THE NEVILLE LOVETT COMMUNITY SCHOOL CHILD PROTECTION POLICY (STATUTORY)
The Neville Lovett Community School fully recognises its responsibilities for child protection. Our policy applies to all staff, governors and volunteers working in the school. In addition this policy applies to all users of the adult and community education facilities on site. There are five main elements to our policy.
Raising awareness of child protection issues and equipping children with the skills needed to keep them safe. Developing and then implementing procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases, of abuse. Supporting pupils who have been abused in accordance with his/her agreed child protection plan. Ensuring we practice safe recruitment in checking the suitability of staff and volunteers to work with children. Establishing a safe environment in which children can learn and develop.
We recognise that because of their day to day contact with children, school staff are well placed to observe the outward signs of abuse. The school will therefore:
Establish and maintain an environment where children feel secure, are encouraged to talk, and are listened to. Ensure children know that there are adults in the school whom they can approach if they are worried. Include opportunities in the PSHE (Personal, social, health and economic education) curriculum for children to develop the skills they need to recognise and stay safe from abuse.
We will follow the procedures set out by the Local Safeguarding Children’s Boards and the Local Authority, and take account of guidance issued by the Department for Education and Skills to:
Ensure that the Governing Body understands its responsibilities under S.175 of the Education Act 2002. Ensure we have a designated Child Protection Liaison Officer (CPLO) for child protection who has received appropriate training and support for this role.
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Ensure every member of staff, volunteer and governor knows the name of the designated person responsible for child protection and their role. Ensure all staff and volunteers understand their responsibilities in being alert to the signs of abuse and responsibility for referring any concerns to the designated person (CPLO) responsible for child protection. Ensure that every member of staff, volunteer and Governor received appropriate levels of training to fulfil their child protection responsibilities effectively. Ensure that parents have an understanding of the responsibility placed on the school and staff for child protection by setting out its obligations in the school prospectus. Notify social services if there is an unexplained absence of more than two days of a pupil who is on the child protection register. Develop effective links with relevant agencies and co-operate as required with their enquiries regarding child protection matters including attendance at Child Protection Case Conferences. Keep written records of concerns about children, even where there is no need to refer the matter immediately. Ensure all records are kept securely and separately from the main pupil file, and in locked locations. Following Local Authority procedures where an allegation is made against a member of staff or volunteer. Ensure safe selection and recruitment practices are always followed.
We recognise that children who are abused or witness violence may find it difficult to develop a sense of self worth. They may feel helplessness, humiliation and some sense of blame. The school may be the only stable, secure and predictable element in the lives of children at risk. When at school their behaviour may be challenging and defiant or they may be withdrawn. The school will endeavour to support the pupil through:
The content of the curriculum. The school ethos which promotes a positive, supportive and secure environment and gives pupils a sense of being valued. The school behaviour policy which is aimed at supporting vulnerable pupils in the school. The school will ensure that the pupil knows that some behaviour is unacceptable but they are valued and not to be blamed for any abuse which has occurred. Liaison with other agencies that support the pupil such as Social Care, Child and Adult Mental Health Service, Education Welfare Service and Educational Psychology Service. Ensure that child protection records and/or records of concern are transferred accordingly (separately from pupil files) when a child leaves the school. Ensuring that, where a pupil on the child protection register leaves the school, their information is transferred to the new school immediately and that the child’s Social Worker is informed.
We will ensure that this policy is reviewed annually in line with LSCB (Local Safeguarding Children’s Boards and Local Authority procedures and DfES guidance.
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(adapted from an example of good practice provided by Teachernet: www.teachernet.gov.uk/child protection)
Child protection guidelines Role of the child protection liaison officer The school has a senior member of staff appointed as the child protection liaison officer (CPLO). It will be the CPLO’s duty to: • • • • • • •
Act as the focal point for reference and advice to staff Be the first line of discussion of reported concerns from staff To liaise and advise with the headteacher on any matters in respect of reported or suspected abuse To monitor any child where concerns have been raised. To monitor children on the ‘at risk register’ To provide training to all staff on procedures to be followed in cases of child abuse To provide information to all staff on the identification of child abuse.
The welfare of the child is paramount. You should not delay making a referral.______________________________________________________________ Procedures i
All staff have a duty to report suspicions, concern or disclosures of abuse to children directly to the CPLO, or headteacher in the absence of the CPLO. Please complete a Check List for Action in Child Abuse Referrals form (see Appendix A).
ii.
Concerns or suspicions should be discussed with the CPLO. A decision will be made to report the matter to Social Services or to monitor the matter internally. If a decision is made to monitor, the CPLO will decide the extent of this monitoring.
iii.
The CPLO or headteacher will report a disclosure or clear evidence of abuse directly to Social Services. If it is an emergency and the child is in immediate danger, the police will be informed. The child will be detained in school until the Social Services representatives or police can give advice of intention. Parents should be informed.
If a child makes a disclosure of abuse to a member of staff it is important that you record this at the earliest opportunity (within 24 hours)._______________________________________________________________ If a child makes a disclosure of abuse, or through comment suggests that there may be abuse, this should be reported to the CPLO immediately. The
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interview should be recorded in writing (preferably immediately or at the latest within 24 hours). Care should be taken with questioning to avoid leading the child. “Tell me what happened.” “What happened next?” “Where did this happen?” “When?” – but not “Why?”. It is the role of the police and Social Services to investigate.___________________ What constitutes abuse? There are four main categories of abuse: •
•
•
•
Neglect Is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Neglect may occur as a result of maternal substance abuse. Once a child is born neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to provide adequate food and clothing, shelter including exclusion from home or abandonment, failing to protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger, failure to ensure adequate supervision including the use of inadequate care-takers, or the failure to ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs. Physical abuse May involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning, scalding, drowning, suffocating, or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately causes ill health to a child. Sexual abuse Involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, including prostitution, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may include physical contact, including penetrative (eg rape or buggery or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts. They may include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of pornographic material or watching sexual activities, or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways. Emotional abuse Is the persistent maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to children that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond the child’s developmental capability as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning, or
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preventing the child participating in normal social interaction. It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another. It may involve serious bullying causing children to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of ill treatment of a child, though it may occur alone. All of the above categories of abuse involve some emotional ill-treatment and this category should be used when it is the main or sole form of abuse. Protecting the child i.
The school will develop a personal, social education programme to raise children’s awareness and build self-esteem.
ii.
Where and when possible, the school will encourage the involvement of outside agencies such as the health service, police service and Education Welfare Service to support the PSHE programme.
Will all members of staff in possession of this policy, please ensure that they have read this policy and all attached appendices carefully so that they are able to respond correctly and with confidence. For further details and information please refer to the Hampshire County Council Child protection guidance. (This is a bright yellow binder and should be available in the staff room and CPLO’s office.)_____________________________
Signed: ………………………………………………………. Elizabeth Webb, Chairman of Governors Date: ……………………..
Last Reviewed: Ratified by Governing Body:
September 2009 3 December 2009
Next Review: September 2010
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