Safeguarding

You can access Lapwing’s safeguarding policy here.

Lapwing Education would like to provide all our stakeholders with assurance of the policy and standards in place in relation to safeguarding, and in particular checks relating to Lapwing staff. It is sufficient for schools and colleges to seek written confirmation that appropriate checks, including DBS checks at the appropriate level, have been carried out. Written confirmation may be in the form of a public statement on the provider’s website (see below).

In line with statutory guidance, schools and colleges should not request sight of individual's DBS Disclosures or ask for further written assurances of safer recruitment checks as this statement will suffice. They should however expect Lapwing staff to show their identity on entry to their site via an official Lapwing ID badge. Visiting Lapwing staff should also expect to sign in and out of the setting and to be identified as visitors during their time in the setting. Visiting Lapwing staff of this nature are not required to be entered on to the Single Central Record.

In line with our recruitment policy and statutory guidance all Lapwing staff working with, or coming into contact with, students have had enhanced DBS checks including a check of the children’s barred list.  DBS checks are repeated every 3 years. Those staff undertaking ‘teaching work’ have been checked against the prohibition list and interim prohibition list.  Additional checks are made for any staff members who have lived or worked outside the UK as a condition of any employment offer. 

Our Executive Leadership Team and Board of Trustees have also undergone a Section 128 check to ensure they are not prohibited from management by the Secretary of State.

All staff identities, their right to work in UK and their professional qualifications are scrutinised as part of our recruitment and appointment process.  We undertake an online check for any shortlisted candidates prior to interview. Satisfactory employer references are also sought as a condition of employment, in line with our recruitment policy.

All staff attend an annual safeguarding training session and regularly complete Prevent training and Online Safety training as well as awareness training in relation to FGM and other specific safeguarding issues.  As a minimum all staff are trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid as well as Child & Adolescent First Aid. New staff who join mid-year receive a safeguarding briefing at the point of induction and complete specific training on Prevent as well as Online safety.  Staff sign at least annually to confirm they have read and understood Lapwing’s Safeguarding policy, as well as other key policies, including Part 1 of the most recent publication of Keeping Children Safe in Education. In line with our Vehicle Use policy, all staff have valid business insurance and we conduct an annual check of their driving licence including endorsements.

Lapwing’s safeguarding policy further outlines our area specific Designated Safeguarding Leads, Alternate DSLs, Online Safety Leads, Prevent Officers and Designated Teacher(s) for Children in Care as well as our Named Trustee for Safeguarding. Members of our SLT hold the ‘Training for Trainers’ award which enables us to disseminate certificated safeguarding training to colleagues internally. 

In addition, all members of our Extended Leadership Team, who co-ordinate our student programmes, are trained to DSL level within the appropriate county in which they operate. Certain members of our leadership team are also trained in Signs of Safety, Multi-agency Working, mini PATH writing as well as other therapeutic and trauma informed approaches employed by Lapwing.