This paper examines how safeguarding professionals in 30 English secondary schools respond to harmful sexual behaviour (HSB), drawing on qualitative data from a three-year action research project. Educators described navigating tensions between procedural compliance, emotional labour and the need for contextually responsive practice. Applying Lang, Little and Cronen’s (1990) domains of production, explanation and aesthetics, the paper conceptualises safeguarding as a multidimensional praxis shaped by systems, meaning-making and relational dynamics. Findings show that safeguarding often privileges compliance over trust, reflexivity and student voice. Staff reported emotional strain and inadequate structural support, while students expressed scepticism towards adult-led safeguarding perceived as disconnected from their experiences. The paper argues for relational and holistic approaches, incorporating restorative practices, student participation and strengths-based work. It calls for a move from reactive, individualised models towards a public health paradigm centred on wellbeing, contextual understanding and the co-production of safety.