https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/understanding-and-preventing-serious-violence-in-education/supporting-children-affected-by-serious-violence
Department for Education guidance on serious violence in education also covers how to support all children connected to an incident: those harmed, those witnessing harm, and those involved in harmful or risky behaviour. It’s based on existing safeguarding duties and guidance.
The guidance covers:
– Immediate welfare and emotional safety, including a calm, private space for each child, avoiding leading questions, and reporting concerns to the DSL straight away
– Ongoing support, including a trusted member of staff for each child and regular pastoral check-ins coordinated through the DSL
– Wider context, including peers, locations, times of day, online behaviour, and indicators of exploitation or coercion such as county lines
– Individual safety and support plans where risks continue, covering protective factors, supervision at higher-risk times and places, safe arrival and departure, and communication with parents or carers
– SEND and dysregulation, with support planned alongside the SENCO and DSL, considering whether behaviour links to communication, sensory or unmet needs, while still acting where there is a risk of harm
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