Church of England
Wetheringsett VCP School SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN TO BE REVIEWED ANNUALLY Reviewed: Spring 2006 Latest review: Summer 2009 (review taking account of recently introduced CAF procedures)
Contact Person: Senior Designated Professional Deputy SDP Governors Committee:
David Simington – Head Teacher David Simington – Head Teacher Tracey Springfield Full Governing Body
Notes: The Policy is based on models from the Schools Portal (Jan 2006 and Feb 2008) Sections highlighted in blue reflect personnel changes November 2009 Sections highlighted in green are new additions June 2009
SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN
Wetheringsett Voluntary Controlled Primary School Child Protection Policy
(Based on the Suffolk County Council Model Procedures)
Policy Updated Summer 2009 1.
INTRODUCTION
1.1
The Education Act 2002, Section 175 (2) states:
“The Governing Body of a maintained school shall make arrangements for ensuring that their functions relating to the conduct of the school are exercised with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children who are pupils at the school.� 1.2 The staff and governors of Wetheringsett School are committed to protecting and safeguarding all their pupils to ensure, as far as possible, that they are free from harm. 1.3 The school recognises that children sometimes suffer abuse from those who should be caring for and protecting them. Abuse can take place within any socio-economic group and can occur at home or in institutions such as schools.
1.4 This document sets out the procedures which Wetheringsett School has in place for exercising its duties in relation to safeguarding pupils. This policy links directly with and should be considered an integral part of Wetheringsett School’s Staff Code of Conduct
2. THE SENIOR DESIGNATED PROFESSIONAL, GOVERNOR and PERSONNEL 2.1 As required by central government guidance, Wetheringsett School has a designated senior member of staff, known as the Senior Designated Professional (SDP), who is responsible for co-ordinating child protection issues within the school and for liaising with other Services. In addition there is an Alternate Designated Professional who acts in the SDP’s absence and a member of the Governing Body with responsibility for child protection. 2.2
At Wetheringsett School, the above roles are undertaken by:
Senior Designated Professional: Head teacher – Mr David Simington (CAF training to be undertaken, SDP Training to be undertaken for new role) Alternate Designated Professional: Mrs Tracey Springfield (SDP Training has been undertaken for new role) Governor with responsibility for Safeguarding: Ms Siobhan Goodrich (SDP Training to be undertaken for new role) These people’s names will be given, when requested, to the Local Education Authority. 2.3 The Senior Designated Professional and Alternate Designated Professional will be released from school to attend specialised child protection training, which will up-dated every two years. The named Governor will also receive training. 2.4 It is the Senior Designated Professional’s responsibility to ensure that all staff, teaching and support, paid and volunteers know
who is the Senior Designated Professional and alternative Designated Professional, and that they all receive, on a regular basis, information which enables them to identify child protection matters and respond appropriately. 2.5 The school’s Headteacher/SENCO and Senior teacher will be CAF (Common Assessment Framework) trained. SENCO Mr David Simington Learning Mentor Mrs Tracey Springfield (CAF training undertaken)
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RECOGNISING POSSIBLE ABUSE: Training 3.1 Children can be harmed in a number of ways. Abuse can be physical, sexual, emotional or it can take the form of neglect. Children sometimes suffer more than one type of abuse at a time. 3.2 Wetheringsett School will ensure that staff members are trained to recognise signs of possible abuse or neglect and will know what to do if they suspect a child is suffering harm. Training (Level 1) will be updated every three years. 3.3 The school will strive to create an atmosphere in which children feel able and safe to talk about their worries and fears. Staff will listen carefully to anything children want to tell them. They will · not ask leading questions · not promise to keep the matter secret · not attempt to investigate a situation themselves. Staff might also have concerns about a child’s safety because of the way he or she is behaving. 3.4 Whether suspicions arise through disclosures children make or as a result of observations, the member of staff concerned must · make a written note, signed, dated and timed of what was said or seen (preferably on the ‘Recording From for Safeguarding Concerns’), which advises staff about appropriate reporting procedures. · refer the matter immediately to the Senior Designated Professional.
· Safeguarding documents should be stored in a folder marked confidential and Recording Forms placed in a brown envelope, once written, before being forwarded to the SDP. Staff will be aware of the possibility that their records might have to be used as evidence in court, and must therefore be aware of the need to distinguish fact from opinion. We actively encourage all of our staff to keep up to date with the most recent local and national safeguarding advice and guidance. This can be accessed on www.suffolkscb.org.uk.
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MAKING REFERRALS TO SOCIAL CARE SERVICES 4.1 The Senior Designated Professional will refer all cases of suspected abuse to Social Care Services immediately. Where practicable, the school will inform parents of the referral before it is made, or at least as soon as possible afterwards if contact cannot be made with them quickly. The only circumstances in which a parent will not be informed of a referral are if it is considered · · · illness.
the child might be at greater risk of harm as a result such action might impede a criminal investigation the child might be the victim of fabricated or induced
4.2 Urgent Referrals (e.g. of suspected abuse or neglect) will be made by telephone to Customer First (08456 023023), immediately followed up, within a 24 hour period, by a written account on the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) Urgent Referrals form (‘page 10’) faxed to Customer First (fax. 01449 723127). This telephone call will be recorded, noting the name of the person spoken to, and the record signed by the person making the referral with the date and time the telephone call was made. NB It must be absolutely clear on the form if the family is unaware of the referral, for reasons of the child’s safety. The full ‘Common Assessment Framework’ (CAF) form will be completed by a CAF-trained member of staff, and sent by fax (if requested), first class post, or hand delivered to the office where the telephone referral was made within 24 hours. The school will retain a
copy for its own records, to be stored in the appropriate Child Protection file. CAF trained staff will be: David Simington, Headteacher, (SDP, Safeguarding) Mrs Elaine Miller, Senior teacher 4.3 Any other referrals (i.e. those not of an immediate child protection nature), which Wetheringsett School makes to Social Care will also be made on the CAF form. In these circumstances the agreement of the child’s parent will always be obtained beforehand and the form completed, wherever possible in the presence of (or at least with permission of) a family member. 4.4 The school will expect a prompt response from Social Care Services once a referral has been made to that Department. If nothing has been heard within two days, the Senior Designated Professional or (appropriate deputy) will telephone the office to which the referral was made to make enquiries. This telephone call will be recorded, again noting the name of the person spoken to, and the record signed by the SDP / Deputy with the date and time the telephone call was made. If there has still been no response after a week, the SDP will contact Social Services for an update. If no response is received the SDP will contact the Education Welfare Officer to gain required information. 4.5 Where the school believes a referral to be a matter of child protection, but staff in Social Care Services are not of the same opinion, the Senior Designated Professional will contact the Education Welfare Officer or, if necessary a County Manager, re-stating the school’s views. (This to be followed up in writing.) All communications with regard to Safeguarding issues will be recorded on the ‘Action Record’ chronology form at the front of the appropriate child’s CP File.
5 ATTENDANCE AT AND REPORTS TO CHILD PROTECTION CONFERENCES 5.1 If Social Care Services decide, having received a referral from the school, that a child might be at risk of harm a child protection
conference may be called or a CAF panel assessment undertaken. 5.2 The Senior Designated Professional will be asked to attend Child Protection Conference and it is an expectation of Wetheringsett School that s/he will do so, unless it is considered that another member of staff has greater or more relevant knowledge of the child, in which case that person will attend. Where a conference is held during a school holiday, the school will do its best to send a senior member of staff. 5.3 The school will provide the person chairing the conference with a written report on the child at least 48 hours in advance. The author of the report will be aware that the child’s parents will have access to it. 5.4 If a child becomes the subject of a Child Protection Review following a decision made at a child protection conference, a ‘core group’ consisting of those with the most knowledge of and involvement with that child will be identified. The Senior Designated Professional or other relevant member of staff will attend. 5.5 The school will ensure that an appropriate member of staff will attend all Core Group / Child in Need meetings, or, in unusual circumstances if s/he is unable to attend, will ensure that the appropriate person will submit a report giving relevant information on the child. 5.6 Staff who are required to attend child protection conferences or core group meetings to represent the school will have access to Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006 and to multi agency training to equip them to carry out this task. 5.7 Appropriate ‘supervision’ of staff is considered an integral part of the process of staff well-being. The school’s Safeguarding Team will support each other in offering de-brief where necessary.
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CONFIDENTIALITY 6.1 Information on child protection cases will only be shared within the school with those who need it in order to ensure the safety of the children concerned.
6.2 All school records of child protection concerns and referrals will be kept in a locked cabinet separately from the main pupil files. Only the Senior Designated Professional and Alternate Designated Professional will have a key to this cabinet. 6.3 Only one child protection file will be kept on a child, and will contain, on the inside front cover, a maintained chronology of events. No other information of a child protection matter will be kept anywhere else in the school.
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TRANSFER OF RECORDS 7.1 When a child whose name is on the Child Protection Register leaves the School, the Senior Designated Professional will inform the relevant social worker and send the child protection records to the receiving school immediately. If the name of the receiving school is not known, the Senior Designated Professional will notify the child’s social worker as a matter or urgency as soon as the child leaves or appears to be missing. In these circumstances, the child protection records will remain at Wetheringsett School until the child is known to have registered elsewhere. 7.2 When a child joins Wetheringsett School and records from the previous school indicate that s/he is subject to a Child Protection Plan, the Headteacher or Senior Designated Professional will notify Social Care Services immediately. 7.3 When a child who is known to be subject to a Child Protection Plan joins Wetheringsett School and no child protection records have been received from the previous school, the Senior Designated Professional will contact the Designated Professional at that school to request the records be sent immediately. This request will be confirmed in writing and repeated if necessary. If they remain unavailable, the school will inform the Education Welfare Service.
9.
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
9.1 Regular school attendance has a very important part to play in safeguarding children. A child whose parents / carers repeatedly fail
to provide adequate reasons for absence, or whose absence is ongoing without medical evidence, will be referred to the Education Welfare Service. Such absences will not be authorised by the school. 9.2 Failure of a child to attend school without notification/ explanation from a parent/guardian will result in enquiries being made by the school office, with follow-up contact to the Education Welfare Officer and/or other relevant agencies.
10.
CURRICULUM 10.1 Wetheringsett School will strive to create a safe environment for the children on its roll. The curriculum will therefore be instrumental in preparing children for their future responsibilities as adults. 10.2 Through the curriculum, children will be helped to understand what is and is not acceptable behaviour towards them. They will be taught about staying safe from harm and the importance of speaking to a member of staff if they have worries or concerns. 10.3 In particular, safeguarding concerns regarding developing technologies will be highlighted through school assemblies, PSHE sessions and by visiting agencies. (See also ‘Intimate Care’ Guidelines in Staff Code of Conduct and ‘Use of Restraint’ policy)
11.
BULLYING AND CHILD-ON-CHILD ABUSE
11.1 It is important that children should be safe from each other in school. Wetheringsett School will not tolerate bullying amongst its pupils and is committed to dealing with all complaints of such a nature. Strategies for dealing with bullying are explained in the school’s AntiBullying Policy. 11.2 Members of staff need to understand that children as well as adults can be abusers. Where a child discloses abuse by a fellow pupil the matter will be referred to Social Care Services by the Senior
Designated Professional in the usual way. Both sets of parents will be informed by the school, unless Social Care Services, having taken account of the particular circumstances, advises otherwise. (See also Wetheringsett Anti-bullying Policy)
12.
STAFF RECRUITMENT 12.1 Before confirmation of appointment, all staff (teaching and support) and volunteers who apply to work at Wetheringsett School will be subject to a rigorous recruitment process to ensure, as far as possible, their suitability to work with children. References will be taken up and they will be required to give evidence of their qualifications and details of previous experience and work history. 12.2 The Headteacher and the Chair of the Governors’ Personnel Committee have successfully completed the Government’s “Safe Recruitment” (Bichard) training. 12.3 As part of this recruitment process, all potential staff and volunteers will be required to declare any criminal record. Those likely to have unsupervised access to children will have their details checked by the Criminal Record Bureau and will not be employed if it is considered they are unsuitable to work with children. 12.4 When new staff, volunteers or regular visitors join our school they will be informed of the safeguarding arrangements in place. They will be given a copy of our school’s Safeguarding Policy and informed as to the identity of the school’s Safeguarding personnel. They will also be shown the recording format, given information on how to complete it and who to pass it to. 12.5 Every new member of staff or volunteer will have an induction period that will include essential safeguarding information. This programme will include basic safeguarding information relating to signs and symptoms of abuse, how to manage a disclosure from a child, how to record and issues of confidentiality.
12.6 New staff who have not had any child protection training or staff who have had training more than three years ago will be advised how to access up to date single agency training. 12.7 All regular visitors and volunteers to our school will be told where our policy is kept, they will be given a set of safeguarding procedures, they will be told who our Senior Designated and alternate staff members are and what the recording and reporting system is. 12.8 All adult visitors to the school, who are to be working in direct contact with the children, will be given the school’s ‘Safeguarding Children and Young People: Guidance to Adults’ advice sheet outlining the school’s expectations regarding safeguarding of young people. 12.9 On arrival at the school all visitors will be identified by the office staff and logged into either the Visitor’s Book or the Premises Log Book. If they are not in possession of an acceptable visible means of identification they will be given a numbered badge to wear at all times in school. On leaving school they will hand back the badge (if appropriate) and sign out. All personnel working in direct contact with the children will be issued on arrival with a copy of ‘Guidance to adults at Wetheringsett’ leaflet to read, which informs them of the school’s Safeguarding responsibilities and procedures. All personnel in school carry the responsibility of politely but firmly challenging any unknown adult in school that is not displaying an identification badge. 12.10 Unsupervised access to pupils will only be allowed for adults holding current enhanced CRB clearance.
13.
ALLEGATIONS AGAINST STAFF 13.1 Any allegation made against a member of staff or volunteer at School will be taken very seriously and will be referred immediately by the Headteacher or Senior Designated Professional to the Local Education Authority under Suffolk County Council’s Procedure in Respect of Allegations of Child Abuse Made Against School Staff. The allegation will not be investigated in school, other than to establish the facts. The LEA will refer the matter to Social Care Services.
13.2 Where an allegation is made against the Headteacher, the Senior Designated Professional or an Alternate Designated Professional will inform the Chair of the Governing Body as well as the Local Education Authority. As above, the LEA will refer the matter to Social Care Services. (See also Wetheringsett Whistleblowing Policy)
14.
CONCLUSION 14.1 The aim of these procedures is to ensure that all the children on roll at Wetheringsett School are safe and free from harm. If they are considered to be at risk of or to have suffered abuse or neglect the school will take the steps described to minimise the risk or protect them from further harm.
14.2 In order to monitor the effective safeguarding of Wetheringsett School’s pupils, the Governing Body will require the Headteacher to submit a termly report on child protection issues within the school. This report will not reveal details of any individual children or families. 14.3 In all its work to safeguard children Wetheringsett School will work in partnership other agencies and with parents. 14.4 The adequacy of these procedures will be reviewed and the procedures formally adopted annually by the Governing Body.
These Procedures are based on:
1. Joint Policies and Procedures for the Protection of Children: Suffolk Area Child Protection Committee 2.
Children Act 1989
3. Protecting Children from Abuse: The Role of the Education Service: DfEE
Circular 10/95
4. Misconduct of Teachers and Workers with Children and Young People: DfEE Circular 11/95
5. Procedure in Respect of Allegations of Child Abuse Made Against School Staff: Suffolk County Council 1999
6.
Working Together to Safeguard Children: DOH, HO, DfEE 1999
7. Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families: DOH, DfEE, HO 2000:
8.
Education Act 2002
9. Safeguarding Children: Joint Chief Inspectors’ Report on Arrangements to Safeguard Children 2002
10. What To Do If You’re Worried A Child Is Being Abused: DOH, HO, DfES 2003 11. 14
SUFFOLK COUNTY COUNCIL - WHOLE SCHOOL POLICY FOR SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN, February 2008