Safeguarding/Child Protection Policy
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Para. |
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Named staff with specific child protection responsibilities & other contacts |
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3 |
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Introduction |
1 – 5 |
4 |
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School Commitment |
6 – 7 |
5 |
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Roles and Responsibilities - General |
8 – 9 |
5 |
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Roles and Responsibilities of the Governing Body |
10 |
5 & 6 |
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Roles and Responsibilities of the Headteacher |
11 |
6 & 7 |
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Roles and Responsibilities of the Designated Senior Person for Child Protection |
12 |
7 & 8 |
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Records & Monitoring |
13 -17 |
8 & 9 |
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Vulnerable Children – Supporting Pupils at Risk |
18 |
9 |
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Support for Staff |
19 – 21 |
9 |
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Other Relevant Policies |
22 |
9 & 10 |
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Complaints or Concerns Expressed by Pupils |
23 |
10 |
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Recruitment and Selection of Staff |
24 |
10 |
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Appendix 1 - Procedure to follow in cases of possible, alleged or suspected abuse, or serious cause for concern about a child |
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11 - 13 |
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Appendix 2 - Procedure for allegations against staff and volunteers |
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14 – 19 |
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Appendix 3 - Information for Parents |
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20 |
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Appendix 4 – Case Incident Form |
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21 - 24 |
· Designated Senior Person for Child Protection: Christine Horsfall, School Principal
· Nominated Governor: Sheila Corbett
· Access & Welfare Service contacts for advice and guidance:
~ Team Leader Welfare: 0116 305 6584
~ Deputy Service Manager: 0116 305 8162
~ Child Protection Development Officer: 0116 305 7317
~ Service Manager: 0116 305 6324
· the legal duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, as described in section 175 of the Education Act 2002 and the DCSF guidance Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment (January 2007);
· the Local Children’s Safeguarding Board (LCSB) Procedures, which contain the inter-agency processes, protocols and expectations for safeguarding children;
· Leicestershire Children & Young People’s Service Policy and Procedures "Safeguarding Children in Education" (Administration Memorandum 76).
· Prevention (e.g. positive school atmosphere, teaching and pastoral support to pupils;
· Protection (by following agreed procedures, ensuring staff are trained and supported to respond appropriately and sensitively to Child Protection concerns;
· Support (to pupils and school staff and to children who may have been abused);
· Working with parents (to ensure appropriate communications and actions are undertaken).
· Establish and maintain an ethos where children feel secure and are encouraged to talk, and are listened to;
· Ensure that children know that there are adults in the school whom they can approach if they are worried or are in difficulty;
· Include in the curriculum activities and opportunities for PSHE/Citizenship which equip children with the skills they need to stay safe from abuse, and which will help children develop realistic attitudes to the responsibilities of adult life, particularly with regard to childcare and parenting skills;
· Ensure every effort is made to establish effective working relationships with parents and colleagues from other agencies;
· Operate safe recruitment procedures and make sure that all appropriate checks are carried out on new staff and volunteers who will work with children, including references and Criminal Record Bureau and List 99 checks.
In accordance with the DCSF document Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education, the Governing Body will ensure the following.
10.1 The school has a safeguarding/child protection policy and procedures in place, and the policy is made available to parents on request.
10.2 The school operates safe recruitment practices, including appropriate use of references and checks on new staff and volunteers. Furthermore the Headteacher and a nominated Governor have undertaken the NCSL safer recruitment on-line training and assessment and that other senior members of staff, if involved in leading on recruitment, have undertaken the NCSL off-line safer recruitment training and assessment
10.3 There are procedures for dealing with allegations of abuse against members of staff and volunteers (see Appendix 2).
10.4 There is a senior member of the school’s leadership team who is designated to take lead responsibility for dealing with child protection (the "Designated Senior Person for Child Protection").
10.5 The Designated Senior Person for Child Protection undertakes training, in addition to basic child protection training, in inter-agency working that is provided by, or to standards agreed by, the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB), and has refresher training at two-yearly intervals.
10.6 The Headteacher, and all other staff and volunteers who work with children, undertake appropriate training which is kept up-to-date by refresher training at three-yearly intervals; and that new staff, temporary staff and volunteers who work with children are made aware of the school’s arrangements for child protection and their responsibilities. (Through the induction process)
10.7 Any deficiencies or weaknesses brought to the attention of the Governing Body are rectified.
10.8 The Chair of Governors (or, in the absence of a Chair, the Vice Chair) deals with any allegations of abuse made against the Headteacher, in liaison with the Local Authority.
10.9 Policies and procedures are reviewed annually, and information is provided to the Local Authority on how the Governing Body discharges its duties regarding safeguarding and child protection.
10.10 There is an individual member of the Governing Body who will champion issues to do with safeguarding children and child protection within the school, liaise with the Designated Senior Person for Child Protection, and provide information and reports to the Governing Body.
the policies and procedures adopted by the Governing Body are fully implemented, and followed by all staff;
sufficient resources and time are allocated to enable the Designated Senior Person for Child Protection and other staff to discharge their responsibilities, including taking part in strategy discussions and other inter-agency meetings, and contributing to the assessment of children;
all staff and volunteers feel able to raise concerns about poor or unsafe practice in regard to children, and such concerns are addressed sensitively and effectively in a timely manner.
12. The Designated Senior Person for Child Protection is the first point of contact for liaison with and the provision of information to the Local Authority, to fulfil the duty of the Governing Body in this regard. The role of the Designated Senior Person for Child Protection includes:
13. Well-kept records are essential to good child protection practice. All staff are clear about the need to record and report concerns about a child or children within our school. The Designated Senior Person for Child Protection is responsible for such records and for deciding at what point these records should be passed over to other agencies.
14. Records relating to actual or alleged abuse or neglect are stored apart from normal pupil or staff records including any CAF (common assessment framework) forms. Normal records have markers to show that there is sensitive material stored elsewhere. This is to protect individuals from accidental access to sensitive material by those who do not need to know.
15. Child protection records are stored securely, with access confined to specific staff, i.e. the Designated Senior Person for Child Protection, the Headteacher and the Deputy Headteacher (or the next most senior member of staff).
16. Child protection records are reviewed regularly to check whether any action or updating is needed. This includes monitoring patterns of complaints or concerns about any individuals and ensuring these are acted upon.
17. Transfer: When children transfer school their records are transferred. If there is child protection material, this is transferred separately and direct to the relevant member of staff in the receiving school, with any necessary discussion or explanation. A record is kept of the date of such transfer of sensitive files and of the person to whom they are transferred. In the event of a child moving out of area and a physical handover not being possible then the most secure method should be found to transfer the confidential records. This would include informing a senior member of the new school that the records are being sent and a photocopy kept and then destroyed when the new school confirms receipt of the records.
18. Our school recognizes that children who are abused or who witness violence may find it difficult to develop a sense of self-worth and view the world in a positive way. For such children school may be one of the few stable, secure and predictable components of their lives. Other children may be vulnerable because, for instance, they have a disability, are in care, or are experiencing some form of neglect. We will seek to provide such children with the necessary support and to build their self-esteem and confidence.
19. Staff as part of their duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people may hear information, either from the child/young person as part of a disclosure or from another adult that will be emotionally upsetting.
20. Where a member of staff is emotionally disturbed as a result of dealing with a child protection concern, he/she should in the first instance speak to the Designated Senior Person for Child Protection about the support he/she requires.
21. The Designated Senior Person for Child Protection for Child Protection should seek to arrange support for the member of staff via the Employee Welfare Service. Alternatively, the Designated Senior person for Child Protection can refer the member of staff to Victim Support, a national charity which helps people affected by crime and which provides free and confidential support.
22. The Governing Body’s legal responsibility for safeguarding the welfare of children goes beyond pure child protection. The duty is now to ensure that safeguarding permeates all activity and functions. This policy therefore complements and supports a range of other policies, for instance:
· Behaviour Management
· Anti-Bullying
· Physical Interventions/Restraint
· Special Educational Needs
· Trips and visits
· Work experience and extended work placements
· First aid and the administration of medicines
· Health and Safety
· Sex Education
· Site Security
· Equal Opportunities
· Toileting/Intimate care
· ICT and access to the internet
· Extended school activities.
23. Burleigh Community College recognises that listening to children/young people is an important and essential part of safeguarding them against abuse and neglect. To this end any expression of dissatisfaction or disquiet in relation to an individual child/young person will be listened to and acted upon to in order to safeguard his/her welfare. We will also seek to ensure that the individual child/young person who makes a complaint is informed not only about the action the school will take but also the length of time that will be required to resolve the complaint. The school will also endeavour to keep the child/young person regularly informed as to the progress of his/her complaint.
24. The school’s processes conform to the DCSF Guidance: Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education January 2007. If the school is asked to provide references for a member of staff about whom there have been concerns about child protection/inappropriate conduct, then they have a duty to make those concerns know. If they are unsure of how to do this then the school will need to contact HR department.
25. The school maintains a "vigilant School" policy by adopting a code of conduct and having an induction process that includes elements on safeguarding. (DCSF have "Guidance for safer working Practice for the protection of children and staff in educational settings" available through teachernet or the Child Protection Development Officer based at County hall)
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A |
General |
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B |
Individual Staff/Volunteers/Other Adults - main procedural steps |
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C |
Designated Senior Person for Child Protection – main procedural steps |
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1) Begin a case file which will hold a record of communications and actions in a coherent order, to be stored securely (see Section on Records and Monitoring).
2) Where initial enquiries do not justify a referral to the investigating agencies inform the initiating adult and monitor the situation. If in doubt, seek advice from the Access & Welfare Service or children’s social care.
3) Share information confidentially with those who need to know.
4) Where the initial information reveals a cause for concern about a child in need (s17, Children Act 1989) and a decision has been made to refer the child/young person to children’s social care, the Inter-agency Referral Proforma must be completed (see the Guidance Notes for the inter-agency Referral Proforma for Children in Need and their Families). Alternatively, if the initial information reveals a cause for concern that equates to child protection (s47, Children Act 1989), contact must be made immediately with children’s social care, and then the Inter-agency Referral Proforma completed within 24 hours.
5) Make the necessary communications with the local children’s social care office.
6) If the concern is about children using sexually abusive behaviour, refer to the separate guidance. See chapter 9 in the LSCB procedures.
7) If it appears that urgent medical attention is required arrange for the child to be taken to hospital (normally this means calling an ambulance) accompanied by a member of staff who must inform medical staff that non-accidental injury is suspected. Parents must be informed that the child has been taken to hospital.
8) Exceptional circumstances: If it is feared that the child might be at immediate risk on leaving school, take advice from children’s social care (for instance about difficulties if the school day has ended, or on whether to contact the police). Remain with the child until the Social Worker takes responsibility. If in these circumstances a parent arrives to collect the child, the member of staff has no right to withhold the child. If there are clear signs of physical risk or threat, children’s social care should be updated and the Police should be contacted immediately.
· behaved in a way that has harmed a child, or may have harmed a child;
· possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child; or
· otherwise behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates s/he is unsuitable to work with children.
· DCSF Guidance: Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education January 2007 chapter 5: Dealing with Allegations of Abuse Against Teachers and Other Staff
· LSCB Procedures Chapter 13
1) Individual Staff/Volunteers/Other Adults:
i. Write a dated and timed note of what has been disclosed or noticed, said or done.
ii. Report immediately to the Headteacher.
iii. Pass on the written record.
iv. If the allegation concerns the conduct of the Headteacher, report immediately to the Chair of Governors. Pass on the written record.
(If there is difficulty reporting to the Chair of Governors, contact the Access & Welfare Service as soon as possible.)
2) Headteacher
i. If there is no written record, write a dated and timed note of what has been disclosed or noticed, said or done.
ii. Notify the Access & Welfare Service on the same day.
iii. The Headteacher may be asked to clarify details or the circumstances of the allegation, but this must not amount to an investigation.
iv. Copies of the documents concerning the allegation must be sent to the Access & Welfare Service on the same day, ideally by facsimile.
v. Report to children’s social care in relevant cases, on Access & Welfare Service advice.
vi. Ongoing involvement in cases: liaison with the Access & Welfare Service and co-operation with the investigating agencies enquiries as appropriate; consideration of employment issues and possible disciplinary action where the investigating agencies take no further action.
3) Chair of Governors (only relevant in the case of an allegation against the Headteacher)
i. If there is no written record, write a dated and timed note of what has been disclosed or noticed, said or done.
ii. Notify the Access & Welfare Service on the same day.
iii. The Chair may be asked to clarify details or the circumstances of the allegation, but this must not amount to an investigation.
iv. Copies of the documents concerning the allegation must be sent to the Access & Welfare Service on the same day, ideally by facsimile.
v. Report to children’s social care in relevant cases, on Access & Welfare Service advice; in cases concerning Headteachers, the report to children’s social care is sometimes undertaken by the Access & Welfare Service on behalf of the Chair of Governors, following discussion.
vi. Ongoing involvement in cases: liaison with the Access & Welfare Service and co-operation with the investigating agencies enquiries as appropriate; consideration of employment issues and possible disciplinary action where the investigating agencies take no further action.
4) Access & Welfare Service:
i. Identifies an officer to liaise further the Headteacher (or Chair of Governors if the allegation concerns the Headteacher), in consultation with the relevant Assistant Director of Education, and provides advice on how to proceed.
ii. Monitors cases through its Casework Monitoring Group
iii. Keeps written records.
iv. Liaises with children’s social care and the Police in relevant cases.
v. Makes summary reports to the DCSF on request on the number and sorts of allegations which have occurred.
5) Initial action (Children & Young People’s Service): usually same day or next day if key staff are not immediately available
Discussion involving a senior officer and representatives of the Access & Welfare Service, the Personnel Unit and the Child Protection and Review Unit. This is to:
share what information is available, both from the source of the allegation and also from the Personnel and child protection files
identify what other information might be needed
come to a view on the seriousness of the allegation
consider whether the alleged perpetrator should continue working or remain in contact with children
consider whether suspension is appropriate advice to the school on this aspect
decide what information and/or advice is to be given to the Headteacher (or Chair of Governors if the allegation is about the Headteacher), including whether the member of staff should be informed of the allegation at this stage
~ decide what action is needed, and who needs to be involved and informed.
6) Initial action and discussions (inter-agency)
it may be the subject of a Police and/or joint Police and children’s social care investigation and possible action through the courts (see 10 & 11 below); or
the matter may be remitted to the school to be dealt with (see 13 below)
i. consider whether to consult the CPS about the evidence that will need to be obtained in order to charge the person with an offence without delay;
ii. consult the CPS if the person has not been charged, to consider whether to proceed with the investigation or refer the case back to the employer; (The DCSF expects that where possible a review date should be set no later than 4 weeks after the initial action meeting, with subsequent reviews at least every 4 weeks.)
iii. if the decision is not to prosecute or caution the individual, the Police will pass all relevant and appropriate information they have to the Access & Welfare Service, if practicable, usually within 3 working days. Sections 11 & 12 below then apply.
9) If the case comes to trial, the Crown Prosecution Service is responsible for the timescales, but the DCSF expects that:
i. If the person is charged with an offence, the case will be scheduled to be heard as soon as possible.
ii. Immediately after a trial the Police will provide a report to the education services and in the case of an acquittal will provide all relevant information they have.
i. The Casework Monitoring Group will then consider:
~ share what information is available from the Police
~ identify what other information might be needed
~ come to a view on what advice should be given to the school regarding a course of action
~ consider again whether the alleged perpetrator should be in
post
~ pass the case to the Personnel Unit to contact the school.
ii. The Personnel Unit will discuss the information with the Headteacher (or the Chair of Governors alone if the information is about the Head) to help decide whether a disciplinary hearing or further investigation is needed, usually within 3 working days. See below.
10) Where the matter is remitted to the school to resolve appropriate action, it is expected that initial action will be taken usually within 3 working days. The Personnel Unit will support schools in these circumstances and ensure the timescales are kept.
to resolve appropriate action, it is expected that initial action will be taken The Personnel Unit will support schools in these circumstances and ensure the timescales are kept.11) Where a disciplinary investigation is required the Personnel Unit will support the school according to the level of service purchased by the school. (If the allegations involve the Headteacher, the Personnel support is given to the Chair of Governors regardless of whether the school has purchased Personnel Services.) The Personnel Unit may support the school in various ways, for instance by arranging for an investigation to be conducted by a person independent of the school. An investigating officer should aim to provide a report within 10 working days. If possible a disciplinary hearing should be held within a further 15 working days.
Monitoring casework
Allegations against staff and volunteers will be monitored in the local authority through the regular casework monitoring meeting chaired by the Assistant Director Social Care.
Records
All records and documents about individual allegations against staff and volunteers are kept securely in the Access & Welfare Service, separate from normal staff and child records, and with access limited to officers who may be key workers for cases.
Transfer of records
Where there have been concerns about a member of staff and he/she leaves the authority to work elsewhere, the Casework Monitoring Group will consider the question of passing the concerns to the new employer/authority.
Reporting to the DCSF
Anonymised data on allegations is regularly required by the DCSF from the local authority, particularly to track how quickly cases are progressed.
If on the conclusion of a case the school ceases to use the person’s services, or other the person ceases to provide his/her services, the school should consult the local authority about whether a referral to the DCSF is required.
Contacts and support for staff who are the subject of allegations
Where allegations are made against staff or volunteers, the identified officer in the Access & Welfare Service is the first contact point for the person concerned and his/her representative(s).
The DCSF has included in its guidance the protection of pupils and students in workplace placements and the local authority will consider issuing its own guidance on this in due course.
Abuse of Trust
Abuse of trust: the Sexual Offences Act 2003, which makes it an offence for a person over 18 to have a sexual relationship with a child under 18 where the person is in a position of trust (e.g. teacher, youth worker), even if the relationship is consensual.