Safeguarding Children is everyone's business

Everyone has a responsibility to protect children from harm.  Some children can be at risk of neglect, emotional harm, physical abuse and sexual abuse in any environment including with close family members as well as strangers.

Supporting your role

The statutory guidance, Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE), places requirements on all boards to ensure their schools have effective safeguarding policies and procedures in place that take into account local risks, any statutory guidance issued by the Secretary of State, any Local Authority guidance and locally agreed inter-agency procedures.

KCSIE states that the statutory guidance should be read and followed by governing bodies of maintained schools (including maintained nursery schools) and colleges; and that all governors must have an enhanced Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check with details registered on the Single Central Record.

There are a number of e-Learning courses available on the Cumbria Safeguarding Children Partnership website.

To access the Cumbria Safeguarding Children Partnership's safeguarding e-learning modules, you will need to register an account.  The e-learning is provided free of charge to partners of Cumbria County Council, which includes all maintained schools, academies and free schools.  We advise for best practice that all governors complete the (e-Learning):

Specific and detailed information about required safer recruitment practices can be found within the  Keeping children safe in education statutory guidance.  Those governors responsible for appointing staff in schools should make themselves familiar with Part 3: Safer recruitment section of this guidance.  Keeping children safe in education should be read together with Working together to safeguard children.

Safer Recruitment e-Learning training is available at:

Cumbria Safeguarding Children Partnership have a number of e-learning sessions available. After completion of the Safer Recruitment course and short assessment, you will be able to download a personalised certificate of achievement.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children  have developed a number of online courses, once you have successfully completed a course you can download a personalised certificate of achievement.  There is a cost implication for a course.

If you are concerned that a child or young person is in an emergency situation you should contact the police urgently on 999. 

Any other concerns about a child should be referred to the Westmorland and Furness Safeguarding Hub:

Your school will have details of the LA Designated Officer (LADO) who can also be contacted regarding safeguarding concerns. 

Further details can be found on the Cumbria Safeguarding Children Partnership (CSCP) website.