Safeguarding and Mental Health: Supporting Staff with Confidence

In response to growing requests from schools for greater clarity and confidence in responding to complex safeguarding and suicide-related concerns, this specialist workshop has been created for staff with safeguarding and mental health responsibilities, including Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) and Deputy DSLs.

The focused session aims to strengthen staff confidence and consistency when responding to complex student needs, particularly where mental health concerns and safeguarding responsibilities overlap. This 90-minute session provides a safe and supportive space for professional discussion and shared learning.

Using an anonymised real-life case scenario, participants will explore how school policies and procedures guide decision-making in practice. Through structured discussion and reflection, staff will consider how to respond proportionately, share information appropriately, and maintain clear safeguarding pathways when concerns arise.

The workshop highlights the vital connection between mental health support and safeguarding duties, encouraging reflective thinking, professional curiosity, and collaborative decision-making in real-world situations.

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Key themes in the session include:

  • Recognising early signs of concern and responding appropriately

  • Applying safeguarding and mental health policies in complex cases

  • Keeping the Young Person’s voice at the centre of all actions

  • Recording, information sharing, and escalation

  • Working collaboratively within school and with external agencies

Feedback shows that staff leave with:

  • Increased confidence in responding to suicide-related concerns and mental health disclosures

  • Greater clarity around safeguarding responsibilities in high-risk situations

  • A strengthened understanding of how to respond thoughtfully, safely, and proportionately

  • Improved confidence in working collaboratively with colleagues and external support services

Time & place

  • Duration: 90 mins

  • Delivery: In person, in school

Cost

  • Available on request

Safeguarding Information

Every effort will be made to support schools sensitively and ethically. OLLIE’s support is designed to complement and enhance school policies and procedures already in place.

We value and appreciate our incredibly diverse staff and students in Hertfordshire.  To ensure that our work remains supportive, we provide a respectful environment, sensitive to the range of views in the room.