Child Safety for Designated Safeguarding Leads
Role-specific guidance for the school or college DSL. KCSiE 2025 expectations, record-keeping, multi-agency referrals, and how to hold the line on safeguarding conversations.
As a Designated Safeguarding Lead, you sit at the centre of your setting's safeguarding system. Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025 places you first in line for any concern about a child, with statutory responsibility for records, referrals, and liaison with the local authority. This guide is written for the realities of the role: holding difficult conversations, deciding when a concern crosses the threshold, and using systems such as CPOMS or MyConcern in a way that stands up to inspection. It is not a substitute for your annual DSL training, but a practical companion you can return to between cases.
Why this matters
Under KCSiE 2025, the DSL has lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection (including online safety and understanding the filtering and monitoring standards). When a referral is mishandled, when a child goes missing from education (CME), or when an allegation against a staff member is delayed, it is the DSL's record and reasoning that will be scrutinised. A confident, well-resourced DSL means earlier referrals, fewer missed children, and better outcomes.
Quick wins
Audit your last twenty CPOMS or MyConcern entries against your local threshold document
Time: 45 minutes
Confirm your deputy DSL has completed Level 3 training and can cover during your absence
Time: 15 minutes
Pin the NSPCC helpline (0808 800 5000) and CEOP online reporting link on the safeguarding noticeboard for staff
Time: 5 minutes
Common challenges
Holding the line in conversations with staff who want to 'have a quick word' off the record
Reinforce that under KCSiE 2025 every concern is logged, even minor ones, because patterns matter more than single incidents. Direct staff to your CPOMS or MyConcern entry as the only legitimate route. A short scripted response — 'Thanks for telling me. I'll log it now so we can see the pattern' — closes the conversation cleanly.
Deciding whether a concern meets the threshold for a referral to Children's Social Care or LADO
Use your local safeguarding partnership's threshold document alongside Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023. For allegations against staff or volunteers in a position of trust, contact your Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) within one working day. Record the rationale for every decision, including decisions not to refer.
Tracking children missing from education (CME) and off-rolling pressure
Maintain a live list of children with attendance below 90 per cent, those electively home educated mid-year, and any child who leaves without a confirmed onward setting. Notify the local authority in line with the Children Missing Education statutory guidance. CME is a safeguarding issue, not an attendance issue.
Balancing the DSL role with a heavy teaching or leadership timetable
Press for ring-fenced non-contact time and a trained deputy DSL who can act in your absence. KCSiE 2025 is explicit that the DSL role should be reflected in the job description and have sufficient time, funding, training, resources and support. Keep a log of unmet demand to take to your headteacher and governors.