1. Education Welfare Services
Education Welfare Services usually support schools, children and families with attendance, welfare and barriers to education.
They may help with:
- Attendance concerns
- Persistent absence
- School refusal or EBSA
- Family difficulties affecting education
- Safeguarding concerns
- Children missing education
- Support planning
- Referrals to other services
Useful links:
- School attendance and absence: https://www.gov.uk/school-attendance-absence
- Working together to improve school attendance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-improve-school-attendance
- Find your local council: https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council
2. Child Protection
Child protection applies where a child may be suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm.
Concerns may include:
- Physical abuse
- Emotional abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Neglect
- Domestic abuse exposure
- Exploitation
- Online abuse
- Serious bullying
- Harmful sexual behaviour
- Radicalisation concerns
Useful links:
- Report child abuse to local council: https://www.gov.uk/report-child-abuse-to-local-council
- NSPCC: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/
- Childline: https://www.childline.org.uk/
3. Attendance Support
Attendance difficulties should be explored carefully. Absence may be linked to illness, SEND, disability, mental health, bullying, family crisis, transport problems, caring responsibilities or safeguarding issues.
Support may include:
- Attendance meetings
- Early help assessment
- Reintegration plans
- Reasonable adjustments
- SEND review
- Mental health referral
- Medical needs planning
- Alternative education where required
Useful links:
- School attendance: https://www.gov.uk/school-attendance-absence
- Mental health and attendance guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-health-issues-affecting-a-pupils-attendance-guidance-for-schools
- Education for children with health needs: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/education-for-children-with-health-needs-who-cannot-attend-school
4. Early Help
Early Help means support offered before problems become more serious. It is not about blame; it is about helping families at the right time.
Early Help may support:
- Parenting stress
- Attendance concerns
- Behaviour difficulties
- Mental health needs
- Housing or financial pressure
- Family conflict
- SEND-related difficulties
- Domestic abuse concerns
- Young carers
- Bereavement
Useful links:
- Find local council support: https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council
- Family Hubs and Start for Life: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/family-hubs-and-start-for-life-programme
- Family Lives: https://www.familylives.org.uk/
5. Family Support
Family support services can help families manage practical, emotional and educational challenges.
Support may include:
- Family support workers
- Parenting programmes
- Youth services
- Housing and money advice
- SEND support
- Mental health support
- Domestic abuse support
- Food and welfare help
- Community groups
Useful links:
- Family Hubs: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/family-hubs-and-start-for-life-programme
- Citizens Advice: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/
- Turn2us: https://www.turn2us.org.uk/
- NHS mental health: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/
6. School Safeguarding Leads
Schools and colleges should have a Designated Safeguarding Lead, often called a DSL. The DSL is responsible for safeguarding concerns, referrals, records and liaison with other agencies.
Parents and carers can ask:
- Who is the Designated Safeguarding Lead?
- What is the safeguarding policy?
- Has my concern been recorded?
- What action will be taken?
- Who will update me?
- What support is available for my child?
- What happens next?
Useful links:
- Keeping children safe in education: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2
- School safeguarding guidance: https://www.gov.uk/topic/schools-colleges-childrens-services/safeguarding-children
7. Multi-Agency Support
Some children and families need joined-up support from more than one service.
Multi-agency support may involve:
- School
- Local authority
- Social care
- Health visitor
- GP
- CAMHS or mental health services
- Police
- Youth services
- SEND services
- Housing support
- Domestic abuse services
- Voluntary organisations
Good multi-agency working should be coordinated, respectful and focused on the child’s safety and wellbeing.
8. Legal Rights
Children and families may have rights relating to:
- Protection from harm
- Safe education
- Safeguarding referrals where needed
- Attendance support
- SEND support
- Reasonable adjustments
- Support for health needs
- Protection from discrimination
- Access to complaints procedures
- Data protection and access to records
Useful links:
- Keeping children safe in education: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2
- SEND guide: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-guide-for-parents-and-carers
- Equality Act school guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equality-act-2010-advice-for-schools
- ICO data rights: https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/
9. Evidence Standards
When raising safeguarding or welfare concerns, keep evidence clear and factual.
Useful evidence includes:
- Dates and times
- Names of people involved
- School emails
- Attendance records
- Behaviour logs
- Medical letters
- Photos of injuries or damage, where appropriate
- Screenshots of messages
- Incident reports
- Police reference numbers
- Social care reference numbers
- Meeting notes
- Copies of action plans
A strong concern report should include:
- What happened
- When it happened
- Who was involved
- Immediate safety concerns
- Impact on the child
- What help is needed
- What action has already been taken
Do not delay reporting urgent concerns while gathering evidence.
10. Accountability & Complaints
If safeguarding or welfare concerns are not handled properly:
- Contact the school Designated Safeguarding Lead.
- Escalate to the headteacher or principal.
- Use the school complaints procedure where appropriate.
- Contact children’s social care through the local council if a child may be at risk.
- Contact police if a crime or immediate danger is involved.
- Escalate to governors, academy trust or local authority where relevant.
- Contact Ofsted if the concern relates to wider safeguarding standards.
- Seek independent advice.
Useful links:
- Complain about a school: https://www.gov.uk/complain-about-school
- Report child abuse to local council: https://www.gov.uk/report-child-abuse-to-local-council
- Ofsted complaints: https://complain.ofsted.gov.uk/
- Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman: https://www.lgo.org.uk/
11. Quick Help Directory
Immediate danger
999
Report child abuse to local council
https://www.gov.uk/report-child-abuse-to-local-council
Keeping children safe in education
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2
School attendance
https://www.gov.uk/school-attendance-absence
Education for health needs
Family Hubs
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/family-hubs-and-start-for-life-programme
NSPCC
Childline
Citizens Advice
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/
School complaints
https://www.gov.uk/complain-about-school
Ombudsman
Key Message
Safeguarding and welfare support should protect children, reduce barriers to education and help families access the right support early. Concerns should be listened to, recorded and acted on appropriately. Families should report urgent risks immediately, keep clear evidence where possible and use escalation routes when support or protection is not adequate.
Key Safeguarding Changes Families & Staff Should Know
KCSIE 2026 Now in Force
Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026 came into force on 1 September 2026. All school and college staff must read Part One in full and follow the safeguarding policies and procedures in their setting.
Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026Working Together 2026
Updated statutory multi-agency guidance took effect in March 2026. It strengthens expectations around Family Help, child protection, information sharing, hidden harms and joint working between safeguarding partners.
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026Children Missing Education
The current statutory guidance requires schools and local authorities to work together to identify children missing education and act promptly where absence or disappearance may indicate a welfare or safeguarding risk.
Children Missing Education GuidanceAttendance Communication 2026
DfE's 2026 guidance encourages schools to lead with support and collaboration, adapt communication for SEND and vulnerable pupils, use named contacts and understand barriers rather than relying on punitive messaging alone.
Attendance Communication GuidanceWhat to Do If You Are Worried About a Child
Immediate Danger
If a child is in immediate danger, seriously injured or a serious crime is happening, call 999.
Call 999Child May Be at Risk
In England, contact the children's social care team at the child's local council. You do not have to prove abuse before reporting a genuine concern.
Report to Local CouncilPolice – Non-Emergency
If you believe a crime may have happened but there is no immediate danger, contact police on 101 or use the police online reporting service.
Call 101Advice Before Reporting
Adults can contact the NSPCC Helpline for safeguarding advice. Children and young people can contact Childline.
NSPCC Helpline ChildlineDesignated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): What Families Should Know
Every school and college should have a Designated Safeguarding Lead and appropriate deputy arrangements. The DSL has lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection within the setting.
Raise the Concern
Ask for the DSL if your concern is about a child's safety, abuse, neglect, exploitation, harmful behaviour, online harm or another safeguarding issue.
Ask for Recording
Ask whether the concern has been recorded, what immediate safeguarding action is being considered and which person will be your contact for updates.
Referral Can Be Needed
The DSL may need to refer to children's social care, police, Prevent or another safeguarding service depending on the nature and level of risk.
Do Not Wait for School if Risk Is Urgent
Parents, carers and members of the public can report directly to children's social care or police where they believe a child is at risk.
Early Help, Family Help & Child-in-Need Support
Community-Based Early Help
Universal and community support can include schools, health services, Best Start Family Hubs, youth services, housing and voluntary-sector support.
Targeted Family Help
Families with multiple or more complex needs may receive a Family Help assessment, a plan, a lead practitioner and coordinated multi-disciplinary support.
Section 17 Support
Where statutory child-in-need duties apply, local-authority children's social care may provide or coordinate services under section 17 of the Children Act 1989.
Child Protection
Where there is reasonable cause to suspect significant harm, child-protection duties and section 47 enquiries may become relevant. This is different from voluntary early-help support.
Practical Family Support Before Problems Escalate
England expanded the Best Start Family Hubs programme from April 2026. The exact services vary locally, but hubs are designed to connect families with practical and specialist support in one place.
Parenting & Early Years
Parenting support, home-learning activities and help with child development.
Health & Wellbeing
Links to health visitors, infant feeding, emotional wellbeing and other health support.
Early SEND Support
Local hubs can help families identify needs earlier and connect with SEND-related services.
Money, Housing & Relationships
Depending on the local offer, families can be connected to advice on finances, housing and relationships.
Attendance Problems Should Trigger Curiosity, Not Assumptions
Absence can sometimes be the first visible sign that something is wrong. Schools should use attendance information alongside what they know about the child's health, SEND, family circumstances, peer relationships and safeguarding.
SEND & Disability
Anxiety, sensory overload, unmet SEND or disability-related barriers may require support or reasonable adjustments rather than a purely enforcement-led response.
Bullying or Harm
Repeated absence may follow bullying, harassment, exploitation or a child feeling unsafe in school or on the journey to school.
Health Needs
Where illness or mental-health needs prevent attendance, health-needs education and alternative arrangements may need to be considered.
Family Pressure
Housing instability, domestic abuse, financial pressure, bereavement, caring responsibilities or family crisis can all affect attendance.
When a Child Disappears From Education
Schools Must Act
Schools must maintain accurate admission and attendance records and follow the statutory processes where a child's whereabouts or education becomes unclear.
Local Authority Duty
Local authorities must make arrangements to identify children of compulsory school age who are not receiving suitable education.
Safeguarding Comes First
If disappearance or absence creates a welfare concern, schools and local authorities should consider immediate safeguarding referral to children's social care and, where appropriate, police.
Do Not Remove From Roll Improperly
A pupil's name should only be deleted from the admission register where the statutory grounds and procedures allow it.
Staff, Volunteers & the LADO Process – England
Safeguarding concerns about an adult who works or volunteers with children may need a different process from an ordinary complaint about poor service.
Possible Harm or Criminal Conduct
Allegations that an adult has harmed or may have harmed a child, may have committed an offence against a child or may pose a risk to children should be treated as safeguarding matters.
Raise With Senior Safeguarding Leadership
Parents and members of the public can raise concerns with the headteacher, principal, safeguarding lead, employer or local authority according to the circumstances. If the allegation concerns the head, use the setting's published route for concerns about the head.
Local Authority Designated Officer
Employers and safeguarding professionals use the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) process for qualifying allegations about people who work with children. Public access to LADO services varies by council.
Urgent Risk Still Goes to Social Care / Police
The LADO process does not replace a direct child-protection or police referral where a child is currently at risk.
Online Safety, Filtering & Monitoring
Safeguarding applies online as well as offline. Schools and colleges in England are expected to have appropriate filtering and monitoring systems and clear processes for responding to online harm.
Filtering
Filtering helps prevent access to illegal, inappropriate or harmful online content.
Monitoring
Monitoring helps identify concerning activity that may indicate a safeguarding risk.
Online Harm Is Still Safeguarding
Grooming, sexual abuse, exploitation, bullying, coercion, sextortion and harmful content can require the same safeguarding response as offline harm.
Report Concerns
If online activity suggests a child is being abused, exploited or threatened, report the safeguarding concern rather than relying only on blocking the account.
Sharing Information to Keep Children Safe
Share What Is Relevant
Information should help another professional assess risk, understand need, make a decision or take action to safeguard or promote the child's welfare.
Record the Decision
Practitioners should record why information was shared or why a decision was made not to share where that decision is significant.
Safeguarding Files Matter
Relevant child-protection information should be transferred securely when a child moves to another school or college in accordance with safeguarding guidance.
Ask What Was Done
Where appropriate, the professional making a referral should seek confirmation that the information was received and understand what further action is needed.
Radicalisation, Exploitation & Hidden Harm
Safeguarding systems also cover risks that may not look like traditional child abuse at first, including criminal exploitation, sexual exploitation, coercive relationships and susceptibility to radicalisation.
Safeguarding in Education Across the UK
England
Schools and colleges follow Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026 and work within the multi-agency framework in Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026.
England Safeguarding GuidanceWales
Welsh education settings use Keeping Learners Safe together with the Wales Safeguarding Procedures and the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act framework.
Keeping Learners Safe Wales Safeguarding ProceduresScotland
Scotland uses the National Child Protection Guidance within the wider Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) framework and local inter-agency procedures.
Scotland Child Protection GuidanceNorthern Ireland
Northern Ireland published new Child Protection and Safeguarding in Education guidance on 27 August 2026. Education settings work with Health and Social Care Trusts, PSNI, the Education Authority and other safeguarding partners.
NI Safeguarding in Education