BOUGHTON-UNDER-BLEAN & DUNKIRK METHODIST PRIMARY SCHOOL
CHILD PROTECTION and SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN
POLICY
Term 1- 2014
Review Date: Term 1- 2016
‘Dream, Believe, Achieve Together’
We aspire for all our children to become confident, happy and caring individuals who achieve personal success and develop a love of learning and a life built upon our school values.
Boughton-under-Blean & Dunkirk is a Methodist Primary School and our Methodist values are at the heart of everything we do.
· Forgiveness
· Friendship
· Trust
· Justice
· Perseverance
These are then underpinned by our learning values.
· Communication
· Independence
· Aspiration
· Engagement
Our whole school ethos is built upon and guided by them. Every school policy is written with this in mind.
This policy is adopted by the school from the KCC Safeguarding policy (issued September 2011). Alterations have only been made to provide relevant links and information specific to our school.
Designated Child Protection Co-ordinator(s) :
Simon Way
Laura Dellys
Jo Godfrey
Kay Lewis
Named Child Protection Governor :
Trish Mayne
All staff should have access to this policy and sign annually to demonstrate that they have read and understood its content.
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Contents (Ctrl+click the title to follow the links)
School Policies on Related Safeguarding Issues 2
Introduction 3
Ethos 4
Responsibilities 4
Supervision and support …………………………………………………………………….. 5
Safeguarding and Child Protection Procedures 7
Recognition and Categories of Abuse 8
Induction and Training 8
Responding to Concerns………………………………………………………………… …. 9
Record Keeping 9
Referrals to Social Services……………………………………………………………..….. 10
Allegations Against Members of Staff and Volunteers 11
Working with Other Agencies 11
Confidentiality and Information Sharing 11
Curriculum and Staying Safe 12
E-Safety 12
Safe Working Practice 13
Complaints 13
Safer Recruitment 14
The Use of School Premises by Other Organisations 14
Security 14
Appendix 1 - Definitions of Abuse 15
School Policies on Related Safeguarding Issues
(to be read and followed alongside this document)
The most up-to-date versions of the following policies can be found at this link:
School Policies folder on KLZ
Ø e-Safety Policy*
Ø Behaviour Policy*
Ø Complaints Policy* (Procedures for Managing Allegations Against Staff)
Ø Health and Safety Policy
Ø Anti-Bullying Policy
Ø Policy and Guidance on the Use of Photographic Images of Children*
Ø Whistle-Blowing Policy
Ø Drugs Education Policy
Ø Educational Visits Policy
Ø Racial Incident Reporting Procedure
The following documents must also be read. These can be found as hard copy in the ‘Safeguarding File’ in the School Office and also electronically in the folder at this link:
Supplementary Safeguarding Documents
Ø Guidelines for the Use of Physical Intervention - Staff Handbook
Ø Guidelines for Safeguarding Record Keeping in Schools - July 08 Children and Families Directorate
Ø Safeguarding Children and Child Protection – Induction Leaflet Guidelines for School Staff
Ø Advice notes: Dealing with Disclosures in School
Ø Guidance for Safer Working Practice for Adults who Work with Children and Young People/Code of Conduct for Staff
Ø KSCB document : Safer Practice with Technology
Ø Guidance for Adults who Work with Children and Young People
Ø Safeguarding Children and Safer recruitment in Education - 1st January 2007 DFES
Ø Intimate Care Guidance
Ø First Aid, Health and Accident Guidelines
Ø DOH (2009) “Safeguarding Disabled Children – Practice Guidance”
*Denotes that document also available via the school website:
http://www.bad.kent.sch.uk/school_policies/
Contact details for Children’s Safeguards Team:
Safeguarding Team Contacts including Swale Area (East Kent)
Children’s Safeguards Team website home page link: http://www.kenttrustweb.org.uk/children/safeguards_home.cfm
Introduction
The Governing body and staff of Boughton-under-Blean & Dunkirk Primary School take seriously our responsibility under section 175 of the Education Act 2002 to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children; and to work together with other agencies to ensure adequate arrangements are in place within our school to identify, assess, and support those children who are suffering harm
This policy has been developed in accordance with the principles established by the Children Acts 1989 and 2004 and related guidance. This includes the DfES guidance Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education (2007), the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families (2000) and Working Together to Safeguard Children (2010). The school will also refer to the Kent and Medway Safeguarding Children Procedures (Purple Book) published in 2007
Because of our close day to day contact with children, “education staff have a crucial role to play in helping identify welfare concerns and indicators of possible abuse and neglect at an early stage” (Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010)
Ofsted’s definition of safeguarding:
“Safeguarding is not just about protecting children from deliberate harm. It includes issues for schools such as: pupil health and safety; bullying; racist abuse; harassment and discrimination; use of physical intervention; meeting the needs of pupils with medical conditions; providing first aid; drug and substance misuse; educational visits; intimate care; internet safety; issues which may be specific to a local area or population, for example gang activity; school security.” (Briefing for Section 5 Inspectors on Safeguarding Children, Ofsted 2011)
This policy should thus be understood alongside school policies on related safeguarding issues as listed on the previous page of this document. The most recent version of the policy is to be found on KLZ. Related documents can be found in the Safeguarding File in the office. Some are also available to access via the school website.
All relevant policies will be reviewed on a regular basis by the Governing Body which has responsibility for oversight of school safeguarding and child protection systems. The Designated Child Protection Co-ordinator/Head Teacher will ensure regular reporting on safeguarding activity and systems in school to the Governing Body. The Governing Body will not receive details of individual pupil situations or identifying features of families as part of their oversight responsibility.
Our school is a community and all those directly connected (staff, governors, parents, families and pupils) have an essential role to play in making it safe and secure. We welcome suggestions and comments contributing to this process.
Ethos
Boughton-under-Blean and Dunkirk School recognises the importance of providing an ethos and environment within school that will help children to feel safe, secure and respected; encourage them to talk openly; and enable them to feel confident that they will be listened to.
We recognise that children who are abused or witness violence are likely to have low self-esteem and may find it difficult to develop a sense of self worth. They may feel helplessness, humiliation and some sense of blame. Our school may be the only stable, secure and predictable element in their lives.
Boughton-under-Blean and Dunkirk School will endeavour to support the welfare and safety of all pupils through:
· Maintaining children’s welfare as our paramount concern
· Ensuring the content of the curriculum includes social and emotional aspects of learning
· Ensuring that child protection is included in the curriculum to help children stay safe, recognise when they don’t feel safe and identify who they might / can talk to
· Providing suitable support and guidance so that students have a range of appropriate adults to approach if they are in difficulties
· Promoting a positive, supportive, neutral and secure environment where pupils can develop a sense of being valued and heard in their own right
· Ensuring all steps are taken to maintain site security and student’s physical safety
· Working with parents to build an understanding of the school’s responsibility to ensure the welfare of all children including the need for referral to other agencies in some situations
· Ensuring all staff are able to recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse and are aware of the school’s procedures and lines of communication
· Monitoring children and young people who have been identified as having welfare or protection concerns; keeping confidential records which are stored securely and shared appropriately with other professionals
· Developing effective and supportive liaison with other agencies
Responsibilities
School:
The school is responsible for ensuring that all action taken is in line with Kent’s Child in need/child protection procedure. This process implemented in April 2001 follows the requirements of the central government guidance contained in the Framework for Assessment of Children in Need and their Families and Working Together to Safeguard Children. The child protection process is now incorporated within a comprehensive policy and procedure for all children in need.
The role of the school within this procedure is to contribute to the identification, referral and assessment of children in need including children who may have suffered, be suffering or who are at risk of suffering significant harm. The school may also have a role in the provision of services to Children in Need and their families.
All adults in school have a role to play in relation to:
· Protecting children from abuse
· Promoting the welfare of children
· Preventing children from being harmed
CODE OF PRACTICE:
All school staff should take care not to place themselves in a vulnerable position with relation to child protection. It is always advisable for interviews or work with individual children or parents to be conducted in view of other adults. Physical intervention should only be used when the child is endangering him/herself or others and such events should be recorded and signed by a witness. Staff should be aware of Kent’s Positive Handling Policy (available on Kent Trust Web see link above) and the school’s own Behaviour Management Policy, and any physical interventions must be in line with agreed policy and procedure in which appropriate training should be provided.
All school staff should work towards providing an environment and atmosphere for children and young people to enable them to feel safe to talk. However, staff should never promise a child to keep certain information confidential. It must be explained that staff have certain duties to help keep that child safe, which may involve informing others.
SUPERVISION AND SUPPORT:
Any member of staff affected by issues arising from concerns for children’s welfare or safety can seek support from the DCPC.
All newly qualified teachers and classroom assistants have a mentor or co-ordinator with whom they can discuss concerns including the area of child protection.
The DCPC can put staff and parents in touch with outside agencies for professional support if they so wish. Staff can also approach Support Line directly.
Designated Child Prototection Co-Ordinators
A DCPC has overall responsibility for the day to day oversight of safeguarding and child protection systems in school. Including
§ Co-ordinating safeguarding action for individual children
§ Liaising with other agencies and professionals
§ Ensuring that locally established procedures are followed and making referrals as necessary
§ Acting as a consultant for staff to discuss concerns
§ Maintaining a confidential recording system
§ Representing or ensuring the school is appropriately represented at inter-agency safeguarding meetings (including Child Protection conferences)
§ Managing and monitoring the school’s part in Child in Need/Child Protection plans and attending all meetings
§ Providing training for all school staff
The Governing Body and school leadership team will ensure that the DCPC is properly supported in this role at a time and resource level.
DCPC must complete refresher or equivalent training every two years. Whole staff training is three yearly, although we do refresher training every year . We will train any new members when they begin work regardless of the start date.
However, Child Protection and welfare are the responsibility of all staff in school and ANY observation, information or issue which results in concern for a pupil’s welfare MUST be reported to the Designated Child Protection Co-ordinator(s) (DCPC).
In order to protect confidentiality, safeguarding information about individual children is shared on a need to know basis only and thus, what may seem to be a minor issue to one staff member, may be highly significant to the bigger picture of risk.
Safeguarding and Child Protection Procedures
Boughton-under-Blean and Dunkirk Primary School adheres to the local KSCB Safeguarding Children Procedures (2007). A copy of the Kent and Medway Safeguarding Children Handbook (KSCB 2007) (purple book), ‘What to do if you are Worried About a Child Being Abused’ (DfES 2006) and the Kent and Medway Inter-Agency Threshold Criteria for Children in Need can be found in the Red Safeguarding file kept in the school Office.
A copy of the Assessment Framework can also be found in the staff room.
Additional extended KSCB procedures relating to specific safeguarding issues can be found on the KSCB website www.kscb.org.uk.
It is the responsibility of the DCPC to gather and collate information obtained on individual children, to make immediate and on-going assessments of potential risk and to decide (with parents/carers in most cases) on the appropriateness of referrals to partner agencies and services. To help with this decision s/he may choose to consult with the Area Children’s Officer (Safeguarding). Advice may also be sought from Children’s Social Services Duty Social Workers who offer opportunities for consultation as part of the Child in Need/Child Protection process. Issues discussed during consultations may include the urgency and gravity of the concerns for a child or young person and the extent to which parents/carers are made aware of these. Some concerns may need to be monitored over a period of time before a decision to refer to Children’s Social Services or other services is made.
Such referrals might include referral to Children’s Social Services as either Child Protection or Child in Need, to Police where there are potential criminal issues, referral to the CAF (Common Assessment Framework) process or referral to services such as Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), counselling, MARAC, etc.
Referrals to Children’s Social Services will be made using Kent’s inter-agency referral form and with reference to the Kent and Medway Interagency Threshold Criteria for Children in Need. In situations where there are felt to be urgent or grave concerns, a telephone referral will be made prior to the form being completed and sent to the County Duty Team. All referrals are now made via the County Duty Team/KCAS.
In all but the most exceptional cases parents/carers will be made aware of the concerns felt for a child or young person at the earliest possible stage and in the event of this becoming necessary, their consent to a referral to Social Services will be sought.