Green Skills Agenda that would improve their career and employment opportunities. 

Do you offer additional catch-up sessions if the learners are struggling to ensure they don’t fall behind. Give the inspectors examples of how this happens and tell your learners it is good if the inspectors hear this from them too. Have examples of review meetings and how you keep employers updated on progress or how you work with parents, carer, or guardians to support them and their children in mind to discuss with inspectors.

- Leadership and Management and Governance

The inspectors will want to know how as leaders and managers you know how good the quality of education is in your organisation. You need to be clear as to how you know, what data do you receive, how often, how you use this to review the quality of delivery and ensure continuous improvement including staff training and delivery when this is identified as a concern or that they are underperforming. Do you get to know what feedback the organisation has had from learners, employers, parents, carers, or guardians, how are you holding staff and managers to account on minimum standards levels? Just how strong is your learner and employer voice?

Do governors support and challenge in equal measures, do you have an external individual/s that sit as governors? Governors need to tell you how it is from the data and information they are presented with before and during meetings of the senior leadership team. How swiftly do they react, and can they give examples to an inspector when asked what you have brought to this organisation’s governance and examples of what improvements they have been instrumental in driving forward in your organisation. If you use any specific type of metrics to score the senior leadership team, explain this to the inspectors.

Remember, the inspection is your inspection. It is your opportunity to show off all that is good and outstanding about your provision and programmes. If you put something in your SAR as evidence, you will need to be able to show this to inspectors.

With the launch of ChatGPT and Google Bard, Generative AI has entered our mainstream lives. It was followed by an explosion of tools that leverage this technology. Children will be curious about using these tools and rightly so. In this blog, we share why it is wiser to indulge children’s curiosity about AI, and instead of curtailing their use or exposure to AI, we should bring safeguarding measures in place to ensure that the kids are safe when they do so. 

There’s no denying that Generative AI is fundamentally changing how we work, interact and engage online. It is a ubiquitous tool — children are using it to write their University applications, taking help with homework, and the like. Universities are, in fact, adopting measures to make their staff and students AI literate. Young children, then, will be using these tools so as not to fall behind their peers. 

In fact, if you think about the career outcomes of the proliferation of AI tools, we should encourage our kids to learn AI-based tools and acquire the skills that are in demand in the job market. Lightcast’s research shows that 3 times more job adverts are asking for AI skills than a decade ago. In fact, jobs, where AI skills are requested in the employer’s job description, tend to pay more than the same jobs which don’t mention these skills by almost 20%. AI will also change how we work, fundamentally, as Fortune shares and managerial and team structures will look very different. If we want our children to succeed as professionals when they grow, we have to set them up for success right now. 

It is also important to acknowledge that Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been a part of our lives already, only in much subtler ways: AI is embedded in the recommendations across most learning platforms and social media platforms, they drive video games and toys, and find steady use in chatbots. All of these tools and technologies were already impacting how children consumed content and interacted in the virtual world. 

The Positives: AI for a More Inclusive Classroom

Before we dive into the imperatives of your safeguarding plan and the updates it needs to accommodate the aftermath of the Generative AI explosion, we want to look at the overall impact of AI. But more importantly, it’s key to understand that removing or curbing access to such tools is a drastic measure. For the reasons mentioned above, our children will fall behind if they don’t receive adequate exposure and skills in working with AI. 

AI can also help us — parents, educators and school leaders — create a more rounded educational experience for all types of students. Homework assistance is just the tip of the iceberg. Generative AI can unlock creative solutions to customise learning to a child’s learning style and pace, which can be extremely useful for neurodiverse kids, irrespective of whether they have a diagnosis or not. Personalised learning experience can elevate their assimilation process. 

Children can also use AI to experiment with art, music, stories, software, and the like, all of which can help them work through blocks of creative hindrances and navigate through the learning process more joyously. AI tools also promise a better interface for communicating through text, speech, and visuals, particularly for children with disabilities.

Keeping in mind the plethora of positive benefits on the table, we cannot dismiss AI or separate our children from the technology. But we also need to acknowledge the threats that children might face in the process.

Phishing attacks are rampant on the internet. It is impossible to tell if the link you are clicking is correct or not. Generative AI tools are becoming sophisticated at an alarming pace. They will make phishing attacks even more subtle. Protecting against phishing attacks should be the first priority.

The risk of impersonation existed previously because of deepfake technology. Under such instances, extremely realistic videos or audio are distributed that impersonate specific individuals. Generative AI can take it up a notch and create fake profiles on social media, circumvent CAPTCHA protection, etc. Once a fake profile is made, the number of things that can wrong is endless. They can be used to spread misinformation, and launch targeted attacks…the possibilities are endless. 

When we think about this scenario in a school setting, such attacks could also become bullying or harassment if they target a specific kid. Because the output is so realistic, any distorted video clip can be circulated and passed off as real. Such misuse of children’s photos and video content isn’t unheard of. Misinformation can also spread in the same way. 

Generative AI, as mentioned before, will change the way we work. Just like smartphones and the internet have eliminated many jobs and created new ones, so will AI. Children’s future professional life is very hazy right now. Some jobs that exist today will not exist when they grow up, and many new ones would have come up. 

It impacts how we impart education to children today and what skills they have to offer in the job market when they graduate. The Department For Education comments, “The education sector needs to prepare students for changing workplaces, including teaching them how to use emerging technologies, such as generative AI, safely and appropriately.”

Dr Philippa Hardman, an affiliated scholar at the University of Cambridge, highlights a highly pertinent point. She points out that we like to believe AI to be a tool that democratises education and makes it equitable. But in reality, access to AI tools is a major determinant to an individual child’s success. 

In her words, “As the WEF’s Future of Jobs Report 2023 recently reported, the most likely future is one where AI literacy and machine learning skills are at a premium, making AI education a new and valuable currency and making pupils who don’t develop these skills vulnerable not just to inequity in education but also - and as a direct result - in access to employment.” 

Some children would simply not be able to develop these skills as fast as their peers because they may not have access to devices at home, among other possible reasons.

Bias, discrimination and wellbeing concerns

The output from any AI tool is only as good as the data it learns from. If the data has inherent biases, it is likely the tool will also discriminate against certain individuals. This is a widely known and discussed flaw of AI. The datasets are continuously improving, so the output gets better and biases are reduced, but in the context of education, it is extremely important to tread carefully. 

Plenty of AI tools, otherwise considered recreational or entertainment, distort the faces of individuals. While this may seem harmless, it can trigger body image issues and consciousness about looks in young children. The impact of any AI tool on well-being and mental health should also be taken into account. 

We need to pre-empt any threats to safeguarding this exercise may pose. The Government has already issued some guidelines. We will be drawing and building upon that foundation to explain the changes. 

“Safety by design” approach: One of the primary principles that should inform your safeguarding policy is “safety by design.” This means instead of fitting safeguarding mechanisms later, or as a reactionary measure, we should look at doing so within the design of the safeguarding policy or the tool. For example, using clean data for training algorithms or introducing technical barriers to harmful content through ethical AI. Such measures can be included in the development, deployment, and maintenance stage of the AI tool itself. 

Curbing data-related cyber risks: Generative AI stores and learns from the data we feed into it. Everyone, from children to teachers, should be instructed not to enter personal and sensitive data into generative AI tools. Treat any data you input as data you have shared with the internet. Would you share something with ChatGPT that you wouldn’t want on the internet? Then refrain from sharing it. How can we ensure the privacy and security of sensitive data stored in systems? Strengthening cyber security measures is key for schools. 

Addressing threats including online sexual abuse and exploitation, biased or false information: In the education sector, everyone should be made aware of the extent to which Generative AI can create believable content like credible scam emails, doctored photographs and even realistic video content that isn’t true. They should also discuss the ways in which false or misleading information can be generated. It is worth looking into a database of resources or tools that help identify risks in AI tools, or to track the different functions that AI tools can now perform. 

For example, sharing how Midjourney can be used to create believable images that aren’t real and then going through a few use cases of how it can be misused will act as an alert to watch out for.

Encourage children to proceed with caution: Encourage children to speculate about the authenticity of the content they consume, and apprise them of the rampant malpractices, so that they can make a judgement call on whether they should believe something they come across on the internet or not. 

As educators, you may also want to look into drawing a plan for the acceptable usage of Generative AI. This guidance should be rooted in equitable access and lay down the types of tools and extent of school work students can do with the help of these tools. 

As far as your safeguarding policy is concerned, we recommend looking into the above points and coming up with checks to ensure that the AI tools promote privacy-by-design usage, do not misuse data, keep clear records/history of usage, and so on. The emergency of Generative AI necessitates that you revisit how you look at safety and add safeguards in place. 

If you want to create an action plan, here are some resources you can consult:

UNICEF’s Policy Guidance on AI for Children 

World Economic Forum’s AI for Children toolkit 

Generative AI has entered the mainstream with tools like ChatGPT, prompting the need to adjust safeguarding plans for children. Embrace their curiosity about AI, but implement safeguards. AI is changing work and learning, so equip kids with AI skills. Risks involve phishing, impersonation, career uncertainty, digital divide, bias, and well-being concerns. Safeguard by designing safety into AI tools, curbing data risks, addressing threats, and encouraging cautious content consumption. We cannot ignore Generative AI and its impact; we can be proactive in ensuring our children’s safety as they navigate the novelty. 

Generative AI is here. How should your safeguarding plan change?

The summer holidays bring around so many opportunities for fun and relaxation away from the school setting and for children being with their families and loved ones. However, for some children and families, it can also bring a range of risks or opportunity for harm. 

Schools can play a vital role in preparing for summer holiday risks to children by taking proactive measures and promoting ongoing safety awareness. When schools actively engage with stakeholders such as parents/guardians, their students, and school staff, by educating and providing resources, it can contribute to a safer summer holiday experience for all.

Some risks to consider over the summer holidays could include:

Online safety risks- children may spend more time online and it is crucial for children, parents/guardians, and staff to have an understanding around the dangers of being online including cyber bullying, grooming, radicalisation and the importance of privacy and safe practices.

Accidents and injuries- children will engage in more outdoor activities including seeing friends, play activities, and sports. This can increase the likelihood of falls and accidents occurring. It is important to supervise younger children but to also encourage safety practices to older children so that they can keep themselves safe.

Lack of supervision and routines- Some children may be at risk of engaging in risky behaviours due to a lack of presence from parents and guardians who may be working or looking after younger siblings. There has been a rise of concerns around risks such as county lines due to the cost-of-living crisis and it may be difficult for families to pay for day trips, holidays, and activities. Parents and guardians may have additional responsibilities therefore children may be left without appropriate supervision so children may be staying with other families or family friends where additional risks can lie. Families may also be taking holidays abroad or away from home where travel hazards may occur. 

Mental health and wellbeing concerns- children may spend more time alone or online and be exposed to harmful content or feel isolated or left out. A lack of routine or structure can also impact negatively on a child’s wellbeing or mental health, especially for those who may be neurodiverse or routine dependent. 

Child abuse- children may be at increased risk of abuse, neglect, or exploitation within the summer break. Children may have less access to food and support or may be exposed to abuse from family members or strangers. There are many contextual settings where children can be exploited and abused within their communities or by influential people who they are spending time with. Female children may be at risk of being taken abroad for female genital mutilation practices therefore it is essential that people are educated around this and know how to report a concern at the earliest opportunity. 

Additional physical concerns can also arise such as heat-related illnesses and water-related incidents.

Before schools break for summer it is important to support and further educate parents and guardians to reflect on some of the potential risks and to ensure necessary precautions can be taken.

Children may also present as withdrawn or anxious about the summer break and this may be a cause for concern that should always be raised to the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead. It may be that some additional low-level support can sometimes prevent serious harm from occurring so staff should never underestimate the power of early help or prevention support. Recording information is an essential part of safeguarding and it is important to ensure that records are fully updated, and any referrals are completed in a timely manner. Given that some support services have longer waiting lists at present it may also be beneficial to ensure that appropriate avenues of support can be accessed should things worsen during the holidays so parents and guardians will know who they can contact. 

Steps that staff can take to ensure summer safety is of the highest priority:

Communication and education- Communicating with parents and guardians about potential risks and providing them with information on safety measures can be extremely beneficial. This information can be communicated via the school website, parent/carer emails, newsletters, information sessions, or sending home safety guidelines.

Safety guidelines and briefings- The school should provide safety guides that cover various areas, for example, water safety, sun protection, travel safety, and online safety. It is important to include specific recommendations and precautions for parents and guardians to follow during the summer holidays.

Staff training- Training sessions for school staff will enhance their awareness of potential risks and the appropriate responses required. This may include refreshers for first aid, safeguarding, how to recognise signs of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, and understanding safety protocols for things such as outdoor activities. It will also be beneficial for staff to understand some of the additional risks for children and young people in a contextual or cultural safeguarding respect, to consider dangers such as FGM, county lines, child sexual exploitation, radicalisation, and online safety.

Collaboration- Encourage parents and guardians to share their summer plans or concerns about the summer holidays. This information can support schools and staff to identify potential risks and develop relevant advice or resources. It is also beneficial to engage with local authorities and third sector organisations to deliver information and awareness sessions that can also help educate parents/guardians, children, and staff on safety strategies. 

Summer schools and activities: When providing summer activities, schools must ensure that adequate safety measures, risk assessments, and policies are in place. Schools must also ensure appropriate staff-to-student ratios, and establish guidelines for supervision, transportation, and emergency procedures. 

Sharing resources- Develop or update any signposting directory information for parents and guardians and children if applicable. Contacts may include emergency services, local support services or activities, educational materials that discuss safety and safeguarding, and update any website information.


When children return following the summer break, schools and staff should consider organising debriefing sessions or discussions to address any incidents or issues that occurred during the holidays. This allows for reflection, shared learning, and prevention strategies for the future. 

Re-establishing routines- Children may have become used to a more relaxed schedule during the summer so staff should focus on re-establishing daily routines, including absence and punctuality, class schedules, and other structured activities. It may be difficult in some instances therefore it is important to engage with parents and guardians to ensure any relevant information about the holidays or any incidents of concern have been shared.

Concerning or suspicious student and parent/guardian behaviour- Children or parents/guardians may directly disclose concerns however this may also occur through indirect behaviours, making ambiguous statements, or changes in behaviour. These things may insinuate that something is wrong or that something may have occurred however it is important to gather evidence for concerns to be heard or reported. Always liaise with your school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead in the first instance and remember that recording of information is crucial to track and monitor concerns. 

Health and wellbeing issues- Staff should be attentive to the physical and mental wellbeing of children as they return from the holidays. They should monitor for signs of any health issues, address any concerns, and provide appropriate support or referrals if required.

Changes of information- It is essential to update records with any changes in contact information, emergency contacts, medical conditions, or allergies. Staff should ensure that they have the most up-to-date and accurate information to provide proper care and support.

By working together with parents and guardians, school staff can maintain open lines of communication and ensuring a collaborative approach to support student wellbeing.

Although the back-to-school rush will be busy, staff should always take some time to reflect on summer risks and current presentations. If any safety incidents or issues occurred during the summer holidays involving students, staff should review and learn from them, and this may be something that the Designated Safeguarding Lead is tasked with as part of the lessons learnt approach. This should include addressing any lessons learned, revising protocols if necessary, and discussing preventive measures for similar incidents in the future.

Safeguarding through the summer and back to school preparations for staff