Safeguarding Children Annual Checklist
Academic Year 20__/20__
School Name and Number:
  • The DSP, Head Teacher and governing body should consider the following areas in order to establish whether the school policies and procedures effectively safeguard children.Supporting evidence must be provided for each indicator.All identified actions should have an indicative timescale.
  • This annual checklist needs to be completed by all members of the safeguarding team jointly (i.e. the DSP, Headteacher and Governing Body).

This document has been produced by the Child Protection Schools Liaison Team who can be contacted on 01992 556936 or . This is for school use as an auditing tool; a copy does not need to be sent to the Child Protection Schools Liaison Team, unless requested.

Section ONE /

A Safeguarding Ethos

/ Response/Evidence / Action Required / Date for
Completion
1. / Does the school make clear to children, parents, staff, volunteers and governors its commitment to safeguarding children and promoting the welfare of its pupils? How?
How does the school collect and evaluate the views of pupils, parents, staff and governors in relation to the effectiveness of these arrangements? How are concerns responded to?
2. / How is safeguarding addressed through the curriculum?
What actions are taken to prevent and address all forms of problematic behaviour, including bullying, discrimination and harassment?
How does the school engage parents in supporting pupils’ achievement, behaviour, safety and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development?
Section TWO /

School Staff

/ Response/Evidence / Action Required / Date for
Completion
3. / How do staff induction arrangements focus on safeguarding?
Have details of staff induction been recorded?
Section ONE /

A Safeguarding Ethos

/ Response/Evidence / Action Required / Date for
Completion
4. / How is it ensured that safeguarding children is embedded within the performance management, supervision and training of staff?
5. / What do staff understand their role in safeguarding children to be?
6. / What arrangements are in place to ensure that all staff receive appropriate child protection training which is regularly updated (in line with advice from the HSCB).
Has a record of this training and the delegates who attended (including lead DSP and deputy DSP/s) been seen? / Title and date of single agency,
stage one training / Provider of training, e.g. CPSLO
service / Certificate of attendance seen?
Whole school staff
Lead DSP
Deputy DSP [name]
Please copy and paste the ‘deputy DSP’ row accordingly if you have a number of staff in that role.
7. / What are the arrangements for staff that have missed safeguarding training?
Section THREE /

Designated Senior Person/s for Child Protection

/ Response/Evidence / Action Required / Date for
Completion
8. / Does your school have a lead and deputy Designated Senior Person/s(DSP)for Child Protection?
Who is the lead DSP?
Is the lead DSP on the Senior Leadership Team?
Who is/are the Deputy DSPs?
If there is no Deputy DSP, what safeguarding arrangements are in place when the lead DSP is not available?
9. / What arrangements are in place for the supervision of theDeputy DSP(s) and Partnership Family Support Worker (if line managed by the lead DSP)?
10. / Has the lead DSP and Deputy DSP/s completed single agency, stage two safeguarding training?
If so, when? / Title and date of single agency,
stage two training / Provider of training, e.g. CPSLO
service / Certificate of attendance seen?
Lead DSP
Deputy DSP [name]
Please copy and paste the ‘deputy DSP’ row accordingly if you have a number of staff in that role.
11. / Has the DSP undertakenany inter-agency, stage twosafeguarding training providedby or to standards agreed by the Hertfordshire Safeguarding Children Board?
If so, when? / Title and date of inter-agency,
stage two training / Provider of training, e.g. CPSLO
service / Certificate of attendance seen?
Lead DSP
Deputy DSP [name]
Please copy and paste the ‘deputy DSP’ row accordingly if you have a number of staff in that role.
12. / How do the DSP and Deputy DSPs ensure that they and the school have access to local authority safeguarding procedures, guidance, training and support?
13. / Is the DSP and Deputy DSP(s) up to date/aware of supplementary guidance regarding safeguarding particular vulnerable children? How is this disseminated to staff (including identification of possible signs of:
  • Domestic violence ( section 4.5 HSCB Interagency Child Protection and Safeguarding Children Procedures)
  • Female genital mutilation ( section 6.14 HSCB procedures)
  • Sexually exploited children ( section 6.6 HSCB procedures)
  • Children Missing Education (Section 4.8 HSCB procedures)
  • Private Fostering procedures (section6.7 of HSCB procedures)

14. / If the DSP is the Head Teacher, please proceed to question 15.
If the DSP is not the Head Teacher, how does the DSP keep the Head Teacher informed of the welfare of pupils with a child protection plan and of general child protection issues within the school?
How effective are these arrangements?
15. / What arrangements are in place for record keeping in relation to safeguarding concerns?
Does this system clearly identify vulnerable pupils, record any information shared with staff and any action taken by the DSP?
How does the DSP ensure the
quality of record keeping?
16. / What are the arrangements regarding the transfer of information at key transition points e.g. EYFS and Year 6 in relation to vulnerable children and safeguarding concerns?
Are these arrangements effective?
17. / What are the arrangements for the completion of risk assessments, in relation to school activities, educational visits and work-based learning and work experience?
Are risk assessments carried out regarding pupils with behaviour that could place themselves or others at risk?
How effective are these arrangements?
18. / How does the DSP ensure the school is represented and contributes to child protection conferences/reviews and inter-agency working together, for example assessments and attendance at core group or other professional meetings?
19. / How does the DSP monitorand evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding work carried out in the school? How effective are these arrangements?
Section FOUR / Headteacher / Response/Evidence / Action Required / Date for
Completion
20. / How does the Headteacher ensure the policies and procedures adopted by the governing body are fully implemented and followed by staff?
21. / If the Headteacher is the DSP, please proceed to question 22.
How does the Headteacher ensure a clear overview of safeguarding procedures and practice?
What arrangements are in place to allow the DSP and Deputy DSPs sufficient time and resources to discharge their safeguarding responsibilities?
How are they held to account?
What is the quality of support provided to the DSP and Deputy DSP(s) by the Headteacher?
22. / What systems are in place for monitoring and responding to children who are occasionally/persistently absent from school or missing from education?
23. / If safeguarding complaints or concerns have been made to the Headteacher, how effectively have they addressed these?
24. / What are the procedures for managing allegations or concerns about safeguarding regarding staff?
How effective are these procedures?
25. / Has the Headteacher undertaken Reducing and Managing Allegations Against Staff training? If so, when? Has the certificate of attendance been seen?
If they have not attended this training, what have they done to ensure an understanding of their role in the allegations management process, in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff?
26. / Does the Headteacher ensure that all cases are referred to the Independent Safeguarding Authority if a person ceases to work in a school and there are grounds for believing they may be unsuitable to work with children, or may have committed misconduct related to safeguarding?
27. / How does the Headteacher ensure that all staff and volunteers feel able to raise concerns about unsafe or poor safeguarding practice in line with the school’s whistleblowing policy?
Section FIVE / Governing Body / Response/Evidence / Action Required / Date for
Completion
28. / Does your governing body have a nominated governor for safeguarding?Who is it?
29. / How does the nominated governor for safeguarding ensure effective liaison with the DSP and/or Headteacher regarding safeguarding matters?
30. / Does the nominated governor for safeguarding provide an annual report to the governing body and the local authority on the review of safeguarding policies and procedures, and how safeguarding duties and responsibilities have been discharged?
When was this completed?
31. / Does the nominated governor for safeguarding audit compliance with local and national guidance on safer recruitment, including CRB checks and the single central record of checks completed for staff, volunteers, governors and contractors?
If not, who does this?
What is the process for rectifying mistakes?
Who is responsible for this?
32. / Does the Governing Body demonstrate an ambitious vision for the school and high expectations of all pupils and teachers? How?
33. / Have all Governors (including the nominated Child Protection Governor) undertaken Governor training on safeguarding children that will enable them to fulfil their responsibilities in respect of safeguarding effectively?
When was this?
34. / Is the Governing Body satisfied that the procedures for dealing with allegationsof abuse against members of staff and volunteers comply with statutory guidance and Hertfordshire Safeguarding Children Board Inter-agency Child Protection and Safeguarding Children Procedures?
35. / Have the Chair of Governors and the Vice Chair undertaken the course Reducing and Managing Allegations Against Staff?
When was this?
If they have not attended this training, what have they done to ensure an understanding of their role in the allegations management process, in the event of an allegation being made against the Headteacher? / Date of RAMAAS training / Certificate of attendance seen?
Chair of Governors [name]
Vice Chair of Governors
[name]
36. / Does the Governing Body question attitudes to and knowledge of safeguarding during the recruitment and selection of all staff and volunteers?
37. / Have any members of the governing body completed Safer Recruitment training? / Title and date of Safer Recruitment training / Provider of training, e.g. HCC Governance Unit / Certificate of attendance seen?
Governor [name]
Governor [name]
Governor [name]
Please copy and paste the ‘Governor’ row accordingly if you have a number of staff that have completed this training.
38. / Do procedures for safe recruitment and vetting of staff comply with DCSF and local guidance?
Who is responsible for monitoring compliance?
What form does monitoring take?
39. / Is there a Single Central Record in place?
Who is responsible for maintaining this?
40. / Has the governing body adopted Guidance for Safer Working Practice for Adults who work with Children and Young People in Education Settings (DSCF March 2009)?
If not, what guidance is available to staff about safe working practice and appropriate professional conduct(including e-safety) and how can they access it?
How is compliance by staff monitored?
41. / Does the child protection policycomply with current statutory and inter-agency guidance and requirements, namely:
  • Working Together to Safeguard Children (DCSF 2010)
  • Keeping Children Safe in Education (DfE April 2014)
  • Hertfordshire Safeguarding ChildrenBoardInter-agency Child Protection and Safeguarding Children Procedures
  • What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused summary (DfES 2006)

42. / How do all staff (including agency staff) and adultsin school know about the school’s child protection policy and procedures and the name and contact details of the Designated Senior Person for Child Protection, Chair and Vice Chair of Governors?
How does the governing body ensure that the child protection policy is made available to parents?
43. / Are there written policies and/or procedures for the following areas of safeguarding:
  • Attendance
  • Anti bullying
  • Pupil discipline
  • Complaints
  • Drugs/substance misuse
  • ICT including e-safety
  • Behaviour
  • Whistle blowing
  • Intimate care
  • Health and safety
  • First aid
  • Equality and diversity
  • Risk assessments
  • Physical intervention
  • Staff code of conduct
  • Pupil discipline
  • Recruitment and selection
Are safeguarding policies and procedures reviewed within appropriate/statutory timescales by the governing body?
How are these policies and procedures implemented/how are staff made aware of them?
How is compliance by staff monitored?
44. / Is the physical environment made as safe and secure as possible? How?
Have appropriate risk assessments been carried out where necessary?
45. / What action would the governing body take in respect of safeguarding complaints, concerns, weaknesses or deficiencies?
Is the governing body clear about what support is available from the local authority?
46. / How does the governing body ensure all who are involved in delivering extended services are aware of and comply with safeguarding policy, procedures and good practice?
(Where the governing body provides services or activities directly under the supervision or management of school staff, the school’s arrangements for safeguarding will apply).
47. / Where services or activities are provided separately by another body:
  • does the governing body have a copy of the organisation’s child protection policy?
  • has the governing body ensure that appropriate CRB checks have been undertaken?
  • has the Headteacher liaised with that organisation about child protection issues and reporting lines?
  • is the Headteacher clear about the arrangements the external provider has in place to encourage safer working practice?

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Child Protection Schools Liaison Service

Safeguarding Children Annual Checklist

July 2014