ESAS Safeguarding weekly newsletter

Posted on: 30 January 2026

From: Lucy Wheeldon ESAS – Education Safeguarding Advisor

For: All age groups. Headteacher. DSL/DDSL

Action: For information

Each Tuesday the ESAS team sends an email to DSL/DDSLs, to share information and important updates.

27 01 2026 DfE Mobile Phone Guidance – Key points

The updated DfE “Mobile phones in schools” guidance (updated 19 January 2026) states that schools should prohibit pupils from using mobile phones throughout the entire school day.

For schools:
You must now operate a mobile phone free school day by default. This includes smart devices with similar functionality, such as devices that can message, video, record, or receive notifications.
You need a clear, well communicated policy and consistent staff application. Schools must either embed this into their behaviour policy, or produce a standalone mobile phone policy.
Any flexibility must be exceptional and justified.

For Ofsted:

Inspectors will evaluate your mobile phone policy and implementation on every visit.
The policy will feed into judgments on Behaviour and Attitudes, and leadership.
They are looking for clarity, consistency, whole school understanding, and impact.

For further information please view the DfE guidance below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mobile-phones-in-schools

Ofsted expectations can be found here: https://educationinspection.blog.gov.uk/2026/01/23/what-the-governments-updated-guidance-on-mobile-phones-means-for-school-inspections/

27 01 2026 What you need to know about the 2026 'Restrictive Interventions' update as it comes into force April 2026 - Including the Use of Reasonable Force in Schools

Please be aware the DfE 2026 guidance provides more criteria for assessing if force is reasonable, requiring staff to consider not just if it is necessary and proportionate, but also how it impacts the pupil's overall welfare and whether it maintains their dignity. It also specifically highlights that for pupils with SEND, triggers like sensory overload or communication difficulties must be considered when determining if an intervention is appropriate.

Please click on the link to view the: Use of reasonable force and other restrictive interventions guidance

The status of this guidance is that it is non-statutory EXCEPT pg14 which contains statutory guidance on the reporting and recording of using force

Definition Updates:

While the basic premise is the same, the 2026 guidance adds further specific detail:

Emphasis on Duration: The 2026 definition explicitly adds that force must be used for the "least amount of time". This specific constraint was not part of the primary definition in the previous guidance.

New Umbrella Terminology: The 2026 guidance now places "reasonable force" under the new umbrella term "restrictive intervention". This term describes both physical and non-physical actions intended to prevent, restrict, or subdue movement.

Categorisation of "Significant Incidents": The new guidance introduces the term "significant incident" to distinguish between reasonable force and "appropriate physical contact" (such as first aid or comforting a pupil). This is a critical distinction because "significant incidents" now trigger statutory recording and reporting duties that did not exist in the 2013 version.

Unacceptable Actions: It is now explicitly stated that pupils must not be restrained in any way that impacts their airway, breathing, or circulation.

Recording & Reporting:

The most significant update is the introduction of the statutory requirement around the recording and reporting of the use of force.

Recording: Governing bodies and proprietors must ensure a procedure is in place to record every significant incident where force is used. This record should be completed as soon as practicable, ideally on the same day.

Reporting to Parents: Schools are now legally required to report significant incidents of force to parents as soon as practicable, aiming for the same day. Previously, this was considered "good practice" rather than a strict statutory requirement.

Seclusion Duty: There is a new legal duty under the 2025 Regulations to record and report the use of seclusion. Seclusion is now defined as anon disciplinary safety measure used only to protect others from harm when a pupil is dysregulated’, and it must never be used as a punishment.

Enhanced focus on SEND & Risk Assessment:

There is now a greater emphasis on protecting pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), who are often disproportionately affected by restrictive interventions.

Mandatory Risk Assessments: Schools must carry out risk assessments for staff who regularly work with pupils where the use of force or restrictive interventions may be required.

Co-production: Leadership teams should work with parents and pupils to co-produce behaviour support plans that outline proactive strategies, triggers, and any necessary adjustments to the school environment

27 01 2026 The Spring DSL Briefing was held on 21.01.2026

Many thanks for those of you who attended the DSL Briefing last week, we understand that you are very busy. Unfortunately, the numbers of attendees for October and January briefings were significantly down.

We monitor attendance at these sessions, as it helps us understand engagement across the county and shape the support we provide to you and your schools.

In Keeping Children Safe in Education it states that In addition to the formal training set out above, their knowledge and skills should be refreshed (this might be via e-bulletins, meeting other designated safeguarding leads, or simply taking time to read and digest safeguarding developments) at regular intervals, as required, and at least annually, to allow them to understand and keep up with any developments relevant to their role.

In the January briefing we covered a number of topics including the Signs and indicators template for child sexual abuse and Sharing nudes and semi-nudes guidance as these form a theme of the calls into our service. The recording for the briefing will be shared as soon as we have it from our comms team and the slides are available on the SLN.

If you have any topics that you would like us to cover in more detail then please let us know.

The Summer Term briefing will take place on Wednesday 22nd April 2025, the usual times 9.30-11.30am and 3.30-5.30pm and will have a Domestic Abuse focus.

27 01 2026 All staff to be aware of the voice of the child resources

This week’s focus is on the two following points from the S175 audit:

Firstly, 5.3 DSL /DDSL and relevant pastoral staff are aware of the Voice of the Child resources on the ESAS pages of the Staffordshire Learning Network (SLN). And all Staff are confident in gaining the voice of the child.

While we recognise that staff are extremely busy, it is essential that disclosures are explored further to ensure we fully understand what has taken place. Using TED questioning can support staff in gathering information in a child centred and effective way.

TED questions consist of three elements: Tell, Explain, Describe.

Tell:
Use prompts such as “Tell me more about…” to encourage the child to share their thoughts, perspective, context, or background.
Explain:
Follow with questions like “Explain to me…” to explore their reasoning, feelings, and what may have occurred before, during, or after an incident.
Describe:
Ask “Describe to me…” to help the child provide more detail, enabling staff to gain a clearer understanding of what has taken place.

It is crucial that all staff feel confident in using these approaches. In most cases, it is easier and more effective for the adult who receives the initial disclosure to explore it sensitively with the child at the time.

On many occasions you may need to unpick a child’s daily lived experience or be asked to complete further direct work with a child. Please refer to the following resources, which are available to support you in exploring a disclosure further and gaining a deeper understanding of a child’s daily lived experience, as well as their thoughts, wishes, and feelings:

See the staff poster on the SLN suggesting sample questions and conversation starters. Please note all the documents are all available on the SLN under decision making.

27 01 2026 Building Suicide Safer Schools and Colleges

Secondly, point 11.5 DSL/DDSL and relevant pastoral staff are aware of the Building Suicide Safer Schools and Colleges guidance published by Papyrus toolkit and the SCC Postvention Protocol. ESA- Share the Postvention Guidance and Papyrus in Tuesday email

PAPYRUS has developed a guide to suicide prevention, intervention and postvention in schools and colleges, aimed specifically at teachers as well as school or college staff. It aims to equip teachers with the skills and knowledge necessary to support schoolchildren who may be having suicidal thoughts. Please click on the link below for further information and to access the guide.

Schools guide | Papyrus

27 01 2026 Wake up Wednesday

Roblox is massive with kids , but open chats and user made worlds can bring hidden risks.

This week’s #WakeUpWednesday guide shows parents how to keep young players safer and more supported.

Download your FREE copy here

30 January 2026

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