2019 Updates

Keeping Children Safe in Education is statutory guidance that schools and colleges in England must have regard to it when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

The 2019 changes are mostly very minor and not requiring any change to school practice.

The new law against “upskirting” is referenced here:

• All staff should be aware that “upskirting” is a form of sexual harassment and it is now a criminal offence.
• It is defined as “typically involving taking a picture under a person’s clothing without them knowing, with the intention of viewing their genitals or buttocks to obtain sexual gratification, or cause the victim humiliation, distress or alarm.”

The guidance also includes the following new paragraphs on serious violence:

• All staff should be aware of indicators, which may signal that children are at risk from, or are involved with serious violent crime. These may include increased absence from school, a change in friendships or relationships with older individuals or groups, a significant decline in performance, signs of self-harm or a significant change in wellbeing, or signs of assault or unexplained injuries. Unexplained gifts or new possessions could also indicate that children have been approached by, or are involved with, individuals associated with criminal networks or gangs.
• All staff should be aware of the associated risks and understand the measures in place to manage these. Advice for schools and colleges is provided in the Home Office’s Preventing Youth Violence and Gang Involvement and its Criminal Exploitation of Children and Vulnerable Adults: County Lines Guidance.