Chapter 01
What Belongs to You?
Purpose
Establish bodily autonomy, rights and the distinction between intention and impact before naming FGM.
Ask
Can somebody intend to help or protect another person and still make a harmful decision?
Listen for
- affection does not remove rights
- intent and impact are different
- traditions can be questioned without attacking a whole culture or family
- safety is not determined only by somebody’s intentions
Misconception
If a parent loves a child, they would never do something harmful.
Response
Love and harmful decisions are not mutually exclusive. Safeguarding looks at what may happen to the child, not simply what somebody intended.
Safeguarding
Do not invite examples from pupils’ own families. Do not ask: ‘Has anyone ever made a decision about your body that you disliked?’ Keep all discussion general.
Adapt
Provide the statements in plain language and allow verbal, symbol-supported or paired responses.
Stretch
Why might it be difficult to challenge something if the people involved believe it is caring, necessary or traditional?
Chapter 02
Katie’s Summer
Purpose
Teach evidence-based safeguarding reasoning while actively preventing racial, cultural or religious stereotyping.
Ask
What changed between the first version of the situation and the second?
Listen for
- travel itself is neutral
- concern comes from additional information
- risk is contextual
- pupils can change an answer when evidence changes
- ‘not enough information’ is legitimate
Misconception
Girls from certain countries or communities are automatically at risk.
Response
No. Safeguarding decisions must never be based simply on somebody’s ethnicity, religion, nationality or community. We look at information about the individual situation.
Safeguarding
Never ask pupils where their family travels, whether relatives have had FGM, what community they belong to, whether their parents support FGM, or whether ceremonies take place in their family. Do not turn real pupils into case studies.
Adapt
Use three physical or digital response areas: INFORMATION, ASSUMPTION and NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION. Allow pupils to point rather than speak.
Stretch
Why can acting on stereotypes be harmful even when somebody believes they are trying to protect a child?
Chapter 03
Something Doesn’t Feel Right
Purpose
Move pupils from noticing concern to safe help-seeking without turning them into investigators.
Ask
What does a friend need to know before asking an adult for help? Expected answer: They do not need proof.
Listen for
- listening
- taking concern seriously
- not interrogating
- not promising secrecy
- involving an appropriate trusted adult
- protecting privacy
- avoiding confrontation with family
Misconception
You should find out whether it is definitely happening before telling anyone.
Response
No. A young person is not responsible for investigating or proving a safeguarding concern.
Safeguarding
Do not ask: ‘Has anyone ever told you something like this?’ Do not invite disclosure in front of the class. If a pupil becomes distressed, say: ‘You don’t need to explain anything in front of the class. You can take a break or speak to me privately.’ Follow the school’s safeguarding procedures if a concern arises.
Adapt
Allow individual silent response, paired discussion, non-verbal response, teacher read-aloud, additional processing time and the pass option. Do not require a pupil to explain why they pass.
Stretch
What is the difference between taking somebody seriously and assuming you already know what happened?
Chapter 04
What Is FGM/C?
Purpose
Give pupils an accurate definition without using shock tactics or unnecessary anatomical detail.
Ask
What makes FGM a safeguarding and human-rights issue?
Listen for
- non-medical injury
- no health benefit
- human rights
- physical and emotional harm
- survivor dignity
Misconception
Graphic detail is needed for pupils to understand harm.
Response
No. Accurate, restrained information is sufficient.
Safeguarding
Avoid procedural reconstruction, graphic images, community-labelling and language that treats survivors as damaged or incomplete.
Adapt
Pre-teach key words and allow private, verbal, written or symbol-supported responses.
Stretch
Why can precise, non-graphic language be more effective than shock tactics?
Chapter 05
Myth, Fact or Not Enough Information?
Purpose
Separate evidence from myth without stereotyping.
Ask
What evidence supports that?
Listen for
- accurate facts
- context
- not enough information
- families are not single opinions
Misconception
Travel or identity proves risk.
Response
Travel alone is not proof. Safeguarding requires context and evidence.
Safeguarding
Do not invite pupils to name communities, religions or family practices.
Adapt
Use three clearly labelled response areas and allow pointing.
Stretch
How can a myth create safeguarding harm?
Chapter 06
Why Might Someone Stay Silent?
Purpose
Build empathy for barriers to disclosure without asking pupils for personal disclosures.
Ask
Why might Katie delay asking for help even when she is worried?
Listen for
- fear
- loyalty
- uncertainty
- privacy
- worry about consequences
Misconception
Silence means consent.
Response
Silence does not mean consent.
Safeguarding
Distance the discussion from pupils. Ask about Katie, not whether pupils themselves would tell.
Adapt
Offer additional processing time, paired rehearsal and pass.
Stretch
How can adults make speaking feel safer?
Chapter 07
Help Without Investigating
Purpose
Teach safe friend behaviour.
Ask
Could this action increase risk?
Listen for
- listen
- take fear seriously
- do not investigate
- reach an appropriate adult
- protect privacy
Misconception
A friend should gather proof first.
Response
A friend is not responsible for investigating.
Safeguarding
No examination, searching belongings, confrontation, online disclosure or promise of absolute secrecy.
Adapt
Read each action aloud and allow click, tap or non-verbal response.
Stretch
What is the difference between privacy and secrecy?
Chapter 08
What Should an Adult Do?
Purpose
Model a calm, safe professional response.
Ask
Why is this response safer?
Listen for
- listen
- limits of confidentiality
- privacy
- procedure
- no leading questions
Misconception
A trusted adult should prove what happened.
Response
Safeguarding is not amateur detective work.
Safeguarding
Listen, record appropriately and follow procedure. Do not interrogate, examine or confront family.
Adapt
Provide the response as text and teacher read-aloud.
Stretch
Why should information be shared only with people who need it?
Chapter 09
The Law and Protection
Purpose
Explain prevention and protection without testing pupils on professional reporting technicalities.
Ask
Can protection happen before harm occurs?
Listen for
- FGM is illegal
- protection before harm
- law is local
- adult responsibility
Misconception
A child needs to know every legal rule before asking for help.
Response
Your job is to speak. Their job is to respond safely.
Safeguarding
Keep the known-case and suspected-risk distinction in professional view.
Adapt
Use plain-language summaries and avoid dense legal text in pupil view.
Stretch
Why are rights global while law is local?
Chapter 10
Change the Story
Purpose
Consolidate learning through agency and change without inviting disclosure.
Ask
What changed your mind?
Listen for
- evidence
- safe help
- no investigation
- rights
- collective responsibility
Misconception
Ending FGM is only girls’ work.
Response
Boys, men, families, professionals, communities and institutions all have roles in change.
Safeguarding
Do not ask pupils to write themselves into an FGM scenario or disclose family history.
Adapt
Allow writing, drawing, audio or discussion without compulsory public sharing.
Stretch
How can one safe adult response change the direction of a story?