Proactive Safeguarding
PROACTIVE SAFEGUARDING
Safeguarding & Child Protection Consultancy and Training
Proactive Safeguarding can offer:
Safeguarding & Child Protection Training
Safer Recruitment Training
Safeguarding Audits
Safeguarding Investigations & Case Reviews
Training needs analysis
Supervision
About Us
Ken Palmer started Proactive Safeguarding and working independently as a Safeguarding Trainer & Consultant in 2018 following 25 years' Safeguarding and Child Protection experience within the police and Local Government sectors.
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Since then, the company has steadily grown, and we are now four people involved in carrying out safeguarding audits and providing safeguarding training, investigations and consultancy.
Training
We design, develop, and deliver bespoke Safeguarding & Child Protection Training to suit the requirements of your organisation/setting.
We deliver Training Courses throughout the UK, at your workplace or a venue of your choice or virtually.
We have also delivered safeguarding training to organisations who deliver school holiday activities for children and young people.
Courses
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Safeguarding & Child Protection for staff in Education.
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Advanced Safeguarding Training for Designated Safeguarding Lead Persons (DSL).
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Designated Safeguarding Lead Refresher Training.
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Safer Recruitment Training (accredited).
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Safeguarding Training for Trustees and Governors.
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Dealing with Allegations Training.
Other Services
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Safeguarding Audits.
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DSL support and Supervision.
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Safeguarding Investigations & Case Reviews.
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Writing Safeguarding & Child Protection Policies.
Meet the team!
Ken Palmer
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Ken is an Ex Metropolitan Police service (MPS) Detective Constable who worked 11 years within the specialist Child Abuse Investigation Command. During Ken’s police service, he would handle challenging caseloads and investigate complex cases of child abuse.
Later in his career, Ken became part of the MPS Partnership Team, working on projects and preventative work such as Project Azure (the MPS response to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)) and Project Violet MPS (response to the ritualistic abuse of children).
Following his career in the police, Ken went to work for the Royal Borough of Greenwich as their Safeguarding Coordinator for Schools from 2010 to 2018. He was the Royal Greenwich, Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) for Education. Ken chaired Child Protection Case Conferences, delivered training to schools and educational settings and carried out safeguarding audits.
Since October 2018 Ken has worked as a specialist Child Protection/Safeguarding Trainer & Consultant, offering a wide range of safeguarding services to schools and other settings that are required to have safeguarding arrangements in place to protect children and young people. Ken delivers an exceptional blend of depth and breadth of Safeguarding and Child Protection work based on his solid background and experience.
Ken has been a Trustee of the Charlton Athletic Community Trust since 2015, where he provides safeguarding advice and consultancy.
Since May 2023 Ken has been working part time for the Middlesex County Cricket Club as their County Safeguarding Officer.
Sue Reid
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Sue joined Proactive Safeguarding in 2020, carrying out safeguarding audits in schools and educational settings in the London Borough of Bexley, Royal Borough of Greenwich and in schools/academies across the UK.
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Sue is a qualified teacher, an experienced Education Consultant and an ISI and Ofsted trained school inspector. She has post graduate qualifications, including Consultancy in School Leadership Development, NPQH and a master's degree in Science Education.
Sue has used her professional qualifications, research and experiences to successfully support schools for improvement, working closely with school leaders, governors and trustees since 2002, working as a school improvement advisor for an inner London local authority. Since 2009 she has worked as an external education consultant.
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Sue qualified as an Ofsted inspector in 2008 and inspected for 10 years. She has experience of inspecting across all age ranges from early years to adult education, including inspecting a range of specialist areas such as science, special educational needs and focused safeguarding aspects. She has inspected in the UK and internationally. Sue has undertaken safeguarding audits and safeguarding investigations of complaints on behalf of academy trusts and different local authorities.
Lewis Hunt
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Lewis Hunt is our newest associate, carrying out safeguarding audits and investigations in schools/educational settings for Proactive Safeguarding since the beginning of 2023. Lewis has worked in law enforcement having joined the Metropolitan Police in 1977, he retired in early 2023 after 46 years’ service.
As a Detective Lewis was involved in investigating serious crime and for many years was involved in Child Abuse Investigation. Lewis was one of the initial officers to run a referral desk. He joined the National Crime Squad in 2006 and was posted to the Paedophile On-Line Investigation Team, coordinating Europe wide on-line operations. For a time, Lewis was attached to the International Innocent Images Unit in Washington DC, with the FBI, and then returned to the new Child Exploitation and On-line Protection Centre (CEOP) where he was in charge of Intelligence regarding global on-line investigations and referrals in a multi-agency environment.
Later in the Serious Organised Crime Agency he dealt with Organised Immigration Crime which included projects on clandestine entry to the UK, child trafficking and identity fraud. In the National Crime Agency, Lewis was again posted to CEOP running the peer-to-peer team, Trans - National child sex offenders tracker team, victim identification team and intelligence team. Lewis later was engaged in the national coordination of Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking, where he planned and delivered UK wide intensification periods of activity. Lewis spent his last years of service as an International Liaison Officer dealing with Organised Immigration Crime in Ankara, Turkey.
Since 2014 Lewis has been a part-time member of a Safeguarding Review Panel for the Football Association (FA), making risk management decisions regarding safeguarding children with persons connected to FA.
Lewis has also carried out a number of investigations within schools. These investigations are highly confidential matters, and Lewis would produce a structured report of his investigations for the appropriate body, school or Council.
Karina Palmer
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In 2021 Karina Palmer joined Proactive Safeguarding. Karina is a qualified Social Worker with over 15 years’ experience in the UK. Her last 3 years working for Royal Borough of Greenwich, Karina carried out audits and quality assurance work in residential settings for adults.
Karina is the administrator and coordinator for Proactive Safeguarding and also joins auditors to type into the reports on the day of the auditing.
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Safeguarding Reviews/Audits
We carry out detailed safeguarding audits at your school or setting. This entails a review of the child protection arrangements and safeguarding systems and processes in your school or setting.
We have devised an audit tool that covers a wide range of safeguarding domains, for example policies, processes, safer recruitment, single central record as well as the behaviour and welfare of children and young people in your setting.
Training
We deliver a range of training courses and can design, develop, and deliver bespoke Child Protection & Safeguarding Training to suit your requirements. We deliver our Training Courses throughout the UK, face to face or virtually.
Ken has successfully completed Train the Trainer courses. His training style comes from many years of hands on experience both within the police and children's services dealing with a wide range and sometimes complex cases of child protection.
Our training courses focus on how to keep children safe, how to recognise, respond, refer and record child abuse and safeguarding situations. All training is delivered through a blend of PowerPoint, group discussion, case studies and exercises.
Safeguarding Audits
Policies & Procedures
Safeguarding Governance
Training Need Analysis
Prepare for Inspection
Investigations & Case Reviews
Courses
Safeguarding Panel Review member for the Football Association (FA)
Safeguarding Trustee for the Charlton Athletic Community Trust
Middlesex Cricket
County Safeguarding Officer
CLIENTS
Local Authority
Schools, Parents & Carers
Foster Agencies & Professionals
Woodhill Primary School
I had the privilege of benefiting from Ken's expertise knowledge when working as a Headteacher. Leading in a school with complex challenges and multiple needs, it was reassuring to know that Ken would always be available to provide sound advice in a calm and sensible manner. Although Ken supported a vast number of schools, he was always available on the end of the phone and responded rapidly to messages and emails - usually with a phone call. Ken also delivered first-class staff training that was accessible and memorable. He is tenacious, highly dedicated, and extremely supportive. I would strongly recommend Ken to any colleagues seeking support or staff training
Browns School
‘Ensure that I’m kept up-to-date with current legislation and remember the phrase think the unthinkable and remember the focus must be on the child’
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‘Great training, thank you’
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‘Ken had excellent knowledge and understanding of safeguarding’
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‘It has given me confidence in my teaching and managing a safeguarding situation’
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‘Good course, lots of interesting discussion’
Halley Academy
Lead DSL feedback from Advanced DSL training
The training was informative and engaging. All of our staff who attended the DSL training were impressed by Ken's expertise. His vast experience is evident, his examples are relevant, and his presentation is calm and assured.
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It was the best DSL training I've done.
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