 Seasonal safeguarding: preparing for digital risks
The end of 2025 draws near! At this time of year, our ‘seasonal safeguarding’ lens often reflects the change in weather, shorter days and how Christmas for many children will introduce them to their own phone, tablet or games console – or all three either as first time ‘tech experts’, or as upgrades! While technology is clearly an amazing tool and indeed a means by which to keep children safe or allow them to access support for their mental health and wellbeing, it comes with ever more alarming risks. A great time therefore to reflect on how the curriculum delivers on these, including how we share messages and resources with parents and upskill our staff to the nuances of Minecraft, how TikTok algorithms work and the importance of our professional curiosity.
When you get to the end of term, some of you will, as ever, be contacted during the holiday season by our colleagues in the Front Door. We and our Social Care colleagues greatly value your time in sharing information while being on holiday. Please do though, find time to relax and recharge ready to return in January for the term ahead.
Thank you for all you do!
The Education Safeguarding Team
As you will be aware Inclusion & Learning have been going through a significant re-structure. This is now in its implementation stage. The Education Safeguarding Team is also undergoing some changes. The function and role of the team will continue but there will be some new faces. I, Emma Phillips, will have oversight of this team and will be a point of contact if required. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Education safeguarding team, especially those leaving at the end of this term.
We have been made aware that an old website domain for the Devon Safeguarding Children Partnership now hosts a gambling website. The out-of-date website address is listed on a number of different web pages for Devon schools, services and organisations.
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Please can you urgently review the safeguarding information published on your websites and, where necessary, update them with the current website address for the Devon Safeguarding Children Partnership.
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Many of us will have felt bewildered, distressed, and even angry as we reflected on the outcomes of the review into the tragic death of Sara Sharif. As we consider once again how agencies, both locally and nationally, are expected to learn from such events, the publication of the Child Safeguarding Practice Review, commissioned by Surrey Children’s Safeguarding Partnership, offers important and thought-provoking messages that deserve our attention.
In particular, Section 7 (Conclusions) and Section 8 (Recommendations) provide clear insights and practical steps that can help us reflect on our own communities and partnerships. These sections challenge us to consider how we can strengthen practice and ensure that lessons from this tragedy lead to meaningful change.
Sara’s death is a stark reminder of the responsibility we all share to safeguard children effectively. By engaging with the findings and recommendations, we can work together to identify areas where practice falls short and take action to improve outcomes for the most vulnerable.
This year's S175 will be made available to DSLs through the contacts we have and via school @Admin address at the start of the Spring term and will be required to be returned by 13th February 2026.
- The audit will again be in two parts, part one reflecting compliance aligned with current KCSiE requirements.
- Part two will focus on the following areas:
- Information and actions taken prior to children being reported as EHE and CME.
- Actions and assurances of a safeguarding nature regarding children who have a Part-time timetable.
- Actions and assurances of a safeguarding nature regarding children who have received a fixed-term exclusion or Permanent Exclusion.
Questions relating to the priorities for each of the Partnership sub-groups that align to the 5 overarching Partnership priorities.
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Recently, the ICO has added clearer, education-focused guidance to sit alongside their existing 10-Step Guide to Sharing Information to Safeguard Children. Nothing significant has changed in the law, this is simply extra reassurance and examples designed to help schools, nurseries and colleges feel more confident.
🔗 ICO education-sector guidance
🔗 Guidance for education sector on data-sharing - overview (Blake Morgan)
🔗 ICO “Think. Check. Share.” A4 poster (good for staff rooms)
Educate Against Hate has created a spotlight newsletter on Misogyny with some fascinating and useful information and content. If you haven’t already done so, sign up for the regular newsletters at their website.
In November's newsletter we shared some information relating to potential changes in how a candidate's address is needed as part of their DBS application. We have sought, and are pleased for the further update from our colleagues at Temp Solutions & Safer Recruitment:
“The DBS updated their Manual ID guidance for Basic, Standard and Enhanced DBS application in April 2025 – due to the complexities of these changes, they allowed the previous guidelines to be used for a period of up,to 6 months to allow Registered Bodies/Umbrella Bodies enough time to make these changes. DCC went live with these changes on 29/09/2025. As part of these changes, there is no longer a requirement for one of the ID Documents to show the applicant’s current address. For example, you could now use a Passport, Marriage Certificate and Birth Certificate as the combination of documents to evidence identity. Regarding checking address history, DBS advise the following:
“The ID checker MUST: check that the application form is completed in full and the information it contains is accurate. For example, that all addresses lived at in the last 5 years and names known by have been declared and are accurate. Failure to do this can result in delays in processing and the withdrawal of applications.”
With regards to the SCR – everything that must be recorded is detailed in Keeping children safe in education 2025 – page 76.”
With this in mind, it would seem appropriate to continue to add the address you have used into your SCR. If you have any further questions, please contact your DBS provider.
The mailbox is now closed. Any emails to the mailbox from external sources will not be considered or responded to. Below is a list of departments where enquiries and information can be redirected.
IF YOU ARE A PROFESSIONAL
 “Positive impact - we have already arranged a safeguarding meeting tomorrow to go through our thoughts and draw up an action plan with how to deliver certain elements of the training to staff.”
“Great trainer! very informative and engaging. I feel confident taking on DSL in my setting.”
“The slides were clear and there were opportunities to discuss with others, a mix of training resources eg: slides/videos/activities. It has served as a good reminder as well as giving me some new things and new resources to research.”
“Excellent and engaging. Best safeguarding training I have competed.”
Just a reminder that “Wake Up Wednesday” has been suspended and schools will now receive a Monday Briefing at 07:30am. Details can be found here. There is also information about how to get the Monday Briefing messages.
The QAWDG are undertaking a thematic review of Missing Children and Child Exploitation. A number of activities are being completed to ensure the members of the QAWDG have as full a picture as possible around thematic review as possible including table top reviews, leadership interviews, gathering young people voice and a practitioner survey. The QAWDG would be very grateful if you could complete the survey which closes on 21st December 2025.
We are pleased to share a suite of anti-vaping resources which have been developed and shared by colleagues in Public Health. Please visit our website to download the materials – you’ll find them under ‘Downloadable Resources’.
We all play a vital role in supporting victims of Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RaSSO). Devon & Cornwall Police, via DI Andy Hinston, have shared an important infographic on using accurate and respectful language.
Andy states:
“Referring to an ‘alleged’ rape is outdated language, which, research shows, victims can interpret as not having been fully believed. I think it is crucial that we use appropriate language that is respectful to victims and communicates that they are believed.”
Why does this matter?
Language shapes trust. Using appropriate terminology helps victims feel heard and supported, and ensures our reports remain professional and unbiased.
May we draw your attention to the new Prevent Duty training that has been made available to all colleagues.
Any colleagues with access to the DeL platform can access this training for free, via the following link. You will be presented with a choice of courses – the advice is that you should select the ‘enhanced’ option.
A few thoughts for the festive season: Christmas can heighten pressures on families, with financial strain, disrupted routines, and reduced access to support services leaving children more vulnerable to neglect or harm. School holidays often mean less supervision and fewer structured activities, which can increase risks both offline and online. For children already experiencing family tensions, mental health challenges, or isolation, this period can intensify feelings of loneliness, anxiety, or depression. Cultural practices and the cost of celebrations can further add to the stress, particularly during the ongoing cost of living crisis.
Schools play a vital role in mitigating these risks by promoting awareness of safeguarding, encouraging safe and responsible celebrations, and strengthening family support networks. They can foster a culture of reporting concerns, promote online safety, and implement poverty-proofing measures to ease financial burdens. By signposting families to support agencies and working collaboratively with communities, schools can help create a safer and more supportive environment for children during the festive season.
Please do consider signposting to e.g. local foodbanks, support charities (Action For Children, NSPCC, Salvation Army, HAF etc.) in your messaging to families and also reminding your students about online, road, fire, rail and water safety key messages.
Spring Term 2026:
Summer Term 2026:
These events provide valuable opportunities for learning, networking, and sharing best practice. We hope to see you there!
This will be my final newsletter. After more than 10 years, first with Babcock and, in recent years, with DCC, I will be leaving at the end of the autumn term. It has been an incredible privilege to work alongside so many dedicated, diligent, and caring colleagues in schools, partner agencies and community groups. The commitment you show, the time you give, and the support you offer to children, families, communities, and colleagues across all agencies is truly inspiring.
I have also been fortunate to work with countless colleagues within the Safeguarding Team, Education teams and DCC who share these same values. Over the past decade, there are far too many to name, but all have contributed with guidance, challenge, and unwavering support to help us all, together, do the very best for those in our care or who need support.
I leave knowing that many of these same colleagues will continue with more of the same. What a fantastic time, as Devon’s redesigned localities take form, for new colleagues to step into teams and to further develop and improve the safeguarding team offer. I look forward to a new role, one where I will remain in Devon as Director of Safeguarding for two Multi Academy Trusts, but will always hold my time working with you, my team and our schools and settings and colleagues across agencies as an absolute privilege that I shall always cherish.
As ever, thank you for all you do – Jon Galling
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