Louise Wales Safeguarding & Behaviour Consultancy

05/10/2026

04/10/2026

Sexual harm and peer on peer abuse. Two subjects people don’t want to speak about; we need to share, share, share these key messages!
I work in safeguarding operationally and the amount of children who experience harm in this way is scary. 1 in 20 children have experienced sexual abuse (and they’re the ones we know about).
Please share ✨🤍✨

03/10/2026

Let me know in the comments… ✨🤍✨

03/10/2026

One page visual as a reminder when recording safeguarding concerns ✨🤍✨

29/09/2026

ARE OUR CHILDREN ARRIVING AT SCHOOL ‘SCHOOL READY’?

I came across this BBC article today and it really made me think about what schools are seeing in Reception.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council has said that 71% of children starting school in September had a “good” level of development, with the government aiming for 75% nationally by 2028.

The council is encouraging families to practise everyday skills such as:

🧥 Putting on their own coat and shoes
🍴 Using cutlery
🚽 Using the toilet independently
🪥 Brushing their teeth
👂 Listening to simple instructions
🗣️ Saying their own name
📚 Talking about books and characters
🤝 Sharing, taking turns and playing with others
🎨 Drawing, painting and colouring
❤️ Understanding feelings

But it got me thinking…

Is this something schools are increasingly having to work on when children arrive in Reception?

And do parents actually understand what is expected of their child when they start Reception?

Genuinely interested in people’s experiences — no judgement. 🤍

East Riding Council says children's skills should include using cutlery and being toilet trained.

26/09/2026

One page visual with the Prevent 2026 updates ✨🤍✨

The updated guidance also places emphasis on things such as:

✨Notice → Check → Share as part of the professional response

✨DSLs having advanced Prevent training refreshed at least every 2 years

✨Knowing your local Prevent referral pathway

✨Ensuring staff know how and where to raise concerns

✨Considering local risks and emerging threats

✨Clearer expectations around recording, reviewing and monitoring

✨Working with parents/carers and partner agencies

✨The fact that a Prevent referral doesn’t replace or end wider safeguarding responsibilities

✨Considering protective factors and context when deciding whether to refer

24/09/2026

She smashed it ✨🤍✨

23/09/2026

Temporary Accommodation Notification Duty – something for schools and DSLs to be aware of
✨🏡✨

You may already have seen the new
Temporary Accommodation Notification Duty
which came into force on 1st September 2026.

As part of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, local housing authorities in England now have a duty to take reasonable steps to notify relevant services when a child is placed in temporary accommodation.

📌 Who should be notified?

Where the required agreement has been given, notifications should be made to:

🤍 The child’s school or other relevant educational setting
🤍 The child’s GP practice
🤍 The relevant health visiting service

The purpose is to make sure that education and health professionals are aware that a child has moved into temporary accommodation and can consider whether they may need additional or different support.

This is particularly important where temporary accommodation involves:

✨frequent or sudden changes of address
✨ disruption to education
✨️ impacts on wellbeing or emotional health
✨ disruption to health visiting support
✨ issues such as overcrowding, damp, mould, cold or safety concerns

For schools, this is another important piece of contextual information that may help us understand a child’s circumstances and respond appropriately to their needs.


📖 Official guidance:
[Temporary accommodation notification duty – GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/temporary-accommodation-notification-duty?utm_source=chatgpt.com)


For DSLs/Safeguarding Leads: has your local authority shared information with schools about how these notifications will be received and recorded? It would be really useful to hear how different areas are putting this into practice ✨🤍✨

18/09/2026

There has been a really important update this month that I think every DSL, DDSL and safeguarding practitioner needs to understand.

The new Information Sharing Duty under section 16LA of the Children Act 2004 comes into force on 30 September 2026.

And for me, the most important part isn’t simply the introduction of a new legal duty.

It is the culture shift around information sharing.

Information still needs to be considered carefully — including its relevance, accuracy, proportionality and the circumstances in which it is being shared.

But data protection should not automatically become a barrier to appropriate safeguarding information sharing.

The final guidance also provides greater clarity around consent, transparency with children and families, accuracy, relevance and proportionality, sharing across service boundaries and information relating to children with SEND.
✨🤍✨

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6aa2a5b1c5796a7a179c665a/Information_sharing_duty_statutory_guidance.pdf