Beyond Compliance: The DSL's guide to creating a school-wide culture of safeguarding - Softcover

Delyth Lynch

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1781354294 ISBN 13: 9781781354292

Publisher: Independent Thinking Press, 2026

Synopsis

In Beyond Compliance, Delyth Lynch draws on her 15 years’ experience as a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) to offer a guide to creating a safeguarding culture that is coherent, sustainable and embedded into every aspect of school life. DSLs carry enormous responsibility, and this book offers guidance on how we can create a shared culture of safeguarding within schools that truly lasts. It will give DSLs of all levels the confidence and knowledge they need to thrive in this important and rewarding role. Combining clear theory with case studies and practical suggestions, Delyth shares strategies and helpful advice that will make safeguarding enduring and adaptable, involving a cyclical strategy of assessment, review and action. She offers guidance on how to make sustainable safeguarding a shared vision in schools, arguing that when the practice is understood, embraced by all, and even made interesting and fun, it naturally underpins every decision made and imbues every conversation that takes place in school. Written with warmth and a tremendous passion for keeping young people in schools and colleges safe, Delyth offers an enthusiastic and enabling handbook for those working in this vital role. Essential for all current and aspiring DSLs, school leaders, governors and safeguarding training consultants. This will also be useful for those with a responsibility for safeguarding in any organisations outside of education.

About this title

About the Author

Delyth Lynch has over 25 years’ experience of teaching and senior leadership in education and is widely recognised as one of the UK’s leading experts in safeguarding, particularly in the independent sector. She speaks regularly about the issue of culture within schools and the work that she has pioneered at Wellington College around values, behaviours and attitudes. Her work has been cited by IICSA, and she has been recognised on the national stage by being awarded the Safeguarding and Child Protection Association’s ‘Outstanding initiative award’ for 2 consecutive years. She is co-author of the Farrer & Co guides, Developing and implementing a low-level concerns policy: a guide for organisations which work with children and Addressing child-on-child abuse: a resource for schools and colleges. Delyth is also an independent expert for Words Matter, an active member of the NADSL, Vice Chair of Governors at an independent school in Wokingham and is on the Executive Board of SACPA (Safeguarding and Child Protection Association). She is an NSPCC accredited trainer and trained in supervision and in the delivery of Safer Recruitment Training.

Edition details

• Publisher: Independent Thinking Press
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1781354294
• ISBN 13: 9781781354292
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 200