The Education Safeguarding Team support and raise awareness around safeguarding issues both locally and nationally. They upskill Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs), all school staff, colleagues within Cognus and multi-agency partners around recognising and managing risk to improve the lives of children in Sutton.
The Education Safeguarding Team provides training and support for schools in terms of safeguarding awareness; the Prevent Agenda – understanding radicalisation and extremism; online safety; and safeguarding on Educational Visits. They also carry out safeguarding reviews in all Sutton schools as part of a three-year cycle. This enables them to meet their safeguarding duties set out in government guidance. Safeguarding supervision is also delivered by the team. Support is also provided in terms of managing Ofsted complaints and allegations against staff.
A ‘CME’ is a child of statutory school age not on a school roll or receiving education through other means (e.g. home educated or receiving paid for tuition).
Our Education Navigator will monitor the CME inbox for all new referrals and liaise with the CME Officer to ascertain suitable next steps. If a child is not attending school, contact the school attendance officer for advice or support.
If you have any questions about Children Missing Education please contact: CME@cognus.org.uk
If you have a safeguarding concern about a child, contact the Designated Safeguarding Lead or Headteacher at your child’s place of education in the first instance. You should also contact the Children’s First Contact Service in Sutton. If you are concerned that a child is in immediate danger, please call 999.
Our impact:
In our last Joint Targeted Area Inspection (JTAI) on safeguarding the feedback for Education has been overwhelmingly positive and a true reflection of the strong relationships we have here in Sutton. Feedback from inspectors included:
- ‘The culture of vigilance in schools is strong’.
- ‘There is strong communication with the Education Navigator to identify risk’.
- ‘Education safeguarding has been a consistent strength highlighted throughout the JTAI’.
- ‘The Education Safeguarding Team and DSL Network is the strongest and best the Inspectors have ever seen, and this was further endorsed by DSLs’.
Annual Survey to School and Partners for 2024-2025:
Schools (Up to 17th March 2025)
69 responses – 100% either very satisfied (58/69) or satisfied (11/69) with the service.
Partners (Up to 17th March 2025)
24 responses – 100% either very satisfied (23/24) or satisfied (1/24) with the service.
Educational Visits Survey
36 responses – 100% either very satisfied (34/36) or satisfied (2/36) with the service.
‘Amazing team who are always there for us around the clock. I could not do my Designated Safeguarding Lead role without them’ (Secondary DSL, February 2025).
Online resources and contacts:
Report a concern about a child – sutton.gov.uk
Sutton Local Safeguarding Children Partnership
Email the Education Safeguarding Manager: hayley.cameron@cognus.org.uk
Last reviewed: 27th May 2025