AI: The Next Safeguarding Challenge

Sam:

Hello and welcome to another episode of Safeguarding Conversations. Today we're talking about artificial intelligence and the safeguarding implications for schools.

Sara:

But rather than starting with the technology itself, Sam, you make an interesting comparison in your latest article between AI and the arrival of the internet in schools.

Why do you think there are lessons from that period that we need to remember now?

Sam:

Because when the internet first arrived in schools, it was largely regarded as an IT issue. It was new technology, so understandably it tended to sit with the people responsible for computers and technical systems.

But very quickly, we realised it was much bigger than that.

The internet transformed teaching and learning, communication, access to information, the way schools shared data and how they communicated with parents.

And, crucially, it transformed safeguarding too.

Sara:

Because suddenly children weren't just interacting with people they knew locally?

Sam:

Exactly. Gaming, social media and online platforms completely changed children's ability to communicate.

A child's world could suddenly extend far beyond their school, neighbourhood or local community. They could interact with people virtually anywhere.

And unfortunately, that also created new opportunities for people who wanted to harm or exploit children.

Sara:

So schools had to rethink what online safety actually meant?

Sam:

They did. And eventually we learnt a really important lesson: internet safety wasn't simply the responsibility of the IT team.

It involved safeguarding, curriculum, behaviour, data protection, leadership, governance and staff awareness.

It became everybody's responsibility.

Sara:

And your argument is that we're potentially at a similar point with AI now?

Sam:

Absolutely, and not potentially. Although I think there's one important difference.

It's happening much faster.

AI isn't something that's sitting somewhere on the horizon waiting to arrive in schools. It's already here.

It's in devices, applications, search tools and services that staff and pupils are using. And increasingly it's being built into products we already use.

Sara:

So when somebody says, "AI isn't really relevant to me because I don't use ChatGPT", they're potentially missing the bigger picture?

Sam:

Completely.

AI is much broader than a chatbot. And that's why one of the first things staff need is a basic understanding of what AI actually is, where they may encounter it and what its limitations and potential risks are.

Sara:

And that's where the safeguarding element becomes particularly important?

Sam:

Yes. Schools rightly spend time thinking about the opportunities AI offers. There are potentially significant benefits for education.

But we can't look at opportunity without looking at risk.

The DfE now specifically considers the risks and safeguarding implications of generative AI. Its product safety standards also address areas including filtering and monitoring, security, privacy and data protection, and governance.

So this isn't something schools should consider purely from an IT or teaching-and-learning perspective.

Sara:

And presumably school leaders and governors have a role here as well?

Sam:

Very much so.

At leadership and governance level, schools need to think about areas such as how AI is being used, data protection and privacy, which tools are appropriate for an educational environment and how AI fits within the school's wider digital strategy.

The DfE's 2026 leadership resources specifically cover safeguarding, selecting tools safely, enterprise tools, effective CPD and embedding AI within digital strategy.

But one area I think schools need to prioritise is staff awareness and training, and that’s all roles.

Sara:

Why put such an emphasis on staff training?

Sam:

Because safeguarding ultimately relies on people.

We equip staff to notice things, recognise concerns, respond appropriately and pass information on.

But if staff don't understand how AI is changing children's experiences, or the risks associated with the technology, it becomes much harder for them to recognise when something involving AI might also be a safeguarding concern. Essentially to identify AI as an enabler of different types of abuse e.g. financial exploitation, sexual exploitation, bullying, misogyny.

Sara:

So what do staff actually need to understand? We're not suggesting every teacher needs to become an AI expert.

Sam:

Absolutely not.

This isn't about turning teachers into computer scientists.

It's about giving staff enough awareness to understand what AI is, broadly how it works, the difference between different types of AI systems, the implications of putting information into those systems and some of the risks that can arise from their use.

They also need to understand that AI-generated material isn't automatically accurate or trustworthy.

Sara:

Which feels quite similar to the development of online safety. We didn't expect every member of staff to understand how the internet technically worked. We expected them to understand how its use might affect children.

Sam:

That's exactly it.

And we need the same mindset with AI.

The question isn't simply, "How does this technology work?"

It's also, "What could this mean for the child in front of me?"

That's the safeguarding question.

Sara:

And this now sits within a much wider national picture, doesn't it?

Sam:

It does. Schools aren't being left to decide whether AI is relevant to education.

The Department for Education has already produced resources to support the safe and effective use of AI in education, including material specifically addressing safeguarding considerations for staff.

So I think the direction is very clear. AI literacy is becoming increasingly important for school staff.

Sara:

And I think that's an important distinction. This isn't about being anti-AI.

Sam:

Not at all.

AI has the potential to bring real benefits to education. The challenge is making sure its adoption is thoughtful, informed and safe.

We made mistakes when the internet arrived because nobody had experienced anything quite like it before.

We have the opportunity now to apply some of those lessons to AI.

Sara:

So if you could leave school leaders with one message, what would it be?

Sam:

Don't leave AI to the IT team.

Recognise it as a whole-school issue.

Think about leadership and governance. Think about safeguarding. Think about data protection and privacy. Think about teaching and learning.

And importantly, make sure staff understand enough about AI to recognise both its opportunities and its risks.

Because AI will continue developing. Schools need an approach that can develop with it.

Sara:

So perhaps the lesson from the internet is quite simple. The schools that responded well eventually recognised that online safety was everyone's responsibility.

Sam:

Exactly.

And AI is that moment again, only faster.

Sara:

I think that's a really good place to finish.

Thanks for listening to this episode of Safeguarding Conversations. If AI is already being used in your setting, perhaps the question to take away isn't simply, “What can AI do for us?" but also, “Do our staff understand it well enough to use it safely and recognise when it creates a safeguarding concern?"

Sam:

And that's something we're going to need to keep revisiting as the technology continues to develop.

Thanks for listening, and we'll see you next time.