Putting the pieces Together

get in touch

sara@sarahedger.com

Mission

To create safe ‘cultures of CARE’ that

champion the rights of children

Cultures that are Child-centred,

Advocate, Respond and Educate

Feedback

Why choose Sara Hedger Consultant LLC?

Balancing trust, reputation, and integrity whilst prioritising the welfare

of children, staff, and the organisation.

I leverage 25 years of safeguarding experience, leading schools in the UK and worldwide to provide organisations with personalised and innovative solutions in environments with many competing demands. As someone who has worked closely with children and families, individual schools, school groups, government entities, charities and NGOs, I have a deep understanding of these unique contexts and the often intense pressure on organisations to get ‘safeguarding right’. My advice and guidance therefore is focused on ensuring that safeguarding is a way of working, rather than just a compliance exercise.

I am committed to prioritising child welfare and providing practical, risk-informed recommendations.

My approach is pragmatic and collaborative, ensuring that any advice and guidance is not only relevant but also achievable, and has a significant impact.

Services Summary

Clients

• Rashid and Latifa School, UAE
• New Century Education, UAE
• TES, International online training, UK
• XCL Education, Singapore
• Kampala International School, Uganda
• Heritage International School, Uganda
• American International School, Riyadh
• Al Futtaim Education Foundation, UAE
• Universal American School, Dubai
• Deira International School, Dubai
• Belvedere International School, UAE
• Bloom Education, Abu Dhabi
• NGO Digital Safety, UAE
• 10K Schools, Advisory Board
• EqualEd volunteacher charity, Pakistan, Asia, Africa
  

Click on a logo to see project examples

Writing about what matters

Raising awareness and battling the stigma of mental health with Mentl.space

Or click on an image

Mentl Awards 2023

Other SME work

UAE Mentl Awards 2023 - Judge

International Task Force for Child Protection: Working group for Data

EqualEd

10K schools - Advisory Board member

Tailored Strategic Safeguarding Consultancy

Options include:

• Personalised consultation services, that enhance your organisation's safeguarding strategies, operations, policies, culture, and governance
• Development of best-practice pastoral structures
• High-quality CPD tailored to individual country and school context
• Policy development and implementation planning
• Safeguarding Health Checks and quality assurance
• Strategic Governance Review
• Guidance for safe school start-up: from pre-ops to opening, including safer recruitment practices
• Pre-Inspection, accreditation, and compliance assessments
• Business development and safeguarding innovation
• Pragmatic risk management to safeguard reputation and credibility
• Educational safeguarding academic research and policy SME
• Training and mentoring for Designated Safeguarding Leads
• Board membership opportunities

Training and Professional Development

Transform your school or organisation's culture with tailored sessions embedding a positive safeguarding culture among well-trained and committed staff who deliver your vision to work in the best interests of children and protect them effectively.

Customised training and professional development, conducted on-site after an initial discovery meeting.

Online delivery can be arranged in certain circumstances - please contact me for details.

Options:

• Level 1: Safeguarding Basic Awareness - whole staff, groups of staff/volunteers - 2 hours

• Level 2: Safeguarding and Child Protection for SLT, senior leaders and Governors - 3 hours

• Level 2: The role of the Safeguarding Governor - for new or existing Safeguarding Governors in international schools to attend with their DSLs - 1.5 hours

• Level 2: Safer Recruitment in International Education - for Governors, SLT, Hiring Managers, HR - 1 day

• Level 3: Designated Safeguarding Lead - 2 days: 1.5 days best practice training plus 0.5-day follow-up workshop navigating case management in your specific local context through safeguarding and child protection scenarios.

• DSL subject specific training - see professional development.
  

• UAE Code of Conduct and Safe Working Practice - 2 hours
  

• Teaching complex concepts in Digital Safety - Early Years Educators - 3 hours
  

• Effective risk assessment in Safeguarding - 2 hours

DSL Bitesize - Workshops for DSLs on a variety of topics

• having difficult conversations,
• dealing with disclosures,
• working with Governors,
• working with parents,
• risk assessment
• sending nudes: managing an incident.
  

To book training, enquire about topic-specific CPD or if you have a request for CPD not listed yet

please email me at sara@sarahedger.com

Casework and Crisis Management

Service Options

• Specialist advice and guidance on complex casework and incident support
  
• Post-incident learning reviews
  
• Independent risk review including reputational risk analysis
  
• Support for management of allegations against adults
  

I possess extensive hands-on experience as both a frontline practitioner and advisory specialist. Having worked across multiple countries, I am well-versed in the challenges of safeguarding children in education.

My approach to crisis management emphasises not only immediate child welfare but also focuses on long-term preventive measures and mitigation strategies. I offer a composed, structured, and pragmatic response to high-stress situations, providing staff with practical advice during crises that threaten the safety and well-being of children.

I offer impartial guidance based on local laws and international best practice, prioritising the child's best interests and the well-being of the team.

Project Examples

New Century Education, Abu Dhabi

Developing policies, systems, processes and training

for a rapidly expanding group of charter schools.

• Review and revision of group safeguarding policies with implementation strategy.
• Design and delivery of Code of Conduct training for UAE educators with English and Arabic translation
  
• Creation and delivery of tailored Basic Awareness in Safeguarding training for 600 new staff
  
• Training and formal support for new Designated Safeguarding Leads and Deputies
  

Rashid and Latifa School, UAE

‘Safeguarding by design’ project:

co-developing a safeguarding eco-system

Kampala International School, Uganda

Training programme for new DSLs

• Review of existing policy and procedures building on existing good practice
• Creation and delivery of an online training program for DSLs and senior leaders, incorporating school vision, global best practice, Ugandan context, laws, and local arrangements
  

• Crafting of a unique safeguarding strategy aligned with the school’s vision and values.
• Establishment of a dynamic policy framework with ongoing reviews
• Creation of a Quality Assurance framework
• Design of a training program for every category of adults in the school community.
• Creation of an innovative Pastoral support model
• Completion of a pre-operations environmental safeguarding review

email

sara@sarahedger.com

LinkedIn

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Instagram

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Location

United Arab Emirates

"For any enquiries about my consultancy work please email me.

To stay up-to-date with my latest endeavours, head over to my social pages or use the links on

this website.

I look forward to hearing from you" Sara