KING EDWARD VI CAMP HILL SCHOOL FOR GIRLS

Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

Revised draft: September 2015

Reviewed by Pupil Welfare and Discipline Committee: September 2015

Approved by full Governing Body: October 2015

Date of next annual review: September 2016

Updated, incorporating new DFE guidance (July 2015)

KECHGPolicyStatementforSafeguardingandChildProtection

This policy statement presents a true and accurate reflection of current practice intheareatowhichitrelates.Itsreviewformspartofourcontinuing processofschoolimprovement takingtheschoolforwardsandisinformed by localandNationalneedsanddevelopments.

  1. Policystatement

The safety and well-being of all our pupils at KECHG is our highest priority.KECHGhas a vitalroletoplaywithintheframeworkofchildren’sservicesandan aspectofstayingsafe may leadtoapupilmakingadisclosurewithinschool,which hasChildProtection implications. Allmembersoftheschoolstaffteaching and non-teaching shouldbeawareandinformedofthepolicyandproceduresin dealingwithsuchissues.KECHGbelievesthatitisimportant toensurethat pupilsfeelabletoapproachmembers ofstaffwithconcernsandthattheir concernswillbetakenseriously.Furthermore theschoolunderstandsthe difficulties whichmayariseintermsofparentalsupportandactivelyseeksto fostergoodhome-schoolliaison.

The school will operate within the Statement of Principles set out by the Birmingham Children Safeguarding Board (this is available on the school website) and will give due regard to the Government Guidance Documents: Keeping Children Safe in Education (2015); Working Together to Safeguard Children (2015).

Aims:KECHGfirstpriorityisthewelfareofourpupils.Wearecommittedto

thehigheststandardsinprotectingandsafeguardingthepupilsentrustedtoour careatalltimes.

Wewillensure:

•Arrangementstotakeallreasonablemeasurestoensurethatrisksof

harmtopupil’swelfareareminimised

•Arrangementstotakeallappropriateactionstoaddressconcernsabout

thewelfareofapupilorpupils,workingtoagreedlocalpoliciesand proceduresinfullpartnershipwithotherlocalagencies

• Thatall personsworkingatthisschoolaremadeaware ofthispolicy

1

Werecognisethatsomepupilsmaybethevictimsofneglect,physical,sexualor emotionalabuseandthatthestaffoftheschoolbyvirtueoftheirdaytoday contactandknowledgeofthepupils,arewellplacedtoidentifysuchabuseand offersupporttopupilsinneed.

Inordertoprotectourpupils,weaimto:

•Createanatmospherewhereallourpupilscanfeelsecure,valuedand listenedto

•Recognisethesignsandsymptomsofabuse

•Respondquicklyandeffectivelytocasesofsuspectedabuse

•Monitorandsupportpupilsatrisk

•Usethecurriculumtoraisepupil’sawareness,buildconfidenceandskills

•Workcloselywithparents/carersandsupportexternalagencies

•Ensurethatalladultswithinourschoolwhohaveaccesstopupilshave

beencheckedastotheirsuitabilityandinlinewithSafeguarding procedures(ref.personnelpolicy) and the guidance given in Keeping Children Safe in Education (2015)

  • Be aware that one pupil may suffer abuse inflicted by another pupil or a group of pupils. In such cases of child-on-child abuse the same reporting procedures will be adhered to as when dealing with any other allegation of abuse and all appropriate action will be taken to ensure the safety and welfare of all pupils involved (including the pupil accused of abuse) with the advice of children’s social care

KECHGwillsupportallpupilsby:

•Encouragingself-esteemandself-assertivenessbutnotaggression

orbullying

•Promotingacaring,safeandpositiveenvironmentwithintheschool, to

and from school, on educational visits and on the internet and whilst

using social media

•Liaisingandworkingtogetherwithothersupportservicesandthose agenciesinvolvedinsafeguardingchildren

•NotifyingChildren’s SocialCareviatheapprovedmechanismsas soonasthereissignificantconcern

•Ensuringthatappropriateinformationisforwardedunder confidentialcovertoapupil’snewschool

  • Ensuring that thePastoralSchemesofworkreflecttheagreed aimsoftheSafeguardingand ChildProtectionPolicyand supportpupilstobecomemoreconfidentandself- assured,creatingopportunityandtheenvironmentforpupilstotalk.

The school adheres to the Birmingham Safeguarding Children Board (BSCB)

procedures and the Birmingham Education Services Child Protection Procedures.

Copies of these are kept by the DSL and must be the subject of training and be

available to all staff and governors.

2.Personnel

TheHeadTeacherisMrsLinda Johnson

TheschoolhasaDesignatedSafeguarding Lead (DSL),DeputyHeadTeacher,MsA. Dent.

The Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leadis Miss K Stevens, Deputy Head Teacher.

TheChairofGovernorsisMs Erica Conway

TheschoolhasadesignatedgovernorwithresponsibilityforSafeguarding andChildProtection, Mr F Kinkhabwala.

3.Theroleofallstaffandotherpersonswithintheschool setting

•Allstaffhaveadutytosafeguardpupilsandassuchshouldbetrained andawareofpotentialindicatorsofabuse.

•Theyshouldbeopentohearingconcernsfrompupilsandotherswithout

seekingtoinvestigatetheseconcerns.

•TheyshouldbeinformedonhowtoreportanyconcernstotheDSL.

•Theyshouldbeinformedonhowtoreportanyconcernsrelatingtostaff totheHeadTeacherandonanyconcernsrelatingtotheHeadtothe appropriateauthority

4. Monitoring pupils for possible symptoms and signs of child abuse

Abuse and neglect are forms of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child either directly by inflicting harm, or indirectly, by failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be abused in a family or an institutional or community setting; by those known to them; or more rarely by a stranger. They may be abused by an adult or adults, or another child or children.

There are four types of child abuse:

Physical Abuse; Emotional Abuse; Sexual Abuse and Neglect.

See Appendix 2 for detail on the types of abuse.

Staff should be vigilant to any sign of unusual or distressed behavior. We recognize that school staff will often, by virtue of their day to day contact with and knowledge of the children , be well placed to identify such abuse and offer support to children in need.

The following may be indications of child abuse:

  • Physical injury – bruising, cuts, scratches, broken bones
  • Repeated minor injuries
  • Patterns of attendance or absence; or where pupils go missing
  • Changes in appearance – pupils who are dirty, hungry or inadequately dressed
  • Changes or regression in mood or behavior, particularly where the pupil withdraws into herself
  • Changes of attitude in the classroom, or to learning
  • Changes in social groups
  • Nervousness/watchfulness
  • Sudden underachievement/ lack of concentration
  • Changes to, or inappropriate , relationships with peers and/or adults
  • Attention seeking behavior
  • Lack of medical attention
  • Persistent tiredness
  • Running away/stealing /lying
  • Overly compliant behavior
  • Sexually explicit behavior
  • Reluctance to go home or kept away from school for no apparent reason
  • Reverting to younger behavior
  • Eating problems, including over-eating, loss of appetite
  • Self- inflicted wounds
  • Suicide attempts
  • Evidence that she has been left in unsafe situations and/ or exposed to violent situations, substance abuse, or age inappropriate behaviours

These signs are not evidence themselves but may be a warning, particularly if a child exhibits several of them or a pattern emerges. It is important that there may be other explanations for a child showing such signs.

Staff should be particularly vigilant for:

  • Any injuries not consistent with the explanation given for them
  • Any injuries which have not received medical attention
  • Instances where injured pupils are kept away from school without reasonable information
  • Reluctance to change for P.E., Drama or Dance activities
  • Any signs of neglect
  • Any allegations made by a pupil concerning sexual abuse
  • Age inappropriate sexual behavior

5. Procedures for staff

Theschoolwillfollowagreedguidelinesifamemberofstaffsuspectsanyform ofabuseoradisclosureismadeasindicatedbythefollowing:

a) Informationthatisgivenshouldbereceivedbylistening, withoutdisplayingshockordisbelief.Notesshouldbe takenassoonaspossibleafterwardsusinganIncident ReportForm.Helpshouldbesoughtifthereisaneedto staywiththepupilsothatnormaldutiesarecovered.

b)Thepupilshouldbereassuredbuttotalconfidentiality

cannotbepromised,thereisadutytorefer.

c) Onlyenoughinformationshouldbegatheredtomakea

decisionaboutwhetherornotthematterrequires referral.Noleadingquestionsshouldbeasked;no criticismmade;thepupilshouldnotbeaskedtorepeat informationtoanothermemberofstaff.

d) Thepupilshouldbetoldwhatisgoingtohappenandto whomtheinformationwillbepassed.Itmaybe necessaryforthememberof stafftakingtheoriginal disclosuretobepresentifChildren’s SocialCarewishto interview.

e) Briefnotesshouldbetakenatallinterviews,notedates, times,whowaspresent.AllnotesmustbehandedtoMsA.Dentforsafekeeping–theymayberequiredin court.Ifpossibleuseasilentwitness.

f) AllinformationmustbetransferredtothehardbackChild ProtectionRecordbookkeptbyMsA.Dentandshould includethefollowing:dates;times;places;actualwords used bythepupilneedtobeincludedasquotes;nonverbal

behaviourthatmayberelevant;diagramstoindicate bruising;anyactiontaken.Thesemustbefactsand observationsnotinterpretations.A recordmustbesigned anddated.

Staffshouldnever:

  • Askleadingquestions
  • Askthepupiltowritedowntheiraccount
  • Investigate
  • Take photographs
  • Arrange a medical examination
  • Tape/video an interview
  • Ask a pupil to remove clothing

If there is an immediate risk to a child, and the DSL, deputy or Head are unavailable, a referral should be made to Children’s Social Care immediately, and the DSL informed thereafter. AllmattersrelatingtoSafeguardingandChildProtectionareconfidential.TheHeadorDSLwilldiscloseinformationaboutapupiltoothermembersofstaffonaneedtoknowbasisonly.

6.Supportingstaff:

StaffwhoareinvolvedinworkingwithaSafeguarding/ChildProtectionissue mayfindthesituationstressfulandupsetting.Theschoolwillprovidesupport throughtheDSLand/oralternativeconfidentialcounselling.

7. Awareness of specific safeguarding issues

Staff will be made aware of particular and current safeguarding issues, specifically; child sexual exploitation (CSE), bullying (including cyberbullying), domestic violence, drugs, fabricated or induced illness, faith abuse, female genital mutilation (FGM), forced marriage, gangs and youth violence, violence against women and girls (VAWG), mental health, private fostering, radicalization and the PREVENT strategy, sexting, teenage relationship abuse, trafficking.

8. Missing pupils

A child going missing from education is a potential indicator of abuse or neglect. Staff will be made aware of signs to look out for and the individual triggers to be aware of when considering the risks of potential safeguarding concerns such as travelling to conflict zones, FGM and forced marriage.All staff are informed of the procedures to be used for missing pupils. There is a separate policy for this. The procedure includes the requirement to record and report any incident.

9. FGM

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) comprises all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs. It is illegal in the UK and a form of child abuse with long lasting harmful consequences.

Section 5B of the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 (as inserted by section 74 of the Serious Crime Act 2015) will place a statutory duty upon teachers to report to the police where they discover that FGM appears to have been carried out on a girl under 18. “Keeping Children safe in Education” 2015 highlights the fact that those failing to report such cases will face disciplinary sanctions. Staff will be made aware of this.

The Mandatory reporting duty will commence in October 2015. Once introduced teachers must report to the police cases where they discover that an act of FGM appears to have been carried out. Such cases should be discussed with the DSL and children’s social care will be involved as appropriate.

10. Preventing Radicalisation

Protecting children from the risk of radicalisationis part of KECHG’s wider safeguarding duties. Radicalisation refers to the process by which a person comes to support terrorism and forms of extremism.

All schools are subject to a duty under section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 (“the CTSA 2015”), in the exercise of their functions, to have “due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”. This is known as the Prevent duty. Schools must have regard statutory guidance issued under section 29 of the CTSA 2015 (“the Prevent guidance”). Staff will be made aware of the Prevent guidance in terms of the four general themes of: risk assessment, working in partnership, staff training and IT policies.

Staff will be updated on the risks affecting young people in the local area. Staff will be provided with clear guidelines on how to identify individual children who may be at risk of radicalisiation and on how to support them. All matters should be discussed with the DSL. The DSL will contact children’s social care as appropriate and may make a referral to the Channel programme. The DSL will provide support to staff on protecting children from the risk of radicalisation.

The e-safety policy reflects the need to ensure that children are safe from terrorist and extremist material when accessing the internet in school. All pupils are taught about online safety.

11.TheroleoftheDSL

TheDSLisresponsiblefor:

  • Being first point of contact for parents, pupils, staff and external agencies in all matters of safeguarding and child protection, and to provide advice on all such matters
  • Co-ordinating safeguarding and child protection procedures in the school, and to review and update those procedures regularly, reporting to governors
  • Ensuring that all staff are regularly updated and receive appropriate training
  • Keeping the Headteacher informed on all matters relating to safeguarding and child protection
  • AdheringtotheBirminghamSafeguarding Children Board (BSCB), Education andschoolprocedureswith regardtoreferringapupilifthereareconcernsaboutpossibleabuse
  • Keeping written recordsofconcernsconfidentiallyandsecurely,withanindication onpupilrecordsofthefact
  • Keeping a hardbound incident book, containing consecutive numbers of report formsand including the name of the child, of the person reporting the concern and the DSL’s signature. Original notesshouldbedated,signedandattachedtotheincidentreportform.
  • Ensuring that all such records are kept confidentially and securely and are separate from pupil records
  • Liaison and joint working with Social Care Services, and other relevant agencies
  • Ensuring that when a pupil about whom there are safeguarding or child protection concerns transfers to another school or college, the new school or college is informed immediately by phone, and where appropriate records are transferred , preferably by hand, or by recorded delivery

Records of safeguarding and child protection will be kept securely in the DSL’s office, separate from routine pupil records. Access will be restricted to the DSL, Deputy DSL and Headteacher.

12. Reporting procedures

All concerns must be passed to the DSL (unless the allegation is against a member of staff or volunteer in which case procedures below will apply) who will seek advice/ make a judgment as to a referral to Social Care Services or the need for any other action. The DSL will take into account:

  • The local inter-agency procedures of BSCB
  • The nature and seriousness of the complaint. A complaint involving a serious criminal offence will always be referred to children’s social care or the police
  • The child’s wishes or feelings
  • Duties of confidentiality, so far as applicable

If there is any doubt about the need to make a referral advice will be taken from Social Care Services.

13.Staffallegations

Anyallegations involvingstaffmustbereporteddirectlytotheHeadTeacher (and not the DSL), without informing the subject of the concern/allegation. The Headteacher will without delay contact the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), who will provide support and advice. No investigations of the allegations will be undertaken without prior consultation with the LADO or, in the most serious cases, the police.

The full evidencewillbemadeavailabletothesubjectoftheallegationassoonasit isagreedtobeappropriate, considering also any ongoingneeds related to any investigation by the Police, Social Care Services, or by any disciplinary process.

In somecasesitmaybenecessary tosuspendthememberofstaffwhilstan investigationiscarriedout.Itmustberecognisedthatanydecisiontosuspend iswithoutprejudiceandonfullpay,andisnotanindicationofanyprooforguilt. Advice should always be taken from the personnel department at Foundation Office in this respect. Suspension will not be automatic and will only be considered when there is cause to suspect that a child is at risk of significant harm, and/or the allegation is so serious that it may be grounds for dismissal.

14. Allegations relating to The Headteacher

Anycomplaint orconcernrelatingtotheHeadTeachermustbepassedin confidence totheLocal Authority Designated Officer whowillgiveadviceandsupportincluding makingcontactwiththeChairofGovernors.

Because of the school’s charitable status, any serious allegation should also be referred to The Charities Commission.

15. The vulnerability of staff to allegations

Allstaffneedtobeawareoftheirvulnerabilitytoallegationsandmust

addresstheir practiceaccordingly.Allstaffmust adheretoanyguidance provided inrespecttosafeconduct.

In particular:

  • Staff should take note of what constitutes appropriate touch and physical contact
  • Staff are expected to complete a declaration regarding any regular out of hours contact with pupils
  • Staff are expected to follow school policy on use of letters, mobile phones, texts and e-mails
  • Staff are governed by school’s use of internet code of conduct
  • Staff be aware of the behavior policy, and the use of sanctions and rewards
  • Staff should remain visible during any individual contact with pupils
  • Staff should ensure parental and SLT consent where individual work with pupils is required outside normal school routines

Where an allegation against a member of staff is shown to be deliberately invented or malicious, the Headteacher will consider whether to take disciplinary action in accordance with the school’s behavior policy.

Where a parent or another person has made an allegation which is invented or malicious, the school reserves the right to take legal advice and/ or to contact the police.

16. Concerns about the attitudes or actions of colleagues

Allstaffshouldbeawareoftheirdutytoraiseconcerns,wheretheyexist, abouttheattitudesoractionsofcolleagues.

17. Annual Report to Governors

TheGoverningBodywillreceiveanannualreportondevelopmentsin Safeguarding andChildProtectionpolicyandprocedures;trainingundertakenby theDSL,otherstaffandtheGoverningBodyandthenumberofcasesreferred (withoutdetails) and the place of Child Protection in the curriculum.

18. Parents and carers

Parents and carers have an important role to play in supporting the school, and will bemadeawareoftheschoolpolicythroughpublished information and in initial meetings with parents and carers of new children.Parentsandcarerswould normally be aware before a referral to BCSB or other agencies, but parents must also be informed that in certain circumstances theremaybeaneedtocontactotheragencieswithoutfirstnotifyingthem.The decisionwillbemadeinpartnershipbetweenBSCB and Children’s Social Care. It willbemadeclearthatthisisalegalobligationandnotapersonaldecision.

A copy of the school’s policy on safeguarding and child protection will be available to all parents, carers and children upon request, and via the school website. Our aim is transparency. We hope that parents and carers will always feel able to share any issues or concerns they may have about their child’s safety.

19. Teaching and Learning

The curriculum will be used to raise children’s awareness and build self- confidence so that they have a range of strategies to support their own protection and understanding of protecting others.

The school will promote child support services in appropriate ways, for example through school assembly and the display of contact information, e.g. Childline.

Pupils will be informed and reminded, about how they can turn to adults if they feel unsafe in any way, including access to form tutor, KSCO, SLT, and professional staff such as counsellors.

20.Training

Allmembersofstaffwill receivetrainingonsafeguarding and childprotectionprocedures and will receive updatesandrefresherseverythree years.

All new members of staff, including governors and volunteers, will be provided with information on the school’s policy and procedures as part of their induction programme, and will be expected to sign a document confirming that they have read and understood policy and practice documents.

Any changes to guidelines or the law will be communicated to staff immediately.

The Governing Body will also receive training in Safeguarding and Child Protection

TheDSL, Deputy DSLandHeadwillbeprovidedwithcore Child Protection and Safeguardingtraining from Education Servicesin order to carry out their role and will then attend refreshertraining updateseverytwoyears.Arecordoftrainingwillbemaintainedbytheschool.

21. Safer recruitment, vetting and barring

The school has adopted recruitment and selection procedures which are designed to deter, reject or identify people who might abuse children or who might be otherwise unsuitable to work with them. The school follows the guidelines set out by the DfE (Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment 2007, Working together to Safeguard Children 2015 and Keeping Children Safe in Education 2015).Senior staff have been trained in Safer Recruitment and at least one trained person will always be involved in any appointments process.

This includes the use of the vetting and barring service through the DBS. The school follows DFE guidance regarding “Regulated Activity” in determining whether adults need to be put through vetting and barring checks prior to being involved with pupils in a supervised or unsupervised context.

The school will make a referral to the DBS about any person leaving the school or whose services are no longer used where he or she is considered to be unsuitable to work with children. A settlement or compromise agreement should not be used. Where a teacher is dismissed, or would have been dismissed if they had not resigned, separate consideration will be given as to whether a referral to the National College of School Leadership should be made.

22. Visitors and volunteers