DfE Finds significant potential for safeguarding harm in out-of-school-settings
Out-of-school-settings (OOSS) is a term used to describe a range of groups and clubs aimed at children, out of school hours. This includes uniformed organizations, sports and leisure clubs, tuition centres, faith organizations, and many others.
OOSS are often fundamental to a families childcare plans, as they provide a space for young people to go either before or after school. It is generally assumed that these OOSS are run correctly and safely.
But the results of a recent pilot study from the Department for Education suggests this isn’t the case.
The Study
In 2018, the DfE provided £3 million of funding to 16 local authorities (LAs) for a pilot scheme.
This scheme was intended to demonstrate the benefits of multi-agency working between LAs and relevant agencies to help identify and engage with OOSS, and intervene where safeguarding concerns were found.
The aims of the pilot were to:
support these LAs to test approaches to map, identify, and intervene in OOSS of concern.
improve understanding of safeguarding risks and, where these were identified, test intervention approaches in OOSS.
consider how existing legal powers could be best utilized and identify any gaps in the current legislative framework.
Following the initial pilot, in March 2020 six of the LAs were given extension funding for an additional 18 months to further test specific approaches to oversee and improve safeguarding in OOSS.
In November, the DfE published the results of the pilot in a report. The key things they identified were:
The OOSS sector is vast and complex which makes it incredibly difficult for LAs to manage safeguarding.
OOSS providers have no obligation to report their existence as there is no formal register or database.
Much of the OOSS sector is unregulated and providers aren’t subject to the same rules as education or childcare providers
Because of the lack of regulation, many safeguarding issues were identified. These included:
Sex offenders working in OOSS
Potential for child grooming
Corporal punishment being used
Sexually explicit and violent material being shown
While the DfE admitted how concerning these findings were they also stressed that it was incredibly difficult to generalise these results on a national scale. They did however promise they would take action to tackle the issue.
A DfE spokesperson commented on the report, saying:
“After-school clubs and other out-of-school settings provide a range of stimulating and enriching opportunities for children, and the vast majority take place in a safe environment. However, we recognise the seriousness of the research findings, which is why we are taking forward work to raise standards and help parents.”
Tackling the issue
Several recommendations have been made to help LA’s tackle the issue with OOSS, such as:
Creating a formal register of OOSS provider
Implementing a system of accreditation for OOSS providers.
Devoting more resources to enable LAs to identify and map OOSS,
Providing training and support to LAs to help them intervene in settings of concern.
Speaking to the Guardian, Louise Gittins, the chair of the LGA’s children and young people board, highlighted that most OOSS offered a “safe, positive and enjoyable environments for children” but LAs were in need of more powers to regulate the sector:
“... parents and carers sending their children to an OOSS will rightly expect that they are subject to the appropriate regulation as seen in schools or childcare providers. Current laws make it difficult for councils to act, and at present OOSS are flying under the radar without being required to comply with any safeguarding checks.”
“The fact an independent report commissioned by the government has presented these findings is yet further evidence of why it is essential that councils are given oversight of such settings, requiring them to register and work with the local authority, while also ensuring the DfE gives councils the powers and resources they need to intervene where necessary.”