Welcome to our
safeguarding blog
Expert commentary and opinion pieces, the latest safeguarding news and legislation, and information about our latest training courses, webinars, and events.
Can any school operate with a “no contact” policy?
May 15, 2026
“No touch”, or more specifically "no contact”, policies at a glance may sound like the school or organisation is really committed to safeguarding. Parents or carers may feel reassured that adults in school will not make physical contact with their children and that they are protected from “physical abuse”, but can a school run safely with such policies?
Recent posts
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Safeguarding Bulletin - 13 May 2026
May 14, 2026
In this Bulletin: New webinar: The Role of DSL - what settings need to know; Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026; New website for safeguarding learning; Child exploitation futures analysis; New online safety guidance and resources for schools; Free webinar: Strengthening Cybersecurity in Schools
Beyond Power Imbalance: Bullying as Social Reward
May 11, 2026
Bullying is often complex. Focus on a power imbalance model alone and we limit the scope of our understanding. What if sometimes bullying can be a vehicle to gain power, rather than abuse it?
Strategic Safeguarding Days for Trust leaders
May 05, 2026
Following the success of our Safeguarding Strategic Development Days for South West Trust Leaders, we are looking to work with other Trust leaders to replicate the model in other parts of the country.
Upcoming Training Courses - May 2026
Apr 30, 2026
May is packed with courses for new and experienced DSLs and their staff. Find out more.
Safeguarding Bulletin - 29 April 2026
Apr 29, 2026
In this Bulletin: Free webinar: Helping Families - What Staff Need to Know; Free webinar: Mental Health, Inclusion and Safeguarding: Meeting KCSIE and Ofsted Expectations in 2026; Our Response to the Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026 Consultation; How to build emotional resilience in children; New mental health resources for schools and young people
Understanding misinformation, disinformation and challenging harmful narratives in schools
Apr 27, 2026
Schools are increasingly central to helping pupils navigate misinformation, online influence and extremist ideas, making staff confidence and informed responses essential to safeguarding and inclusion.
Safeguarding Network’s Response to the Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026 Consultation
Apr 22, 2026
We undertook a series of webinars in March 2026 where we advised participants of the KCSiE 2026 proposed updates and then asked for their views. This submission is a summary of the responses from that process.
If you’re happy and you know it... turn off your phone!
Apr 20, 2026
The World Happiness Report 2026 was published last month, with some perhaps unsurprising findings around young people and social media use: results show that social media does more harm than good. But it’s not an entirely negative picture...
Safeguarding Bulletin - 15 April 2026
Apr 15, 2026
In this Bulletin: Free webinar: Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026 – Key Changes; Helping families - what staff need to know; Free webinar: Prevention, necessity and proportionality - the implications of the new guidance on restrictive intervention; Teachers call for new training on misogynistic abuse; Schools in knife crime hotspots to get targeted support; New child exploitation disruption resources; PANTS resources for schools and teachers.
Seeking the voice of the child: are you listening?
Apr 10, 2026
The increasing emphasis on ‘it could happen here’ in government legislation and inspection criteria encourages schools to be more proactive in both seeking the views of the child and breaking down the barriers to disclosure.
Outcomes for children in need, including children looked after by local authorities in England
Apr 09, 2026
New statistics released for year ending 31 March 2025. The data has important messages for all education settings...
Educating pupils on online safety: Love Island contestant receives MBE
Apr 04, 2026
Georgia’s story and the celebration of her actions make the dangers such as image-based sexual abuse and how private content can be misused very relatable to the teenage fan base of the show.
Safeguarding Bulletin - 1 April 2026
Apr 02, 2026
In this Bulletin: Free webinar: Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026 – Key Changes; Helping families - what staff need to know; Free webinar: Prevention, necessity and proportionality - the implications of the new guidance on restrictive intervention; Child sexual abuse and exploitation recording and reporting; Talking with children about social media; New screen time guidance for parents of under-5s; Pupil absence in schools trends and data; Children's digital wellbeing; Bespoke supervision for your setting
Upcoming Training Courses - April 2026
Apr 01, 2026
Once the Easter holidays are over, April is packed with courses for new and experienced DSLs and their staff. Find out more.