Workbook Guidelines for Child Protection Records,Transfer, Retention & Archiving

Workbook Guidelines for Child Protection Records,Transfer, Retention & Archiving

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CONTENTS

• Framework for Child Protection Records, Transfer, Retention & Archiving

• Context

• Child Protection Records

• Chronology of Key Events-Sample

• Transfer of Records

• Archiving

• Access to Files

• Safe Destruction of Pupil Record

• Protocol for Child Protection File Transfer to Post-16 Providers

• T&W Council- Safeguarding Children-Destruction Advice

• Governing Body’s Role in Pupils Records

• Flowchart-Summary of Concerns about a Child

• Chronology of Key Events Template

• Cause for Concern Template

• Designated Safeguarding Lead-Form

• Designated Safeguarding Lead on going Monitoring Form

• Schedule of Records Transfer Template

• Risk & Vulnerability Management-Sexually Harmful Behaviour

Framework for Child Protection Records, Transfer, Retention & Archiving

The following information is intended to support *schools and colleges in developing their own child protectionrecords, transfer, retention and archiving policy.

The framework suggested ensures that all statutory obligations are met under current legislation and guidance.

The guidance contained within this section has been designed to be easily adapted by Head teachers, Designated Safeguarding Leads and Governing Body’s to reflect the ethos of your own school. It is available electronically fromtelfordsafeguardingboard.org.uk-School Policies section.

The Safeguarding Children in Education Officer located within the School Improvement Team will review the guidance as required. This will be in line with other template policies and Workbooks in order to ensure the integration of current issues and good practice. It must be remembered that there is no national set template to follow but each school will manage their own processes. For some schools this may be already well tried and trusted, this guidance is merely that, in assisting schools to refine processes if they choose and offer documentation that colleagues use throughout the country.

The challenge for any school is to produce, ‘living’ processes and policies rather than dry, easily forgotten documents – and child protection recording is no exception. Consideration needs to be given to the range of people who will supply child protection concerns and who accesses the child protection documents.

Other issues to consider are:

How will a visiting teacher or other member of whole school staff who may be temporary in your setting be made aware of the information contained within your Child Protection Policy process to successfully refer a concern?

Who will go through issues like confidentiality and the use of ‘cause for concern’ forms with all those within the school community including any volunteer from the local community?

Many schools have found that an A4 ‘welcome’ sheet can be a useful tool for communicating a summary of the main Child Protection Policy process to visitors in school – including the cause for concern referral, the name of the Designated SafeguardingLead and supporting staff, a reminder of confidentiality and appropriate behaviour. Induction training is essential for all new staff, especially NQTs / ITTs / student teachers.

There are a number of supporting forms/templates attached which cover specific issues though this is not an exhaustive list and school should consider any additions they may wish to make.

Context

At a local level all agencies work within the overarching Local Telford & Wrekin Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) - Child Protection Procedures. These can viewed at;

telfordsafeguardingchildrenboard.org.uk

Within a National context “Keeping Children Safe in Education” (DfE 2016) stipulates that governing bodies and proprietors should appoint a member of staff of the school’s or college’s leadership team to the role of Designated Safeguarding Lead.“Keeping Children Safe in Education” should be read and work alongside “Working Together” 2015

This should be explicit in the role-holder’s job description, this person will have the appropriate authority and be given the time, funding, training, resources and support to provide advice and support to other staff on child welfare and child protection matters, to take part in multi agency strategy discussions and inter-agency meetings – and/or to support other staff to do so – and to contribute to the assessment of children.

This role is imperative in the role of accessing, viewing, updating, monitoring and managing a child’s child protection record.

*Reference to schools throughout this document includes free schools, academies, independents, special schools and PRU’s.

Child Protection Records

Child protection files mustbe held in a locked cabinet with only the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) or head teacher having access. You as a school may wish to use a bound numbered book which then becomes the start of the Child Protection life story of that child. This book needs to be child specific and separate from any general concerns system you may have in place. Indeed, that initial concerns system may be the escalation process to a stand alone book. If this happens please have a method of noting escalation has taken place, this specific record then supersedes the general concern noting for that individual child. Alternatively, you may already have a tried and trusted method in place, there is no right or wrong way but schools need a robust system in place for child protection recording. You may wish to colour code all of the forms when you download them. You can also sequentially number them. Also chronology of events forms can be expanded to give more space for written input.

To help other staff to identify that there is a cause for concern with a child, a suggestion would be for a sticker (e.g. red) to be placed on the front of the pupil file. This will indicate to staff that there is another file without them knowing what the content of the file is.

The required information includes the following specific items:

Cause for concern forms

Child protection reports/disclosures

Strategy/Resolution minutes

Minutes of child protection conferences

A copy of the child protection plan

Attendance themes which may mirror concerns

A copy of support plans for the young person

Each child protection file should contain a **chronological summary (see example below) of significant events and the actions and involvement of the school. Please remember that the child protection record should “tell a story” as other professionals may have to read this information, so be clear, concise and legible and explain any acronyms, initials of staff/colleagues/”significant others” you log as to theirjob/role in the process. The same applies to logging information that is shared with Family Connect in a two way process where Triage/Multi Agency Child Protection Enquiriesdiscussions take place. Document what was asked for and what you shared and what you chose not to do and why.

**SAMPLE-PLEASE NOTE EVENTS SHOULD BE HANDWRITTEN. SAMPLE SHOWN IS FOR CLARITY BY BEING TYPED

Confidential

Chronology of Key Events-Handwritten

Guidance Notes: What was our involvement with this child and family?

Construct a comprehensive chronology of involvement by the agency and/or professional(s) in contact with the child and family over the period of time set out in the review’s terms of reference. Briefly summarise decisions reached, the services offered and/or provided to the child (ren) and family, and other action taken.

Name of Child & DOB-Sharon Barker 23/09/08

Ethnicity-White British

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)-Peter Bridge

Class/Tutor group-Miss Mary Smith Class Teacher

Transfer of Records

Where children leave the school to attend another school or college ensure that the child protection file is transferred securely and separately from the main pupil file to the receiving DSL at the school/educational establishment (where this is known), within 15 schools days.We would expect the same principle to apply for CAF’s/TAC’s. This is a legal requirement set out under regulation 9 (3) ofThe Education (PupilInformation – England) Regulations 2005. A copy of the chronologyshould be retained for audit purposes. Also log where the records were forwarded to and to whom and as to what conversation took place.

The school should not keep copies of the child protection file, apart from a copy of the chronology summary and in either of the following instances:

Where a child transfers out of the host Local Authority area to another and where a physical handover is not possible,a copy of theoriginal file should be retained by the school. The original copy should be sent securely to the new school (**See advice below). When confirmation has been received of its safe receipt, the copy can then be destroyed in a secure manner.This is to ensure that should the file becomelost in transit, there is still a copy of the full file. It is imperative that notification of receipt is retained and kept securely. This can be noted alongside a copy of the kept chronology with the transfer of records signed form.

Where a vulnerable young person is moving to a Further Education establishment, consideration should be given to the pupil’s wishes and feelings on their child protection information being passed on, in order that the FE establishment can provide appropriate support.

However, gaining consent from the child should not override the sharing of Child Protection records so that the individual and the safety and welfare of others can be known and managed in an overarching holistic safeguarding process.

In cases where it is deemed appropriate to transfer child protection records to a post-16 FE education establishment, the processes above and below should be followed. Also the attached Protocol for File Transfers to Post-16 Providers should be recognised, embraced and followed.

Where a child’s destination school is not known, a referral to the Children Missing Education Team (CME). If theCME Team cannot locate the child their details will be uploaded to a School to School Service Form (S2S): a note should be made on the S2S that a child protection file exists. To download these forms please access via for assistance. The school must retain the child protection file unless local arrangements state that they should be forwarded to the CME Team.

Where the child has not attended the nominated school (the original file should be retained by the school)

There is any on-going legal action that has not been completed(the original file should be retained by the school and legal advice sought as to when it is prudent to transfer the original file or seek advice if a copy should be transferred in the meantime)

Children records should be transferred in a secure manner, for example, by hand. When hand-delivering pupil records, a list of the names of those pupils whose records are being transferred and the name of the school they are being transferred to will be made and a signature obtained from the receiving school as proof of receipt. This file should be filed and maintained

Where schools are transferring and receiving records who are using CPOMS an electronic receipt of this occurrence should be kept by both parties as if it where done face to face.

The position is that each school should follow Local and National guidelines in the recording of pupil information. In terms of CPOMS this will normally relate to the recording of Incidents and appropriate actions.

Within CPOMS schools are able to link students to an incident via a simple system link – these system links are automatically removed by CPOMS at the point a student transfers to another school.

Where school staff wish to also link student within the free form text of an Incident, our understanding is that in line with best practice the schools should continue to refer to those students by their initials. For example ‘Patrick was hit by AW’.

If a pupil moves from our school, child protection records will be forwarded onto the named Designated Safeguarding Lead person at the new school, with due regard to their confidential nature. Good practice dictates that this should always be done with a face to face handover.

Where circumstances are such that there are multiple children from the same family who are all under Child Protection concerns, which contains sensitive information on each, but the information is contained within minutes where all multiples are discussed at the same time. Then each child should have their own file. If any of the siblingsareleaving the school to attend elsewhere and information is within the file on their brothers/sisters and that child is transferring to another school, their file should follow them. However, minimal personal information and relevance are very key considerations when sharing personal information and therefore have to take to be taken into account and a decision based on risk. If in doubt seek guidance from your school legal team.