Learning Opportunities

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

SAFEGUARDING POLICY (2014 / 2015)

Page Number

2. Introduction

4. Ethos

4. Statutory Framework

5. Definitions

6. Roles & Responsibilities

8. Working with other Agencies

Safeguarding & Child protection Procedures

9. Recognition & categories of Abuse

Responding to concerns

10. Dealing with a disclosure

Record Keeping/Storage of Records

13. Referral to Social Services

Information Sharing

15. Informing parents & carers

Confidentiality

Curriculum and Staying Safe/E. Safety

16. Safe Working Practice

Allegations against Members of Staff

Child Protection register

17. Confidential reporting (Whistleblowing)

Safer Recruitment

18. Staff Induction & training

18. Security

19. Auditing Child Protection Files

Data Protection

Complaints

20. Appendix A Policies

21. Appendix B Categories and definitions of abuse and neglect

22. Appendix C Child sexual exploitation (CSE), forced marriage (FM)

and female genital mutilation (FGM)

24. Appendix D Assessment Framework

25. Appendix E Legislation to protect children from adults who pose

a risk

26. Appendix F Safeguarding Contact Details – local and national

29. Appendix G Safeguarding incident/welfare concern form

30. Appendix H Abuse of trust

31. Appendix I Dealing with a Disclosure

34. Appendix J Professional Standards

35. Appendix K Key questions for information sharing

37. Appendix L Links to Government guidance

Appendix M Link to ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ (April 2014) Summary for Staff

The Safeguarding Policy has been written and approved by a team with a range of experience, and will be reviewed annually.

Date Created: January 1996

Previous Review Date: September 2014

Next Review Date: September 2015

Nominated Lead Member of Staff: Lesley Buss

School Development Manager / Director

Deputy DCPC Simon Graydon

Headteacher

INTRODUCTION

This policy has been developed in accordance with the principles established by the Children Acts 1989 and 2004; the Education Act 2002, and in line with the government publications: ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ 2013, Revised Safeguarding Statutory Guidance ‘Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families’ 2000, ‘What to do if You are Worried a Child is Being Abused’ 2003, and reflects guidance contained within ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ 2014.

Learning Opportunities takes seriously its responsibility under section 157 of the Education Act 2002 to safeguard and promote the welfare of children; to minimise risk and to work together with other agencies to ensure adequate arrangements are in place within our school to identify, assess and support those students who are suffering harm.

Information contained within this policy is designed to develop procedures and good practice to ensure that all staff within the school can demonstrate an understanding of their duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of our students. It also provides evidence of how this will be implemented within the school and within multi-agency working arrangements.

We recognise that all staff have a full and active part to play in protecting our students from harm. We believe that a caring, positive, safe and stimulating environment that promotes the social, physical and moral development of the individual student is essential.

In formulating this policy, Learning Opportunities takes account of the requirements of ‘Every Child Matters’, which aims to improve outcomes for all children whatever their background or their circumstances, and to have the support they need to:

· Be healthy

· Stay safe

· Enjoy and achieve

· Make a positive contribution

· Achieve economic well-being

As a school we acknowledge that Safeguarding is not just about protecting students from deliberate harm. It includes issues such as:

· Student health and safety;

· Bullying, including cyberbullying;

· Racist and homophobic or transphobic abuse;

· Harassment and discrimination;

· Use of physical intervention;

· Meeting the needs of students with medical conditions;

· Providing first aid;

· Drug and substance misuse;

· Educational visits;

· Intimate care;

· Internet, e-safety or sexting;

· Extremist behaviour;

· Child sexual exploitation; See Appendix C

· School security,

Or issues which may be specific to a local area or population, for example:

· Gang activity;

· Domestic violence;

· Female genital mutilation; See Appendix C

· Forced marriage. See Appendix C

As a community, Learning Opportunities believes that all those directly connected with the school have an essential role to play in making it safe and secure. We welcome any suggestions and comments contributing to this process.

Learning Opportunities Safeguarding Policy should be read and understood alongside school policies on related safeguarding issues as listed in Appendix A of this document. Related policies are located in the main office and where appropriate are also available to access via the school website www.learningopps.org

This policy will be reviewed annually by the Leadership Team. It will be implemented through the school’s induction and staff training programme, and as part of day to day practice. Compliance with this policy will be monitored by the Designated Senior person and through staff performance measures.

ETHOS

Within Learning Opportunities safeguarding and improving outcomes for all students underpins all areas of development and practice. Staff recognise the importance of providing an environment where students feel safe, secure and respected. Systems are in place to ensure students:

· know that there are adults in the school whom they can approach if they are worried;

· are encouraged to talk openly;

· feel confident that they will be listened to.

Many of the students attending Learning Opportunities are in the care of local authorities and are described as 'Children in Care'. They are one of the most vulnerable groups in society.

We recognise that that some students may be the victims of neglect, physical, sexual or emotional abuse, and as a result are likely to have low self-esteem and may find it difficult to develop a sense of self worth. They may feel helplessness, humiliation and some sense of blame. Our school may be the only stable, secure and predictable element in their lives. Staff will often, by virtue of their day to day contact and knowledge of students, be well placed to identify such abuse and to offer support.

STATUTORY FRAMEWORK refer to Appendix E

There is no single piece of legislation that covers child protection in the UK, but rather a countless number of laws and guidance that are continually being amended, updated and revoked.

In England the law states that people who work with children have to keep them safe. This safeguarding legislation is set out in The Children Act (1989) and (2004). It also features in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (to which the UK is a signatory)and sets out the rights of children to be free from abuse. The Government also provides guidance in their document Working Together to Safeguard Children 2013.

In order to safeguard and promote the welfare of students, Learning Opportunities will act in accordance with the following legislation and guidance:

· The Children Act 1989

· The Children Act 2004

· Education Act 2002 (section 157)

· Kent Safeguarding Children Board Inter-agency Child Protection and Safeguarding Children Procedures (Electronic)

· Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education (DfES 2006)

· Working Together to Safeguard Children (DfE 2013)

· The Education (Pupil Information) (England) Regulations 2005

· Dealing with Allegations of Abuse Against Teachers and Other Staff (DfE 2011)

· Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2010

· Keeping Children Safe in Education 2014

Keeping Children Safe in Education (DfE April 2014) places responsibilities on all schools to:

· be aware of and follow the procedures established by the Local Safeguarding Children Board

· ensure staff are alert to signs of abuse and know to whom they should report any concerns or suspicions

· have procedures (of which all staff are aware) for handling suspected cases of abuse of pupils, including procedures to be followed if a member of staff is accused of abuse, or suspected of abuse

· ensure a Designated Senior Person (Designated Safeguarding Lead) has responsibility for co-ordinating action within the school and liaising with other agencies

· ensure staff with the designated safeguarding lead undergo updated child protection training every two years

Keeping Children Safe in Education (DfE April 2014) also states:

“Governing bodies and proprietors should ensure there is an effective child protection policy in place together with a staff behaviour policy (code of conduct). Both should be provided to all staff – including temporary staff and volunteers – on induction. The child protection policy should describe procedures which are in accordance with government guidance and refer to locally agreed inter-agency procedures put in place by the LSCB, be updated annually, and be available publicly either via the school or college website or by other means”.

Schools are also expected to ensure that they have appropriate procedures in place for responding to situations in which they believe that a child has been abused or are at risk of abuse - these procedures should also cover circumstances in which a member of staff is accused of, or suspected of, abuse.

definitions

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined as:

· protecting children from maltreatment

· preventing impairment of children’s health or development

· ensuring children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care

· taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes

Child Protection is one very important aspect of safeguarding. It refers to the activity which is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or at risk of suffering, significant harm.

What is significant harm?

The Children’s Act 1989 introduced the concept of significant harm as the threshold that justifies compulsory intervention by statutory agencies in family life in the best interests of children. There are no absolute criteria on which to rely when judging what constitutes significant harm. Sometimes it might be a single traumatic event but more often it is a combination of significant events which damage the child’s physical and psychological development. Decisions about significant harm are complex and require discussion with the statutory agencies.

Action should also be taken to promote the welfare of a child in need of additional support, even if they are not suffering harm or are at immediate risk.

SAFE SCHOOL / PREVENTION

The school plays a significant part in the prevention of harm to students by:

§ Establishing and maintaining an ethos where students feel safe and secure.

§ Including regular consultation with students e.g. through questionnaires, participation in anti-bullying week

§ Ensuring that all students know there is an adult in the school whom they can approach if they are worried or in difficulty.

§ Including safeguarding across the curriculum - providing opportunities which equip students with the skills they need to stay safe from harm and to know to whom they should turn for help and to encourage the development of self-esteem and resilience.

§ Providing e.safety events.

§ Liaising and working together with other agencies involved in safeguarding children.

§ Nominating a designated Child in Care (CiC) member of staff and regularly updating and reviewing a list of CiC who attend the school.

§ Embracing diversity in religion, faith, race, ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation.

§ Securing inclusion of the schools safeguarding policy on the schools website

When services are delivered by a third party or agency on the school site, Learning Opportunities will obtain written notification that the required checks on individuals have been carried out - this includes, as necessary, a barred list check. The school will check that any person presenting themselves for work is the same person on whom the checks have been made.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Organisational Responsibilities

The role of the school is to contribute to the early identification, referral and assessment of students in need including those who may have suffered, be suffering or who are at risk of suffering significant harm. We acknowledge that we may also have a role in the provision of services to Children in Need and their families, and will work, where relevant, with social care, the police and health services.

Any observation, information or issue which results in concern for a student’s welfare MUST be reported to the Designated Child Protection Co-ordinator (DCPC).

The role of the school in situations where there are child protection concerns is NOT to investigate but to recognise and refer.

The Director will:

The Director has overall responsibility for ensuring that there are sufficient measures in place to safeguard students within the school.

The nominated Director for child protection is:

NAME: Lesley Buss

In particular the Director will:

· Sanction a robust safeguarding policy, review the policy annually, monitor and evaluate its effectiveness and be satisfied of its compliance throughout the school.

· Ensure that there are effective safeguarding and recruitment policies and procedures in place

· Ensure that a senior member of the school's leadership team is designated to take lead responsibility for dealing with child protection issues, providing advice and support to other staff, liaising and working with other agencies.

§ Recognise the importance of the role of the designated person and support them, ensuring they undertake training necessary to be effective.

§ Ensure the Head teacher, and all other staff who work with students, undertake appropriate training to equip them to effectively carry out their responsibilities for child protection.

§ Remedy, without delay, any deficiencies or weaknesses with regard to safeguarding arrangements that are brought to their attention.

· Oversee the safe management of allegations, including liaising with the local authority and/or partner agencies on issues of child protection and in the event of allegations of abuse made against staff.

§ Ensure arrangements are in place so that all staff who work with students are made aware of the school's arrangements for safeguarding, including policy and procedures.

Designated Child Protection Coordinator (DCPC):