Child Protection Coordinator - Teaching Expertise

In spring 2007 the DfES published new guidance on the management of cases where it is suspected that abuse is linked to the belief that the child has been possessed by evil spirits or witchcraft read more

Steve Adams of the NSPCC looks at the sorts of training that different members of staff require and shares some ideas for successfully carrying it out

Julie Leoni, head of emotional literacy at the Marches School in Shropshire, found her thoughts about attachment and trust challenged by the experience of acting as a support for a girl giving policy testimony about being sexually abused

A section 37 report is a measure of last resort, which the judge was anxious to avoid in the case of F (family proceedings: section 37 investigation) [2006] 1FLR 1122, Sumner J – reported by Michael Segal read more

Setting out and packing away heavy equipment can be dangerous. Kris Lines sets out safety precautions that will minimise the risks to pupils and staff

In Spring 2007, Jenni Whitehead reported on a Home Office consultation, which was launched to seek views on proposals for making non-photographic visual depictions of child abuse an offence read more

The government's guidance is helping different agencies to share information but problems persist, as Dai Durbridge reports read more

Headteachers have new powers to screen search pupils for offensive weapons and they can delegate them to staff. Jenni Whitehead looks at recent draft guidance explaining how the new powers will operate read more

Margaret Edgington highlights the importance of providing children with appropriate levels of risk and challenge to enable them to develop skills for learning and for life

Joanne MacDonald describes an innovative approach to drugs education for young children

The Bichard report has been followed by a flurry of legislation and statutory guidance. Richard Bird looks at what’s changed and what still needs to happen in the world of child protection

Jessica Peters of the charity YoungMinds lays some common myths about self-harm to rest and explains how schools can support the young people it affects

Jenni Whitehead remembers some moments of humour from working in schools read more

Jenni Whitehead investigates a new IT-based system of sharing information between key agencies read more

The half sister of an adopted child applied for leave to apply for a care order, on the basis that once a year was not enough read more

Cliff Jones reviews a report revealing the positive impact of postgraduate professional development read more

Are child protection practices and procedures are adequate in cases of domestic violence and parental substance misuse? read more

What are the legal implications of greater collaborative working between education and health care professionals, asks Amelia Newbold read more

Philip Jones presents a case study and discusses the difficulties faced by schools when providing intimate care to pupils who have disabilities

Jenni Whitehead discusses the difficult issues in assessing truth and lies when listening to children talking about sexual abuse

The cases presented here aim to help the reader understand better the nature of and the types of decision-making within the court system. read more

Schools will have to be more aware of these particularly vulnerable children when they review policy and practice, writes Ingrid Sutherland read more

Can - and indeed should - someone from a background other than teaching become a school leader? School business manager Ruth Bradbury explains her aspirations to become a school leader and, below, two readers respond with their comment

Professional teams can make the agenda for change work, says Dr Nick Johnson OBE. read more

Jenni Whitehead discusses the issue of young people at risk of abuse through prostitution. read more

Anna Tombs reports on research into pupil intervention against bullying

The child who is sexually abusive needs treatment. A new report gives an overview of current thinking on the issue and makes recommendations for a national strategy. read more

Christian Webb-Jenkins, of Browne Jacobson LLP, discusses the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 read more

If Jane’s story was true she had to be removed from a situation where she was at risk. But if it wasn’t true, was there a danger of making things even worse? A former teacher describes the tensions generated by the problem

New technology can be a comfort or a threat. Vicky Lapins outlines legal duties on educators to keep children safe

A new programme from the charity Samaritans links in with current initiatives to create an emotionally healthy culture in schools. read more

Child abuse can affect a child’s ability to learn. In the second of two articles, Jenni Whitehead looks at ways of helping such children in the classroom. read more

We outline the key child safety issues to be born in mind when recruiting staff and explain the financial implications of getting it wrong. read more

Children can be affected by domestic abuse in many ways. Jenni Whitehead gives guidance on how schools can provide help for pupils and their families. read more

The British Standards Institution (BSI) is working on a new standard aimed at making school trips abroad safer. read more

ThinkuKnow is an education campaign that highlights the risks of the internet. CEOP’s public support coordinator, Hannah Bickers, invites readers to participate

In the first of two articles, Jenni Whitehead explores present understanding and research on how abuse experienced in childhood affects the child’s developing brain function and how this in turn affects learning

Pete Saunders, chief executive and founder of NAPAC, describes how the charity helps survivors of abuse come to terms with their traumatic histories. read more

If your school hit the headlines, how would you cope? Education Bradford’s press and communications officer Paul Parker has some tips. read more

A new report, published by ECPAT, exposes serious flaws in legislation protecting vulnerable children from British sex offenders who travel abroad. read more

Jenni Whitehead looks at signs that show a young person may be at risk of abuse. read more

Emotional abuse is more difficult to prove than physical abuse. Jenni Whitehead looks at how emotional abuse is defined and how it can be recognised

Victims of homophobic bullying often have no one to turn to for support. Former headteacher Roger Smith highlights the importance of the fight to eradicate this form of destructive behaviour

Dave Cotton, Force Crime Reduction Officer at West Midlands Police Force, looks at security risks and gives safety advice for schools, staff and pupils. read more

Every school has a general duty of care for all of the children in its care. This extends to ensuring children's safety on the internet. read more

John Cousins is a primary mental health worker, supporting children and their families. He explains what we mean by 'transitions' and how they can affect the child

Roger Smith explains the background to the Common Assessment Framework and how you can make it work in your school. read more

Legal case notes: Re M (children)(interim care order) [2006] 1 FCR 303, CA. read more

Mobile phone bullying is on the increase but there is plenty of support available

A new campaign calls on the government to launch an enquiry into the impact of parental alcohol misuse and develop new services for parents and children read more