Safeguarding Children
and Child Protection Policy
Reviewed by Richmond upon Thames LSCB July 2013 and published September 2013
Updated by Clarendon DSP in September 2013
Contents
1. Introduction 2
2. Policy statement, principles and aims 2
3. Terminology 3
4. Context 3
5. Key personnel in the school 4
6. Roles and responsibilities 6
7. Good practice guidelines 7
8. Abuse of trust 7
9. Children who may be particularly vulnerable 7
10. Support for those involved in a child protection issue 8
11. Complaints procedure 8
12. If you have concerns about a colleague 9
13. Allegations against staff 9
14. Staff training 10
15. Safer recruitment 10
16. Extended school and off-site arrangements 10
17. Photography and images 10
18. E-safety 11
19. Safeguarding and child protection procedures 11
Recognising abuse
Bullying
Indicators of abuse
Impact of abuse
Taking action
If you suspect a child is at risk
If a child discloses abuse
Notifying parents
Children with sexually harmful behaviour
Confidentiality and information-sharing
Reporting directly to child protection agencies
Appendices
1 Code of ethical practice for school staff (including visitors) 19
2 Whistle blowing code 20
3 Confirmation of Induction (copy to be signed) 23
4 Photography consent form (under-18s) 24
5 Welfare Concern Form – Clarendon School 25
6 Record of Concern – Clarendon School 28
7 Record of CPD relating to Safeguarding Children & Child Protection Policy 32
8 Additional information in regards to observed marks,
bruising or injuries 33
9 Additional information to support previously completed Welfare
Concern Forms OR Record of Concern 34
1. Introduction
This policy is one of a series in the school’s integrated safeguarding portfolio. Our core safeguarding principles follow.
· It is the school’s responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
· Children who are, and feel, safe make more successful learners.
· Representatives of the whole-school community of pupils, parents, staff and governors will be involved in policy development and review.
· Policies will be reviewed annually, unless an incident or new legislation or guidance suggests the need for an earlier review date.
2. Policy statement, principles and aims
We recognise our moral and statutory responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children. We endeavour to provide a safe and welcoming environment where children are respected and valued. We are alert to the signs of abuse and neglect, and follow our procedures to ensure that children receive effective support, protection and justice.
The procedures contained in this policy apply to all staff and governors, and are consistent with those of the Richmond upon Thames Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB).
Principles
· The school will ensure that the welfare of children is given paramount consideration when developing and delivering all school activity.
· All children, regardless of age, gender, ability, culture, race, language, religion or sexual identity, have equal rights to protection.
· All staff have an equal responsibility to act on any suspicion or disclosure that may suggest a child is at risk of harm in accordance with this guidance.
· All pupils and staff involved in child protection issues will receive appropriate support from the senior management of the school who will follow this policy guidance in doing so.
Aims
· To provide all staff with the necessary information to enable them to meet their statutory responsibilities to promote and safeguard the wellbeing of children.
· To ensure consistent good practice across the school.
· To demonstrate the school’s commitment with regard to safeguarding children.
3. Terminology
Safeguarding children (the action we take to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm) is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and families has a role to play. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children refers to the process of protecting children from maltreatment, preventing the impairment of their health or development, ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care, and taking action to enable all children to have best outcomes.
Child protection refers to the processes undertaken to meet statutory obligations laid out in the Children Act 1989 and associated guidance (see Working Together to Safeguard Children, An Interagency Guide to Safeguard and Promote the Welfare of Children 2013)
in respect of those children who have been identified as suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm.
Staff refers to all those working for, or on behalf of, the school, full time or part time, in either a paid or voluntary capacity.
Child refers to anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday.
Parent refers to birth parents and other adults who are in a parenting role, for example
step-parents, foster carers and adoptive parents.
4. Context
Section 175 of the Education Act 2002 places a duty on local education authorities (in relation to their education functions) and governing bodies of maintained schools and further education institutions, which include sixth form colleges to exercise their functions with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children who are students at a school, or who are students under 18 years of age attending further education institutions. The same duty applies to independent schools (including academies and free schools) by virtue of regulations made under Section 157 of the same act.
Research suggests that more than 10 per cent of children will suffer some form of abuse. Due to their day-to-day contact with children, school staff are uniquely placed to observe changes in children’s behaviour and to recognise the outward signs of abuse. Children may also turn to a trusted adult in the school when they are in distress or at risk. It is vital that school staff are alert to the signs of neglect and abuse and understand the local procedures for reporting and acting upon their concerns (see section 6 for further guidance on this).
5. Key personnel:
The designated senior person for child protection in this school is:
Mr Paul Jensen (Deputy Head)
Contact details:
Clarendon School, Hanworth Road, Hampton, TW12 3DH
Ph 020 8979 1165 ext 404
Email:
The first deputy designated person in this school is:
Mr John Kipps (Head Teacher)
Contact details:
Clarendon School, Hanworth Road, Hampton, TW12 3DH
Ph 020 8979 1165 ext 403
Email:
The second deputy designated person in this school is:
Mrs Rosemary Clarke (Assistant Head Teacher)
Contact details:
Clarendon School, Hanworth Road, Hampton, TW12 3DH
Ph 020 8979 1165
Email:
The nominated child protection governor for this school is:
Beryl Redgrave
Contact details:
41 The Alders
HANWORTH
TW13 6NU
Tel – 020 8898 0184
Mob - 07905 594 271
The headteacher is:
Mr John Kipps (Head Teacher)
Contact details:
Clarendon School, Hanworth Road, Hampton, TW12 3DH
Ph 020 8979 1165 ext 403
Email:
6. Roles and responsibilities
All schools must nominate a senior member of staff to co-ordinate child protection arrangements. Our person is named in section 5 of this policy guidance. The local authority maintains a list of all designated senior persons for safeguarding and child protection.
The school has ensured that the DSP:
· is appropriately trained in line with local expectation set out by the LSCB;
· the training provided must be up-to-date with local and national developments in safeguarding and child protection;
· acts as a source of support and expertise to the school community;
· has an understanding of LSCB procedures[1];
· keeps written records of all concerns, when noted and reported by staff or when disclosed by a child, ensuring that such records are stored securely and reported onward in accordance with this policy guidance, but kept separately from the child’s general file;
· refers cases of suspected neglect and/or abuse to children’s social care or the police in accordance with this guidance and local procedure (see below at footnote);
· provides information about the child and family where assessments under the Children Act 1989 are being carried out by children’s social care;.
· notifies children’s social care if a child with a child protection plan is absent for more than two days without explanation;
· ensures that when a child with a child protection plan leaves the school, their information is passed to their new school and the child’s social worker is informed;
· attends and/or contributes to child protection conferences in accordance with local procedure and guidance;
· co-ordinates the school’s contribution to child protection plans[2] (including core groups);
· develops effective links with relevant statutory and voluntary agencies;
· ensures that all staff sign to indicate that they have read and understood this policy;
· ensures that the child protection policy is updated annually;
· liaises with the nominated governors and headteacher (where the role is not carried out by the headteacher) as appropriate;
· keeps a record of staff attendance at child protection training (please note that this is also reported to Richmond upon Thames LSCB); and
· makes this policy available to parents.
The deputy designated person(s) must also be appropriately trained in line with Richmond upon Thames LSCB expectations and, in the absence of the designated person, carries out those functions necessary to ensure the ongoing safety and protection of children. In the event of the long-term absence of the designated person, the deputy will assume all of the functions above. The governing body ensures that the school has:
· a DSP for safeguarding and child protection who is a member of the senior leadership team and who has undertaken the approved LSCB training in inter-agency working, in addition to basic child protection training;
· a child protection policy and procedures that are consistent with LSCB requirements, reviewed annually and made available to parents on request;
· procedures for dealing with allegations of abuse made against members of staff, including allegations made against the headteacher;
· safer recruitment procedures that include the requirement for appropriate checks in line with national guidance (see: https://www.schoolsrecruitment.dcsf.gov.uk/themes/default/pdfs/content/Safeguarding_Children_and_Safer_Recruitment_in_Education_Booklet.pdf );
· a training strategy that ensures all staff, including the headteacher, receive child protection or safeguarding children training, with refresher training at three-yearly intervals. The DSP should receive refresher training at two-yearly intervals; and
· arrangements to ensure that all temporary staff and volunteers are made aware of the school’s arrangements for child protection.
The governing body nominates a member (normally the chair) to be responsible for liaising with the local authority and other agencies in the event of an allegation being made against the headteacher. An annual report will be submitted to the local authority about how the governing body’s duties have been carried out. Any weaknesses or areas of concern will be rectified without delay.
The headteacher:
· ensures that the safeguarding and child protection policy and procedures are implemented and followed by all staff;
· allocates sufficient time and resources to enable the DSP and deputy to carry out their roles effectively, including the assessment of pupils and attendance at strategy discussions and other necessary meetings;
· ensures that all staff feel able to raise concerns about poor or unsafe practice and that such concerns are handled sensitively and in accordance with the school’s whistle blowing procedures; and
· ensures that children’s safety and welfare is addressed through the curriculum.
7. Good practice guidelines
To meet and maintain our responsibilities towards children, the school community agrees to the following standards of good practice.
· Treat all children with respect.
· Set a good example by conducting themselves appropriately.
· Involve children in decision-making which affects them.
· Encourage positive and safe behaviour among children.
· Be a good listener.
· Be alert to changes in a child’s behaviour.
· Recognise that challenging behaviour may be an indicator of abuse.
· Read and understand all of the school’s safeguarding and guidance documents on wider safeguarding issues, for example bullying, physical contact, e-safety plans and information-sharing.
· Ask the child’s permission before doing anything for them which is of a physical nature, such as assisting with dressing, physical support during PE or administering first aid.
· Maintain appropriate standards of conversation and interaction with and between children, avoiding the use of sexualised or derogatory language.
· Be aware that the personal and family circumstances and lifestyles of some children lead to an increased risk of neglect and or abuse.
8. Abuse of trust
All school staff are aware that inappropriate behaviour towards children is unacceptable and that their conduct towards all children must be beyond reproach. In addition, staff should understand that, under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, it is an offence for a person over the age of 18 to have a sexual relationship with a person under the age of 18, where that person is in a position of trust, even if the relationship is consensual. This means that any sexual activity between a member of the school staff and a child under 18 may be a criminal offence, even if that child is over the age of consent.
The school’s code of ethical practice sets out our expectations of staff (see: appendix 1).
9. Children who may be particularly vulnerable
Some children may be at increased risk of neglect and or abuse. Many factors can contribute to an increase in risk, including prejudice and discrimination, isolation, social exclusion, communication issues and reluctance on the part of some adults to accept that abuse happens, or who have a high level of tolerance in respect of neglect.
To ensure that all of our children receive equal protection, we will give special consideration and attention to children who are:
· disabled or have special educational needs;
· living in a known domestic violence and abuse situation;
· affected by known parental substance misuse, mental ill health or adult learning disability;
· asylum seekers;
· living away from home;
· vulnerable to being bullied, or engaging in bullying;