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Safeguarding and support for pupils

 
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NAHT members are at the forefront of safeguarding children. School leaders are committed to keeping children safe, so they can learn well. NAHT believes that all pupils should receive the support they need to maintain their well-being and achieve their potential, both within school and from wider services including health and social care.

NAHT is campaigning to:

Enable schools to play their part in supporting pupils' well-being

  • Lobby for pupils and schools to get the support they need from wider services including health, social care, police and youth services
  • Influence the implementation of the proposals from the mental health green paper, including the senior lead for mental health and mental health support teams
  • Support schools to access relevant, high-quality training and resources to enable pupils to exercise their right to support for their mental well-being.

 

Support schools to safeguard and protect pupils

  • Engage with the DfE over proposed changes to the role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead
  • Influence changes to Keeping Children Safe In Education, Working Together and Sexual Violence and harassment guidance
  • Campaign to improve online safety for children and young people
  • Press the government to ensure home educated children are adequately safeguarded
  • Promote guidance and resources to support schools to protect children at risk of harm including involvement with violence and other crime.

 

Enable schools to support vulnerable groups of pupils

  • Campaign to ensure pupils with SEND can receive the support they need from schools and wider services
  • Press for improved alternative provision and collaborative approaches across communities to support pupils excluded from school
  • Provide information to schools to help them to support disadvantaged children
  • Enable schools to make informed decisions regarding parental requests to home educate
  • Ensure reforms to behaviour guidance and networks is evidence-based and appropriate for all schools and a diverse pupil population. 
 

Equality and Human Rights Commission - recording and monitoring of restrictive practices

Earlier this year, the Equality and Human Rights Commission launched an inquiry into the recording and monitoring of restrictive practices. To help build a picture of what is happening across the education sector, on their behalf,  IFF Research has distributed a short online survey to a selection of schools across England and Wales. Please keep an eye out for a reminder email in case you have been invited. You can also check if you should have received an invitation by contacting IFF Research by email or by calling 0800 0147354. Schools that received an invitation are encouraged to complete it at their earliest convenience as the survey will close in November. 

Alongside this, the Commission is developing a set of case studies showing how schools can use data to improve practice and reduce or eliminate restraint and seclusion. We are still seeking new case studies from mainstream schools. The Commission can also be contacted directly if you would like to share your good practice – all suggestions will be treated in confidence.

First published 14 October 2020
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