Applies across schools and early years
Cleaners, Caretaking & Support Teams
Safeguarding responsibilities in daily site work
This applies whenever you are working in a live school or early years environment
Why this matters
Safeguarding doesn’t only sit in policies or classrooms.
It shows up in routine site work — cleaning, unlocking, locking, checks and small fixes.
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Because caretaking and cleaning teams move across the environment, you are often at the safeguarding interface, even when the task feels ordinary.
What to be aware of, every day
1. Access and presence
• Opening or closing doors and gates
• Working in corridors, toilets, shared spaces or play areas
• Being in pupil areas during the day
If children are present, safeguarding applies — even during routine tasks.
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3. Temporary measures
• “Just for today” fixes
• Tape, cones, signage or isolation
• Out-of-use areas that may still be accessible
Temporary does not mean risk-free.
If something feels unsafe in a live environment, flag it.
2. Visibility and supervision
• Propped doors
• Removed barriers
• Curtains, screens or equipment moved
If your work changes what can be seen, or who can see whom, it affects safeguarding.
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​4. Handovers and assumptions
• End of shift
• Different teams covering
• “I thought someone else knew”
Safeguarding weakens when responsibility quietly passes between people.
If you’ve taken action — make sure it’s known.
What to do if you’re unsure
You are not expected to make safeguarding decisions alone.
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But you are expected to:
• Pause
• Flag concerns
• Ask who owns the decision
That is how safeguarding is strengthened where responsibility is shared.
What this is not
• Not about suspicion
• Not about blame
• Not about stopping essential work
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It is about awareness, communication and clarity in everyday tasks.
One principle to remember
If your work affects access, visibility or supervision,
it sits at the safeguarding interface.​
That’s when it needs to be shared, not assumed.