Contact Us

Transfer of Safeguarding and Child Protection Files

Introduction

Statutory guidance states Keeping Children Safe in Education:

Where children leave the school or college, the designated safeguarding lead should ensure their child protection file is transferred to the new school or college as soon as possible, and within 5 days for an in-year transfer or within the first 5 days of the start of a new term to allow the new school or college to have support in place for when the child arrives. The designated safeguarding lead should ensure secure transit, and confirmation of receipt should be obtained. For schools, this should be transferred separately from the main pupil file. Receiving schools and colleges should ensure key staff such as designated safeguarding leads and special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCO’s) or the named persons with oversight for special educational needs and disability (SEND) in a college, are aware as required. 

 

In addition to the child protection file, the designated safeguarding lead should also consider if it would be appropriate to share any information with the new school or college in advance of a child leaving. For example, information that would allow the new school or college to continue supporting children who have had a social worker and been victims of abuse, or those who are currently receiving support through the ‘Channel’ programme and can have that support in place for when the child arrives. 

Practice Considerations

Make sure you have a plan and process ready for term 6 , it is important to be reminded of the duties and responsibilities of the Designated Safeguarding Leads to share information and transfer child protection files.

Before the summer holidays settings should do the following:

  • Advance sharing of information to assist with transitions - Keeping Children Safe in Education clearly outlines that DSL’s should consider if it would be appropriate to share any information with a new school or college in advance of a child leaving.  For example, information that would allow the new school or college to continue supporting children and have that support in place when they arrive.  The statutory guidance gives the example of children who have experienced abuse, however, DSLs may also wish to consider other information that would ensure the safety and welfare of a child in their new setting.  DSLs should be ensuring this communication is taking place now between settings to enable the proportionate sharing of relevant information to support transition.

  • Preparing for the new academic year (Sept ): It is the responsibility of the Designated Safeguarding Lead that holds the child protection file to ensure that this is transferred to the new setting, (the proposed changes to Keeping Children Safe in Education for the new academic year state that this should be done within 5 days of the child starting at their new setting).  This means that DSLs should coordinate the collation of these files in the final term ready to send in the new academic year.  The sending school should establish what date the child is expected to be enrolled and then contact the new school or college in September to confirm the child has enrolled and transfer the file.

 

 

Local Considerations: 

Operation Encompass/Police Safeguarding Notifications sent during the summer holidays will be sent to the feeding setting. Designated safeguarding leads will need to share this with the next setting as part of the transfer of safeguarding files.