We understand that abuse allegations are always extremely sensitive and must be managed sensitively and we can carefully support your school through this difficult process. In recent years, there has been in increase in the number of historic abuse allegations and our team are experienced in support schools with managing these complex claims.
Whether handling a disclosure of abuse from a pupil or managing an allegation against a member of staff, our education lawyers can assist you with the correct process, including managing any adverse press coverage to best protect your school’s reputation. It is important to ensure that you comply with any applicable reporting requirements including liaising with LADO, making any necessary referrals to the Disclosure and Barring Service or the Teaching Regulation Agency. We can also support you in making a Serious Incident Report to the Charity Commission.
If you are an independent school group or an academy trust seeking to take on a new school, we are able to support you in conducting due diligence exercises and in particular, looking at safeguarding across schools to ensure that the appropriate safeguarding policies and processes are in place, are understood by staff and applied appropriately across the schools. We can also support schools with safeguarding training.
As schools and colleges are increasingly looking to let out facilities to manage pressures with funding we are able to support you with ensuring that the appropriate contractual documentation is in place, for example having a robust Hire Facilities Agreement. It is essential that any such agreement contains appropriate safeguarding obligations.