Avoiding Alert Fatigue
Alert fatigue occurs when staff receive so many alerts that they stop reviewing them carefully. Aim for alerts that are:- Relevant - Aligned with your safeguarding priorities
- Actionable - Staff can respond appropriately
- Focused - High signal-to-noise ratio
Getting Started
Start with Essential Rules
When first setting up alerts, focus on your highest-priority safeguarding concerns: Recommended starter rules:-
Child Protection Disclosures
- Category: Child Protection
- Recipients: DSL, Deputy DSL
-
Self-Harm Incidents
- Category: Self-Harm
- Recipients: DSL, Mental Health Lead
-
Looked After Children
- Student Group: LAC Students
- Recipients: Designated Teacher, DSL
Rule Design Tips
Combine Criteria for Precision
Instead of creating separate rules for each scenario, combine criteria to create targeted alerts: Less effective:- Rule 1: Any bullying incident (too broad)
- Rule 2: Any Year 7 incident (too broad)
- Combined rule: Bullying incidents involving Year 7 students (specific and actionable)
Use Student Groups Strategically
Student groups are powerful for targeting alerts to vulnerable populations: Useful student groups for alerts:- Looked After Children (LAC)
- Students on Child Protection plans
- Students with EHCP
- Pupil Premium students
Keep student group membership up to date. Alerts rely on accurate group data.
Name Rules Clearly
Good rule names help staff immediately understand the concern:| Less Clear | More Clear |
|---|---|
| ”Rule 1" | "Self-Harm - All Students" |
| "Bullying alert" | "Bullying Incidents - Year 7" |
| "LAC" | "Any Incident - LAC Students” |
Common Rule Patterns
Category-Focused Rules
Alert on specific incident types that always require senior staff awareness:- Child protection disclosures
- Self-harm or suicidal ideation
- Sexual abuse concerns
- Serious physical harm
Student-Group-Focused Rules
Alert when any incident involves students from vulnerable groups:- Looked After Children
- Children on CP/CIN plans
- Students with mental health support plans
Location-Focused Rules
Monitor specific areas where incidents may require attention:- Unsupervised areas
- Areas with previous incident clusters
- Off-site locations
Managing Alert Volume
If Receiving Too Many Alerts
- Review rule criteria: Are rules too broad?
- Combine criteria: Add filters to narrow scope
- Prioritize: Focus on critical categories
- Remove duplicates: Check for overlapping rules
If Receiving Too Few Alerts
- Check rule criteria: Are they too restrictive?
- Verify data: Are categories being selected on incidents?
- Check recipients: Are the right people included?
- Review enabled status: Are rules active?
Periodic Review
Monthly Check
- Are alerts being actioned appropriately?
- Are any rules triggering without useful outcomes?
- Do recipients still need to receive these alerts?
Termly Review
- Do rules reflect current safeguarding priorities?
- Have student groups changed?
- Are there new categories that need alert rules?
Annual Review
- Full audit of all alert rules
- Remove outdated rules
- Align with updated safeguarding policy
Troubleshooting
Staff are overwhelmed by alerts
Staff are overwhelmed by alerts
- Review which rules trigger most frequently
- Add criteria to make rules more specific
- Route alerts to appropriate staff via user groups
- Remove rules without actionable outcomes
Important incidents aren't generating alerts
Important incidents aren't generating alerts
- Check category is selected correctly on incidents
- Verify rule criteria matches incident characteristics
- Ensure recipients are configured
- Check rule is enabled
Same incident triggers multiple alerts
Same incident triggers multiple alerts
- Review rules for overlapping criteria
- Consider consolidating similar rules
- May be intentional if different staff need notification