Child Safety for School Governors
Practical guidance for the link governor for safeguarding. KCSiE 2025 training, visiting the school, reading the Single Central Record, and asking the questions that matter.
As a school governor, and especially if you are the link governor for safeguarding, you are part of the statutory line of accountability under Section 175 of the Education Act 2002. You are not expected to be a safeguarding practitioner, but you are expected to ask searching questions, to see evidence, and to satisfy yourself that arrangements are working. This guide gives you a clear, concise picture of what KCSiE 2025 expects from you, what a good safeguarding visit looks like, and what to do if your headteacher or DSL is the subject of a concern.
Why this matters
Governing boards that take safeguarding seriously catch problems early. Boards that rubber-stamp policies miss the warning signs. Recent serious case reviews repeatedly highlight governance failures — link governors who never visited, boards that never read the safeguarding report, training that was done once and never refreshed. Your time investment as a volunteer protects every child on the roll.
Quick wins
Complete your annual safeguarding governor training before the autumn term
Time: 2 hours
Read the Single Central Record with the school business manager once a term
Time: 30 minutes
Add safeguarding as a fixed first item on every full governing body meeting
Time: 5 minutes
Common challenges
Knowing what to ask when the safeguarding report says 'all is well'
Ask for trend data, not just totals: how many CPOMS or MyConcern entries this term versus last? How many referrals to Children's Social Care, and what proportion met the threshold? How long does it take from concern raised to action taken? Patterns matter more than single numbers.
Visiting the school as link governor without disrupting safeguarding work
Arrange a termly visit with the DSL. Walk the corridors, read the safeguarding noticeboard, ask one or two pupils what they would do if something happened online. Read three or four CPOMS or MyConcern entries with the DSL present, focusing on the quality of the record rather than the detail of the case.
Handling an allegation against the headteacher
The chair of governors becomes the first point of contact and must consult the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) within one working day. Do not investigate. Do not discuss it with other governors before consulting LADO. Document every decision. KCSiE 2025 Part Four sets out the procedure in detail.