afeguarding partner The government has committed to recognising schools and other education settings as ‘the fourth statutory safeguarding partner’, where previously they have been listed as a ‘relevant agency’. SP9 survey respondents reflected on the benefits and challenges anticipated of a potential role for education as the fourth statutory safeguarding partner. This move was seen to have the potential to lead to greater engagement, enhance insight into education’s culture and practices and strengthen multi-agency working. It was also seen as a way of working more closely to reduce the number of children excluded or suspended from school and supporting improved attendance. The key challenge articulated in both interviews and survey responses was how to coordinate and secure genuine engagement and representation locally with the diverse education economy without a single representative body or agency. The engagement of very large multi-academy trusts (MATs) at a local level was raised, although the new duty will cover early years and college settings too. Many local authorities were already finding ways to bring schools into a stronger relationship with their MASA, helped by designated safeguarding leads’ networks, strong relationships with head teachers and various teacher–headteacher forums. 75 Arrangements shared by respondents included: • Headteacher attending the partnership’s operations board meetings, a chief executive of a multi-academy trust (MAT) sitting on the multi-agency safeguarding board, and an education executive group which brought MAT CEOs together on a termly basis (DCS, South East Region) • Strategic safeguarding and inclusion education meetings and safeguarding partnership education safeguarding committees (Survey, South East Region). 76 7 Key me