Supporting school and college staff to keep children and young people safe
The iCAN framework helps staff to understand abuse from the child's point of view. Children who are suffering abuse or neglect are more likely to come to the attention of staff through their behaviour, attendance or appearance at school than to actively approach someone to tell.
Inspecting Safeguarding in Early Years, Education and Skills Settings (Ofsted, 2016) has a strong focus on how well schools have embedded a ‘culture of vigilance’ where learners are safe and feel safe. In addition, the updated statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education (Department for Education, 2016) stresses that:
- All school and college staff members should be aware of the types of abuse and neglect
- Knowing what to look for is vital to the early identification of abuse and neglect
- Good practice means listening to the views of the child.
The iCAN framework developed at the Centre for Research on Children and Families, University of East Anglia, will help you in your daily work with children and young people and can be used as part of staff training.
How to use this site
On this site you will find resources which are useful if you are:
- The designated safeguarding lead
- A member of staff in a school (including lunchtime supervisor, after school activities provider, teaching assistant etc.)
Partners
Welcoming this new resource Anne Longfield, the Children’s Commissioner for England, said: “This new website is a welcome practical tool for those adults best placed to notice changes in a child’s behaviour, those in schools and colleges. I’m pleased that much of the basis for the work on iCAN came from adults actually asking children what they thought and thereby put them at the heart and the start of the project. I’d urge all teachers to take a look at iCAN and see it as another useful step forward in keeping children safer.”
Contact us
Dr Jeanette Cossar
Centre for Research on Children and Families
University of East Anglia
Norwich Research Park
Norwich
NR4 7TJ
Telephone - 01603 593389
Email - jeanette.cossar@uea.ac.uk