Headlands School

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Headlands School

Safeguarding Local Policy

Introduction

All staff have a responsibility to act upon concerns we have regarding a young person’s safety. The effective protection of pupils cannot be achieved by single agency acting on its own. This policy clarifies how individuals and the school should communicate and work together effectively in partnership in order to identify vulnerable pupils, keep them safe from abuse and neglect, and, improve outcomes for them.

This policy will be reviewed on a quarterly basis by the Designated Senior Person (DSP) for child protection, Principal and Senior Leadership Team (SLT) at Headlands School. It will also be reviewed by Action for Children’s safeguarding unit on an annual basis. This policy and procedure applies to all pupils regardless of their gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality or religion. Our policy applies to all staff, volunteers and governors working in the school.

Access to this policy is made to parents and carers in our admission pack and on our website.

There are three main elements to our policy:-

1.  Prevention through the teaching and pastoral support offered to pupils

2.  Procedures for identifying and reporting child protection concerns.

3.  Support to pupils who may have been abused and staff working with them.

1. Prevention

We recognise that high self-esteem, confidence, supportive friends and good lines of communication with a trusted adult helps to safeguard pupils.

The school will -

·  Establish and maintain an ethos where pupils feel secure and are encouraged to talk, and are listened to. We will do this by building positive relationships and establishing student council and peer mentoring programmes.

·  Ensure pupils know that there are staff in the school they can approach if they are worried or in difficulty. This will be achieved by training all staff in child protection and safeguarding.

·  The school also has an independent advocacy service - Tros Gynnal (029 2039 6974), who meet with all new pupils and regularly with existing ones.

·  Include in the curriculum, activities and opportunities for teaching which support pupils develop the skills they need to stay safe from abuse and how to receive help. Our curriculum provides pupils with information on substance abuse, sex and relationships education, anti-radicalisation, making decisions, anti- bullying, self-esteem, self-motivation and being valued.

2. Procedures

All staff have the responsibility to raise any safeguarding / child protection concerns they have.

·  All child protection concerns must be made to our DSP Maxine Cahill (internal extension 208 or 07534480188)

·  If Maxine Cahill is not available Gwen Currell (internal extension 216) is the deputy DSP for child protection. Other senior leaders who can assist you with child protection concerns include Matthew Burns (internal extension 205), Joe Osbaldeston (internal extension 215).

·  During evening and weekend working there will be a senior manager on call who will advise you with your concerns.

·  In the unlikely event of none of school managers not being available then please make first contact to John Downing 01923 361500 (Director of Children’s Placements) then Deanna Neilson 07714713285 (Action for Children’s National Safeguarding Manager).

·  Headlands School has a policy of physical restraint. If during a physical restraint a pupil is injured, the principal and DSP for child protection must be notified immediately by the leader of the physical restraint. The completed record of the physical restraint and accident form should then be provided to the Principal and DSP.

·  If an allegation relates to the Principal or the Chair of Governors the matter should be raised directly with the Vale of Glamorgan Local Safeguarding Board/POVA. Contact Ann Williams (01446 704730) who is the LSCB and Cath Evans (01446 700111) who is POVA, or the local police (101).

·  Young people and parents and carers can make referrals directly to the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB)/Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA) if an allegation is regards to the school or the staff. Refer to the contact details above.

·  If a child protection referral is made to the LSCB or POVA a copy should be sent to the young person’s LSCB or POVA in their home area. This will be made by the DSP.

·  When a referral is made to our local safeguarding board / POVA regarding an allegation of abuse we will notify CSSIW / Estyn (if relevant) and Headlands School Business Management Unit within 24 hours. Notification will be made by the DSP.

·  All new staff at Headlands School have DBS check prior to commencing work. Action for Children has an approach for safer recruitment. All records of concern are kept confidential at the school.

·  If you are a staff member with a child protection concern please refer to the guidance for staff responding to child protection concerns.

Procedures specific to POVA

·  For our young people over the age of 18 the recording and reporting process for a POVA referral follows the same steps as that of a CP referral. Referrals needs to be completed on a VA1 form.

·  Disclosures involving both a pupil under and above 18 years of age, the child protection referral takes priority.

·  Staff need to seek consent from the service user aged 18 plus.

3. Support

The most effective way of safeguarding young people is by ensuring all staff have the skills and knowledge to identify and deal with child protection/POVA concerns.

·  All staff must attend Safeguarding training during induction and refresher training is provided biannually. Our training will focus on prevention and recognition of abuse, how to deal and respond to disclosures or suspicions of abuse and how to effectively follow our child protection procedures.

·  Biannual and update training.

·  During the induction of new staff at Headlands School it will be made clear the signs and symptoms of abuse i.e. physical, sexual, and emotional and neglect and the need to report this to a manager. Failure to report actual or reasonably suspected abuse may lead to disciplinary proceedings. The safeguarding local policy is provided to new staff for them to read, familiarise themselves with the procedure and sign the document.

·  Providing staff with specific safeguarding training. This includes WRAP (Workshops to Raise Awareness of Prevent) training relating to radicalisation and extremism issues. This training will support staff understanding of extremist views and ways of managing this behaviour.

Other relevant policies/documents:

·  Procedures for responding to allegations or suspicions of abuse

·  Guidance for staff responding to suspicions or allegations of abuse

·  Managers guide to making a child protection referral

·  Whistle blowing

·  Anti-bullying Policy

·  Leaflet for staff subject to a child protection enquiry

·  Guidance for signs of abuse

·  All Wales Child Protection Procedure 2008

This policy is in line with:

·  The All Wales Child Protection Procedures 2008

·  “The Safe Parenting Handbook”

·  WAG Circular 158/2015 Keeping Learners Safe

·  Action for Children’s Safeguarding standards.

·  Action for Children POVA procedure

·  Department of Health Policy on Adult Safeguarding

·  Headlands School Procedure for physical intervention

·  Headlands Wellbeing Curriculum

This should be read in conjunction with -

·  Action for Children’s Safeguarding Framework

·  Headlands School policy for Anti-Bullying

·  Managing allegations of abuse against staff, volunteers and carers procedures

·  Whistle Blowing Policy

·  Complaints Policy

·  Headlands Notification Procedure

·  Wales Child Protection Procedures. (Copy is kept with the Principal and Vice Principal Care).

This local policy conforms to the Independent School Standards Wales Regulations 2003:

Section: 3(2)

Note: All of these policies can be found on N:drive / internal process / policies / Child Protection / Safeguarding Policy

Author: Maxine Cahill DSP

Date: January 2017

Review: July 2017

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