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Essex Safeguarding Children Board

The role and response of education providers

Understanding your role within Risk in the Community

Education settings play a vital role within the Risk in the Community approach by recognising that behaviour in school can be influenced by factors outside the school environment.

This means:

  • Looking beyond individual behaviour
  • Using professional curiosity to understand what may be happening in a child’s wider world
  • Working in partnership to reduce risk and increase safety

Education providers contribute to safeguarding by:

  • Noticing changes in behaviour, mood, attendance or engagement
  • Being professionally curious, particularly where behaviour appears out of character
  • Understanding that behaviour may be a response to grooming, pressure or control
  • Sharing concerns early through safeguarding pathways
  • Continuing to support the child alongside referrals and partner responses

Schools are not expected to investigate or manage exploitation alone.

Safeguarding in Essex is guided by SET SCP Procedures Manual and Working Together to Safeguard Children, which emphasise partnership working and early information sharing. 

“Behaviour that appears challenging may be a sign of harm, not poor choices”

 

Reporting and Referral Pathways

Follow your organisation’s safeguarding procedures as soon as possible.

If you're worried that a child is being abused or neglected refer to the Effective Support document  to help you identify the pathway to follow.

The Early Help Support webpage includes key information about pathways of support to prevent escalation of risk and how to access support services such as links to the Directory of Services and details about Early Help drop ins. 

Call the Children and Families Hub on 0345 603 7627 if you wish to speak to someone for advice, or to make a Social Care referral report a concern about a child; Report a concern about a child: When to report a concern | Essex County Council

If you have concerns for a specific child and believe them to be a victim of exploitation you should also refer to the Police.  You make a referral to Police about a specific child by completing this form;

Information Report From External Agency Or Organisation To Essex Police

and email to; occhildexploitationtriageteam@essex.police.uk

If you have concerns about suspicious activity that could indicate child exploitation you should share this information as intelligence to the Police so they can build a picture of exploitation activity in the county and allocate resources appropriately to disrupt this.  Use this link to share this intelligence; Share community partner intelligence | Essex Police

There is a Child Exploitation School Response Support document to help education providers to consider the responses required for each level of need. This will be available shortly.