Safeguarding Children Policy (Child Protection)

a
Our policy applies to all teachers, kitchen staff, maintenance staff, cleaners and peripatetic staff working in the school and is in accordance with Staffordshire safeguarding procedures at Safeguarding Children Board, Children and Lifelong Learning, Tipping Street, Stafford. ST16 2DH.

The Policy is available to parents on request, is included in all Parent Information Booklets issued each academic year and is on the school website.

The Policy applies to children in school aged 4 – 13 and includes references to requirements for EYFS children in School (Reception) and Nursery (Early Learners).

The Policy is in compliance with Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education , section 2.2 as applying to Independent Schools.

b
Safer Recruitment
Four staff, including the Head, have achieved the Safer Recruitment Certificate on-line through NCSL. At least one will be present during interviews for new staff.

Advertisements stress that the school has a robust Safeguarding policy.

Standard application forms are issued as is the requirement to provide a satisfactory, enhanced CRB check.

Letters of invitation to interview stress that safeguarding will be part of the interview process.

Employment history is checked to ensure no gaps.

Written references are required as is the need for previous employers to provide evidence that there are no time expired or outstanding issues with regard to safeguarding. One reference must be from the last employer, or if they are not engaged in childcare, the most recent childcare employer.

Documentary proof of ID and qualifications is required.

The school keeps a Central Record of staff references declarations and CRB certificates.

Staff are asked to sign an annual declaration that no incidents have occurred which affect their employment as a teacher in the school.

c
Allegations of abuse against members of staff/volunteers/ Head
See separate Policy
During induction training new members of staff are encouraged to feel confident to be able to report any concerns regarding a fellow member of staff to the Designated person.

d, e, f
Designated Persons and Training
The Designated Person is Mr. S. N. Hodgkinson. The Deputy Designated Person is: Mrs. C. Long. They undertake training in child protection and inter-agency procedures every two years.

The Head and all other teaching staff, kitchen staff, administrative staff and cleaners undertake training in child protection every three years. All who work in school, including part time staff are aware of these arrangements.

The Designated Person will be responsible for EYFS children in Reception

For Nursery EYFS Mrs. Weatherall is the Designated Person. Ofsted will be informed within 14 days of allegations of serious harm or abuse by any person working or looking after children in the Nursery, wherever the allegations are said to have arisen.

The Designated Person will:
ensure that every member of the teachers, kitchen staff, maintenance staff, cleaners, peripatetic staff and volunteers know the name of the designated teacher and their role.
ensure that every member of the teachers, kitchen staff, maintenance staff, cleaners, peripatetic staff and volunteers understand their responsibilities in being alert to the signs of abuse and responsibility for referring any concerns to the designated teacher responsible for child protection and the procedures to be followed in the event of an allegation being made to them.

g
Deficiencies
Any deficiencies in this document or its practices will be remedied without delay.

h
Review
The Head will conduct an annual review of the school’s child protection policies and procedures and of the efficiency with which the related duties are discharged.

Next Review due September 10 2010.

Guidance for Staff

1
Recognition of Abuse
We recognise that because of the day to day contact with children, school staff and other adults are well placed to observe the out ward signs of abuse. The categories of abuse and the main signs thereof are listed below.

Signs of Possible Abuse and How To Make a Referral
These signs do not necessarily indicate abuse but may help recognise it. The possibility of abuse should be investigated if a child exhibits a number of these symptoms or any to a marked degree.

Sexual abuse:
A child talking a lot about sex, or making comments of a sexual nature.
A child seeking an unusual amount of adult company
A child becoming quiet or withdrawn
School work suffering
Not wanting to go home
Depression, irritability, anger
Low self-esteem
Avoidance of people places
Mood swings
Sexual advances, inappropriate touching
Drawing sexually explicit pictures
Not wanting to remove clothing
Self-mutilation

Physical abuse:
Bruises, black eyes, broken bones
Injuries which are not convincingly explained
Inadequately treated injuries
Injuries to parts of body which are unlikely places-thighs, back abdomen
Bruising in shape of finger or hand
Bites
Scalds, burns
A child withdrawn or depressed
Trouble sleeping
Aggressive or disruptive behaviour
Fear-of certain adults—flinching
Lack of self-confidence, low self-esteem
Not wanting to remove clothes even if hot
Fear of abuser being contacted

Emotional abuse:
Physical mental and or emotional development lags
Sudden speech disorders
Continual self-depreciation-I’m no good—I’m no use
Overreaction to mistakes
Fear of unknown or new circumstances
Inappropriate response to pain
Neurotic behaviour
Extremes of passivity or aggression
Neglect:
Hunger
Poor hygiene
Tiredness
Poor state of clothes
Emaciation
Untreated medical problems
Lack of appropriate relationships
Compulsive scavenging
Destructive tendencies

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. 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.

2
It is important to ensure that a child who talks to a member of staff is made aware that confidentiality cannot be guaranteed but that his/her view are important.

3
Listen to the child and don’t ask direct questions. Don’t interrupt a child’s recall of events. Make notes, obtain the child’s permission (for referral to the DP) and keep the child informed of progress.

4
Abuse by one or more pupils against another
If a pupil considers he/she has been abused by another pupil or pupils, in the first instance the procedures detailed in the Anti-Bullying Policy should to be followed so that an adult is involved as soon as possible. Then the adult should contact the Designated Person without delay.

5
Staff should use the Internal Referral Form to Designated Person (Child Protection) to record any concern or conversation giving concern and hand it to the Designated Person without delay. Any such notes or notes concerning referrals will be kept in a locked file away from the normal pupil records. Members of staff are able to contact the LADO without first referring to the Designated Person.

We keep written records of concerns about children, even where there is
no need to refer the matter to an outside agency immediately.

6
We will report to Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent Cheshire or Shropshire according to the county in which the pupil lives. The initial contact will be by ‘phone to the First Response Officers concerned.

The LADO at The Staffordshire Safeguarding Children’ Board is; Chris Bowering or Gaynor Nanick
Education Safeguarding Officer, Children and Lifelong Learning, Tipping Street, Stafford. ST16 2DH. 01785 278997

Staffs First Response for new concerns 0800 131 3126 or 01785 235100

For children living in
Stoke-on-Trent: Safeguarding Unit: 01785 235885
Shropshire: 0345 678 000 (out of hours: 0345 6789 040)
Cheshire East: 0845 130 43333

7
Further Staff Guidance
Every effort is made to minimise risk to the staff involved and an open-door policy is adopted where practicable.

We recognise that there are times when staff legitimately have to have contact with children and we take all reasonable steps to make staff aware of safe
procedures.

We realise that one-to-one situations occur within the school environment.
In the First Aid room
In the peripatetic music teaching rooms, all of which have windows
During initial assessment
Detentions
Last child after school
Readers
Library
Exams
Dyslexia
Extra English or Maths lessons
Late-arrivals in the morning and late pick-ups in the evening
Other situations not specified

Existing Injuries
For EYFS children in Reception.
If injuries are noticed on arrival, they will be recorded and parents will be asked to sign an acknowledgement. Injuries noticed during the day will be recorded in the accident file, or on the existing injuries form.

How we establish and maintain an environment where children feel secure, are encouraged to talk, and are listened to.

Level of Supervision of Children maintains a safe environment. We ensure that children know that there are adults in school that they can approach if they are worried.

Staff wear their ID badges at all times and official visitors will be issued with a badge. Peripatetic staff will sign in and out as they arrive or leave and will also wear their ID badges at all times.

Accidents of a sensitive nature (e.g. wetting pants) will always be dealt with by two adults present. Likewise, injuries of a sensitive nature will always entail two adults being present.

Male staff will not deal with a sensitive injury to girls and female staff will not deal with a sensitive injury to boys unless the situation is dangerous or life-threatening.

Staff will not convey pupils by car in one-to-one situations and PE staff will be advised as to the extreme care required in coaching situations.

Staff will not engage in inappropriate electronic communication with children. There may be occasions, e.g. if a child is absent from school, where email or texts regarding education are considered appropriate.

We include opportunities in the PSHE curriculum for children to develop the skills that they need to recognise and stay safe from abuse.

We will notify Social Services if there is an unexplained absence of more than two days of any child on the Child Protection Register.

We include suitable references in the school curriculum. For example Safe Use Of The Internet (see separate Policy for ICT).

The school ethos promotes a positive, supportive and secure environment and gives pupils a sense of being valued. (See separate Aims and Ethos)

The school Behaviour Policy (see separate Behaviour Policy) is aimed at supporting vulnerable pupils in the school. The school will ensure that the pupil knows that some behaviour is unacceptable but they are valued and not blamed for any abuse, which may have occurred.

We will liaise with other agencies that support pupils such as Social Services, Child and Adult Mental Health Service, Education Welfare services and the Educational Psychology service.

We will ensure that when a child on the Child Protection Register leaves, their information is transferred to the new school immediately and that the child’s social worker is informed.

9
It is understood that in the event of any member of staff, teacher, kitchen worker, cleaner, maintenance, volunteer or other leaving the school because they are considered unsuitable to work with children, that the Independent Safeguarding Authority will be informed within one month of their departure.