Safeguarding and Child Protection
Estyn’s role in safeguarding
If you believe a child is at risk of harm, do not wait to contact Estyn. If you are worried about a child and believe a child or young person is in immediate danger, call: Emergency Services 999
Estyn is the education and training inspectorate for Wales. We inspect education and training providers and report independently on the quality of education, including the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements.
The safety and well-being of children, young people and adults at risk is fundamental to high-quality education and training. Estyn is committed to promoting effective safeguarding arrangements through its inspection and review work across education and training providers in Wales.
During inspections, we evaluate whether providers have appropriate safeguarding arrangements that help to keep learners safe. This includes considering whether leaders have effective policies, procedures and cultures that promote safeguarding, whether staff understand and carry out their safeguarding responsibilities, and whether providers comply with relevant Welsh legislation and guidance. Inspectors evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements rather than investigating individual allegations or incidents.
Safeguarding is an important part of every inspection. Significant weaknesses in safeguarding are taken very seriously and will be reflected in our inspection findings. Where necessary, they may result in follow-up activity or referral to the appropriate statutory authorities.
Through inspection, reporting and follow-up activity, Estyn supports continuous improvement in safeguarding practice across education and training providers in Wales.
What Estyn is responsible for
Estyn:
- evaluates and reports on the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements within education and training providers;
- evaluates whether providers meet statutory safeguarding requirements and follow relevant Welsh Government guidance, including the Keeping Learners Safe guidance and the Wales Safeguarding Procedures;
Estyn also:
- uses safeguarding concerns and other relevant information to inform inspection planning and lines of enquiry, helping to ensure inspections focus on the areas of greatest risk where appropriate;
- shares relevant safeguarding information with the appropriate statutory agencies where necessary and in accordance with legal information-sharing requirements;
- works with partner inspectorates and public bodies to share learning and strengthen safeguarding practice across Wales.
Estyn may receive safeguarding information at any time. Where that information is relevant to our statutory functions, it may be considered when planning inspections, during inspection activity or when considering appropriate follow-up action.
What Estyn is not responsible for
Estyn is not a child protection agency and does not investigate allegations of abuse or neglect.
Estyn does not:
- investigate individual safeguarding concerns or complaints about abuse;
- undertake child protection enquiries;
- determine whether abuse has taken place;
- provide emergency safeguarding or social work services;
- replace the responsibilities of schools, colleges, local authorities, the police or health services.
If we receive information suggesting that a child or young person may be at risk of harm, we will pass this information immediately and, where appropriate, share it without delay with the relevant statutory safeguarding agency in accordance with our safeguarding procedures and legal information-sharing requirements. Responsibility for investigating and responding to safeguarding concerns rests with those agencies that have statutory powers and duties to protect children.
The organisations with statutory responsibility for investigating and responding to concerns about children at risk include:
Local Authority Children’s Services (Social Services)
Local authorities have the lead statutory responsibility for receiving and responding to reports that a child may be experiencing or be at risk of abuse, neglect or harm. They assess concerns, coordinate child protection enquiries and work with partner agencies to keep children safe.
The Police
The police investigate criminal offences involving children and work jointly with social services where there are concerns that a child may be suffering or is at risk of significant harm. If a child is in immediate danger, the police should be contacted immediately.
Health Services
Health professionals, including GPs, hospitals, health visitors and school nurses, play an important role in identifying safeguarding concerns, sharing information and supporting children and families.
Education Providers
Schools, colleges and other education providers have a statutory responsibility to safeguard learners. Every provider should have a designated safeguarding person (DSP) who coordinates safeguarding arrangements and makes referrals to Children’s Services where appropriate.
Regional Safeguarding Boards
Regional Safeguarding Boards bring together organisations including local authorities, health boards, police and other partners to improve safeguarding arrangements and monitor how agencies work together to protect children and adults at risk.
If your concern is not an emergency, you should contact:
Your local authority Children’s Services (Social Services)
- GOV.WALES
Report suspected abuse, neglect, or harm of a child or young person - Report suspected abuse, neglect or harm of a child or young person
Police (non-emergency)
- 101
NSPCC Helpline (advice for adults)
Telephone: 0808 800 5000
Email: help@nspcc.org.uk
Website: NSPCC Helpline
The NSPCC provides free, confidential advice and support for anyone worried about a child’s safety or well-being. You do not have to be certain that abuse is taking place before seeking advice.
Childline (for children and young people under 19)
Telephone: 0800 1111 (Free)
Website: Childline
Childline offers free, confidential advice and support for children and young people, whatever their worry. Calls are free and confidential.
You may wish to contact Estyn if you have information that may be relevant to our inspection work, for example concerns about the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements within an education or training provider, leadership’s response to safeguarding issues, or whether safeguarding systems are operating effectively.
If your concern is that a child is at risk of harm, you should always contact Children’s Services or the Police first.
If your concern relates to the quality of safeguarding arrangements within an education or training provider, or if you have information that may be relevant to Estyn’s inspection work, you may contact Estyn.
Please note that contacting Estyn does not replace reporting concerns to Children’s Services or the Police. If a child may be at risk of harm, you should always contact the appropriate statutory safeguarding agency without delay.
Where appropriate, Estyn will share safeguarding information with the relevant statutory agency in accordance with legal information-sharing requirements and our published safeguarding procedure.
Contact email : safeguarding@estyn.gov.uk