Keeping children safe

Reaching out to our Designated Safeguarding Leads

July 2025 In the summer term, 50% (36/72) of our settings attended the Early Years and PVI Designated Safeguarding Lead Update Sessions. For 2024-2025, 74% of our PVI settings attended the training. In the summer term, 80% (33/41) of our schools attended the Primary Designated Safeguarding Lead Update Sessions. For 2024-2025, 93% of our primary schools attended our training. In the […]

Sutton’s Local Children Safeguarding Partnership launch a new Child Safeguarding Toolkit

Sutton’s Local Children Safeguarding Partnership (LSCP) is delighted to launch a new and unique Child Safeguarding Toolkit- a comprehensive learning resource for everyone who comes into contact with children and young people. This is part of our longstanding commitment to help prevent future serious injury or harm to children. The Toolkit has been designed and […]

Meet the Safeguarding team

Below is some background information on the people behind Cognus’ Safeguarding service. Hayley Cameron Education Safeguarding Manager Hayley has worked in Sutton and Croydon Schools since 2005 and has been a Designated Safeguarding Lead since 2008. She was appointed as Deputy Head Teacher for Safeguarding and Pastoral Care at Avenue Primary Academy in 2015 before […]

Children Missing Education

Do you know a Child Missing Education? What a Child Missing Education means: A child ‘Missing Education’ is a child of compulsory school age who is NOT a registered pupil at a school and is NOT receiving suitable education otherwise than at a school (e.g. home educated or receiving paid for tuition) Section 436A of the Education Act 1996 (amended – Education and […]

Welcome information – Education Safeguarding Team

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 […]

Commonly asked questions

We have put together a list of commonly asked questions. This is a live document and will be regularly updated by the Education Safeguarding Team. Commonly asked questions

Contact Us

For more information, please contact: Kelly Bennett, Child Employment and Performance Licensing Officer Email: childemployment@cognus.org.uk Telephone: 020 4551 3192

Chaperone Approvals

Chaperone Approvals All children licensed by a local authority to perform must be supervised at all times by a licensed chaperone or matron or the child’s parent. How to apply Application for a chaperone must be made to the local authority in whose area the prospective chaperones lives. The application process involves completing our application […]

Child Performance Licenses

Many children enjoy performing or taking part in paid or unpaid activities. Some of the activities include: By law, if a child who is not over compulsory school age is due to participate in any of the above activities, that child may require to be licensed by the local authority where they live. What the […]

Child Employment Work Permits

The youngest age a child can work part-time is 13, except children involved in areas like television, theatre and modelling where they will require a licence to perform. Between the ages of 13 and 16, children can’t work unless they have a child employment permit. It is illegal for businesses to employ 13-16 year old children without […]