Proactive supervision of staff, supervised volunteers and visitors

Important message to all Headteachers and Designated Safeguarding Leads

NB references to 'supervision' in this communication relate to the everyday meaning of supervision, i.e. oversight of an individual's behaviour and interactions while on the school/setting's premises or while engaged in school/setting business.  This communication is NOT about reflective supervision.

Some time ago, the former Warwickshire Safeguarding Children Board commissioned a local case review following concerns about the supervision of newly appointed staff pending satisfactory completion of all requisite pre-employment checks.

The review identified the importance of the manner and level of supervision of 'unvetted staff' performing the intended safeguarding function. It highlighted that simply arranging for an unvetted individual to work alongside a fully-vetted member of staff without properly briefing the vetted member of staff about their supervisory responsibilities, potentially provides false reassurances that risks are being mitigated and thereby increases the possibility of children being harmed.

It was agreed that the 2018/19 safeguarding audits of both the schools and early years sectors should include questions about these supervision arrangements.

Analysis of responses in the schools' audit highlights that the majority of respondents have not fully grasped the full range and implications of these issues. That is of particular concern in view of the fact that 221 out of 280 respondents stated 'We are very confident that our practice in this area is based on the principles of vigilance and scrutiny in order to keep children safe and we have no concerns'.

This communication is therefore intended to highlight the implications and associated expectations in order to avoid any misunderstanding or doubt.

There are four circumstances in which it may be necessary to ask a fully-vetted member of staff (an individual who is in Regulated Activity themselves) to supervise another individual:

1. A new member of staff whose pre-employment checks have not yet been completed but who, subject to a risk assessment, has been allowed to start work subject to supervision by staff who are in Regulated Activity. 

2. A volunteer who is designated ‘supervised’.  Supervised volunteers are ineligible for a Barred List check and, unless they work regularly* in a school/setting are ineligible for an Enhanced DBS check.

*Regularly means on more than three days in any period of 30 days and that the individual undertakes work that gives them the opportunity to have face to face contact with children.

3. Visitors (including some professional visitors) who are not subject to any checks or for whom the school does not have the right to ask for evidence of checks.  Any such visitor must be supervised (i.e. accompanied) at all times by staff who are in Regulated Activity.  

4. Any member of staff who is the subject of an unresolved allegation, concern or investigation where a decision has been made (in consultation with the school’s HR advisor) to allow them to continue working subject to supervision by staff who are in Regulated Activity. 

In all of the four situations above, supervision must be proactive, consistent and taken seriously in relation to safeguarding children.

Heads and DSLs are asked to reconsider the question asked in the 2018/19 audit in relation to all of these possible circumstances and to take any action necessary to ensure that supervision in this context is effective in safeguarding children.

The question was:

Reflecting on the school/setting’s approach to supervision in this context, how confident are you that any staff who are asked to supervise colleagues/volunteers in any of these circumstances are appropriately briefed (with due regard to issues of confidentiality) to undertake vigilant and scrutinous supervision that is based on the principle of ‘Think the unthinkable’?