School safeguarding recommendations accepted by Balls

Children's Secretary Ed Balls said the government would immediately start to implement Roger Singleton's recommendation that the rules and regulations governing safeguarding in independent schools, boarding schools and non-maintained special schools should be streamlined.

Singleton, who was appointed chief adviser on the safety of children following Lord Laming's review of safeguarding in England, also recommended independent scrutiny of a school's safeguarding arrangements; that independent schools must inform local authorities when a child leaves the school; and that all children who live overseas but go to school in England should be included on database ContactPoint.

Balls said the government would "implement Sir Roger's recommendations alongside the ones made recently by Lord Laming to ensure that this country is the best it can be at protecting and nurturing our children".

Singleton said: "The aims of my recommendations are to promote sensible and proportionate measures to keep every child safe, regardless of the decisions that have been taken about where they are educated and cared for."

Children's minister Delyth Morgan said the government would look at including overseas children on ContactPoint. But the Department for Children, Schools and Families today revealed that work on the database has halted while the government works to solve privacy issues.