WAGC 005/2008 - Safeguarding Children in Education: The role of local authorities and governing bodies under the Education Act 2002.

This document, provides guidance on Safeguarding Children in Education: The role of local authorities and governing bodies under the Education Act 2002.

The Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills has agreed the publication of circular guidance on Safeguarding Children in Education.
Section 175 of the Education Act 2002 provides that local education authorities, governing bodies of maintained schools and governing bodies of an institution within the further education sector shall have regard to guidance given by the National Assembly in considering what arrangements are required to be made by them for ensuring their functions are exercised with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

The final guidance which was the subject of a full and public consultation exercise between 19 March and 13 July 2007 replaces existing guidance circular 52/1995 “Protecting Children from Abuse: the Role of the Education Service”.  The document:-

• gives guidance about the effect of the duty to have arrangements about safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children introduced by section 175 of the Act;  
  
• sets out the roles and responsibilities of local authorities, governing bodies, proprietors of independent schools, head teachers, and staff with designated responsibility for child protection in making arrangements to enable people in the education service to play their full part in safeguarding children from abuse and neglect;
  
• and supplements the guidance in “Safeguarding Children: Working Together Under the Children Act 2004” by setting out the infrastructure and arrangements that need to be in place to ensure that people in the education service have the skills, means and training necessary to ensure children and young people are protected from harm.