Six weeks is a long time to be away from school, not only from an academic perspective but from a safeguarding one too. So, how can we keep children safe when they aren’t on-site or under our watchful eye?

We know that the summer holidays bring a welcome break and respite for both children and staff alike, but for some children, it can be a time of instability, chaos or even danger.

When children are at school, we have eyes on them, we know they are alive. However, with reduced access to school routines and vigilant staff supervision, potential dangers can become exacerbated, putting students at even further risk.

With this in mind, here are a few things you must consider when it comes to safeguarding in out-of-school settings over the summer holidays.

What are the Safeguarding Risks Over the Holidays?

When discussing safeguarding and keeping children safe, we need to focus on four main areas:

• Home
• School
• The community
• Online

At school, we have a fair amount of control in keeping children safe and can put systems and processes in place to minimise risk, set clear boundaries and support children.

But at home, in the community or online, we don’t have such control. We cannot see or know what the children are up to, what experiences they are facing or whether or not they are kept safe. So, instead of our vigilant practice and quick intervention, we have to teach the children to keep themselves safe where possible. This can include making safe decisions, understanding and reacting to certain situations and how to reach out for help where needed.

Whilst we do want our children to keep themselves safe, make the right choices and reach out for support, it is also important that we remember that they are children and therefore should never be considered solely responsible for their safety- even if they act older, are taller than you or believe they are wiser!

Therefore, an important part of preparing our children for the summer is to prepare our parents and carers too. By highlighting the risks and ways to find help, we are reinforcing the safety net we hope to put in place.

How Can We Address These Safeguarding Challenges and Minimise Risk?

1. A Robust, Effective and Child-Centred Safeguarding Curriculum

We know that education settings play an essential role in keeping children safe, but this is not only our systems and processes, but how we teach the children to be safe. So, most importantly, we need to make sure safeguarding is embedded across our curriculum.

No matter the subject area, there should be clear links to safeguarding topics throughout, with staff trained to maximise opportunities for discussions and learning around safeguarding. This should include the safeguarding topics highlighted in Keeping Children Safe in Education, as well as themes such as sun safety, water safety, fire safety and safe relationships etc.

2. Understanding Your Context
   

No matter where you are, your locality will be very different by way of safeguarding risks, and we need to ensure our children understand their individual context. This way we can teach them what to look out for, how to access help and support and what to do in certain situations. Do they know what the risks are in their local area? Do they know how to find support or help when school is closed?

Use of your Local Safeguarding Children’s Partnership, locality hubs or local police force can be really beneficial for understanding risk, but also for gathering signposts for children and their families to access help as needed.

3. Keep Lines of Communication Open

Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023 in Annexe C states that “It is a matter for individual schools and colleges and the designated safeguarding lead, to arrange adequate and appropriate cover arrangements for any out-of-hours/out-of-term activities”.

Before breaking for the holidays, your setting needs to have arranged how and when the DSL or members of the Safeguarding team can be contacted, and this should be shared so parents and children know how to get in touch.

It’s also helpful to collaborate with parents by providing resources and information sessions on creating safe and enriching summer routines for their children, as well as sharing signposts for help, support or activities within your local community.

4. Supporting Vulnerable Children

You will know the children in your setting who will find the holidays the hardest or most risky, so it is important to have plans in place before the end of term. These could include:

• Engaging with social workers or relevant support services to share information or make arrangements to best support children.
• Organising targeted support – which may include arranging holiday clubs, food parcels or finding childcare.
• Focus intervention or workshops with key children to provide skills, advice and information to support with keeping themselves safe.

Before the holidays, find time to speak with your most vulnerable children too. Ask about their worries or concerns regarding the holidays and help them with strategies to stay safe or seek support.

5. Build Connections

We know that family engagement and relationships are a key part of safeguarding and we need to support parents as well as children. This can include signposts and information on your website, newsletter or social media platforms to help them manage the holidays, which can be a bit of a juggle for some families.

This might include:

• Sharing activity calendars – What’s happening in your area? Are there activities for low income or FSM families?
• Highlighting budgeting or financial tips – Where is offering ‘kids eat free’ over the holidays? What free activities are available for all families? How can families access further support if needed?
• Sharing educational resources – What fun, easy or engaging activities could you share for families to do? Is there a school reading challenge, a competition or something to keep the children engaged over the holidays?

Strong community connections can provide a vital safety net for children during the summer. These relationships can be fostered by working with local organisations, such as libraries, children’s centres, youth services or sports clubs to not only provide activities and engagement for the children, but safe spaces too.

Ensure the children understand who they can speak to if they are worried or concerned about their safety and remind them that there is always someone they can speak to, whether it’s through contacting a school safeguarding email address or reaching out to a local or national helpline, such as Childline or the NSPCC.

We know that most people in school can’t wait for the holidays, as we all need the chance to relax and recharge, but as safeguarding professionals we cannot switch off completely, as for some of our children- the idea of six weeks at home may fill them with anxiety, dread or fear. But by implementing the above strategies, your setting can play a significant role in ensuring students’ safety, well-being, and happiness throughout the long break.

Get More Support with Safeguarding in Out-of-School Settings

There are many things for DSLs and school leaders to think about, especially when it comes to safeguarding in out-of-school settings. At Services For Education, we offer a range of courses to help you develop and improve processes to keep everyone safe.

If you have any questions, please get in touch.

About the Author

Lucie Welch has worked in the field of Primary Education for the last 15 years, holding the positions of Assistant Head of School, Designated Safeguarding Lead, Attendance Lead and Designated Teacher for Looked After Children. Through working across several local authorities and within multi-academy trusts, Lucie has garnered a passion for safeguarding and supporting children and young people to enable them to thrive.

At Services For Education, Lucie is an integral part of the Safeguarding team, sharing her expertise with schools, colleges, trusts, and other educational settings across the city of Birmingham and beyond. Dedicated to improving safeguarding practices in an actionable and impactful way, Lucie works closely with settings to provide bespoke training, supports with reflection on their own practices during Safeguarding audits and always strives to contribute to a better learning environment for all children. Through delivery of statutory training for DSLs and Safer Recruitment, Lucie works with colleagues in all age ranges and is a source of expertise within these areas.

Lucie also wears other important hats within the School Support Team. Not only is she dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of students through her role in safeguarding, but she also plays a key part in the PSHE/RSE and Health for Life teams. Additionally, Lucie partners with the Best Practice Network to deliver the Early Career Framework, supporting new teachers in their professional development.

NEED SAFEGUARDING SUPPORT AT YOUR SCHOOL?

Our expert advisers can provide in-school visits to deliver sessions on any specific safeguarding issues that are relevant to your setting. We also offer consultancy and a detailed safeguarding audit. We will work with you to understand your exact requirements.

Get in touch with us today if you’d like to discuss bespoke Safeguarding training for your school.

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