How we keep children and adults at risk safe across our Trust, and how to raise a concern.
Christ the Redeemer Catholic Education Trust (CtRCET) is wholly committed to ensuring that all children and adults at risk who engage with CtRCET activities across the Trust group are cared for in a safe, supportive, and secure environment. To fulfil this statutory commitment, a robust network of safeguarding and safer recruitment arrangements is enforced across all academies and central operations.
We ensure all policies and procedures in respect of safeguarding children are up to date and in strict compliance with the latest statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) and Working Together to Safeguard Children. These policies are accessible to all staff at any time through the central portal. Policies and procedures are reviewed and revised by the Central Safeguarding and Mental Health Team on an annual basis (or sooner if legislative changes demand) and formally ratified by the CtRCET Board of Trustees.
As delegated by the Board of Trustees, Elizabeth Cahill serves as the lead officer for Safeguarding Children and Adults at Risk, regularly reporting to the Board on all strategic safeguarding data, audit outcomes, and compliance metrics.
CtRCET actively engages with the relevant Local Safeguarding Children Partnership (LSCP) of each Local Authority area in which our academies operate. Any localised or cross-boundary safeguarding issues are shared, reviewed, and discussed with these partnerships as required by multi-agency agreements.
CtRCET meets all statutory obligations in relation to the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) and safer recruitment. All Members, Trustees, central employees, academy staff, and volunteers who meet the ‘regulated activity test’ under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 are strictly required to undergo an Enhanced DBS check with Children’s Barred List checks prior to commencing engagement or employment.
Each academy maintains a live, comprehensive Single Central Record (SCR) that undergoes regular internal monitoring and central Trust audits. The central team holds its own dedicated Single Central Record (SCR).
The Board of Trustees for CtRCET holds ultimate legal accountability for safeguarding. Operationally, this responsibility within individual academies is delegated to the Headteachers. In accordance with KCSIE 2026, each Headteacher appoints a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and appropriate Deputy DSLs to oversee operational application within the school environment.
The Trust ensures that all DSLs are allocated sufficient time, funding, and resources to perform their duties. This includes managing external agency referrals (such as Children’s Social Care) and working closely with local health and enforcement partners. Centralised support is provided to each academy by CtRCET’s Safeguarding and Mental Health Team. To contact the central team, please email safeguarding@ctrcet.co.uk with the subject line ‘FAO Safeguarding and Mental Health Team.’
All eligible staff, Trustees, and volunteers must undertake comprehensive safeguarding training. Within CtRCET, this framework includes, but is not limited to:
CtRCET implements robust audit checklists to verify that all systems are operational and effective. The central audit loop includes independent monitoring of individual Academy Single Central Records (SCRs), child protection architectures, and policies relating to ‘Allegations against Professionals and Low-Level Concerns’.
The official CtRCET safeguarding audit is undertaken every October and November for formal reporting to the Board of Trustees in January. When necessary, or upon statutory request, CtRCET shares its compliance audits with external partner agencies, including relevant Local Authorities and LSCPs.
If you have any concerns regarding a pupil at one of our schools, please speak to the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) in the first instance. Each school lists its DSL on the contact page of their website.
If you have a safeguarding concern which you would like to raise with the Trust, please email Mrs Elizabeth Cahill (CtRCET Safeguarding Lead) at safeguarding@ctrcet.co.uk
The Trust Director responsible for Safeguarding is Jenny Cairns.
If you have a concern about a pupil outside of school hours, and the child attends a Richmond or Kingston CtRCET school, please contact Social Services through the Single Point of Access (SPA).
If the child attends a Wandsworth CtRCET school, please contact the Wandsworth Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH).
If you think a child or young person is in immediate danger, please call 999 for the emergency services.