Partnership Assurance Declarations

Section 11 of The Children's Act 2004

The Section 11 Assurance Declaration is a key component of the Gloucestershire Safeguarding Children Partnership’s commitment to ensuring that all organisations working with children and young people meet their statutory safeguarding responsibilities under Section 11 of the Children Act 2004.

The protocol below outlines the expectations for agencies to demonstrate how they safeguard and promote the welfare of children. It provides a structured framework for self-assessment, enabling organisations to reflect on their safeguarding practices, identify areas for improvement, and evidence compliance with statutory duties.

The GSCP uses this declaration to monitor and support continuous improvement across the partnership, ensuring that safeguarding remains a shared priority. The process encourages transparency, accountability, and collaboration, helping to create a safer environment for children and young people across Gloucestershire.

Keeping Children Safe in Education Assurance Declaration

Educational settings have a statutory duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, as outlined in Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSiE). Under the Gloucestershire Safeguarding Children Partnership (GSCP) published arrangements, the GSCP Executive is responsible for gaining assurance that all educational settings across Gloucestershire are meeting these legal safeguarding obligations.

To support this, each setting is required to complete a self-assessment via the GSCP online portal. This process helps settings reflect on their safeguarding responsibilities, demonstrate compliance with legislation including Working Together to Safeguard Children, KCSiE, and Sections 175 and 157 of the Education Act 2002, and provide assurance to the GSCP Executive.

The assurance declaration is not an inspection or judgement of safeguarding arrangements. That responsibility lies with Ofsted, whose findings may also inform the GSCP’s assurance process. Instead, this declaration allows settings to confirm their understanding and implementation of safeguarding duties.

This declaration is a statutory requirement and should be embedded within each setting’s governance and self-assessment processes. It is intended to be a live document, regularly reviewed by the Governing Body, Board of Trustees, Management Committee, or Proprietor, and integrated into routine safeguarding reporting.

To complete the assurance declaration, please sign in via the GSCP Audit Portal. Guidance on using the platform is available in the KCSiE Assurance Declaration Procedure document.

Please note: declarations must be completed online and the procedure document is for reference only.

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Section 3 Assurance Declaration

Early Years providers have a statutory duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, as outlined in Section 3 of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework. Under the Gloucestershire Safeguarding Children Partnership (GSCP) arrangements, all Childminders and Daycare Providers are required to complete a self-assessment via the GSCP online portal.

This assurance declaration supports providers in demonstrating their understanding of safeguarding responsibilities under Working Together to Safeguard Children and the EYFS framework. It is not an inspection of safeguarding quality, which remains the responsibility of Ofsted, but a tool for confirming compliance and accountability.

The EYFS Section 3 Assurance Declaration is a statutory requirement and should be embedded within each setting’s governance and self-assessment processes. It is a live document that must be regularly reviewed and updated.

To complete the declaration, please sign in via the GSCP Audit Portal. Guidance is available in the EYFS Section 3 Declaration Procedure document. All declarations must be completed online.