What safeguarding question have you asked today?

In Early Years, safeguarding knowledge cannot be something practitioners revisit only when their annual training is due or when Ofsted is on the horizon asking safeguarding questions is the answer.

It shouldn’t be like that.

We know that in outstanding settings, safeguarding knowledge is part of everyday practice.

One of the simplest ways nursery leaders can build that culture is by asking questions regularly.

Supervision meetings have an important role in giving practitioners time to reflect, discuss concerns and identify development needs.

But learning should not be confined to a supervision meeting every few weeks or months.

People can be afraid to voice that they don’t understand something.

Short, well-chosen safeguarding questions asked during the working week can keep important knowledge fresh and help practitioners become confident explaining what they would actually do.

It can also make it fun. We know that the gamification of learning has been researched and found to grately aid retention.

For example, questions might include:

“What would you do if a parent made an allegation about a member of staff?”

“Where would you find our safeguarding policy?”

“What would you do if you were worried that a colleague wasn’t following safeguarding procedures?”

These questions are not about catching people out.

They are an opportunity to discover what practitioners understand, where there may be uncertainty and where further discussion or training is needed.

That distinction is important. If staff believe every question is a test they might fail, they may become defensive or reluctant to answer. Instead, leaders should create an environment where it is acceptable to say, “I’m not completely sure.”

That answer creates a learning opportunity.

Regular questioning also helps managers move beyond simply recording that training has taken place. An employee may have attended safeguarding training and signed to confirm they have read a policy, but can they explain how they would respond to a real situation?

A daily safeguarding question can take less than two minutes. Over the course of a year, however, those conversations create hundreds of opportunities for reinforcement, reflection and learning.

They can also make a considerable difference when an inspector speaks directly to practitioners.

Staff who regularly discuss safeguarding are more likely to feel comfortable answering questions because explaining their responsibilities has become normal rather than something suddenly expected during an inspection.

The strongest safeguarding cultures are therefore not built through paperwork alone.

They are built through conversation, curiosity and continuous learning.

Supervision provides the structure, but regular questions help bring that culture to life.

So perhaps a useful question for nursery leaders is:

What safeguarding question have you asked your team today?

If you’d like to own a set of daily safeguarding questions printed and ready for use take a look at our product here.