Guidance outlines safeguarding roles

Police forces will be required to have a senior manager who
leads on children’s issues to ensure they are safeguarded under
statutory guidance proposed by the Department for Education and
Skills.

The draft guidance advises bodies, including the police and
councils, on how to comply with section 11 of the Children Act,
which places a duty on them to ensure they have regard to
safeguarding children.

It sets out specific requirements for key local people and
bodies to ensure they meet the duty together with more general ones
that are likely to be common for all of the agencies to which the
duty applies.

The government goes on to propose that police forces will need
to demonstrate that they are actively ensuring that all of their
staff are aware of their statutory requirements to protect
children.

Directors and governors of secure training centres will be
required to publish a clear statement on their commitment to
safeguarding children and to nominate an employee to lead on the
issue.

• The consultation closes on 24 June Go to: www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations