Management Information Sheet

Please click here to access the revised guidance to schools on prevention of forced marriage and female genital mutilation. The guidance has been revised to include a number of new resources available to professionals and potential victims of forced marriage and female genital mutilation.

The Senior Designated Professional (SDP) should disseminate this guidance to all staff. Awareness of these issues is particularly important when considering applications for absence for extend trips overseas and when children go missing from school.

With reference to MI Sheet 037/13 please be aware that Ofsted has updated the supplementary guidance for section 5 inspections to specific advice to inspectors on female genital mutilation (Appendix 4). The guidance outlines the expectation Senior Designated Professionals (SDP) should be aware of the guidance that is available in respect of FGM, and should be vigilant to the risk of it being practised.

Inspectors are encouraged, where appropriate, to ask questions of designated staff.

Key questions could include:

• Are designated senior staff for child protection aware of the issue and have ensured that staff in the school are aware of the potential risks?
• How alert are staff to the possible signs that a child has been subject to female genital mutilation or is at risk of being abused through it?
• Has the school taken timely and appropriate action in respect of concerns about particular children?