Safeguarding Advisory Group Blog - June 2025

The function of the Safeguarding Advisory Group (SAG) is to advise and guide members and the Society on aspects of Safeguarding including best practice and current legislation.

This encompasses all aspects of safeguarding across the lifespan. 

The SAG keeps abreast of current changes in legislation and policy relevant to safeguarding and informs the Society.  It also contributes to consultations on aspects of safeguarding.

Document production

The group have launched a survey into Experiences of Support for Designated Safeguarding leads in Education; this is in association with the University of Chester.

The society are contributing to this, and work is ongoing.

For more information, please get in touch with the Safeguarding Advisory Group. 

Guidance

The group have prepared a series of guidelines which are intended to provide guidance and clarification for psychologists involved in safeguarding.

For full details, consult the appropriate document: 

• Safeguarding Children and Young People (2018)
• Guidance on the Management of Disclosures of Non-Recent Child Sexual Abuse
• Safeguarding across the lifespan - every psychologist's responsibility

Presentations and Events

Safeguarding Conference: 26 November 2025

The SAG are underway with planning a Safeguarding conference on Wednesday 26 November 2025.

The theme is Contemporary Issues in Safeguarding. Bookings are due to open at the end of the summer. We will continue to post updates on our web page.  

Regular Presentations

Guest speakers attend our regular meetings throughout the year. Topics so far have included:

• Domestic abuse and young people
• Health risks in initiation and hazing in Sports teams

Future topics we hope to cover:

• Current concerns with grooming gangs
• Child Sexual Exploitation and child abuse from a police officer's perspective
• Financial abuse

Contemporary safeguarding issues

Contemporary safeguarding issues are a regular feature of the advisory group's discussions. 

These have included the inquiry into grooming gangs that came out on 16 January 2025, and the blame culture placed on some social workers/teachers as opposed to the organisations and policies that are currently in legislation.

Communications

The work of the society is greatly influenced by the voluntary contributions of its members; their expertise is invaluable. 

If you wanted to discuss a safeguarding matter or get in touch with the Safeguarding Advisory Group, please contact the BPS Practice and Professional Development Team. 

We continue to invite new applications. Find out more about joining the Safeguarding Advisory Group.