Safeguarding In Focus

In this episode of Safeguarding in Focus a podcast presented by CPOMS, Dale Pickles (Director of B Squared) joins our host Sam Eustace for an insightful discussion on the critical role of student voice in safeguarding for children with SEND. Their conversation explores how schools can better understand and capture communication in all its forms, why meaningful listening must go beyond written notes and token gestures and how strong partnerships with families help build a fuller picture of a child’s wellbeing.Together, they emphasize that effective safeguarding depends not just on collecting information but on responding to it in ways that help children feel heard, included and supported.KEY POINTS:1. Student voice must include all forms of communication, especially for children who do not communicate in traditional verbal or written ways.2. Capturing pupil voice only matters if schools act on it, using what students communicate to shape support, practice and decision-making.3. Strong safeguarding depends on listening to both students and families, since parent partnership provides essential context for understanding a child’s needs and experiences.