Safeguarding Policy

Review Period: / Annual – Sept 2015 / Review carried out by: / Assistant Principal -Student Care
Approved by: / SMT / Date approved: / 9th November 2015
Governing Body
Date to be reviewed: / June 2016

Introduction

All children deserve the opportunity to achieve their full potential and the right to be safeguarded from harm and exploitation Under the Children Acts 1989 and 2004 the College provide assistance to the local authority in the investigation of child abuse.

For the purposes of Safeguarding Children, the College has a statutory responsibility and a duty of care to each student who has not yet reached their eighteenth birthday. However, the College recognises its general responsibilities to all students who are enrolled.

In dealing with issues of child protection, the college will follow the guidance set out by Hartlepool Local Safeguarding Children’s Board; Child Protection Procedures.

The Policy

There are three main elements to the policy

1. Prevention

2. Procedures for identifying and reporting cases or suspected cases as, in our day-to-day contact with students, staff are well placed to observe the outward signs of risk and indicators of abuse.

3. Provision of support for students who may have been abused or are at risk.

1. PREVENTION

We recognise that high self-esteem, confidence, supportive friends and good lines of communication with a trusted adult, helps in the prevention of abuse.

The college will therefore:

1.1. Establish and maintain an ethos where students feel secure and are encouraged to talk, and are listened to.

1.2. Ensure students know that there are adults in the college whom they may approach if they are worried or in difficulty; The Be Safe Team will be known to all students by use of classroom posters and TV screens around college.

1.3. Include in the examined and non-examined curriculum, activities and opportunities which equip students with the skills they require to stay safe from abuse and to know whom to turn for help.

1.4. Include, in the examined and non-examined curriculum, material which will help students develop realistic attitudes to the responsibilities of adult life including raising awareness of domestic abuse.

1.5. Train staff to make them aware of their responsibilities and the college procedures, at appropriate intervals. Ensure all staff and governors are trained on the PREVENT Agenda to identify and avert the radicalisation of young people in our care. Embed PREVENT Awareness and the Promotion of British Values (under the term the college opts to use) into the tutorial scheme in the academic year September 2015 to July 2016 and beyond.

1.6. Fulfil a statutory duty to encourage good behaviour and respect for others on the part of students and prevent all forms of bullying (including cyber-bullying) amongst students.

1.7. Utilise a recruitment and selection process that minimises the opportunity for unsuitable persons to gain employment

1.8 Appoint at least two members of staff as Designated Child Safeguarding officers who will oversee the College’s child safeguarding policy and practice. During the academic year 2015-16, there are two existing safeguarding officers and further training of the Assistant Principal (designated lead) and four other members of staff will add to the current quota. These will form the Be Safe Team and students will be made aware through posters and screens. Adopt a multi-agency approach to the sharing of good practice and information sharing via Operation Encompass from June 2015 in cooperation with the Hartlepool Safeguarding Board and Cleveland Police.

1.9. We will ensure that all new students are trained in all aspects of e-safety to ensure they are equipped to deal with challenges faced online including social media and the risks associated with strangers online and the sharing of private information. This will form part of their induction during their first term at the college.

2. PROCEDURES FOR IDENTIFYING AND REPORTING CASES, OR SUSPECTED CASES

2.1. The Role of Staff

2.1.1. If any member of staff has grounds for concern, then he/she is required to report these grounds to one of the Designated Persons immediately. Staff must ensure that any ongoing involvement is in the student's best interest. They must not wait to gather evidence, nor agree to keep information secret, nor discuss the matter with others.

Initial procedures should be undertaken as follows:

·  Tutors must never initiate a disclosure regarding abuse by asking questions.

·  When a student makes a disclosure to a member of staff, they must not promise confidentiality and should make it clear that they may have to take the matter to another person.

·  The member of staff must allow the student to disclose in their own words. They must not question nor lead the student.

·  A written record of what the student says including the time, date and place must be kept.

·  If it is not appropriate to do this at the time it must be done immediately after.

·  The matter should then be referred to the designated lead person (Assistant Principal (Student Care, Guidance and Intervention) or other member of Be Safe if not available).

2.1.2. Staff must follow any further guidance given by the Assistant Principal in relation to recording any concerns, supporting the student and cooperating with subsequent actions to investigate the grounds of concern and to protect the student or other children concerned.

2.1.3. If a member of the Be Safe Team is not available, the member of staff must inform another member of the Senior Management Team immediately

2.1.4. It is not the responsibility of staff to investigate allegations of child abuse. In cases where a child or young person is deemed to be at risk, the College will contact the First Contact Support Hub for advice and will make a referral if requested by the Safeguarding Team. Information will be shared with the Hartlepool Safeguarding Team and Cleveland Police as and when required within the remit of the Operation Encompass agreement.

2.2. The Role of Designated Persons

For the purposes of these procedures this is the Assistant Principal - Student Care, Guidance and Intervention or a member of the Be Safe Team in their absence.

The Designated Person will:-

2.2.1. Treat the concern, as reported by a member of staff, as a priority for action and in so doing consider the immediate needs of all children involved by:-

·  Taking emergency action if required.

·  Gathering information and if appropriate seek clarification (not proof). Ask staff to the record relevant information.

·  Storing information in a confidential electronic incident file; which is kept in a confidential drive which can only be accessed by members of the Be Safe Team.

2.2.2. Report, immediately any medical emergency to the appropriate services and arrange for first aid, if needed, before reporting to the Local Authority Designated Officer.

2.2.3. In urgent circumstances seek help from the police. e.g. immediate avoidance of further abuse, immediate pursuit of an alleged abuser, avoidance of destruction of evidence.

2.2.4. Co-operate fully with all statutory agencies who may become involved.

2.2.5. Support the student or other children involved as necessary and appropriate.

3. PROVISION OF SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS

The College recognises that students who are abused or witness violence may find it difficult to develop a sense of self worth and view the world as benevolent and meaningful. They may feel helplessness, humiliation and some sense of self blame. This college may be the only stable, secure and predictable element in the lives of students at risk. Nevertheless, when at college their behaviour may be challenging and defiant or, they may be withdrawn. As part of Operation Encompass, the College will be informed the morning after any incident of domestic violence has occurred involving one of our students; a multi-agency approach to support will be put in place.

The college will endeavour to support the student through: -

3.1. The content of the curriculum in order to encourage self esteem and self motivation.

3.2. The college ethos, which promotes a positive, supportive and secure environment and aims to give students a sense of being valued.

3.3. Supporting vulnerable students in the college. All staff will agree on a consistent approach. The college will endeavour to ensure that the student knows that certain behaviour is

unacceptable but s/he is valued and not to be blamed for any abuse which has occurred.

3.4. Liaising with other agencies, through Operation Encompass: Children’s Services, Cleveland Police, Hartlepool Safeguarding Board to provide support.

3.5. Keeping records and notifying the First Contact Support Hub in Children’s Services as soon as there is a recurrence of a concern. Keeping the appropriate records supplied by Operation Encompass for multi-agency purposes.

3.6. Publishing and promoting procedures to deal with bullying and discrimination.

3.7. Making available the college counselling service if appropriate.

Safeguarding Officers

Julie Collings (Lead), Mo Bunter , Kathryn Port, , Todd Highfield and within the academic year Ben Robinson, Linda Brown and Deborah Wilson will all be trained accordingly.

Governors responsible for Safeguarding

Paul Thompson, Garry Toulouse

Relevant Recent Documents:

Working Together to Safeguard Children (2015)

http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children-2

Keeping Children Safe in Education: Schools and Colleges (2015)

http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education-2

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