Safeguarding: Do we count the cost?

Safeguarding - do we count the cost?

I was thinking about the amount of time, expertise, training - and therefore MONEY safeguarding costs now compared to 25 years ago. Most DSLs and DDSLs come from Deputy or Assistant Head level - amongst the highest paid employees in a school. Those DSLs have to dedicate a lot of time each week to safeguarding, following things up, making reports, recording concerns and outcomes. It is all high stakes stuff as well, no one can afford to get it wrong.

Did you know that KCSiE, in addition to its 166 pages, has 77 recommended websites to visit for more information, and over 2,100 pages contained in downloadable PDFs. It is hard to believe that even the most proficient safeguarding professional has read all this material, or could recall it in any detail.  We have to ask, 'Where will it all end?' It feels unsustainable and the more pages of statutory guidance are added the more I feel things are LESS safe; it's too much!

One thing I think can help is the use of Risk Assessments, not just when things become serious, but right from the very first discussion about a concern. We can risk assess the likelihood of harm and think through the possible unintended consequences of actions and inactions. At the moment it feels like DSLs are obliged to take every whisper which contains the word 'safeguarding' as potentially very serious. Adding in a more granular sense of calibration I think could help ease the burden.