Safeguarding Bulletin - 17 September 2025
Ofsted’s new inspection framework and report cards
Ofsted have set out a renewed approach to education inspection with the intention that they will give parents better and more detailed information, that it is fairer on professionals, and will help raise standards for all children. Find out what this means for safeguarding in your education setting.
Vacancy: Safeguarding Content & Publishing Associate (Self-employed)
We are looking for a content creator who is passionate about Keeping Children Safe in Education, a great written communicator, and knowledgeable about safeguarding and interested in law, research and practice, to help support our analysis of the changing world of safeguarding and communicating this to educations organisations and settings through our website, email Bulletin and social media.
Independent wellbeing impact assessment of the revised Ofsted framework
Education Support’s CEO, Sinéad Mc Brearty, conducted an independent wellbeing impact of the revised Ofsted framework. This report was commissioned by Ofsted in April 2025 and was published alongside Ofsted’s consultation outcomes on 9th September 2025. The assessment predicts marginally positive improvement in the long term compared to the current Ofsted approach, but the transition is expected to have a negative impact on leader wellbeing in the short-medium term.
AoCPP Launch: Education Special Interest Group – 1st October
When the Children Act 2004 (as amended by the Children and Social Work Act 2017) reformed safeguarding arrangements, the government identified only three statutory partners: local authority, health, and police. Education was named as a “relevant agency” rather than an equal statutory partner. This has led to a perception that the voice of education carries less weight in safeguarding decision-making, despite the central role schools play in protecting children.
We’re delighted that Safeguarding Network Director Chris Freestone will be the speaker at the launch of the Association of Child Protection Professionals (AoCPP) Education Special Interest Group on 1st October. Chris will reflect on the experience of colleagues in being delegated as the “lead” service in safeguarding, without being formally recognised as the fourth statutory partner.
This is the AoCPP’s first ever Education Special Interest Group, a significant step that recognises the vital role of education in safeguarding. It offers a rare opportunity for education professionals to collaborate and learn alongside a wide variety of safeguarding practitioners, from social workers, health visitors and police, to doctors, nurses, occupational therapists and speech and language practitioners. This and future sessions will be co-chaired by our consultant Samantha Lurock, ensuring an ongoing link between Safeguarding Network and AoCPP.
Attendance is available to Safeguarding Network members who are also AoCPP members.
Further details and booking link here.
Education inspection framework engagement programme
Ofsted has created a series of webinars for early years, schools, further education and skills and initial teacher education settings that set out the main changes to education inspections starting in November 2025. The programme of webinars and regional events will continue throughout the autumn term.
Joint targeted area inspections to focus on CSA in the family environment
Ofsted, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) and HM Inspectorate of Probation (HMIP), have published guidance for joint targeted area inspections (JTAIs) of the multi-agency response to CSA in the family environment in local authority areas in England. Inspectors will look at how the police, children’s social care, probation services and relevant health services in a local area work together to:
Respond to children at risk of, or who are victims of, CSA in the family environment, at the point of identification
Assess, plan and make decisions in response to notifications and referrals of children at risk of, or who are victims of, CSA in the family environment
Protect, support, and care for children at risk of, or who are victims of, CSA in the family environment
Prevent children from becoming victims of CSA in the family environment
Inspectors will also evaluate how local agencies work with education and early years providers and the voluntary and community sector, to identify and respond to children who are victims of this kind of abuse.
More information and read the Guidance.
A life behind the screens
This report, recently published by Ireland's online safety charity, CyberSafeKids, provides a detailed overview of data collected in the 2024-25 academic year from over 9,000 children (aged 8-15) across Ireland. It's a vital insight into how children spend their time online, levels of access, and children's experiences, both positive and negative. Findings include: 26% of 8- to 12-year-olds and 36% of 12- to 15-year-olds used chatbots for homework, friendship and information; and a quarter of the children surveyed experienced content or unsolicited contact that ‘bothered’ them, including exposure to horror, violence, sexual material, threats, scams, and dangerous ideas.
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