A draft role description for the Safeguarding Governor

The safeguarding governor plays an important role in ensuring oversight and scrutiny of the school's safeguarding arrangements, policy, procedures and practice on behalf of the governing board

Draft role description:

• Taking a lead in carrying out the core ‘support and challenge' role of governance, to ensure that the appropriate systems and procedures are in place to cover all aspects of the safeguarding agenda, to monitor the effectiveness and impact of the relevant policies and to ensure the statutory responsibilities are met.
• Ensure there is a suitably qualified, trained and supported Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and deputy/ies -with these roles being explicitly defined  in the job descriptions of the relevant staff.
• Ensure that the DSL adequately supervises and supports the work, development and wellbeing of the DDSL/s and any other individuals to whom they may delegate additional safeguarding responsibilities in order that there exists clear lines of accountability.
• Ensure there is a robust system for recording, storing and reviewing child welfare concerns.
• Liaison with the headteacher regarding general child protection and broader safeguarding issues within the school and as such be able to provide reports to the governing board in respect of themes and issues within the school/locality to enable adequate oversight, understanding and development of solutions.
• Ensure that staff training is undertaken at induction and this this is regularly updated. 
• Attend regular safeguarding governor and related training as appropriate to the role and relevant to issues within the school/locality.
• Ensure governors attend appropriate safeguarding training at induction and that this is regularly updated.
• Ensure appropriate members of the governing board complete training in respect of allegations against staff.
• Ensure at least one governor on the recruitment and selection panel for staff has successfully completed accredited Safer Recruitment training.
• Ensure interview panels are convened appropriately and safer recruitment practices are followed.
• Have oversight of the single central record and ensure it is up to date and maintained in line with guidance.
• Take account of how safe pupils feel when in school.
• Ensure the voice of pupils is truly heard and appropriately acknowledged.
• Ensure the school constantly reviews and considers its curriculum in order that key safeguarding ‘messages and lessons’ run throughout.
• Ensure the school does not operate in isolation and has an awareness of agencies available to support children and families
• Ensure the safeguarding agenda is embedded in the ethos of the school.
• Monitor progress against any outstanding actions on the governing board’s safeguarding audit tool and other local authority review.
• Provide an annual report to the full governing board to include, amongst other relevant items, detail pertaining to training, themes, issues, number of CAF assessments led by school (including the number escalated to Child in Need/Child Protection, de-escalated), contribution to multi-agency meetings and good practice.

It should be noted that this is a suggested outline only and not an exhaustive list of ‘duties. The Governing Board should agree a role description for the Safeguarding Governor, in order that all are clear as to the remit of the role.