School Safeguarding Policy Template Example

DoveIndependent School

Date Agreed :Feb 2018

Date of Next Review : February 2019

Reviewed Feb 2018

Key Contact Personnel in School

Designated Safeguarding Lead(s) :

Claire Spurr ( Head Teacher)

Stacy Cooper (Associate Director)

DSL Training: Oct 2016

Safer Recruitment Training: Oct 2016

Named SafeguardingDirector:

Barbara Whittaker (Proprietor)

All staff should have access to this policy and sign to the effect that they have read and understood its content.

CONTENTS

School Policies on Related Safeguarding Issues

(to be read and followed alongside this document)

• Behaviour Management Policy
• Code of Conduct
• Equal Opportunities Policy
• Complaints Procedure
• Bullying / Anti-Bullying Procedure
• e-Safety Policy
• Guidelines for the Use of Physical Intervention
• Guidelines for Safeguarding Record Keeping in Schools
• Safeguarding Children and Child Protection- Training for staff on Keeping children safe in education.
• Health and Safety Policy & Risk Assessments
• Safer Recruitment Guidelines
• First Aid and Accident Policies
• Whistle-Blowing Policy
• Managing allegations against staff

• Advice notes : Dealing with Disclosures in School
• Guidance for Safer Working Practice for Adults who Work with Children and Young People
• KSCB document : Safer Practice with Technology – Guidance for Adults who Work with Children and Young People
• Guidance on the Use of Photographic Images
• School Smoking Policy
• Visits policy
• Vetting staff and visitors policy
• SEN policy

These documents can be found in the Safeguarding policy fileor by request from the Head Teacher ()

INTRODUCTION:

The following guidance and legislation has been consulted in order to update this safeguarding policy:

Working Together to Safeguard Children March 2015

Keeping Children Safe in Education Sept 2016

The Prevent Duty June 2015

The Education Independent School Standards Regulations 2016

The Children Act 2004

The Children Act 1989

Part 4 of the Schedule to the Education (independent Schools Standards) Reg 2014

Regulation 5 of the Local Safeguarding Children Boards Regulations 2006

Ofsted Non Association Independent Schools Inspection Framework Aug 2016

Education and Skills Act 2008

Children’s Homes Regulations 2015

Quality Standards For Children’s Homes

Definition of safeguarding children:

In relation to children and young people, safeguarding and promoting their welfare is defined in ‘Working together to safeguard children’ as:

• protecting children from maltreatment
• preventing impairment of children’s health or development
• ensuring that 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

This policy has been developed in accordance with the principles established by the Children Acts 1989 and 2004 and related guidance. This includes the DfES guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education Sept 2016 and Working Together to Safeguard Children (2015).

The Head teacher and staff of Dove School take seriously our responsibility under Section 157 Education Act 2002 to safeguard and promote the welfare of our pupils/students, 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 children who are suffering harm.

This policy should thus be understoodalongside school policies on related safeguarding issues as listed in this document.

All relevant policies will be reviewed on an annual basis by the Head teacherwho has responsibility for oversight of school safeguarding and child protection systems. The Designated Safeguarding Leadswill ensure regular reporting on safeguarding activity and systems in school to the Directors of Dove Adolescent Services.

Our school is a community and all those directly connected (Care staff, families, placing/ local authorities and pupils) have an essential role to play in

making it safe and secure. We welcome suggestions and comments contributing to this process.

ETHOS

Dove Schoolrecognises the importance of providing an ethos and environment within school that will help children to feel safe, secure and respected; encourage them to talk openly;and enable them to feel confident that they will be listened to.

We recognise that children who are enrolled at Dove School have experienced a difficult and often traumatic start in life.

They have often experienced trauma thus 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 and homes may be the only stable, secure and predictable element in their lives.

Due to the nature of the children we educate, for safeguarding purposes, we do not employ volunteers.

We are an ambitious school, working as a team, to nurture and inspire each young person to be empowered to be the best that they can be.

Our school’s aim is to inspire each YP to:

-be confident in their own abilities

-participate and enjoy their learning

-be involved in their learning and plan their own learning outcomes

-be safe and secure

-be the best they can be.

Dove School will endeavour to support the welfare and safety ofall pupils through:

• Maintaining children’s welfare as our paramount concern

• Ensuring the content of the curriculum includes social and emotional aspects of learning

• Ensuring that child protection is included in the curriculum to help children stay safe, recognise when they don’t feel safe and identify who they might / can talk to

• Providing suitable support and guidance so that students have a range of appropriate adults to approach if they are in difficulties

• Promoting a positive, supportive, neutral and secure environment where pupils can develop a sense of being valued and heard in their own right

• Ensuring all steps are taken to maintain site security and student’s physical safety

• Working with carers to build an understanding of the school’s responsibility to ensure the welfare of all children including the need for referral to other agencies in some situations

• Ensuring all staff are able to recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse and are aware of the school’s procedures and lines of communication

• Monitoring children and young people who have been identified as having welfare or protection concerns; keeping confidential records which are stored securely and shared appropriately with other professionals

• Developing effective and supportive liaison with other agencies

We will know if we are effective in our safeguarding arrangements through the following evidence:

• Children and learners feel protected and safe
• Children who are able to can explain how / why they feel safe
• Adults working in school are proactive and know clearly the procedures involved when there is a concern about pupil welfare and safety
• The Designated Safeguarding Leads play an effective role in pursuing concerns and protecting children and learners
• Children and learners identify a trusted adult to communicate with about any concerns
• Written records are kept securely and shared appropriately
• Safeguarding concerns are shared with the relevant Local Authority/ Placing Authority

RESPONSIBILITIES

The DSL has overall responsibility for the day to day oversight of safeguarding and child protection systems in school, including:

• Co-ordinating safeguarding action for individual children
• Liaising with other agencies and professionals
• Ensuring that locally established procedures are followed and making referrals as necessary
• Acting as a consultant for staff to discuss concerns, regular staff appraisals are taken with all school staff.
• Maintaining a confidential recording system
• Representing or ensuring the school is appropriately represented at inter-agency safeguarding meetings (including Child Protection conferences/ Strategy Meetings)
• Organising training for all school staff

The DSLis properly supported in this role at a time and resource level, and receives monthly supervisions with the directors of Dove Adolescent Services.

However, Child Protection and welfare are the responsibility of all staff in school and ANY observation, information or issue which results in concern for a pupil’s welfare MUST be reported to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (s)

In order to protect confidentiality, safeguarding information about individual children is shared on a need to know basis only and thus, what may seem to be a minor issue to one staff member, may be highly significant to the bigger picture of risk.

SAFEGUARDING AND CHILD PROTECTION PROCEDURES

All staff will have an enhanced DBS check (disclosure and barring service) and a prohibition from teaching check in addition the Head teacher and proprietors and any member of the senior leadership team will have a section 128 checks and the relevant child protection training. This is recorded on the single centre register.

Claire Spurr is safeguarding manager for the school and will record all disclosures on the appropriate log and pass on to the relevant care team.

Dove School adheres to the following legislation in carrying out its statutory duties:

Working Together to Safeguard Children March 2015

Keeping Children Safe in Education Sept 2016

Dove School adheres to the area Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB) The DSLs attended updated training on October 2016.

Copies of all relevant Safeguarding legislation are kept in the Head Teacher’s office.

These documents have been shared with all staff.

It is the responsibility of the DSLto gather and collate information obtained on individual children, to make immediate and on-going assessments of potential risk and to decide (with parents / carers in most cases) on the appropriateness of referrals to partner agencies and services. All young people who attend the School have a designated social worker and allocated Virtual School teacher. The head teacher will liaise with such agencies if any safeguarding concerns arise.

The head teacher will ensure that concerns and information are immediately recorded and passed on to the relevant home manager, director or on-call manager. All records will be kept in a secure location.

Where safeguarding concerns are raised about employees from Dove Adolescent services, the whistle blowing policy will be followed.

In the absence of the availability of the DSL to discuss an immediate and urgent concern, advice should be sought direct from Dove Adolescent Services Directors – Barbara Whittaker/ Diane Lodge 01977 690344.

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

On occasion, staff may pass information about a child to the DSL, but remain anxious about action subsequently taken. Staff should feel able to clarify with the DSLfurther progress (although they should not expect to be given confidential detail), so that they can reassure themselves the child is safe and their welfare being considered. If following this process, the staff member remains concerned that appropriate action is not being taken, it is the responsibility of that staff member to seek further direct consultation from the directors of Dove Adolescent Services, either a member of the Children’s Safeguards Team who will be able to discuss the concern and advise on appropriate action to be taken.

The school has a nominated directorfor safeguarding named on the front of this document. The nominated directorwill take the lead role in ensuring that the school has an effective policy which interlinks with related policies; that locally agreed procedures are in place and being followed; and that the policy and structures supporting safeguarding children are reviewed annually.

A statement in the school prospectus will inform parents and carers about our school’s duties and responsibilities under child protection and safeguarding procedures. Parents can obtain a copy of the school Safeguarding Policy and other related policies on request or can view via the Dove Adolescent Services Website. (

Recognition and categories of abuse:

All staff in school should be aware of the definitions and signs and symptoms of abuse. There are four categories of abuse:

• Physical abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Emotional abuse
• Neglect

The most up to date definitions are found on page 11 of Keeping Children Safe in Education Sept 2016. Available from the Head Teachers’ office.

Indicators and signs of abuse are also indicated within Dove Adolescent Services Policies and Procedures. This document is also reviewed on an annual basis.

Staff need to remember that child abuse can occur within all social groups regardless of religion, culture, social class or financial position.

It is also important to remember that those who abuse children can be of any age, gender, ethnic group or background and it is important not to allow personal preconceptions to prevent recognition or action taking place.

Child Sexual Exploitation / Female Genital Mutilation/ Radicalisation

Details on CSE/FGM are found on page 12 of Keeping Children Safe in Education Sept 2016

All school staff have received relevant training in line with the PREVENT guide and the use of PSHE topics such as British values and law are built into the schemes of work.

Children Missing in Education

A child going missing from education can be an indicator of abuse or neglect. Dove School keeps an admissions register and an attendance register. All pupils are on both registers. Records are kept of pupil destinations when they leave Dove School. These records are kept in the admissions register.

When Children are missing from education all intervention measures will be taken in order to ensure that young people are fully supported and that there needs are met to reengage young people.

The Prevent Strategy

Information is taken from the following documentation:

• Page 13 of Keeping Children safe in Education Sept 2016
• The Prevent Duty June 2015

The DfE has produced non statutory advice for schools in the above documentation.

From 1st July 2015 schools are subject to a duty under section 26 of the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015. The duty includes schools in having ‘due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism’.

In following the Prevent advice DoveSchool will:

• Assess the risk of children being drawn into terrorism and giving support for extremist ideas
• Follow safeguarding procedures for protecting children at risk of radicalization (as part of safeguarding procedure)
• Follow advice from Barnsley Local Safeguarding Children’s Board
• The DSLs will undertake Prevent Awareness Training and offer advice to other staff members
• Ensure that internet safety systems are in place to prevent children from accessing terrorist and extremist material online

Supporting Staff

• We recognize that staff working in the school who have become involved with a child who has suffered harm, or appears to be likely to suffer harm, may find the situation stressful or upsetting.
• We will support staff by providing an opportunity to talk through their anxieties with the designated lead and to seek further support as appropriate, through monthly appraisals.

INDUCTION AND TRAINING

The head teacher undertakes relevant and up to date training on Prevent awareness, Safeguarding Lead, safer recruitment & management of staff, Use of positive handling, First Aid, CEOP training – Online safety training.

All school staff also undertake Prevent training, Safeguarding ( including keeping Children Safe in education), Use of positive handling, First Aid, CEOP training – Online safety training.

Certificates for these are kept on individual staff files.

All school-based staff will be offered an appropriate level of safeguarding training (to includeinternal school procedure and responsibilities;child protection process; how to recognise and respond to signs and symptoms of concern and abuse; safe working practice) and must undergo refresher training every three years. Training is organised by the DSL in line with government guidance.

The nominated director should receive safeguarding training on a three yearly basis, to be disseminated to the rest of the Directors.

The school leadership team will ensure the DSL(s) attend the required DSL safeguarding training when they first take up the role and that they continue to update their knowledge on an on-going basis and at least every 2 years as required by guidance.

The DSL will ensure that all new staff are appropriately inducted as regards the school’s internal safeguarding procedures and communication lines.

The DSL/ Head Teacher will provide an annual report to the Directors detailing safeguarding training undertaken by all staff and will maintain up to date registers of who has been trainedkept in the Safeguarding folder in the Head Teacher’s office.

RECORD KEEPING

Staff must record any welfare concern that they have about a child on a safeguarding incident/concern form to be passed to the DSL. Records must be completed as soon as possible after the incident/event and must be signed and dated.

Incident/concern forms are stored electronically, in line with the General Data protection regulations.

Safeguarding records are kept centrally and securely by the DSLand are shared on a ‘need to know’ basis only. They will be held separate from the child’s curriculum file.

All safeguarding records will be forwarded to a child’s subsequent school under confidential and separate cover to the new DSL or Head Teacher.

ALLEGATIONS AGAINST MEMBERS OF STAFF

Dove Schoolrecognises that it is possible for staff to behave in a way that might cause harm to children and takes seriously any allegation received. Such allegations should be referred immediately to the Head Teacher who will first contact Dove Adolescent Services Directors, then where appropriate the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)to agree further action to be taken in respect of the child and staff member.