When preparing for inspection, the IC will inform the Reporting Inspector (RI) if there is any relevant safeguarding intelligence, or complaints about the provider held by Estyn. This is so that the RI may use this information to inform lines of inquiry. This information is helpful and may alert the RI that parental concerns may be raised during the parents’ evening, or even after the inspection. Where the IC has indicated that there is safeguarding intelligence the RI must contact a member of our Safeguarding Lead Officer Team for a briefing, who will suggest a suitable line of inquiry.
The RI is also able to use the provider’s safeguarding self-evaluation form and the parent and learner questionnaires to inform their lines of inquiry for wellbeing and safeguarding. Where pre-inspection evidence in any sector identifies possible safeguarding issues or poor management by the provider, seek guidance from your sector’s Assistant Director and the Safeguarding Team. Where any new issue is potentially referable, our safeguarding policy must be applied.
During the inspection, if we receive any relevant information about a safeguarding matter, a member of our safeguarding team will inform the RI and agree how to deal with the matter. The RI must ensure they record any evidence relating to any safeguarding lines of inquiry from interviews, observations or file reading in their JF, as this may be needed for any subsequent correspondence arising after the inspection. If the RI or another team member records any confidential information this should be passed to a member of our Safeguarding Team for secure filing. The detail of this confidential information should not be recorded in the JF but a note that the material has been passed to a member of our Safeguarding Team along with the relevant case number should be noted.
An incident may come to light after an inspection, and we may be asked to account for what the inspection team knew at the time and the actions the team either took or did not take. In the case of serious injury or death, this accountability could be through a Serious Case Review. It is vital to record any information in your JF, and any confidential information shared from our safeguarding files.