New Safeguarding Children Advice for Schools Published by DfE
You may be aware that the Department for Education (DfE) has published advice for schools and colleges as a supplement to the Keeping children safe in education statutory guidance to help schools and colleges understand the requirements placed on them by childcare legislation.
We strongly recommend that all Bikeability schemes take the time to read this supplementary advice and consider how it applies to their scheme’s operations as a whole, and to their child protection policy and practices specifically.
The supplementary advice and original statutory guidance are available to read and download at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education
Schemes must be aware of the disqualification ‘by association’ guidance contained within this supplementary advice. Schools may ask anyone coming to work in their school and with their children if disqualification ‘by association’ applies to them.
Individuals working within a school are disqualified from working in a school when they ‘live or work in the same household’ as someone who is barred from working with children or young people, even if they would not otherwise be disqualified.
Schools should ask for this information as part of their pre-employment checks when appointing new staff, and they may ask staff to complete and sign a declaration that they do not meet the ‘disqualification by association’ criteria.
Bikeability instructors may therefore be asked to sign such declarations when visiting schools to deliver training.
Where to get advice
If you have any comments or questions about this advice, or questions about the disqualification requirements placed on schools by childcare legislation, please contact mailbox.disqualification@education.gsi.gov.uk.