Safeguarding Requirements for UK Islamic Schools: A Practical Guide

Introduction

Safeguarding is not a box to tick for UK compliance purposes. It is the most serious responsibility that any organisation working with children carries — and the consequences of failing in that responsibility can be severe for the children involved, for the individuals responsible, and for the institution itself.

UK Islamic schools and maktabs have, historically, had variable safeguarding practices. Some are exemplary — with written policies, trained staff, documented procedures, and a culture that takes child protection seriously. Others operate with no safeguarding policy, no DBS-checked teachers, and no clear procedure for what to do if a concern arises. In a post-Rotherham, post-Casey Review landscape where institutional child protection failures are scrutinised carefully across community organisations, the Islamic supplementary school sector needs to take safeguarding seriously — not because of external pressure, but because children’s safety demands it.

This guide covers every safeguarding requirement relevant to UK maktabs and Islamic supplementary schools — in plain English, with practical action steps.

What Is Safeguarding?

Safeguarding means protecting children from harm — physical, emotional, sexual, and neglect. In an educational context, it encompasses:

• Child protection — responding to specific concerns that a child is being abused or neglected
• Prevention — creating an environment and culture that reduces risk and supports children’s wellbeing
• Safe organisation — having systems, policies, and people in place to identify and respond to concerns

Safeguarding is not something that happens only in mainstream schools or large institutions. Every organisation that works regularly with children — including maktabs, Islamic supplementary schools, and Quran centres — has safeguarding duties.

The Legal Framework

The primary safeguarding legislation and guidance relevant to UK maktabs:

Supplementary maktabs are not subject to the same statutory inspection regime as maintained schools, but the safeguarding principles — and in some cases the statutory duties — apply regardless.

DBS Checks — Who Needs One and How to Get It

A DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check reveals whether a person has any criminal convictions, cautions, or other information that might make them unsuitable to work with children.

Who must have a DBS check at a UK maktab:

What “enhanced DBS with children’s barred list” means:

• Reveals all spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands, and final warnings
• Checks against the Children’s Barred List — individuals who are legally banned from working with children
• Checks local police records for any relevant information not on the main database

How to apply for DBS checks:

Maktabs can apply through an umbrella body (an organisation registered with the DBS to process checks). Options include:

• Local authority supplementary schools team (often free or subsidised)
• Online DBS umbrella services (typically £25–£45 per check)
• NCVO (National Council for Voluntary Organisations) DBS service

The maktab should keep a DBS record for each teacher and volunteer — noting the check date, reference number, and check level. Do not keep copies of the DBS certificate itself (data protection), but do record that the check was completed.

Renewal: DBS certificates are valid indefinitely in law, but best practice is to renew every 3 years or when an individual has a gap in service.

The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

Every UK organisation working with children should appoint a Designated Safeguarding Lead — one named individual who is responsible for safeguarding within the organisation.

The DSL’s responsibilities:

Who should be the DSL?

The DSL should be a trustee or senior leader — someone with enough authority to act on concerns without being blocked by hierarchy. At a maktab, this is typically the principal or lead trustee. A backup DSL should also be named for when the primary DSL is unavailable.

DSL training:

The DSL should receive specific safeguarding training — not just general awareness. The NSPCC, local safeguarding partnerships, and local authorities all provide DSL training, often free or subsidised for supplementary school staff.

The Safeguarding Policy — What It Must Contain

Every UK maktab must have a written safeguarding policy. This document should be:

• Written in clear, accessible English
• Reviewed and updated annually
• Given to all teachers, trustees, and volunteers
• Made available to parents on request

Required sections:

The NSPCC provides free safeguarding policy templates for community organisations at nspcc.org.uk.

Safer Recruitment — Hiring with Child Safety in Mind

Safer recruitment is the process of hiring teachers and volunteers in a way that minimises the risk of employing someone who poses a risk to children.

Safer recruitment checklist:

Never allow an individual to work unsupervised with children until their DBS check has been received. If you need someone to start before the DBS is returned (which can take weeks), ensure they are always supervised by a DBS-checked adult.

Recognising and Responding to Concerns

Safeguarding training helps teachers recognise the signs that a child may be experiencing abuse or neglect. Common indicators:

Important: Teachers do not need to be certain that abuse is occurring before reporting a concern. The threshold for reporting to the DSL is reasonable cause to suspect — not proof. It is the DSL’s role (and the local authority’s role) to investigate, not the teacher’s.

Reporting — What to Do When a Concern Arises

Internal reporting procedure:

1. Teacher observes a concern or a child makes a disclosure
2. Teacher does not promise confidentiality to the child (“I will keep this between us” — never appropriate)
3. Teacher listens carefully and does not lead the conversation — let the child speak in their own words
4. Teacher records what was said as soon as possible — in the child’s own words, with time, date, and context
5. Teacher reports to the DSL immediately — same day, not at the next available opportunity
6. DSL assesses the concern and decides whether to refer to external agencies

External reporting — when to contact children’s services or police:

• If there is reasonable cause to believe a child is at risk of significant harm → contact local authority children’s services
• If a child is in immediate danger → call police (999) first, then children’s services
• If the concern involves the local authority itself → contact NSPCC’s helpline (0808 800 5000)

Never investigate yourself — teachers and DSLs should not attempt to investigate allegations. That is the job of specialist professionals. Your job is to receive, record, and refer.

Allegations Against Staff or Volunteers

If a concern arises about a teacher or volunteer — rather than about a child — a different procedure applies:

1. The concern should be reported to the Chair of Trustees / Principal (not the DSL if the DSL is the subject of the concern)
2. The Chair must contact the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) within one working day
3. The LADO provides advice on how to handle the allegation and may initiate an investigation
4. The individual concerned should be suspended (not dismissed) while the investigation proceeds — suspension is a neutral act, not a disciplinary measure
5. Do not conduct your own investigation; do not question the individual about the allegation

The LADO for your local area can be found through your local authority’s website.

Online Safety for Children in Islamic Schools

Online safety is increasingly relevant to maktabs. Children use smartphones and social media before and after school — and sometimes during. Specific online risks:

• Radicalisation and extremist content — children may encounter extremist material online; the Prevent duty requires awareness of this risk
• Cyberbullying — bullying between students that continues outside school via social media
• Online grooming — adults using social media to manipulate and exploit children
• Teachers communicating privately with students — this must never happen via personal social media or messaging apps

Maktab online safety policy should include:

• No personal social media contact between teachers and students
• School communications with parents through official channels only
• Age-appropriate online safety discussions as part of the Islamic Studies curriculum
• Clear procedure for reporting online concerns to the DSL

Safeguarding Checklist for UK Maktabs

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UK MAKTAB SAFEGUARDING COMPLIANCE CHECKLIST

POLICIES AND DOCUMENTATION
[ ] Written safeguarding policy — current year
[ ] DSL named in policy with contact details
[ ] Backup DSL named
[ ] Policy reviewed in last 12 months
[ ] Policy given to all teachers and volunteers
[ ] Policy available to parents on request

PEOPLE
[ ] Enhanced DBS check completed for ALL teachers before starting
[ ] Enhanced DBS check completed for ALL regular volunteers
[ ] DBS record maintained (date, reference, level — not the certificate itself)
[ ] DSL has received specific safeguarding training (not just awareness)
[ ] All teachers have received safeguarding awareness training
[ ] Safer recruitment procedure documented and followed for new hires

PROCEDURES
[ ] Internal reporting procedure documented and communicated to all staff
[ ] Local authority children's services contact number known to DSL
[ ] LADO contact number known to trustees
[ ] NSPCC helpline number (0808 800 5000) available to all staff
[ ] Confidential safeguarding record file maintained
[ ] No promises of confidentiality made to children

CULTURE
[ ] Children know that they can speak to the DSL
[ ] Teachers understand they should report, not investigate
[ ] No unsupervised one-to-one contact between male teachers and female students
[ ] No personal social media contact between teachers and students
[ ] School events and outings have appropriate supervision ratios

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Conclusion

Safeguarding is not the most visible aspect of running an Islamic school — but it is the most important. A maktab that teaches beautiful Quran recitation in an environment where children are not safe has failed in its most fundamental duty. The checklist and procedures above are achievable for every UK maktab — they require time, commitment, and the willingness to take child protection seriously. That willingness, expressed in documented policies and trained staff, is what genuine safeguarding looks like.

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