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Welcome to the Governors Safeguarding Network

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Facilitated by: Helen Macdonald

Follow us @SETBristol

If you haven't already done so, bookmark our website https://www.bristolsafeguardingineducation.org/

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Governors Safeguarding Network

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Agenda

First Assessment Service - new pathways
LADO updates
CSPR 2
Police
Prevent Update
Keeping Bristol Safe Partnership updates
Directorate and Team updates

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First Response �Front Door changes

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New webform for Family Help referrals only

New webform due to launch end of October.
The webform is based around Level 3 of the Keeping Bristol Safe Partnership: Indicators of need
You will need to tick which Level 3 indicators of need apply, and provide evidence for each indicator.
There are also more general questions similar to the previous webform.
Webforms can only be completed for families who would like support from Family Help, and who are in agreement with information sharing.

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Reasons for changes to the webform.

Nearly 70% of webforms from July 2024 – July 2025 led to no further action at First Response.
Many webforms were made for children and young people whose needs sit within Levels 1 and 2 of the Keeping Bristol Safe Partnership: Indicators of need, and a First Response referral was not indicated.
The new webform requires evidence that needs are at Level 3, so should avoid professionals spending lots of times on referrals which will not meet Family Help criteria.

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Keeping Bristol Safe Partnership Updates

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LADO TEAM UPDATE FOR DSL NETWORKS

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LADO Team Updates

Alice Bennett – full time permanent LADO
Nicola Laird – part time permanent LADO (Mon, Tues and alternate Weds)
Richard Lingard – covering LADO

Co-ordinators – Sarah, Lorna and Hannah.

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LADO work 2024-2025

Between April 2024 and March 2025, we received 523 referrals in total (in the same period 2023 to 2024 we received 653 referrals).

278 referrals received from Education – you are still our highest referrer overall.

261 were conduct or practice issues (low level concerns) compared to 274 the previous year. 17 met LADO threshold compared to 69 the previous year.

Change in the landscape of referrals this year. Slight reduction in consultations (to be expected due to Low Level Concern training roll-out). However, also a significant reduction in referrals meeting threshold from Education and Early Years – other sectors stable.

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Service Development and Training Offer

Updated LADO referral form for new academic year
Significant updates to LADO section of KBSP website – revised landing page; new info leaflets for employees and parents. New safeguarding investigation guidance and template; new LLC policy template.
Please book on to Low Level Concern training via KBSP if you haven’t already attended – dates set for Term 2/4/6.
Please promote LADO training to your Governors – date TBC, arranged via Governor Development Service.
If you are new to the DSL role or need a refresher please book onto DSL training.

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Our asks of you

Please complete and submit a referral form via email for all requests for advice and consultation.
Please use the up to date referral form and complete this in full.
If you aren’t sure of whether threshold to refer is met, please have reflective conversations internally prior to referring – seek views of colleagues with safeguarding knowledge and take shared responsibility for referring.
Please reflect on the reduced levels of referrals meeting threshold that we are reporting – have you changed anything internally in terms of your allegation management processes? Let us know your thoughts!

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Thank you for listening!

lado@bristol.gov.uk

LADO Concerns Professionals Bristol Referral Form (bristolsafeguarding.org)

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��

‘I’ll probably always wait for him.’

Thematic Child Safeguarding Practice Review on Serious Youth Violence Publication Update

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Findings/Recommendations and action Plan

1) Develop a strong, whole partnership, strategy for responding to harm outside of the home

A 5-year Harm Outside the Home Strategy has been developed incorporating the Practice Principles. This strategy will be reviewed annually and will incorporate learning from previous years.

2) Review and revise all strategic, operational and direct practice panels and boards in relation to all forms of harm outside of the home

A new streamlined governance structure has been developed and agreed with a clear focus on harm outside the home. The new structure launched in July 2025.
Membership of new MACE structures has been agreed for prevention, operational and strategic MACE meetings. This includes schools representation. Operational MACE meetings are now in place and occurring monthly.

3) Adopt the multi-agency Practice Principles for responding to child exploitation and extra familial harm as a whole-partnership model of working to prevent harm outside the home.

These underpin the new Harm outside the Home Strategy.

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4) Undertake a whole partnership approach to integrating multi-agency data and intelligence in relation to harm outside of the home.

KBSP data subgroup has been established with the first meeting held on 27/06. KBSP audit subgroup has also been established with agreed Terms of Reference. The data and audit subgroup will link with the Preventing Serious Violence Board and Keeping Children Safe Board.

5) Implement a single Multi Agency Child Exploitation (MACE) model across all agencies (including education) as the overarching process for supporting children at risk of harm outside the home.

This is in place and with relevant partners attending including safer communities, health, education, housing, third sector etc.

6) Establish a Prevention MACE model or equivalent nested within the wider new MACE structure.

The development of a prevention partnership/MACE is progressing alongside the Violence Reduction Partnership.  A key strand of this work involves strengthening engagement with schools, particularly through the Youth Endowment Fund (YEF) resources in East Central and South Bristol.
These areas of work are being led by the Safeguarding in Education Board .

7) Establish high level oversight and scrutiny of early intervention and prevention activity in Bristol.

The prevention partnership will be developed as part of the Harm outside the Home strategy led by the Safer Connections Team and will be part of the MACE structure. We’re working with local partners and education settings to create a joined-up approach that helps keep children and young people safe, supported, and in education.

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The Bristol Harm outside the Home Strategy 2025-2030 – our joint partnership response to the complex risks facing children, young people, and young adults in spaces beyond their families and homes.

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The concept of ‘harm outside the home’ encapsulates the multifaceted evolving nature of exploitation and risks to children and young people in various domains outside of their familial home. ��Bristol Harm outside the Home Strategy

Child Sexual Exploitation

Child Criminal Exploitation

County Lines

Serious Youth Violence

Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking

Debt Bondage

Serious Organised Crime

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For this strategy, this umbrella term includes, but is not limited to, the forms of exploitation and extra familial harm: Go through the list and ask the room what is meant by each of these headings- this will ensure that they have an awareness of the terms. You can elaborate using the prompts below. �

Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)

Involves coercion, control, or deception of a child into sexual activity.

Exploitation may be for something the child needs or for the perpetrator’s gain.

Can occur online and doesn’t always involve physical contact.

Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE)

Children are manipulated or forced into criminal activity.

Driven by power imbalance and can happen online.

Includes activities like theft, drug trafficking, or violence.

County Lines

A form of CCE involving drug distribution across regions.

Children and vulnerable adults are exploited to transport drugs, money, or weapons.

Often linked to violence and coercion.

Serious Youth Violence

Targets under-25s involved in public space violence.

Includes knife/gun crime, robbery, GBH, and drug-related violence.

Often connected to county lines and modern slavery.

Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking

Exploitation through forced labour, servitude, or slavery.

Trafficking involves movement and control of victims for exploitation.

Affects both children and adults.

Debt Bondage

Victims are trapped by debts owed to exploiters.

Repayment may involve criminal acts like drug transportation.

A coercive and manipulative form of exploitation.

Serious Organised Crime

Involves coordinated criminal activity by individuals or networks.

Includes drug trafficking, exploitation, and violence.

Often across many countries and highly structured.

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Multi-agency Practice Principles for responding to child exploitation and extra-familial harm��Principle 1 - Putting children, young people and young adults first ��Principle 2 - Recognising and challenging inequalities, exclusion, and discrimination ��Principle 3 - Respecting the voice, experience, and expertise of children, young people and young adults��Principle 4 - Being strengths-based and relationship-based ��Principle 5 - Recognising and responding to trauma��Principle 6 - Being curious, evidence-informed, and knowledgeable��Principle 7 - Approaching parents and carers as partners��Principle 8 - Creating safer spaces and places for children, young people and young adults. ��

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Bristol’s vision for tackling exploitation and harm outside the home is rooted in eight evidence informed principles (Multi-agency Practice Principles for responding to child exploitation and extra-familial harm). These principles were developed through national research by Research in Practice, the University of Bedfordshire, and the Children’s Society in 2022 – and shaped with input from local authorities (including Bristol), and the expertise of those with lived experience.

Principle 1 - Putting children, young people and young adults first We will tailor our response to each child or young person, considering the unique context of their life. This involves keeping their needs central to all decisions, recognising their strengths and potential, and working in partnership with families and professionals. Our work will be developmentally informed and responsive to structural barriers, ensuring every child’s rights and best interests are upheld.

Principle 2 - Recognising and challenging inequalities, exclusion, and discrimination We are committed to addressing both interpersonal discrimination and structural inequalities that affect children and families. Our approach fosters inclusive environments and challenges systems that reinforce marginalisation. We will work to ensure that all voices, particularly those from minoritised or excluded groups, are respected and elevated in decision-making.

Principle 3 - Respecting the voice, experience, and expertise of children, young people and young adults. We work with young people and will ensure we do not ‘do to’ them. Their experiences and expertise will inform our systems, services, and practice. We will prioritise ethical and inclusive participation, ensuring their voices are heard, particularly those often overlooked. Our safeguarding responses will be transparent, participatory, and grounded in trust.

Principle 4 - Being strengths-based and relationship-based We view children and young people holistically recognising their assets and sources of resilience, rather than focusing solely on risk. We believe in the transformative power of relationships. Strength-based, relational working underpins our practice, and this will be modelled across multi-agency collaboration to foster shared ownership of outcomes.

Principle 5 - Recognising and responding to trauma. Trauma shapes how young people relate, engage, and respond to support. We understand the deep impact of trauma on behaviour and development and avoid systems and processes that retraumatise. Instead, we will prioritise safety, enable choice and control, and support relational healing through consistency and understanding.

Principle 6 - Being curious, evidence-informed, and knowledgeable. We adopt a reflective and questioning mindset. This includes using data and professional knowledge to build fuller pictures of children’s experiences, seeking out what is unknown, and challenging assumptions. Our approach embraces creativity and values continuous learning, collaboration, and innovation across the system.

Principle 7 - Approaching parents and carers as partners, wherever possible. We value parents and carers as integral partners in safeguarding. We are committed to involving families as allies in creating safety and stability for children and young people. We recognise their insights, respect their contributions, and provide support that acknowledges the emotional toll of harm outside the home.

Principle 8 - Creating safer spaces and places for children, young people and young adults. We will look beyond the individual to their environments. We aim to understand and improve the places where harm occurs, supporting safety not only physically, but emotionally and relationally. This includes amplifying youth and community strengths, tackling disproportionality, and enabling local counter-narratives to build confidence and resilience. These principles underpin all aspects of our partnership strategy—from practice and training to commissioning and leadership. By embedding them consistently, we aim to create a safer, more equitable city where all young people can flourish.

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Multi-agency Practice Principles for responding to child exploitation and extra-familial harm��

Group discussion…

Consider each of the 8 principles listed

What is your strategic oversight of your setting’s strengths?

How would you monitor and challenge your setting’s response/ implementation of these principles?

Multi-agency Practice Principles for responding to child exploitation and extra-familial harm��Principle 1 - Putting children, young people and young adults first ��Principle 2 - Recognising and challenging inequalities, exclusion, and discrimination ��Principle 3 - Respecting the voice, experience, and expertise of children, young people and young adults��Principle 4 - Being strengths-based and relationship-based ��Principle 5 - Recognising and responding to trauma��Principle 6 - Being curious, evidence-informed, and knowledgeable��Principle 7 - Approaching parents and carers as partners��Principle 8 - Creating safer spaces and places for children, young people and young adults. ��

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In your groups take 10 minutes to discuss.

You may wish to dived the room up and ask each group to focus on one or two.

For each of the 6 points, consider as a setting:

What are your strengths?

What do you think is not working as well as it could?

What changes do you think you could make to ensure more effective practice?

Ask for feedback. What areas do you need to consider working on and where do your real strengths lie?

Understand Strengths and Needs�Work with children, young people, and parent carers to identify what they excel at, what challenges they face, and what support they need to thrive.��Listen and Collaborate�Value the voices of children, young people, and parent carers—making decisions together as equal partners.��Timely and Effective Support�Provide the right help at the right time to enable positive outcomes.��Inclusive Education�Develop high-quality, inclusive educational provision that meets diverse needs.��Future Preparation�Support children and young people through life transitions, helping them reach their full potential.��Safety and Belonging�Foster environments where children and young people feel safe, included, and part of their communities.

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�Hearts & Minds��Community Tensions � �Operation Herring / Operation Hempstead��Operation Bond��Hate Crime ��

T/Chief Insp Rich Fear - Bristol South NPT

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Keeping Bristol Safe Partnership Updates

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s.175 Audit

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Governor/ trustees/proprietors tab

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As part of your governance role you are required to have an understanding of the mandatory S.175 audit to ensure that you have a strategic overview of safeguarding within your setting. To demonstrate effective governance of the safeguarding arrangements, in compliance with statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education, please provide comments and observations of the setting's capacity and ability to ensure they are able to promote the safety and welfare of children and young people.

A more comprehensive list can be found here Governors action plan

Look at the action plan- what comments or observations could you include here?

Understand the role and main responsibilities of the governing body around safeguarding

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Directorate and Team Updates

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Use of note taking AI

Please note that external attendees are not permitted to record council meetings under any circumstances, including using AI tools or third-party software.

This restriction is in place to protect sensitive information and ensure compliance with our data protection policies.

If you have any questions, please contact the meeting organiser or the council’s Data Protection team at data.protection@bristol.gov.uk

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

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Letter of assurance �

Statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education highlights duties education settings have to do in relation to how to manage visits from those in professional roles (E.g, education psychologists, social workers, school nurses).

Here are a few considerations that you need to make in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education:

Settings must not be obstructive of safeguarding/child protection assessments or criminal investigation. Ideally these should be communicated and organised through the Designated Safeguarding Lead who will alert the front office.
Professionals should have photographic I.D. which is issued by the organisation that they are representing. Please ensure that you check these where possible. There may be rare circumstances where someone is unable to produce their I.D due to reasons beyond their control (not yet issued, they have mislaid it or have not managed to obtain it due to an emergency).
Do consider calling the professional's office to verify identity and the planned meeting.
Do consider verifying other forms of I.D in these circumstances.
Settings should not request DBS checks or bared list check lists or ask to see existing DBS certificates.
Headteachers/Principals (or equivalent) should use their professional judgements about the need to escort of supervise such visitors - (N.B - consider whether this is regulated activity).
Do ensure that the letters of assurance are shared with reception staff who are likely to checking.

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Safeguarding in Education Team

Safeguarding in Education Team Manager

Jess Curtis (INTERIM)

East/Central Education Safeguarding Advisor

Claire Lugg

South Education Safeguarding Advisor

Helen Macdonald

North Education Safeguarding Advisor

Vacant (temp)

Deputy Team Manager

Lis Clark (INTERIM)

Business Coordinator

Yiran Liu

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Safeguarding in Education Team

ACTION - Please do ensure contacts are up to date in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children:

Annual full survey. – if you haven’t completed or had substantive changes.
Midyear contacts changes- if you have only had one or two changed.
Early Years Contacts Update. / out-of-school setting

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