Designated Senior Persons:

Cheryl Buckle

Maylie Dickerson

Lucy Beesley

Ruth Boud

 

Pastoral support for Children and Families:

Aggie Houghton

 

Designated Governor:

Lisa Jarman

 

Purpose of a Child Protection Policy

An effective child protection policy is one that provides clear direction to staff and others about expected codes of behaviour in dealing with child protection issues.  An effective policy also makes explicit the commitment to the development of good practice and sound internal procedures.  This ensures that child protection concerns and referrals may be handed sensitively, professionally and in ways which support the needs of the child.

 

Introduction

Oakway Infant School and Children’s Centre provide care, guidance and education for children and families from birth to seven years of age.

The aim of this policy is to safeguard and promote the children’s welfare, safety, health and guidance by fostering an honest, open, caring and supportive climate.  The children’s welfare is of paramount importance.

Our setting fully recognises the contribution it can make to protect and support children.

There are three main elements to our Child Protection Policy:

a)      Prevention (positive atmosphere and pastoral support for children)

b)      Protection (by following agreed procedures, ensuring staff are appropriately recruited, trained and supported to respond appropriately and sensitively to Child Protection concerns)

c)      Support (for children and staff)

This policy applies to all teaching, non-teaching, students on placement and volunteer staff.

 

Our Commitment

We recognise that high self-esteem, confidence, supportive friends and clear lines of communication with a trusted adult helps all children, and especially those at risk of, or suffering from, abuse.

We will therefore:

a)      Establish and maintain an ethos where children feel secure and are encouraged to talk, and are listened to.  Children will be taught who they can talk to if they have any worries through their PSHE sessions.  Children attending crèche have a named key worker who they can talk to. Staff will listen to children who want to talk to them.

b)      Include in our planning activities and opportunities for PSHE which equip the children with the skills they need to stay safe from abuse and which will help children develop realistic attitudes to the responsibilities of adult life, particularly with regard to childcare and parenting skills.

c)      Ensure that wherever possible every effort will be made to establish effective working relationships with parents and colleagues from other agencies.

 

Roles and Responsibilities

All adults working with or on behalf of children have a responsibility to safeguard and promoted the welfare of children.  There are key people within our setting who have specific responsibilities under Child Protection procedures.  The names of those carrying these responsibilities for the current year are listed in the cover sheet of this document.

 

            Role of the Designated Senior Person:

·         To provide training on safeguarding and child protection for all staff

·         To support staff with any concerns relating to safeguarding and child protection

·         To make referrals  to Social Services

·         To keep records

·         To ensure policy and procedures are in place

 

Role of the pastoral support worker:

·         To provide support for children and families under the direction of the Designated Senior Persons

·         To attend core group meetings on behalf of the designated senior person or teacher

·         To keep records about the well-being of children who may be at risk

·         To support the Designated Senior Persons with record keeping, policy and procedures

 

Role of the Designated Governor for Child Protection:

·         To ensure this policy is adhered to by all staff and volunteers and is reviewed annually.

·         To ensure the setting recruits safely following the school recruitment policy.

·         To ensure checks are done on all staff and volunteers and a central list is kept.

·         To ensure all staff are familiar with allegations procedures and there is a policy in place for managing allegations.

·         To appoint designated senior staff members.

·         To ensure child protection training is in place for staff annually.

·         To identify and address weaknesses in current practice.

·         To liaise with LA regarding allegations against the headteacher.

 

Procedures

Where it is believed that a child is suffering from, or is at risk of, significant harm, we will follow the procedures set out in the Local Safeguarding Children Board’s Procedures (yellow file)

Staff will receive training annually about child protection procedures.

Induction of new staff will cover procedures.  Posters are displayed around the setting identifying the names of the designated senior persons.

Parents of the setting are informed of our duties and responsibilities under the Child Protection procedures through a statement in the school prospectus.

 

Training and Support

We will ensure that the Headteacher, the Designated Senior Person and the Designated Governor will attend training relevant to their role.

 

All staff will have access to Child Protection training which is relevant and appropriate to their role. This will include training in procedures to follow, signs to note and appropriate record keeping.  Refresher training will be done annually for all staff. 

 

Staff will be kept informed of any updates of current child protection issues during staff meetings.  These will be minuted and passed to anyone not in attendance.

 

Professionally Confidentiality

The only purpose of confidentiality in respect of child protection is to benefit the child.  Staff are trained to follow the school’s confidentiality policy and the headteacher makes the final decision about what staff need to know about ongoing cases.  The headteacher codes children who she has concerns about as a ‘red file children’.  Adults who work closely with these children are made aware they are ‘red file children’ but are not told any details unless it is essential for the care and protection of the child.   This system will ensure adults are more alert when interacting with the child.

Whilst respecting confidentiality all staff are made aware that they have a statutory duty under the Education Act 2002 to pass on any child protection concerns and therefore must never guarantee confidentiality to a child.

 

Normally, personal information should only be disclosed to third parties (including other agencies) with the consent of the subject of that information (Data Protection Act 1998, European Convention on Human Rights, Article 8).  Wherever possible, consent should be obtained before sharing personal information with third parties.  In some circumstances, obtaining consent may not be possible or in the best interest of the child.  The safety and welfare of that child necessitates that the information should be shared. The law permits the disclosure of confidential information necessary to safeguard a child or children.  Disclosure should be justifiable in each case, according to the particular facts of the case and legal advice should be sought if in doubt.

 

Records and Monitoring

Well-kept records are essential to good child protection practice.  Our school is clear about the need to record any concerns held about a child or children within our school, the status of such records and when these records should be passed over to other agencies.

Staff are trained to use a Safeguarding Record Form to record any concerns about the welfare or behaviour of a child.  These are passed to the Designated Senior Person and action is taken where necessary.

For children who have ongoing involvement then a Case Note Recording Form is used by the class teacher and designated senior person.

Child Protection records are kept separate from other school records in a secure location. 

When the designated senior person thinks that the records indicate sufficient concern to warrant a referral they will make a referral.

Parents cannot have access to the confidential child protection files though if a request is made the headteacher will meet with them.

If a child transfer to another school then the confidential records are copied and hand delivered, where appropriate, for the attention of the designated senior person.

If a child goes missing then advice will be sought from the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board about what to do with the records.

When a child leaves a copy of all the confidential records will be archieved in the school in a secure location.

 

Child Protection Conferences

Provided it receives adequate notice the school will always send a representative to Child Protection Conferences. School is likely to be holding information that enables it to speak for the child. If the Designated person cannot attend then another member of the safeguarding team will attend.

The designated senior person will receive training to produce relevant, concise and professional reports for child protection conferences.

The designated governor for child protection will ensure there are supervision arrangements in place for the member of staff attending conferences.

The member of staff responsible for pastoral care will not attend child protection conferences as they need to support the parent and there will be a conflict of interest.

 

Supporting Pupils at Risk

We recognise that children who are abused or who witness violence may find it difficult to develop a sense of self worth and to view the world in a positive way.  Our setting may be the only stable, secure and predictable element in the lives of children  at risk.    It is also recognised that some children who have experienced abuse may in turn abuse others.  This requires a considered, sensitive approach in order that the child can receive appropriate help and support.

 

We will endeavour to support children through:

a)      Our curriculum, to encourage self-esteem and self-motivation.

b)      Our ethos, which promotes a positive, supportive and secure environment and which gives all children and adults a sense of being respected and valued.

c)      Our behaviour management policies.

d)      A consistent approach, which recognises and separates the cause of behaviour from that which the child displays.  This is vital to ensure that all children are supported.

e)      Regular liaison with other professionals and agencies who support the children and their families.

f)       A commitment to develop productive, supportive relationships with parents and carers whenever it is in the child’s interest to do so.

g)      The development and support of a responsive and knowledgeable staff group trained to respond appropriately in child protection situations.

 

We recognised that, statistically, children with behavioural difficulties and disabilities are most vulnerable to abuse. School staff who work, in any capacity, with children with profound and multiple disabilities, sensory impairment and/or emotional and behaviour problems will need to be particularly sensitive to signs of abuse.

It must also be stressed that in a home environment where there is domestic violence, drug or alcohol abuse, mental health issues, children may also be vulnerable and in need of support or protection.

 

Safe Setting, Safe Staff

Organisational, personal or professional difficulties can get in the way of protecting children.

·    Some children may not find the opportunity to make a disclosure.  Children are taught through PSHE sessions that they can talk to any adult in the school.

·    Teachers do not have to deal with Child Protection issues by themselves. If procedures are followed then support is available to manage these difficult and potentially upsetting situations.

·    It may be necessary or appropriate, particularly with younger children to hold hands or give cuddles, but such contact should be kept to a minimum and should only be initiated by the child.  Staff should only have physical contact with children when there are other people present.

·    Only staff who have received training regarding the restraint of pupils should attempt to restrain a child, both for their own and the child’s safety. When possible children should always be warned that they are likely to be restrained, and the restraint should be witnessed by another adult.

·    As a school we recognise that there is sometimes the need to work in a one-to-one situation with a child. Staff should leave the door open and make sure another adult knows where they are and what they are doing.

 

 

 

 

Avoiding situations where allegations may be made against school staff.

·    Avoid working alone with children.

·    Always report immediately the outcomes of any “confidential conversations” with children.

·    Always model expected professional language and behaviour.

 

The school works with the following agencies and uses the perspectives of these agencies to inform its practices.

·    Social Services

·    Education Welfare

·    BACIN

·    The Police.

 

Steps are taken by the school to recruit and select safe staff which is outline in our recruitment policy.

 

Visitors, including contractors are all asked to sign in and to be met and supervised by appropriate person.  Where possible contracted work to take place outside of school hours.

 

Multi-agency Assessment and Referral Form

This form should be used when we consider that a child has needs which cannot be met solely by the services or resources in our setting, and where, following an assessment of the situation, we believe co-ordinated intervention is required to promote, safeguard or protect the welfare of the child. The designated senior person will complete the form.

In these circumstances we will have records detailing what work has been undertaken by our setting to support the child and family and why we believe that a more corporate and co-ordinated approach is needed.   This information then provides the basis for the completion of the Multi-Agency Assessment and Referral form.  The request for co-ordinated support services for a family should always be discussed with parents unless to do so would place the child or others at risk of harm.

 

Where, following an assessment of a situation, it is considered immediate protective action is required a child protection referral must be made by the Designated Senior Person by telephone to social services and followed up by a fax for confirmation.

 

 

Procedures to follow if an allegation is made against a member of staff

 

Refer to the school policy for managing allegations.

 

Standards for Effective Child Protection Practice

 

For best practice, we will:

 

a)      Have an ethos in which children feel secure, their viewpoints are valued, and they are encouraged to talk and are listened to;

b)      Provide suitable support and guidance so that children have a range of appropriate adults to whom they can turn if they are worried or in difficulties;

c)      Work with parents to build an understanding of the settings responsibility to ensure the welfare of all children and recognition that this may occasionally require children to be referred to investigative agencies as a constructive and helpful measure;

d)      Be vigilant in cases of suspected child abuse, recognising the signs and symptoms, have clear procedures whereby staff report such cases to senior staff and are aware of local procedures so that information is effectively passed on to the relevant professionals;

e)      Monitor children who have been identified as at risk, keeping, in a secure place, clear records of the children’s progress, maintaining sound policies on confidentiality, providing information to other professionals, submitting reports to case conferences and attending case conferences;

f)       Provide and support child protection training regularly for all staff and in particular to designated staff to ensure their skills and expertise are up to date, and ensure that targeted funding for this work is used solely for this purpose;

g)      Contribute to an inter-agency approach to child protection by developing effective and supportive liaison with other agencies;

h)      Use the curriculum to raise children’s awareness and build confidence so that children have a range of contacts and other strategies to ensure their own protection and understand the importance of protecting others, taking into account the guidance for Governors on sex education in circular 5/94;

i)        Provide clear policy statements for parents, staff and children on this and on both positive behaviour policies and our approach to bullying;

j)        Have a clear understanding of the various types of bullying – physical, verbal and indirect, and act promptly and firmly to combat it, making sure children are aware of our position on this issue and who they can contact for support;

k)      Take particular care that children with SEN, who may be especially vulnerable to abuse, are supported effectively with particular attention paid to ensuring those with communication difficulties are enabled to express themselves to a member of staff with appropriate communicative skills;

l)        Have a clear policy about the handling of allegations of abuse by members of staff, ensuring that all staff are fully aware of the procedures and that they are followed correctly at all times, using the guidance set down in ‘Safeguarding Children in Education’.

m)   Have a written whole setting policy, produced and owned and regularly reviewed by staff and governors and which clearly outlines our position and positive action in respect of the aforementioned standards.