Government order Ofsted to conduct safeguarding review following #Everyonesinvited
What started as a simple Instagram account has, over the past 12 months, snowballed into a movement. Everyone’s Invited, started by Soma Sara back in June 2020, is an initiative helping victims of sexual harassment and abuse within education get their voices heard. Their website now hosts over 5,800 anonymously submitted testimonials. The huge volume of submissions has been likened to the #MeToo movement and described as a ‘watershed moment' for the UK education sector.
Several high-profile private institutions have been implicated in accounts given by existing students, as well as alumni. However, the Everyone’s Invited organisation have stressed that the culture of rape and abuse they have highlighted isn’t just symptomatic of private education but across the whole of UK education.
At the end of March, the government gave details for a helpline that has been set up in conjunction with the NSPCC. The dedicated helpline is intended to support both adults and children who have been victims of abuse and signpost them to the help they might need. Last week it was also announced that the Secretary of State for Education, Gavin Williamson, would be ordering Ofsted to commit a comprehensive review of safeguarding practices within UK education.
The Review
The Ofsted review into safeguarding practice in the UK seeks to answer the following 8 questions:
Is the existing safeguarding framework and guidance for inspectors strong enough to properly assess how schools and colleges safeguard and promote the welfare of children?
How can schools and colleges be supported further to successfully deliver the new RSHE (relationships, sex and health education) curriculum, including in teaching about sexual abuse, cyber-bullying and pornography as well as healthy relationships and consent?
How well are safeguarding guidance and processes understood and working between schools, colleges and local multi-agency partners?
Does working between schools, colleges and local safeguarding partners, including local authority children’s social care, the police, health services and other support, need to be strengthened?
How does the current system of safeguarding in schools and colleges listen to the voices of children when reporting sexual abuse whether occurring within or outside school?
What prevents children from reporting sexual abuse?
Do victims receive timely and appropriate support from the right place?
Have inspections by ISI (the Independent Schools Inspectorate) and Ofsted been robust enough in relation to the issues raised?
To answer these questions Ofsted will utilise a sample of the accounts recently reported in response to Everyone’s Invited. They will also visit a range of schools and colleges where cases have been highlighted. However, the published report will not cover the performance of individual institutions but rather the state of safeguarding across the country.
The review will be conducted alongside the ISI and other inspectorates, where it is deemed necessary. Representatives from advocacy groups, health and social care providers, police, and relevant experts will be called upon to inform and shape the review to ensure a comprehensive understanding of how to tackle the issue.
Amanda Spielman, Ofsted’s Chief Inspector, commented on the announcement saying:
“Schools play a vital part in promoting a culture of respect among young people – including between boys and girls. We will consider how schools can support and encourage appropriate behaviour, from the lessons in the classroom to the culture in the corridors. And when children do speak up about their experiences, it’s vital that schools have the support and structures in place to take them seriously and respond appropriately.”
Resources
If you or someone you know has been affected by some of the issues highlighted in this article, it’s important they know that there are resources out there to help. Below are some of the recommended resources for those who need them:
NSPCC Report Abuse in Education Helpline - Everyone’s Invited: 0800 136 663
Police UK - For non-emergency enquiries call: 101
Crimestoppers - Anonymous Helpline: 0800 555 111