What to Ask Schools About Safeguarding Before You Say Yes
By Stephanie Johnson, LICSW
Recruitment season is here. Over the next few months, international schools will finalize their hiring plans, and educators will update CVs, register for recruitment fairs, and line up interviews.
Much of what’s written about safer recruitment focuses on the school’s side of the table, and for good reason. At EncircleSafe, we advise schools to build a wide range of safer recruitment practices into every hire. These range from background and reference checks to interview questions that explore a candidate’s understanding of child protection.
But interviews are a two-way street. Candidates can and should ask schools about their safeguarding systems too. A lack of safeguarding structure is often a major source of stress for teachers and school counselors, and the interview is your best chance to find out what you’d be walking into.
Why Asking About Safeguarding Matters
When we talk about safeguarding, we mean more than responding after a child has been harmed. It’s the whole system a school builds to prevent harm and support students’ wellbeing, from policies and training to the everyday culture of the building. (Andrea Diamant has explored this distinction beautifully in the REC blog post “Creating Safety Across Every Context.”)
Asking a school directly about its safeguarding practices does more than satisfy your own curiosity.
You learn how established the school’s practices really are. Clear, specific answers suggest mature systems. Vague or hesitant answers tell you something, too.
You signal your commitment to student safety. Questions about safeguarding show interviewers that you take your responsibility to students seriously. If you’re interested in growing into a safeguarding role, such as joining a child protection team, these questions are also a natural way to show that interest.
You help raise the standard for international schools as a whole. Every candidate who asks these questions reinforces the expectation that strong safeguarding systems are standard practice. It’s also a reminder that good safeguarding protects teachers and counselors as well as students.
What to Look for Before the Interview
Your research can start well before you sit down with a school leader. These signs point to a school’s understanding of, and commitment to, safeguarding best practices:
- A commitment to safeguarding in its job postings and on its website
- Background check and reference requirements
- Safeguarding statements or declarations on the application form
These signs line up with current international guidance. The International Taskforce on Child Protection (ITFCP) updated its Safer Recruitment Checklist in 2024. The checklist expects schools to state their commitment to safeguarding in job postings and on their websites. It also calls for criminal record and reference checks and for safeguarding questions in the first round of interviews.
Safeguarding Questions to Ask in Your Interview
These questions can open a meaningful conversation about a school’s safeguarding culture:
- What are the primary safeguarding issues at this school? How do you measure them, and how do you address trends and systemic concerns?
- What programs do you have in place to support safeguarding? Listen for whether the school mentions curriculum, staff training, and reporting structures.
- How do you identify and support students of concern? How does your behavior policy align with student support?
- How do you gather student voice and measure student satisfaction? What would students say about your school, and how do you make sure all voices are heard? Are there country-specific issues that might challenge students’ identity and sense of belonging?
- What safeguarding onboarding and training can I expect if I’m hired? Ask whether training happens before you start working with students and how often it’s refreshed.
Strong answers tend to be specific. A school with established systems can usually describe who leads safeguarding, how and when staff are trained, and what happens after a concern is raised. A general answer isn’t necessarily a red flag on its own, but it’s worth a follow-up question.
If you’re worried that asking will make you seem difficult, consider how it lands on the other side of the table. A school that values safeguarding will welcome the conversation.
Clear Systems Protect Everyone
Safer recruitment is a vital part of every school’s safeguarding system. As you interview this season, expect to be asked about safeguarding, and come ready with questions of your own. Clear systems protect young people. They also give staff the clarity and structure they need for professional safety and job satisfaction.
Visit encirclesafe.com to learn more about safeguarding in international schools.
