Avoiding the blame game
Safeguarding works best in environments where staff feel safe to raise concerns, ask questions and reflect openly. If people worry that they will be criticised for reporting something incorrectly or for missing something earlier, they may become more hesitant to speak up. To avoid this, schools need to foster a culture where safeguarding conversations are approached with curiosity rather than blame.
In practice, this means recognising that safeguarding is complex, and that staff will not always have all the information immediately. When concerns are raised, leaders can model supportive responses that thank staff for sharing information and focus on understanding the situation rather than assigning fault.
From my experience as an Education and Safeguarding Governor for an independent school with both junior and senior phases, I’ve seen the value of structured opportunities to reflect on safeguarding practice together.
Each term we hold safeguarding forums which bring together DSLs and governors to share case studies, explore the decisions that were made, and discuss how effective those responses were. These conversations are not about identifying who was responsible, but about understanding what can be learned and how processes might be strengthened in the future.
The role of leadership
Leadership modelling also plays a key role. As a senior leader, I have found that some of the most important conversations with staff happen after challenging incidents. Recently, I spoke with a teaching assistant following a situation where a dysregulated child’s behaviour escalated quickly and the outcome was not what anyone would have wanted. In that moment, the priority was not to dwell on what had already happened, but to ensure the colleague felt supported and confident about what to do next time.
Often the most effective way to do this is simply by being human. Acknowledging that things do not always go perfectly, and sharing our own experiences of situations that did not go as planned, can help remove the fear that someone may be about to be reprimanded. When staff feel able to reflect openly, they are far more likely to grow in confidence and judgement.
When schools focus on learning and improvement rather than fault-finding, staff are much more likely to report concerns early - and that early reporting is often what allows safeguarding teams to support children effectively.
Ultimately, safeguarding cultures thrive when staff know their role is not to solve every situation alone, but to notice, record and share concerns so the right support can be put in place.
About the author
Matthew King is Head of School and Assistant Headteacher across two primary schools, and also serves as a Trust Leader for Teaching and Learning and an Education & Safeguarding Governor. A Pearson National Teaching Awards Gold Winner for Teacher of the Year in a Primary School, he is passionate about building school cultures where strong relationships underpin both safeguarding and learning.
Read more from Matthew King’s safeguarding series
