SKERNE PARK ACADEMY

Safeguarding Children

Procedure

Review Date: September 2018

Adopted/V1 / V2
Oct 2016 / Sept 2017

Skerne Park Academy fully accepts its responsibilities for child protection and recognises that keeping children safe in education is the responsibility of everyone, and therefore this Procedure applies to all staff, governors and volunteers working in the school.All staff, governors and volunteers must therefore read “Keeping Children Safe in Education part 1” (2016)

There are five main elements to our procedure:

  • Establishing a safe environment in which children can learn and develop
  • Ensuring we practice safe recruitment when confirming the suitability of staff and volunteers to work with children
  • Raising awareness of child protection issues and equipping children with the skills needed to keep them safe
  • Developing and then implementing processes for identifying and reporting known or suspected cases of abuse
  • Supporting any pupil who has been abused in accordance with their agreed child protection plan

We recognise that, because of their day-to-day contact with children, school staff are well placed to observe the outward signs of abuse. The school will therefore:

  • Establish and maintain an environment where children feel secure, are encouraged to talk and are listened to
  • Ensure children know that there are adults in the school whom they can approach if they are worried
  • Include opportunities in the PSHE curriculum for children to develop the skills they need to recognise and stay safe from abuse

We will follow the procedures set out by the Local Safeguarding Children Board and takeinto account statutory guidance, in particular“Keeping Children Safe in Education”, 2016.

  • The designated person (or Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)) in our school is the Headteacher, Miss Kate Chisholm. Miss Chisholm has received appropriate training and support for this role.
  • We have a nominated governor responsible for child protection.The nominated governor is Mrs Judi Gilbert.
  • We will ensure every member of staff, volunteer and governor knows thatKate Chisholm is theDSLand her role.
  • We will ensure all staff and volunteers understand their responsibilities in relation to child protection and that they must refer any concerns about abuse to the designated teacher responsible for child protection.
  • If the Headteacher is absent concerns about abuse should be referred to one of the Safeguarding Deputy Leads:Paula Humphreys (Home School Family Liaison Officer) Sarah Hardy (Deputy Headteacher) or Kimberley Oliver (Temporary Home School Family Liaison Officer).
  • We will ensure that parents and carers have an understanding of the responsibility placed on the school and staff for child protection by setting out its obligations in the Home/School Agreement.
  • We will notify CAP (Children’s Access Point) social care if there is an unexplained absence of more than two days of a pupil who is on the child protection register.
  • We will develop effective links with relevant agencies and co-operate as required with their enquiries regarding child protection matters including attendance at case conferences.
  • We will keep written records of concerns about children, even where there is no need to refer the matter to the relevant agencies immediately, on CPOMS.
  • We will ensure all records are kept securely on CPOMS, separate from the main pupil file and in locked locations.
  • Records are kept on the secure internet portal, CPOMS.
  • We will develop and then follow procedures for when an allegation of abuse is made against a member of staff or volunteer.
  • We will ensure safe recruitment practices are always followed.

We recognise that children who are abused or witness violence may find it difficult to develop a sense of self worth. They may feel helplessness, humiliation and some sense of blame for the abuse itself. The school may be the only stable, secure and predictable element in the lives of children at risk. When at school their behaviour may be challenging and defiant or they may be withdrawn.The school will support the pupil through:

  • The content of the curriculum
  • The school ethos, which promotes a positive, supportive and secure environment and gives pupils a sense of being valued
  • The Behaviour Policy (renamed PRASE Policy), which aims tosupport vulnerable pupils in the school. The school will ensure that pupils know that some behaviour is unacceptable but they are valued and not to be blamed for any abuse which has occurred
  • Liaison with other agencies that support the pupil such as Social Services, the Child and Adult Mental Health Service, the Education Welfare Service and the Educational Psychology Service
  • Ensuring that, where a pupil on the child protection register leaves, their information is transferred to the new school immediately and that the child’s social worker is informed

To seek advice professionals should ring the CAP (Children’s Access Point) on 013245 406222 or email the referral form to the secure email address noted at the top of the referral document.

Allegations of abuse made against members of staff and volunteers

Where an allegation is made against a member of staff or volunteer, the Headteacher will ensure that a speedy resolution of the allegation is a key priority by seeking to remove any barriers which may arise to its speedy resolution.

Where such an allegation is made, the Headteacher will follow the guidance set out in “Working Together to Safeguard Children: A guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children” (March 2015) and“Procedures for managing allegations against people who work with children” (March 2012), accessible at:

This documentation will be used in conjunction with the Hummersknott Academy TrustSafeguarding Children Policy.

Working with external agencies

Multi-agency collaboration is recognised as being vital to the safeguarding of children and we will ensure that staff are free to attend all relevant safeguarding meetings. The School Leadership Team and Designated Safeguarding Leads will sustain strong relationships with professionals from external agencies. Skerne Park Academyis committed to its responsibility to work with external agencies andto ensure that children are protected from harm and their needs are met. We will therefore endeavour to identify children/families that may benefit from intervention and support and will work with parents/carers to enable referrals as appropriate.

Where child protection concerns are raised, the school will support external agencies in theirroles by passing all relevant information to the statutory agencies. The school may also have a significant role to play in supporting the child/familyduring the course of investigations and it is important that affected staff are aware of and understand this.

Professional Confidentiality and Information Sharing

All safeguarding and child protection information is confidential. Information may only be passed along agreed lines of communication within schooland only the Headteachermust decide what information should be shared, with whom, when and by what means. The DSL will also consider whether consent must be soughtbefore information is shared. If necessary, the DSLmay seek the advice of the local authority Child Care Duty Team before taking action.

Confidentiality is a key child protection issue which must be fully understood by all those working with children. In the event of a child protection concern being raised, staff must never guarantee confidentiality to a pupil because disclosures must be reported to the senior DSL and further investigations may need to be undertaken by appropriate authorities. Promising childconfidentiality may lead to a breakdown in trust and could potentially compromise the child’s wellbeing and safety.

The DSL will ensure that locally agreed guidelines and procedures are followed where there is cause for concern. Relevant staff will be provided with appropriate information about any ongoing child protection investigation on a ‘need to know’ basis only. Any information shared with staff must therefore be held confidentiallyand not further sharedwith anyone else.

Staff must not keep ‘secrets’ or promise absolute confidentiality with children. If a child discloses abuse or provides information that suggests they may be unsafe, this MUST be passed on to the Headteacher or other Designated Safeguarding Leadas a matter of urgency. The child should be told who their disclosure will be shared with and what will happen next.

What staff should do if they have concerns about another member of staff or volunteer

Where a member of staff has concerns regarding the behaviour of another member of staff or volunteer they must report those concerns to the Headteacher or other Designated Safeguarding Lead at the earliest opportunity. Having reported their concerns they must maintain full confidentiality about such concerns reporting only to the Designated Teacher Responsible for Child Protection or other Designated Safeguarding Lead. The member of staff may be called on to make a formal written statement. It is important for staff to understand that the safety and wellbeing of the children is the key priority and no ‘blame’ will be directed towards, or judgement made against, the informant if the member of staff or volunteeris proved innocent of any wrong-doing.

Where a member of staff has concerns about the Headteacher they should refer this to the Chair of Governors.

It is important that all staff also refer to the Hummersknott Academy Trust (HAT)Safeguarding Children Policy which is available on the school website.

Safer Recruitment

Skerne Park Academy will ensure that all steps are taken to recruit staff and volunteers who are safe to work with children. The School Governing Body, Senior Leadership Team and HAT Assistant Principal (HR) are responsible for ensuring that safe recruitment practices are followed.

Security and Safeguarding Pupils

All visitors are expected to sign in (and out) on the visitors log when coming into school. Any unidentified individuals within school must be challenged immediately and asked for identification. All staff have a responsibility to maintain security and must report any concerns to the Headteacher or school office immediately. Skerne Park Academy will not tolerate threatening or antisocial behaviour from any visitor or parent. Individuals may be refused access or, in extreme cases, the Police may be requested to attend the site.

Protecting Children from Radicalisation and Extremism (Prevent Duty 2015)

The Prevent Duty is accessible at:

Staff must be proactive and vigilant regarding the radicalisation of pupils and must be prepared to work alongside other professional agencies to ensure that pupils remain safe from the harmful effects of radicalisation and extremism.

Skerne Park Academy aims to:

Ensure all Governors and staff have a clear understanding of what radicalisation and extremism are, and why we need to be proactive about both issues

Ensure all Governors and staff have a clear understanding of the school policy on combatingradicalisation and extremism

Ensure all parents, carers and pupils are aware that the school regularly updates policies and procedures to enable us to safeguard our children

Protecting our children from the abuse of radicalisation is regarded as part of the broader safeguarding duties for staff and therefore early identification and intervention can prevent our vulnerable young people being radicalised. Children may be radicalised in a variety of ways and specific background factors may contribute to their vulnerability, but the internet and social media in particular have become major factors in the radicalisation of young people. As with all other safeguarding risks, staff must be alert to any changes in a child’s behaviour which may indicate that they require support or protection. It is vital that school staff use their professional judgement in identifying any child who might be at risk and then take appropriate action by referring their concerns to the Headteacher at the earliest opportunity. The Headteacher will assess their concerns and will make a decision regarding possible referral to the Channel Programme.

Child Sexual Abuse and Child Sexual Exploitation(CSE)

Child sexual abuseinvolves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. It does not necessarily involve a high level of violence. The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching of the body when covered with clothing. They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet). Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children.

Child sexual exploitation involves exploitative situations, contexts and relationships where young people receive something (for example food, accommodation, drugs, alcohol, gifts, money or in some cases simply affection) as a result of engaging in sexual activities. Sexual exploitation can take many forms ranging from the seemingly ‘consensual’ relationship where sex is exchanged for affection or gifts, to serious organised crime by gangs and groups.

When child sexual exploitation takes place there is an imbalance of power in the relationship. The perpetrator always holds some kind of power over the victim which increases as the exploitative relationship develops. Sexual exploitation involves varying degrees of coercion, intimidation or enticement, including unwanted pressure from peers to have sex, sexual bullying including cyberbullying and grooming. However, it is also important to recognise that some young people who are being sexually exploited do not exhibit any external signs of this abuse.

It is important that staff understand the need to work with partner organisations to combat child sexual abuse and CSE, as outlined by Darlington LSCB, and all staff and volunteers must be proactive in reporting any concerns to the Headteacheras a matter of urgency because our vulnerable young children arevery unlikely to recognize the exploitative nature of the relationships in which they find themselves and most definitely cannot give informed consent to the activities those who abuse or exploit them want them to engage in.

Barnardo’s, with the agreement and support of Darlington Borough Council, have created a sexual exploitation project specifically for the Darlington area. The project is called the Barnardo’s CATE Project (children affected through exploitation).

You can find your local project by visiting the Barnado's website.

The CATE project is based within the Family Intervention Team and works with young people from 11 to 18 years old within the Darlington area who are being sexually exploited through prostitution, or are at risk of being sexually exploited. Interventions includeone to one or group work, and this can be within the home (if appropriate), youth centres or at school.

To access the CATE project for young people, referrals must be made to Darlington Children Services and referrals can come from any agency that works with a young person at risk. Self-referrals can also be made; however,Social Services will be informed of any young person who accesses the project who is being sexually exploited through prostitution or where there is a perceived risk that they are being sexually exploited. This information will be passed on with the young person’s knowledge and consent where possible.

If any member of the public is concerned that a young person is being sexually exploited in this manner they can either call their local Police station, Children Services or call Barnado’s at the CATE Project.

Barnardo’s CATE Project Pease House 12A Horsemarket Darlington DL1 5PW

Email:

Telephone: 01325 406160
Fax: 01325 406024

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

Definition: Female Genital Mutilation 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.

Professionals in all agencies, and individuals and groups in relevant communities, need to be alert to the possibility of a girl being at risk of FGM, or already having suffered FGM.

There is a range of potential indicators that a girl may be at risk of FGM. Warning signs that FGM may be about to take place, or may have already taken place, can be found on pages 16-17 of the FGM Multi-Agency Practice Guidelines.

Actions : If any staff have a concern regarding FGM they must treat this as a serious safeguarding issue and report this to the Headteacher or other Designated Safeguarding Lead immediately. The Headteacher (or DSL) will then activate local safeguarding procedures and, where guidelines indicate,inform the police. Where a teacher discovers that an act of FGM appears to have been carried out on a girl who is aged under 18, there is a statutory duty on that individual to report itto the police, via the school’s DSL, within 28 days of the individual becoming aware of the matter.

Mandatory Reporting Duty

Section 5B of the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 (as inserted by section 74 of the Serious Crime Act 2015) has placed a statutory duty upon teachers, along with social workers and healthcare professionals, to report to the police where they discover (either through disclosure by the victim or visual evidence) that FGM appears to have been carried out on a girl under 18. Those failing to report such cases will face disciplinary sanctions.It will be rare for teachers to see visual evidence of FGM, and they should not be examining pupils, but the same definition of what is meant by “to discover that an act of FGM appears to have been carried out” is used for all professionals to whom this mandatory reporting duty applies.