EdLaw
Child Protection and Safeguarding in Education — respond, record, refer (sections 4.9–4.10, 4.11–4.21)
SECTION 4: RECOGNISE – RESPOND – REPORT – RECORD – REFER
4.9 Digital Safety and Online Harms
Digital technologies are an integral part of children and young people’s learning and social lives. While online environments can provide significant educational and social benefits, they can also expose children and young people to a range of safeguarding risks. Schools and education settings must take a proactive and preventative approach to promoting digital safety and responding to online harms as part of their wider safeguarding arrangements.
Online harms may include, but are not limited to:
- cyberbullying and online harassment;
- exposure to harmful or inappropriate content;
- online grooming and sexual exploitation;
- coercion, sextortion and the sharing of self-generated sexual images;
- child sexual abuse material;
- radicalisation and extremist content;
- disinformation and harmful online challenges;
- financial scams and fraud;
- misuse of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies; and,
- excessive or problematic online use that impacts on wellbeing, attendance or learning.
Schools should ensure that:
- digital safety is embedded within the curriculum and taught in an age-appropriate manner;
- pupils are supported to develop the knowledge, skills and resilience to use technology safely and responsibly;
- staff receive regular training on emerging online risks and appropriate responses;
- clear policies are in place for online safety, acceptable use of technology, and the use of mobile and personal devices;
- filtering and monitoring systems are proportionate, effective and regularly reviewed;
- concerns about online harm are treated as safeguarding concerns and managed in accordance with child protection procedures;
- parents and carers are provided with information and support to help keep children safe online; and,
- incidents involving criminal behaviour or immediate risk are referred promptly to the PSNI and/or Social Services, as appropriate.
Where online incidents involve nude or semi-nude image sharing, exploitation, coercion or abuse, schools must prioritise the safety and wellbeing of the child, avoid criminalising them, and seek advice from relevant safeguarding agencies.
The department recently updated its own social media policy which can be found at Social media policy | Department of Education
Settings may also wish to consider the guidance on ‘Protecting Your Settings Images from AI Manipulation or Abuse’ Image guidance for education settings - UK Safer Internet Centre
Childline’s Report Remove Tool may be able to assist in having an image blocked or removed to prevent further distribution. Report Remove | Childline
Online safety should be considered within the setting’s safeguarding self-evaluation and reviewed regularly by the Board of Governors and senior leadership team to ensure that policies, practice and technology remain effective in protecting children and young people.
Schools and educational setting are reminded of the Department’s Circular 2026/16 - Guidance on the use of mobile phones in schools and EOTAS centres in Northern Ireland which recommends that schools and EOTAS Centres should be mobile phone-free environments by default; anything other than this should be by exception only.
Safer Schools NI Home - Safer Schools NI and the SBNI Online Safety Hub Online Safety Hub - Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland are trusted sources of information that you may find helpful.
4.10 Mental Health and Suicide Concerns
Education settings play an important role in early identification and support but should not replace clinical assessment or intervention.
Only appropriately trained professionals should attempt to make a diagnosis of a mental health problem. Education staff, however, still have an important role to play, by promoting good mental wellbeing through the whole school approach as set out in the Emotional Health and Wellbeing in Education Framework.
Indicators to watch out for:
- persistent low mood, withdrawal, or distress;
- expressions of hopelessness or worthlessness;
- self-harm or talk of suicide; and,
- sudden behavioural changes
All expressions of suicidal ideation or self-harm must be treated as safeguarding concerns.
The DT must be informed immediately.
In urgent situations, immediate medical or emergency services must be contacted.
Further information in respect of this can be found at Listen, Support, Connect: Guidance on Self-Harm and Suicide in Educational Settings | Education Authority Northern Ireland and Supporting through a Watchful Wait | Education Authority Northern Ireland
RESPOND
4.11 Responding to a Disclosure
When a child or young person discloses information that gives rise to a safeguarding concern, staff must:
- Listen carefully and take the disclosure seriously;
- reassure them they have done the right thing;
- make no promises of confidentiality;
- avoid leading questions or investigative actions; and
- record the child’s words accurately and as soon as possible.
Staff should explain next steps in an age-appropriate way and report immediately to the DT.
4.12 Immediate Safeguarding Actions
Where a child is at immediate risk of harm, staff must take prompt action to ensure the child’s safety, including informing the DT without delay and where necessary contacting EA CPSS for guidance and then if required the local Trust Gateway team and/ or PSNI. Staff must not delay action or attempt to manage high-risk situations alone.
RECORD
Effective record keeping is a core safeguarding function. It supports early identification of risk, informed decision-making, and provides a clear audit trail for accountability. DE Circular 2020/07 Child Protection Record keeping in Schools – provides more detailed information and templates.
4.13 Principles of Effective Record Keeping
Schools must ensure that safeguarding records are accurate, timely and factual. Records must:
- be completed as soon as possible and no later than 24hrs after a concern is identified;
- be relevant, proportionate, clear, legible and securely dated, timed and attributed;
- maintain a clear chronology of concerns, actions taken and decisions made;
- record what happened, what action was taken and the rationale for decisions;
- clearly distinguish between fact, professional judgement and third-party information;
- include low level, emerging and cumulative concerns; and
- record decisions not to refer, including rationale.
Record keeping systems must be robust, secure and access-controlled and compliant with Data Protection Act 2018 / GDPR.
4.14 Notes of Concern
All staff must record safeguarding concerns using a Note of Concern (NoC). This can be part of a wider electronic child protection recording system eg: CPOMS or My Concern.
A NoC must be completed where a child at risk (or in adult safeguarding cases):
- makes a disclosure;
- shows signs of harm or distress; or,
- gives rise to any safeguarding concern.
A NoC must:
- be completed immediately or within 24 hours;
- be reported to the Designated Teacher (DT) without delay; and,
- record concerns without investigation.
NoC must include:
- date, time and contextual information;
- a factual account of what was seen, heard or disclosed, using the child’s own words where possible;
- details of those involved or present;
- action taken and advice sought; and,
- the name and signature of the person recording, alongside the date and time.
STAFF TO NOTE:
- record factually and objectively;
- do not include assumptions or speculation; and.
- record even if concern appears minor – patterns may emerge.
All Notes of Concern must be passed to the DT and retained on the safeguarding file²⁷.
REFER
4.15 Early Referral for Support – Family Support Hubs
A Family Support Hub is a multi-agency network of statutory, community and voluntary organisations that provide early intervention services, or work with families who need support. The network accepts referrals and uses their knowledge of local service providers to signpost families with specific needs to an appropriate service.
The specific purpose of hubs is as follows:
- To improve access to early intervention family Support services by matching the needs of referred families to family support providers;
- To improve coordination of early intervention family support services by creating a collaborative network of community, voluntary and statutory providers;
- To improve awareness of early intervention family support services;
- To assess the level of unmet need for early intervention family support services and inform the Trust Outcomes Group.
There are currently 29 Family Support Hubs in operation covering all of Northern Ireland. Hubs coordinate existing statutory/community and voluntary services. Some hubs have attached services, but this is separate from the hub function which is about coordination.
You can make a referral to your local Family Support Hub via Family Support Hubs – Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership (CYPSP)
4.16 Making a Formal Referral (UNOCINI)
A UNOCINI (Understanding the Needs of Children in Northern Ireland) referral is used to request support or protection from Health and Social Care (HSC) Trusts.
The DT is responsible for:
- determining when a referral is required;
- submitting the referral promptly; and,
- ensuring information is clear, factual, and evidence based.
Staff must provide accurate information to support the referral and continue to support the child within the setting.
Early referral is a protective action and can prevent escalation of harm.
More information in respect of the UNOCINI process can be found at UNOCINI (Understanding the Needs of Children and Young People in NI) | Education Authority Northern Ireland
4.17 Working with Other Agencies
Effective child protection and safeguarding requires timely and proportionate multi-agency collaboration.
Schools and education settings should:
- share information appropriately and lawfully;
- participate in relevant multi-agency processes; and,
- work with local HSC Trusts, PSNI, EA, and other relevant partners.
Concerns around information sharing must not prevent timely action to protect a child. A 10-step guide to sharing information to safeguard children | ICO
Storing Information
4.18 Safeguarding File Content
A separate, confidential safeguarding file must be maintained for each child (and ‘adult at risk’ where applicable). This file must be kept separately from the general pupil record.
Safeguarding files must include where relevant:
- a chronology of concerns and actions;
- all Notes of Concern;
- records of decisions and professional rationale;
- UNOCINI assessments and referral forms;
- records of referrals to Social Services or other agencies;
- records of engagement with children, parents/carers, staff and external agencies;
- any correspondence (sent and received);
- copies of any risk assessments, support plans and child protection plans;
- records of any multi-agency meetings and involvement with statutory services; and
- significant contextual information impacting on the child’s welfare.
Files must provide a clear audit trail, including where information is incomplete or contradictory.
4.19 Information Sharing and Confidentiality
Safeguarding information is confidential and sensitive. Schools must share information on a need-to-know basis in a manner that is necessary, proportionate, relevant, timely and secure.
Consent should be sought where appropriate, however consent is not required where:
- a child or ‘adult at risk’ may be at risk of harm; or
- seeking consent may increase risk.
Schools must record:
- what information was shared;
- with whom;
- the purpose for sharing;
- the rationale for the decision (including decisions not to share).
The welfare of the child or ‘adult at risk’ is paramount. Information sharing must not be delayed where it is necessary to protect someone from harm.
4.20 Storage, Retention and Transfer of Records
Safeguarding files must be stored securely, with access restricted to the Principal, DT and DDT²⁸.
Settings must ensure:
- electronic systems are password protected and access controlled;
- a record is kept of access to safeguarding files; and
- records are only removed from the premises where required for safeguarding purposes and transported securely.
Settings must also have in place a ‘Retention and Disposal Policy’. As a minimum this must include:
- safeguarding (child protection) files must be retained until the child’s date of birth + 30 years;
- records of allegations against staff must be retained indefinitely (unless the member of staff is fully exonerated following investigation).
When a pupil transfers, relevant safeguarding and child protection records must be transferred promptly, securely and separately from the main school record. This includes child protection files, notes of concern, risk assessments and safeguarding plans.
The Principal and DT must ensure that the receiving school is informed without delay of any safeguarding concerns or vulnerabilities. Where concerns are ongoing or significant, the DT should make direct contact with the receiving DT to ensure appropriate support and protective arrangements are in place from the child’s first day.
Where the receiving school is unknown, the Education Welfare Service must be notified.
All transfers must be recorded.
Contact EA CPSS if you require advice on this process.
4.21 Disposal of Records
At the end of the retention period, records must be securely destroyed and the disposal recorded.
Records must not be destroyed where they may be required for investigation, inquiry or legal proceedings.
More information can be found at Circular 2020/07 - Child Protection: Record Keeping in Schools
27 This can be a digital record.
28 Other settings may use different language here – in this instance this refers to the person with ultimate responsibility for safeguarding within the setting and the support team.