Safeguarding Conversations

In this podcast, we explore how to support children with dyslexia in school settings.

Explore the hidden risks of unregulated settings and why they matter for safeguarding. This episode highlights how children can spend time in spaces without oversight, trained staff, or clear protections—and what schools can do to stay alert, ask the right questions, and keep children safe beyond the school gate.

Explore how schools can better understand and support children with ODD through a safeguarding lens. This episode reframes challenging behaviour as a sign of emotional need, sharing practical strategies, the importance of strong relationships, and how whole-school approaches can help pupils feel safe, understood, and able to succeed.

Explore how influencer culture is shaping children's self-esteem in the digital age. This episode unpacks the pressure of online comparison, the impact on wellbeing, and what schools and adults can do to build resilience, critical thinking, and healthier identities beyond social media.

Explore the reality of school refusal as a safeguarding crisis—not defiance. This episode unpacks the anxiety and distress behind non-attendance, the impact on families, and the urgent need for compassionate, systemic support. With practical steps and big questions for schools and policymakers, it calls for action to ensure every child feels safe and able to learn.

Explore the key changes in the 2025 RSHE guidance and what they mean for schools. This episode unpacks new expectations around teaching sensitive topics, online safety, mental health, and parental transparency—helping schools prepare for the 2026 rollout with confidence and clarity.

Explore what it really means to embed a culture of safeguarding in schools. This episode breaks down Ofsted's expectations, from proactive leadership and staff confidence to pupil voice and contextual risk awareness—showing how safeguarding should shape everyday practice, not just policy.

Explore the growing impact of online culture on behaviour in schools. This episode unpacks new data linking social media to rising disruption, misogyny, and violence, and examines how digital influences shape attitudes—plus what schools, families, and policymakers can do to respond.

Explore the hidden reality of child homelessness beyond rough sleeping. This episode highlights the rise of "hidden homelessness," its impact on children's wellbeing and education, and the subtle signs schools need to spot—alongside practical steps to support vulnerable families and safeguard those most at risk.

Explore the findings of the Casey Audit and the controversy surrounding group‑based child exploitation. This episode examines systemic failures, the role of cultural sensitivity in safeguarding, and the urgent questions facing professionals and policymakers—challenging whether lessons have truly been learned.

Explore the hidden rise of online gambling among teenagers and why it's a growing safeguarding concern. This episode uncovers how gaming, apps, and influencer culture are normalising gambling, the warning signs schools should watch for, and practical steps to protect young people from harm.

Explore how online grooming is evolving in the digital age and why it can be so difficult to spot. This episode highlights subtle warning signs, the emotional tactics used by groomers, and the vital role schools play in identifying risk early and supporting children to stay safe online.

Explore the hidden impact of vicarious trauma on school staff. This episode highlights the emotional toll of safeguarding work, the warning signs to watch for, and why meaningful supervision and supportive cultures are essential to protect those who protect children.

Explore the growing impact of child poverty on education and safeguarding. This episode examines rising UK poverty rates, hidden hardship faced by families, and what schools can do to support vulnerable pupils—while asking whether wider policy change is urgently needed.

Explore what the new Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act—Martyn's Law—means for schools. This episode breaks down new legal duties, from emergency planning to security measures, and why preparedness is now a core part of safeguarding.

Explore whether Ofcom's new Online Safety Codes mark a true turning point for child protection—or fall short of real change. This episode examines concerning evidence from social platforms, new legal duties for tech companies, and what it all means for schools and safeguarding professionals working to keep children safe online.

Explore the critical gap between school safeguarding guidance and legal evidence standards. This episode examines how differences between KCSIE and ABE can impact child protection cases, why educators face increasing pressure, and what changes are needed to ensure children are both supported and heard in court.

Learn how to write clear, effective safeguarding reports that truly protect children and inform decision-making. This episode covers key report types, practical structuring tips, and the importance of accurate, factual language—helping schools strengthen both individual case responses and whole-school safeguarding practice.

Explore the safeguarding lessons from the Church of England's ongoing crisis and why reform remains urgent. This episode examines systemic failures, contrasts church practices with education frameworks, and highlights practical changes needed to rebuild trust and prioritise victims.

Explore the growing risk of "squaring" and how children are being used as money mules without realising the consequences. This episode explains how criminals recruit young people online, the warning signs to watch for, and what schools and parents can do to protect children from financial exploitation.

Explore the upcoming EYFS safeguarding reforms for 2025 and what they mean for early years providers. Sam and Sara break down key changes, from safer recruitment to stricter training, while highlighting the real challenges—especially for smaller settings—and what practitioners can do now to prepare.

In this podcast, following the conviction of Eshea Sullivan, we explore the legal and safeguarding implications of child-on-child abuse.

A discussion on the landmark changes to family court reporting in England and Wales, exploring increased transparency, the role of journalists, and the balance between open justice and protecting children's privacy. Sam and Sara unpack the opportunities, risks, and real-world impact of these reforms on public trust and safeguarding.

An eye-opening look at The Good Childhood Report 2024 , as Sam and Sara explore why children's well-being in the UK is declining. From school pressure and social media to inequality and mental health, they unpack the key drivers behind falling life satisfaction—and what schools, families, and policymakers can do to turn the tide.

A breakdown of Ofsted's proposed move to a 'met' or 'not met' safeguarding judgement and what it means for schools. Sam and Sara explore the six key inspection areas, from safeguarding culture to handling concerns, and explain how leaders can prepare while having their say during the consultation.