Karen Squillino, Safeguarding Trustee, Academies Enterprise Trust, Samira Sadeghi, Director of Trust Governance, CST
What were the biggest challenges you faced as a new trustee and how can these be overcome?
It’s important not to assume you will understand how everything fits together after a series of induction meetings. Keep having conversations to build that jigsaw, especially in a large, complex organisation. Imposter syndrome was a real challenge for me. I had to remind myself that I brought safeguarding expertise and that was the value I was adding. Develop a friendship with your governance lead! You can go to them for help with your ‘daft’ questions. Carve out time in your diary to read papers and absorb the information. Remember you bring that valuable perspective of newness to the board. Visit schools, if possible, to get under the skin of the relationship between schools and the wider organisation. Finally, buddy up with a more experienced trustee, particularly one with institutional knowledge about the trust.
How do you see your role as Safeguarding Trustee?
As I see it, I joined very much to ensure that the trust was developing a culture of safeguarding. Going beyond compliance and ensuring a whole-trust approach to safeguarding, underpinned by policies, procedures, development, accountability and communication. I also see it as my role to maintain a focus on safeguarding at board meetings and see it all through a safeguarding lens.
What are some of the most prevalent issues we’re now seeing amongst our young people, especially since the pandemic?
Childline is one of NSPCC’s services and we hear from thousands of children. Across the last year, mental and emotional health and wellbeing have been the top issue. Children are also really struggling with relationships with siblings, parents and carers, as well as their friends. Bullying, both online and offline, is a significant problem and there’s now little escape from it. Children also cite difficulties with school. Attendance has taken a huge dip. Overlaying all of that is the cost-of-living crisis and poverty, which is having a huge impact.
The word ‘culture’ appears 23 times in the Academy Trust Governance Code. Why is a strong culture of safeguarding so important?
Serious Case Reviews show that children are often failed through professionals not sharing information - seeing it as someone else’s responsibility or not having the confidence or competence to report. A strong culture of safeguarding raises awareness of responsibilities but also supports and empowers people to pass on concerns.
Non-teaching staff are highly likely to receive disclosures from children or witness concerning behaviour. There may be other people who have also seen other events relating to that child and it starts to form a picture. I read in a child death inquiry report that a member of staff had seen the child on a number of occasions rooting through bins at lunchtime for food but that observation was never passed on to statutory agencies. Had they shared that information, it might have led to a different outcome for that child. That is where a strong culture of safeguarding can make such a difference.
What advice do you have for those working in safeguarding, at any level, on how to take care of themselves when exposed to difficult information?
Vicarious trauma is very real. Schools are tackling issues that wouldn’t have been happening 10 or 15 years ago. Trusts need to consider their approach to staff health and wellbeing. Self-care is incredibly important. Don’t be a martyr. If you’re not in good shape, you’re not going to be able to support other people. People can become dismissive of the concept of self-care. Acknowledge the impact on you and understand that not everything is in your control. Be clear about your boundaries. A community of peer and management support and reflective supervision arrangements are also key.
One of the principles of the Academy Trust Governance Code is Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion. How do we go about making boards more inclusive? How do we make everyone FEEL included?
This is about psychological safety. Acknowledge your differences and give everyone time to tell their story: this is my motivator for being here and what I can bring. Be curious about each other. Fancy job titles do not tell you about my value base, what is important to me, what I am nervous I may not know. Use a relational approach. The location and timing of meetings also send signals, as does the style of discussion. The Chair plays a significant role in drawing people out, perhaps approaching them pre-meeting and asking for their perspective during the meeting.
Do you recommend being a trustee?
Absolutely! Being a trustee has helped me contribute better to my day job. But think about your personal bandwidth. To do your best for children, there has to be a significant give. I have loved being able to use my 30+ years of experience to make a positive difference to more children’s lives.
CST wants to support you in becoming the most effective safeguarding trustee you can be. Join our Trust Safeguarding Professional Community and/or Trustees & Governance Leaders Professional Community as part of your membership and connect with other safeguarding trustees to share experiences, form new ideas and ask questions.
We are also holding an Explained Seminar about The Trustee Role in Safeguarding on Wednesday 22 November from 15.30-17.30, for trustees looking to understand more about their safeguarding responsibilities.
The CST Blog welcomes perspectives from a diverse range of guest contributors. The opinions expressed in blogs are the views of the author(s), and should not be read as CST guidance or CST’s position.
