DEARHAMPRIMARY SCHOOL
SAFEGUARDING & CHILD PROTECTION POLICY
CONTENTS
Subject / Page No.Purpose of A Safeguarding/Child Protection Policy / 3
School Commitment / 3
Roles and Responsibilities / 4
Procedures / 5
Training and Support / 5
Professional Confidentiality / 6
Records and Monitoring / 7
Attendance at Child Protection Conferences / 8
Supporting Pupils at Risk / 8
SafeSchools, Safe Staff / 9
Children’s Services Single Referral Form / 10
Procedures to follow if a member of staff is concerned about the welfare or safety of a child / 10
Procedures to follow when the Safeguarding Designated Person is notified of the concern about the welfare or safety of a child. / 10
Procedures to follow if an allegation is made against a member of staff. / 12
Communication / 12
Monitoring and Evaluation / 12
Named staff/personnel with designated responsibility for Safeguarding / 13
Review dates for this policy / 13
Standards for Effective Safeguarding Practice in Schools / 14
Appendix A –Designated Teacher Role & Summary of Threshold Referral Procedures / 15 -17
Appendix B – Flow Charts for Action / 18 -19
Appendix C – Areas of Responsibility for the Designated Person for Child Protection / 20
Head Teacher: Mrs SJ Kidd
Designated Officer: Mrs SJ Kidd
Deputy Designated Officer: Mrs L Walker & Mrs E Ivison
Designated Governor: Mrs J Simpson
Local Authority Designated Officer: 01768812267
LADO working hours are Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm and Friday 9am to 4.30pm.
- In case of emergency outside of the above hours please contact Emergency Duty Team on 0333 240 1727
Dearham Primary School Policy for ‘Safeguarding & Child Protection’ has been devised with due consideration to and in line with guidance given in:-
-Prevent Duty (June 2015)
-Working Together to Safeguard Children (March 2015)
-Section 175 Education Act: Safeguarding and Promoting the Welfare of Children
-Keeping Children Safe in Education (July 2015)
-Children’s Services Multi-Agency Thresholds (October 2014)
-Ofsted – Inspecting Safeguarding (September 2015)
-Disqualification under the Child Care Act (Feb 2015)
Whole-School Policy on Safeguarding
This document concerns the duties the LA, all schools and FE institutions have to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. It is in response to Section 175 of the Education Act (2002) which requires local authorities, governing bodies including those of further education institutions, and proprietors of independent schools to “make arrangements to ensure that their functions are carried out with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children” (Education Act 2002). In addition, Section 175 further states that “those bodies must have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State in considering what arrangements they need to make for that purpose of the section” (Education Act 2002). The Education Act (2002) was implemented on 1st June 2004. Section 175 is underpinned by the DfE Guidance “Safeguarding Children in Education” issued on 6th September 2004, more recently superseded by Safeguarding Children & Safer Recruitment in Education (January 2017). It is also informed by The Prevent Duty, 2015.
“Everyone in the Education Service shares an objective to help keep children and young people safe by contributing to:
- Providing a safe environment for children and young people to learn in education settings
and
- Identifying children and young people who are suffering or likely to suffer significant harm, and taking appropriate action with the aim of making sure they are kept safe both at home and at school”
Taken from “Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education Jan 2007”
This policy draws upon good practice as reflected in the Cumbria Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) procedures, which are commensurate with the Guidance document ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006 & 2010’.
All education settings must have in place systems designed to:
- Prevent unsuitable people working with, or coming into contact with, children and young people within the setting
- Promote safe practice and challenge poor or unsafe practice
- Identify instances in which there are grounds for concern about a child/young person’s welfare and take appropriate action to keep children/young people safe
- Contribute to effective partnership working between all those involved with providing services for children
Taken from ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ March 2013 (updated policy June 2014)
From this document the definition of safeguarding is:
- Protecting children from maltreatment
- Preventing impairment of children’s health or development
- Ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
- Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes
Under Section 31 (10) of the Act: where the questioning of whether harm suffered by a child is significant in terms of the child’s health & development, his health & development shall be compared with that which could be reasonably expected of a similar child. ‘Harm’ means the ill treatment or impairment of health and development, including, for example, impairment suffered from seeing or hearing the ill treatment of another. Development means physical, intellectual, emotional, social or behavioural development. Health means physical and mental health and Ill-treatment includes sexual abuse and forms of ill–treatment which are not physical.
(Under s31 (9) of the Children act 1989 as amended by the Adoption and Children Act 2002)
Taken from ‘Prevent Duty – Departmental advice for schools and childcare providers’, June 2015
From this document the definition of safeguarding is:
-“have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”
-
Taken from Safeguarding Children and Young People from Sexual Exploitation
-
-The sexual exploitation of children and young people has been identified throughout the UK, in both rural and urban areas, and in all parts of the world. It affects boys and young men as well as girls and young women. It robs children of their childhood and can have a serious long-term impact on every aspect of their lives, health and education. It damages the lives of families and carers and can lead to family break-ups. Sexual exploitation of children and young people is completely unacceptable and we are determined to do all we can to help eradicate it.
1.Purpose of A Safeguarding/Child Protection Policy
1.1.An effective whole school safeguarding policy is one that provides clear direction to staff and others about expected codes of behaviour in dealing with child protection issues. An effective policy also makes explicit the school’s commitment to the development of good practice and sound internal school/service procedures. This ensures that child protection concerns and referrals may be handled sensitively, professionally and in ways that support and protect the needs of the child.
2.Introduction
2.1The aim of this policy is to safeguard and promote our pupil’s welfare, safety, health and guidance by fostering an honest, open, caring and supportive climate. The pupil’s welfare is of paramount importance’ The staff of Dearham Primary School recognises the role placed upon it to ensure the statutory responsibility of ensuring safeguarding the children within its care. This also includes the need to ensure their pastoral responsibilities
2.2.Our school fully recognises the contribution it can make to protect children and support pupils in school’
There are three main elements to our Safeguarding Policy’
(a)Prevention: This can best be achieved through positive school atmosphere together with good teaching and pastoral support to pupils.
(b)Protection:
This can best be achieved by following agreed procedures; ensuring staff are appropriately recruited, trained and supported to respond appropriately and sensitively to Safeguarding concerns
(c)Support:
It is vital that pupils and school staff receive full support with regards to child protection especially those who have been or involved in child abuse cases.
2.3This policy applies to all teachers, assistants, administrative staff, support staff, students, governors and volunteers who work with children in DearhamPrimary School
3.School Commitment
3.1.We recognise that high self-esteem, confidence, supportive friends and clear lines of communication with a trusted adult helps all children, and especially those at risk of, or suffering from, abuse’
Our school will therefore:
(a)Establish and maintain an ethos where children feel secure and are encouraged to talk, and are listened to. This will be achieved through classroom discussions, assemblies, SEAL, PSHE and other appropriate areas of the curriculum.
(b)Ensure that children know that there are adults in the school who they can approach if they are worried or are in difficulty. All children are told and encouraged to talk to their class teacher or any other appropriate adult about their worries/concerns. This can be done anytime during the day
(c)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
(e)Ensure that wherever possible every effort will be made to establish
effective working relationships with parents and colleagues from other agencies
4.Framework
4.1Schools do not operate in isolation. The welfare of children is a corporate responsibility of the entire local authority, working in partnership with other public agencies, the voluntary sector and service users and carers. All local authority services have an impact on the lives of children and families, and local authorities have a particular responsibility towards children and families most at risk of social exclusion’ (Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010).
Safeguarding is the responsibility of all adults especially those working with children. The development of appropriate procedures and the monitoring of good practice are the responsibilities of Cumbria Local Safeguarding Children Board.
4.2The LSCB is the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board which is required to be set up by each local authority. The LSCB is the key statutory mechanism for agreeing how each organisation in an area co-operates to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Its function is to improve the overall wellbeing of all children within its area and take account of the need to promote equality of opportunity and to meet the diverse needs of children.
4.3The Corporate Director of Children’s Services has a place on the Cumbria LSCB.
4.4The work of the LSCB is to improve the overall wellbeing of all children in the local area with a particular focus on aspects of “staying safe” outcome and that all staff designated to the post of child protection carry out appropriate procedures to safeguard children.
5.Roles and Responsibilities
5.1.All adults working with or on behalf of children have a responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. There are, however, key people within schools and the LA who have specific responsibilities under Safeguarding procedures. The names of those carrying these responsibilities for the current year are listed on the cover sheet of this document and that all staff designated to the post of child protection carries out appropriate procedures to safeguard children.
5.2The role of the designated senior person in school is to ensure that all staff are aware of the safeguarding procedures within school whilst also being the advocate for children. See Appendix C.
5.3The headteacher is the designated senior person and in her absence the role is undertaken by her deputies in this role as outlined on the front of this policy.
5.4The role of the governing body is to ensure that the school has correct procedures for safeguarding all children within school but should be aware that school is dealing with a situation. It is important for reasons of confidentiality that governors should not be given details relating to specific child protection together with the number and type of problems the school is dealing with
5.5.It is the responsibility of the LA to provide a Child Protection Service to act on the concerns/issues raised by the school and to ensure that any such matters are fully investigated to either allay the concerns of the school or to take appropriate action to safeguard the child/children who are deemed to be at risk.
5.6All staff must be aware of the school’s Whistle Blowing Policy
6.Procedures
6.1Where it is believed that a child is suffering from, or is at risk of, significant harm, we will follow the Safeguarding Procedures as stated on the Cumbria Local Safeguarding Children Board website.
6.2Staff will be kept informed of changes to child protection procedures through a variety of including in-service training, staff meetings, case conferences etc
6.3All adults who deal with children are informed of what to do should a child tell them of a problem.
6.4Parents are to be kept informed of the school’s duties and responsibilities with regards to Child Protection Issues through the school prospectus and a safeguarding leaflet
6.5Staff are kept aware of all procedures through documentation in the staff room and through access to the Cumbria LSCB website
7.Training and Support
7.1.Our school will ensure that the Head Teacher, the senior designated person, nominated governor and the governing body attend training relevant to their role.
All staff will have access to Safeguarding training, which is relevant and appropriate to their role. This should include training in procedures to follow, signs to note and appropriate record keeping. It is extremely important that all staff, whether paid or unpaid, have access to appropriate training in order that they are able to react appropriately if an incident should occur. Refresher training should be available every three years for all staff, but bi-annually for designated staff. The demands and difficulties associated with working in this very sensitive area cannot be ignored, and staff must receive training and appropriate support to help them to safeguard and promote the welfare of the children and young people with whom they work. To reflect the importance of safeguarding, all staff at DearhamPrimary School are trained bi annually in line with best practice requirements and this is reflected in the school’s training record held centrally.
Safer Recruitment – Ensure that staff and governors with recruitment responsibility are appropriately trained and mindful of the importance of Safeguarding Children in line with Bichard recommendation 17 – ‘no interview panel to appoint staff working in schools should be convened without at least one member being properly trained’.
The trained personnel for safer recruitment are: Samantha Kidd (Head Teacher and Designated Teacher), Janet Simpson (Designated Governor), Michelle Jenkinson (Governor)
The trained personnel for safeguarding are: Samantha Kidd (Head Teacher & Designated Teacher), Janet Simpson (Designated Governor) Lindsay Walker and Emma Ivison (Deputy Head Teacher’s) Joanne Lowell and Louise MacDonald (After School and Before School Care)
All staff of each establishment/service will be trained to recognise and respond to situations where a child may be considered to be at risk. Each establishment/service will have a nominated member of staff who is on the senior leadership team and who will be responsible for the implementation of appropriate procedures in that establishment. There may also be a deputy-designated person to assist in this responsibility, which is beneficial in larger establishments. Head Teachers/Managers and Governing Bodies must ensure that these staff members have appropriate time and resources made available to them to enable them to fulfil their duties in this very sensitive area. Key people are identified at the front of this policy.
The Headteacher and two deputies will also have Prevent training through the Channel Programme.
7.2Apart from the designated officers,the deputies in this role will also receive the same training to ensure cover in her absence.
7.3Apart from the designated child protection officers receiving training all staff will receive basic in house training through staff meetings and in-service training. All staff will be kept informed on current and changes to protection issues as they arise through staff meetings. All staff have a clear understanding of who to talk to regarding any perceived concerns about child protection (staff room wall.) All supply staff and volunteers will be informed of the school’s designated officer and what to do should they have any concerns about a child’s welfare.
7.4Any member of staff who has concerns about the welfare of an individual should approach the school’s designated officer.
7.5Staff and governors will be updated annually and a training/safeguarding action plan will enable school to keep up-to-date with policy and procedure matters.
8.Professional Confidentiality
8.1.Confidentiality is an issue which needs to be discussed and fully understood by all those working with children, particularly in the context of Safeguarding. The only purpose of confidentiality in this respect is to benefit the child.
8.2Confidentiality when dealing with child protection issues are a major issue and only staff dealing with the individuals on a day-to-day basis will have access to information.
8.3Prior to any member of staff, governor, student or adult volunteer working in school they are instructed in the need for total confidentiality when dealing with any information regarding children and safeguarding.
8.4When talking to children who disclose matters of child protection staff must never agree to keep secrets even if the pupil is very persuasive. It is important that no guarantees can be given to an individual child who discloses delicate information as this may inhibit the safeguarding process of the individual concerned.
8.5Any child who asks an adult to keep a secret must be told that any information given may be shared with someone else if this would keep them safe.
8.6Any member of staff who has been given information regarding child protection matters must pass that on to the senior designated office with responsibility for child protection matters.
8.7The child protection officer will then discuss and consider the concerns and if they feel necessary inform the duty officer at Social Care.
8.8The confidential information should not be shared by people not involved with the child or those who may be involved or closely connected to those who may be involved in the child protection issue.