In this instalment in our Safeguarding Around the World series, we head to Switzerland to chat with Liz Free, CEO and director of International School Rheintal (ISR).

She explains how her school proactively monitors for potential incidents using software systems and talks about the importance of updating PSHE (personal, social, health and emotional) programmes for pupils in light of any incidents that may occur.

How do you ensure a consistent approach to safeguarding?

As is the case in most schools, safeguarding and child protection training is part of the staff induction plan for all roles.

This includes an online training component with a short assessment to assess understanding alongside face-to-face training from our designated safeguarding lead (DSL). In addition, the first day of every term includes a refresher and staff are mandated to complete one online course, which is allocated based on need.

This year, for example, all staff completed a data protection course. In the past, online courses have covered peer-on-peer abuse and bereavement. The DSLs and deputy DSLs also complete level 3 child protection lead training every three years.

Our child protection and safeguarding, safer recruitment, whistleblower, health and safety and data protection policies are reviewed every three years too.

We take a proactive approach to recruitment and have an extensive safer recruitment policy that aims to put safeguarding of our community at the heart of the process.

This means we only accept applications on our own forms (we don’t take CVs, where information can be hidden) and require three references, including from the candidate’s previous head of school/organisation. We also have a clear policy on selection panels and decision-making protocols.

How do you stay aware of emerging safeguarding issues?

Our DSL is part of the Swiss Group of International Schools’ DSL group and this network is highly useful for sharing knowledge and understanding, as well as generalised training and specific training relating to the region in which we are based.

We engage with accreditation models, such as the Council of International Schools, which holds us to a safeguarding standard that is regularly updated, and that requires us to regularly update.

At a local level, our safeguarding committee reviews local cases (with identifying features anonymised), so we can highlight our actions and knowledge, and decide whether we need to learn more or to review policy.

In the past year, for example, we saw an incident of peer-to-peer coercive control. The DSL and guidance counsellor worked together to research best practice and also how to bring informed consent, and discussions around coercive control, into the PSHE programme.

How do you ensure staff training is kept up to date?

We have a clear tracking and reporting system for mandated training.

The DSL is our in-house expert and we invest heavily in their development to ensure they can design the learning and development programme for staff and our wider community, to keep safeguarding and child protection as a priority.

Does the mix of nationalities in your community present an extra challenge in relation to safeguarding?

With just under 200 students across more than 30 nationalities, we are a montage of identities, cultures and expectations - all of which are bound by Swiss law and culture.

One aspect of this is that safeguarding concerns are handled at a local level and resolved with parents directly by the school before external agencies are involved, meaning the threshold for school responsibility is perhaps higher than in other jurisdictions.

One frequent example we address is where a family uses corporal punishment. It is incumbent on our school to inform the parents about Swiss law, as corporal punishment is illegal here, but the rules may be different in the country the family is from.

Should there be an ongoing issue, this is escalated to relevant external bodies. It is therefore imperative that everything is tracked and recorded so there is strong evidence of all concerns as well as school actions.

Our DSL is fluent in the local language and builds a strong network of localised agencies through our guidance counsellor and nurse. They are also extremely well versed in localised expectations, legal requirements and global best practice.

Being trained in how to have honest conversations is critical for this role, where cultural norms and expectations may be challenged in a Swiss context.

What are your processes for following up on any incidents?

Over the past few years, we have implemented an online tracking system with confidentiality and permission hierarchies. There is a direct link to this reporting system via our intranet home page. Staff are well trained and versed in logging concerns.

We have seen an increase in reporting, in recent years, of relatively low-level incidents, such as a teacher noticing that a child is not provided with a full lunch.

This lower reporting threshold has made the visibility of students far more transparent for the DSL and we have a full log of concerns from which we can identify trends and patterns: the student who goes without lunch on Monday may not have lunch provided on Tuesday too, and this needs to be picked up as different staff do the lunch duties.

If a pattern emerges, we can take proactive action to rectify this with parents and, hopefully, remove ongoing potential neglect issues as we build a relationship with the family directly.

How do you as a leader ensure your safeguarding knowledge is kept up to date?

As well as being the school director, I am also the deputy DSL and am held to the same training and expertise standards as the DSL. I am trained to level 3 every three years and complete annual refresher training, as well as specialist training, as needs are identified.