Designated safeguarding lead – How to beat burnout
DSLs can be particularly susceptible to burnout – here’s how to make the role more sustainable…
- by Sarah Cook
- Safeguarding consultant and former MAT safeguarding lead
Designated safeguarding leads need to have broad shoulders. They carry many complex responsibilities in a role that seems to get increasingly involved and complex as the years go by.
The role (currently, at least) covers oversight of safeguarding, staff training and guidance, alongside the managing of all safeguarding concerns.
As every designated safeguarding lead will know, it’s a role that’s demanding ever more vigilance, empathy and capacity for decision-making under pressure. And yet, DSLs are only human.
The heightened accountability that comes with the role can sometimes get too much, giving way to stress and even burnout.
It’s crucial, then, that DSLs – alongside their colleagues and line managers – know how to spot the signs of burnout early on. You can then tackle them before they start to present problems (while also adopting longer-term strategies aimed at preventing burnout altogether).
Preventing designated safeguarding lead burnout
When designated safeguarding leads get the help and support they need, through suitable self-care and supervision measures, they can dramatically reduce their levels of stress and susceptibility to burnout. This can improve their standards of decision-making and engagement. Here, then, are six steps for preventing burnout among your DSLs…
1. Know the signs
Burnout can present in a range of ways. This includes:
- fatigue
- loss of confidence
- feeling disconnected or withdrawn from work and colleagues
- physical symptoms such as headaches, stomach problems or disturbed sleep
2. Look after yourself
The wellbeing benefits of regular exercise, such as walking or stretching, are obvious, alongside watching what you eat and staying hydrated. Taking lunch breaks away from your desk can also have a surprisingly positive impact.
You may find that mindfulness and meditation exercises are helpful. Breathing exercises and mindfulness apps can be easily found online – find ones that work for you.
There’s also journaling – the practice of recording reflections on your various daily challenges and achievements to paper.
3. Try a fresh approach
Prioritising tasks and setting realistic goals will help your time management skills. Also try to establish firmer boundaries between work and your personal life.
Commit to leaving at a certain time, and speak out if you feel your workload isn’t manageable. Due to the reactive nature of the role, it’s important to build in capacity by ensuring that at least one trained deputy designated safeguarding lead will be available to support you at those crunch points when urgent tasks have to take priority.
4. Get supervision
The government’s ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ statutory guidance states that those working in the roles of designated safeguarding lead and headteacher should have opportunities to engage in peer learning, knowledge exchange and group supervision.
Designated safeguarding leads will require dedicated time with a trained and trusted colleague to reflect, analyse and strategise about the challenges of individual cases, and the job as a whole.
It seems there’s a clear appetite amongst DSLs for more supervision. Judicium ran a survey of designated safeguarding leads last year, and when asked what they would find most useful in their role, half responded with ‘supervision’.
5. Create a personal wellbeing plan
A written plan can help to identify stress triggers, and assist with planning daily or weekly self-care activities.
It can also help to identify when might be beneficial to ask your line manager for additional support, or identify external resources that you can use.
6. Leaders set the weather
It’s down to line managers and leaders to foster a culture of care, promote flexible work environments and prioritise strategies that demonstrate commitment to their team’s wellbeing. This is in order to foster a healthier, more motivated work environment.
This approach might include:
- encouraging the use of break times and mental health days
- acknowledging and celebrating the work and resilience of designated safeguarding leads in meetings or newsletters
- using supervision as a tool to reduce isolation, facilitate reflection and enhance decision-making
Sarah Cook is a former head of safeguarding at an academy trust with 13 years of experience in safeguarding issues. She is now safeguarding consultant at Judicium Education. Follow on X at @JudiciumSG.
