SAFEGUARDING POLICY including

child protection

South Lee School

Table of Contents

Introduction

Ethos

Responsibilities and Expectations

Recognising concerns – signs and indicators of abuse

Procedures

Managing allegations

Training

Useful Contacts

Safer Staff

Safer Children

Appendices

  • School recording forms
  • Example body maps
  • EYFS mobile phone use
  • Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility poster

This policy references the following guidance:

  • Keeping Children Safe in Education (Sept 2016) (KCSIE) which incorporates the additional statutory guidance Disqualification under the Childcare Act 2006 (June 2016)
  • KCSIE also refers to the non-ststutory advice for practitioners: What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused (March 2015)
  • Working Together to Safeguard Children (March 2015) (WT)
  • WT refers to the non-statutory advice: Information Sharing (March 2015)
  • Prevent Duty Guidance: for England and Wales (July 2015) (Prevent). Prevent is supplemetened by non-statutory advice and a briefing note:
  • The prevent duty: Departmental advice for schools and childminders (June 2015)
  • The use of social media for on-line radicalisation (July 2015)

Please read the safeguarding policy in conjunction with the school code of conduct, the whistleblowing policy and the safer recruitment policy.

School Safeguarding Policy Framework

This policy applies to the whole school, including EYFS.

“All school and college staff have a responsibility to provide a safe environment in which children can learn”.

(Keeping Children Safe in Education July 2016)

Introduction

It is a statutory requirement that schools have a safeguarding policy. Safeguarding is not just about protecting children from deliberate harm. For our school it includes such things as pupil safety and protecting our pupils from, bullying, racist abuse and harassment, children missing education and online abuse etc. The witnessing of abuse can have a damaging affect on those who are party to it, as well as the child subjected to the actual abuse, and in itself will have a significant impact on the health and emotional well-being of the child.

Abuse can take place in any family, institution or community setting, by telephone or on the internet. Abuse can often be difficult to recognise as children may behave differently or seem unhappy for many reasons, as they move through the stages of childhood or their family circumstances change. However, it is important to know the indicators of abuse and to be alert to the need to consult further.

All school and college staff should be aware that abuse, neglect and safeguarding issues are rarely standalone events that can be covered by one definition or label. In most cases multiple issues will overlap with one another.

The following policy has been adapted from Suffolk County Council’s (SCC)safeguarding model policy framework for schools and education settingsand links to other relevant policies such as, whistle-blowing, anti–bullying, our staff code of conduct and other relevant guidance to staff, such as our ‘Prevent’ duty.

The current Independent schools inspectorate framework (January 2017) sets out what it expects to see for safeguarding within schools, early years and other educational settings to be considered effective.

This includes evidence to support that:

  • the School is committed to acting in the best interests of the child;
  • the school has the correct procedures in place for dealing with and referring concerns about children in need and / or at risk in accordance with locally agreed inter-agency procedure including up-to-date key statutory guidance;
  • the school works with the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB Suffolk)
  • there is in-school provision for listening to children and for early help;
  • there is up-to-date definitions of abuse, recognising the particular vulnerabilities of pupils with SEN/D;
  • the school has arrangements in place for handling allegations of abuse against a member of staff, volunteers and the head, including reporting to the DBS / NCTL;
  • the safeguarding policy is linked to the school’s staff code of conduct, whistleblowing policy and procedures, safer recruitment procedures;
  • the management of safeguarding includes the identity and role of the designated safeguarding lead(s), and that there is sufficient cover for the role, including in EYFS.
  • there is appropriate training undertaken by the designated safeguarding lead (s) staff, volunteers and the head;
  • the governing body ensures proper oversight of safeguarding, including the identity of the board level lead for safeguarding and arrangements for reviewing the school’s child protection policies and procedures annually;
  • the school’s arrangements fulfil other safeguarding and welfare responsibilities including teaching children how to keep safe online, and arrangements for looked-after children, if relevant;
  • there are sufficient contact details in the policy to make this workable in practice
  • there is a policy on the use of mobiles and cameras in the EYFS.

It is a statutory expectation that our school has a safeguarding policy and that this will be reviewed at least annuallyby schools’ Governing Body. This is reviewed in the safeguarding sub-committee and taken to the full governing body. The policy will also make links to the Local Safeguarding Children and Adult Board requirements.

Our safeguarding arrangements are reported on a termly basis to our governing body and our safeguarding policy is reviewed annually, in order to keep it updated in line with local and national guidance/legislation.

We will include our safeguarding policy on our school website and will post copies of our policy around the school as well as in easily accessible place on CHIPS (our shared network). We are also able to arrange for our policy to be made available to parents whose first language is not English on request.

SOUTH LEE SCHOOL SAFEGUARDING POLICY

The purpose of South Lee school safeguarding policy is to provide a secure framework for all adults working or volunteering in the school in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of those pupils or students who attend our school.

The policy aims to ensure that:

  • All our pupils are safe and protected from harm.
  • Other elements of provision and policies are in place to enable pupils to feel safe and adopt safe practices;
  • Staff, pupils, governors’, visitors, volunteers and parents are aware of the expected behaviours’ and the school’s legal responsibilities in relation to its pupils and/or students.
  • The school articulates its recognition of the duty to consider at all times the best interests of the child and take action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

Ethos

Safeguarding in South Lee school is considered everyone’s responsibility and as such our school aims to create the safest environment within which every pupil has the opportunity to achieve their outcomes.

South Lee School recognises the contribution it can make in ensuring that all pupils registered or who use our school, feel that they will be listened to and have appropriate action taken to any concerns they may raise. Children at our school will be able to talk freely to any member of staff or regular visitor to our school if they are worried or concerned about something. All staff receive regular updates on safeguarding training as well as full training every three years. The school takes its safeguarding duty very seriously. All staff receive a full safeguarding induction on arrival and receive regular reminders and updates through INSET and the weekly staff bulletin. Staff and regular visitors will, either through training or induction, know how to recognise a disclosure from a child and will know how to manage this. We will not make promises to any child and we will not keep secrets. Every child will know what their chosen adult will have to do with whatever they have been told.

The school will endeavour to provide activities and opportunities in the personal, social, health and economic education (PHSEE) curriculum that will equip our children with the skills they need to stay safe. This will also be extended to include material that will encourage our children to develop essential life skills. We will do this by endeavouring to work in partnership with other agencies and seek to establish effective working relationships with parents and carers. Assemblies, both whole school and section, workshops (such as those by the NSPCC) and training for the pupils is a key element of our safeguarding approach.

Responsibilities and Expectations including Management of Safeguarding

South Lee School has a governing body whose legal responsibility it is to make sure that the school has an effective safeguarding policy and procedures in place and to monitor that the school complies with them. The governing body should also ensure that the policy is made available to parents and carers by publishing this on our website or in writing if requested. It is also the responsibility of our governing body to ensure that our staff and volunteers are properly vetted to make sure they are safe to work with the pupils who attend our school and that the school has procedures for appropriately managing allegations of abuse made against members of staff (including the headmaster and volunteer helpers).

Our governing body will ensure that there is a Named Governor and a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) who has lead responsibility for dealing with all safeguarding issues in our school.

The Designated Safeguarding Lead is: Jo Coventry, Deputy Head. 07748901272 / 01284 754654 they are not available then

TheDSLAlternateis:Donna McFarlane, School Nurse. 01284 754654 (This person can also be contacted with any safeguarding concerns).

The named safeguarding governor is: Mia

The Chair of Governors is:Stephen Honeywood

The schools e-Safety leadis:Tom Decent, Head of Computing Jo Coventry, Deputy Head&

The designated teacher for ‘Looked After Children’ (LAC) is: Jo Coventry, Deputy Head.

The Corporate Director for Children and Adults, have identified dedicated staff to undertake the role of Local Authority Designated Officers (LADO). LADOs can be contacted via email on by using the LADO central telephone number:

0300 123 2044 for allegations against all staff and volunteers.

The LADO for our school is: Rennie Everett and Dian Campbell (0300 123 2044)

THE ROLE OF THE DSL

It is the responsibility of the Designated Safeguarding Lead to ensure that all safeguarding issues raised in school are effectively responded to, recorded and referred to the appropriate agency. They are also responsible for arranging safeguarding training for all staff and volunteers who regularly and frequently work with children and young people in our school and that this training takes place at least every three years.

OurDSL can deliver safeguarding training as part of the T4T programme within Suffolk, linked to the LSCB and the Local Authority. Jo Coventry (DSL) has completed this training and regularly offers safeguarding training sessions to staff needing updates. These are normally offered on a termly basis, with staff receiving inductions and updates as appropriate between these times. This includes attendance at both statutorily required and locally agreed training and engagement in the quality assurance process.Our DSLattends, where appropriate, all conferences, core groups or meetings where it concerns a child at our school and to contribute to multi-agency discussions and assessments to safeguard and promote the child’s welfare.

The DSL at South Lee is the Deputy Head and the Deputy DSL is the School Nurse, Donna Macfarlane. The Deputy Head is part of the School Leadership team and has the appropriate status and authority within the school to carry out the duties of the post. The lead responsibility for safeguarding in the school is Jo Coventry, Deputy Head.

The DSL is expected to:

  • refer cases of suspected abuse to the local author children’s social care as required;
  • support staff who make referrals to the local authority children’s social care;
  • refer cases to the Channel programme where there is a radicalisation concern as required;
  • support staff who make referrals to the Channel programme;
  • refer cases where a person is dismissed or left due to risk / harm to a child to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) as required; and
  • refer cases where a crime may have been committed to the Police as required.
  • liaise with the Headmaster, the case manager from the Local Authority and staff.
  • act as a source of support, advice and expertise for staff.
  • Follow the advice given by KCSIE annex B.

The DSL receives weekly safeguarding update e-bulletins, regularly refreshes their CPD through reading and attending courses and undertaking online courses.

The DSL is also responsible for raising awareness of safeguarding in the school. Safeguarding and welfare of the pupils forms part of every school meeting. Any information is gathered and where necessary, reported to staff in the weekly bulletin or information is sent out via email.

Staff receive induction training on arrival and all staff receive regular training (KSCIE 2016) as part of INSET and through the weekly bulletin. All staff have read at least Part One of Keeping Children Safe in Education and discussions take place as part of regular training regarding various aspects of KCSIE to ensure understanding. Each time KCSIE is updated by the DfE, all staff receive the new addition and are asked to read and sign to say they have understood the paper. In addition to Part One of KCSIE, school leaders and staff who work directly with children also have read Annex A. Additional help is offered to staff who may not speak English as a first languageto ensure they have understood the content.

Whilst guidance place the responsibility for making decisions about referrals with the school’s designated safeguarding lead (DSL), referrals must in practice be in line with the published local referral threshold. Through regular training, all school staff are made aware that ANYONE can make a referral if necessary. It is important that children receive the right help at the right time and staff are reminded of the importance of acting on and referring the early signs of abuse and neglect, radicalisation, keeping clear records, listening to views of the child, reassessing concerns when situations do not improve, sharing information quickly and challenging inaction. (KCSIE 2016)

RECEIVING A DISCLOSURE / REPORT

When the DSL receives a report about a child who has suffered or is likely to suffer significant harm this will be reported to Children’s social care immediately: See the Suffolk County Referral Flowchart on their website and in the DSL’s office.

CUSTOMER FIRST:0808 800 4005 (This is a 24 hour service)

When the DSL receives a report about a child who needs extra support, the DSL would contact the Multi-agency Safeguarding Hub for advice and then start the process of early help by sending a Multi-agency referral form (MARF) with inter-agency assessment and intervention using the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) and Team around the Child (TAC) approaches. Where a child already has a named social worker this would go directly to them.

MASH: 0345 6061499

Although decisions to seek support for a child in need, or about whom there are concerns relating to radicalisation, would normally be taken in consultation with parents and pupils, their consent is not required for a referral when there are reasonable grounds to believe that a child is at risk of significant harm.

All adults, including the Designated Safeguarding Lead, have a duty to refer all known or suspected cases of abuse to children’s social care or the police. Where a disclosure is made to a visiting staff member from a different agency, e.g. centrally contracted staff or School Nurse, it is the responsibility of that agency staff to formally report the referral to the Designated Safeguarding Lead on school site, in the first instance. Any records made should be kept securely on the child’s main school/child Protection file.

A referral should not be delayed in order to discuss with the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead, if it is felt/identified that a child is at immediate risk and the Designated Safeguarding Lead is unavailable, the school also has an ADSL. If you remain concerned for a child’s immediate welfare, refer to children’s social care via Customer First using the number 0808 800 4005 or call 999.

ALLEGATIONS AGAINST STAFF

If an allegation is made against anyone working with children in a school, all unnecessary delays should be eradicated. South Lee school will not undertake its own investigation of allegations without prior consultation with the LADO or in the most serious cases, the police, so as not to jeopardise statutory investigations.