Questions Parents Should Ask to Check Safeguarding

Some questions parents could ask of groups/clubs include:


  • Have staff and volunteers undertaken DBS checks? How recent were the checks?

  • Will any adults besides the instructor be present at the venue while my child is there? If so, will they be there on a regular basis?

  • What training have staff had? Did this include safer working practices, e.g lone working contacting children, use of phones?

  • May I have a copy of your child protection policy?

  • Who is your designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and what training have they had? How recent was this training?

  • My child has Special Educational Needs and / or a disability (SEND). What steps will you take to accommodate this?

  • My child needs help with: using the toilet; changing; feeding; their medication, etc. How will these personal care needs be addressed?

  • How are you securely storing the information you hold on my child? Who has access to it and are you giving it to anyone else?

  • Is my child allowed to access the internet unsupervised?

  • Do you have filtering and monitoring systems in place? What are they?

  • Do you have an up to date code of conduct for staff?

In addition to the questions to ask, the draft guidance for parents sets out some 'red flags' that the might prompt parents to send their children to a 'different setting'. The red flags are:

  • Staff are not DBS checked

  • No child protection policy

  • Signs of abuse on other children who attend the setting, for example, unexplained bruises

  • Provider unable to name a designated safeguarding lead

  • The designated safeguarding lead has not had relevant training

  • If they allows children access to the internet, no filtering or monitoring systems in place

  • Dangerous physical environment e.g. loose wires, damp, no fire escape, no first aid kit

  • No designated first aider

  • No parental consent form or requirement for emergency contact details

  • Other adults coming into the out-of-school setting who are not staff members / a lack of clarity on the roles of different adults in the setting

  • No health and safety policy

  • No fire escape plan