Stoke Primary SchoolChild Protection & Safeguarding Policy |
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Date of Last Review |
September 2019 |
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Reviewed by |
Ann Marrs - Headteacher |
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Agreed by Governors |
September 2019 |
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Shared with all Staff |
September 2019 |
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Frequency of Review |
Annually |
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Date of Next Review |
September 2020 |
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Designated Lead Personfor Child Protection |
Ann Marrs - Head Teacher024 7645 1724 |
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Deputy Designated Lead Personfor Child Protection |
Caroline Monkton-Bull - Family Support Worker024 7645 1724 |
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Chair of Governors: |
Steve Quarterman024 7645 1724 (School) |
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Vice-Chair of Governors:
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Bill Gallagher 024 7645 1724 |
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Named Governor forSafeguarding & Child Protection: |
Pam Timms024 7645 1724 |
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Dedicated lead for Looked after children & previously looked after children. |
Joe Jennings, Deputy Headteacher 024 7645 1724
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E-Safety Lead
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Vicky Noone - Assistant Headteacher 024 7645 1724 |
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Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) |
Layona Brown024 7683 3343 |
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CONTENTS
1.1 ‘Safeguarding’ is defined in Keeping Children Safe in Education (2018) as;
1.2 ‘Child Protection’ is the intervention that occurs when children have been significantly harmed or are at risk of significant harm.
1.3 ‘Child’ refers to everyone under the age of 18.
1.4 ‘Parent’ refers to birth parents and other adults in a parenting role for example adoptive parents, step parents and foster carers.
1.5 ‘Staff’ or ‘members of staff’ refers to all teaching, non-teaching, support, supply, peripatetic, contract staff, governors, volunteers and trustees working in or on behalf of Stoke Primary.
2.1 We recognise that safeguarding and child protection is an essential part of our duty of care to all students and all staff have a responsibility to provide a safe environment in which children can learn. We understand that safeguarding, child protection and promoting the welfare of all children is everyone’s responsibility and everyone has a role to play in protecting children. We recognise that our school is part of a wider safeguarding system for children and work closely with other agencies to promote the welfare of children. We maintain an attitude of ‘it could happen here’ and will consider the wishes of, and at all times, what is in the best interests of each child.
2.2 The purpose of this policy is to;
2.3 Stoke Primary is committed to the following principles;
2.4 Safeguarding aims
2.4.1 The safeguarding aims of Stoke primary, in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education (September 2018) are to;
2.5 This policy adheres to the following documents;
2.6 Please note that there are a number of other documents (statutory and non-statutory) that inform our policy and practice. A list of these can be found in Annex A of Keeping Children Safe in Education (September 2018).
2.7 This policy should be read in conjunction with the policies listed in Appendix A.
2.8 Scope
2.8.1 This policy applies to all teaching, non-teaching, support, supply, peripatetic, contract staff, governors, volunteers and trustees working in or on behalf of Stoke Primary School. All references in this document to ‘staff’ or ‘members of staff’ should be interpreted as relating to the aforementioned unless otherwise stated.
2.8.2 Rather than duplicating content from Keeping Children Safe in Education (September 2018) in this policy, it should be understood that the school will always refer to this document as the benchmark for all safeguarding practice.
3.1 The Role of the Governing Board:
3.1.1 The Governing Board school has a nominated governor to take leadership responsibility for safeguarding. This role is carried out by Pam Timms. Part 2 of Keeping Children Safe in Education (September 2018) sets out the responsibilities of governing bodies. As part of these overarching responsibilities the Governing Body will;
3.2 The Role of the Headteacher
3.2.1 The Headteacher will;
3.3 The Role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead
3.3.1 The Designated Safeguarding Lead for Stoke Primary is the Headteacher, Ann Marrs. The Designated Safeguarding Lead will;
3.3.2 Further details on the role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead can be found in Annex B of Keeping Children Safe in Education (September 2018).
3.4 The Role & Responsibilities of all Staff within School
3.4.1 School staff play a particularly important role because they are in a position to identify concerns early in order to provide help for children. All staff in Stoke Primary School
4. Types of abuse
4.1 As outlined above, all staff will be trained in indicators of abuse and should be able to recognise signs of abuse. We recognise that abuse, neglect and safeguarding issues are complex and can rarely be covered by one label. Abuse can take many forms and can involve directly inflicting harm on a child, or failing to protect a child from harm. The four main types of abuse that staff are trained to recognise are;
4.2 Types of abuse (Taken from Working Together to Safeguard Children, 2018
4.3 Indicators of abuse can be found in Appendix B.
4.4 If a child is in immediate danger or at risk of harm, a referral will be made to children’s social care (through the MASH) and any member of staff can make this referral. A Designated or Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead should be available at all times, but in exceptional circumstances the member of staff should speak to a member of the Senior Leadership Team or seek advice directly from social care and then take appropriate action. The Designated Safeguarding Lead should be made aware as soon as possible.
4.5 Staff, parents and the wider community should report any concerns that they have about the welfare of children, however minor or seemingly insignificant. Staff should not assume that someone else will report concerns.
4.6 The school recognises that any child can be the victim of abuse and may benefit from early help. However, the school will be particularly vigilant to potential need for early help if a child;
4.7 Stoke Primary School recognises that abuse can take many different forms. Staff will also receive training on the following issues and action will be taken if the school believes that a child is at risk of or is the victim of;
4.8 Stoke primary School will also take action to protect;
4.9 There are other familial issues that can have a detrimental impact on children. We work with other agencies in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education (2019) to support children and families in the following circumstances;
4.10 Stoke primary have a duty to refer any children who are living in a private fostering arrangement to the local authority.
4.11 All schools are subject to a duty under section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 in the exercise of their functions to have “due regard” to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism. See Appendix B for further information on the school’s Prevent duty.
4.12 See Appendix B for further information and guidance on the above issues.[2 5. Responding to signs of abuse
5.1 If a member of staff, parent or member of the public is concerned about a child’s welfare, they should report it to the designated safeguarding lead as soon as possible. On occasions when the designated safeguarding lead is not available, it should be reported to the deputy safeguarding lead without delay. Although any member of staff can make a referral to Children’s social care, where possible there should be a conversation with the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
5.2 If anyone other than the Designated Safeguarding Lead makes a referral to children’s social care or to the police, they should inform the DSL as soon as possible.
5.3 All staff will be alert to indicators of abuse and will report any of the following to the Designated Safeguarding Lead immediately;
5.4 There will be occasions where a child discloses abuse directly to a member of staff. If this happens, the member of staff will;
5.5 The designated safeguarding lead will make a decision about the action that needs to be taken following a member of staff raising a concern about a child, or following a direct disclosure. The DSL may;
5.6 For further information about the Coventry Safeguarding Children Board’s ‘Right Help, Right Time’ guidance, which is used by the school to make decisions about protecting children, please visit http://www.coventry.gov.uk/righthelprighttime.
5.7 See page 15 for flowchart of actions that will be taken where there are concerns about a child (taken from Keeping Children Safe in Education, September 2019).
5.8 In cases where members of staff become aware that Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) has been carried out on a female below the age of 18, they have a mandatory duty to report this to the police without delay and will do so. Staff should refer this to the DSL, but the legislation requires regulated health and social care professionals and teachers in England and Wales to make a report to the police where, in the course of their professional duties, they either;
5.9 Stoke Primary School understands that both adults and other children can perpetrate abuse, and peer on peer abuse is taken very seriously. Peer on peer abuse can include bullying, cyber-bullying, physical abuse, sexting, sexual violence and/or harassment, upskirting and initiation/hazing ceremonies. The school recognise that safeguarding issues can manifest as peer on peer abuse.
5.9.1 All members of staff will be made aware of the school’s policy and procedures with regards to peer on peer abuse. The school will ensure staff understand what is meant by peer on peer abuse from school policies and through staff training.
5.9.2 The school will work to prevent peer on peer abuse with the use of the school’s PHSE Scheme and Circle Time.
5.9.3 In the event that an allegation of peer on peer abuse is made, the school will investigate this by following the guidance in the Anti Bullying Policy.
5.9.4 In the event that an allegation of peer on peer abuse is made, victims and alleged perpetrators will be supported by the pastoral team through the various stages.
5.9.5 Stoke Primary will never pass off peer on peer abuse as ‘banter’ or ‘part of growing up’.
5.9.6 Stoke Primary will adhere to guidance set out in Keeping Children Safe in Education (2018) and Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment in Schools (May 2018) when responding to incidents of peer on peer abuse.
5.10 Youth Produced Sexual Imagery (‘sexting’)
5.10.1 ‘Sexting’ refers to any sharing of youth-produced sexual imagery between children. This includes;
5.10.2 Stoke Primary has a responsibility to educate children in the risks relating to ‘sexting’ and how to keep themselves safe online and does this with reference to the relevant policies in Appendix A.
5.10.3 Any incidents or suspected incidents of ‘sexting’ should be reported to the DSL without delay.
5.10.4 Once reported to the DSL, the DSL will decide on the appropriate course of action. This could include;
5.10.5 The school recognises that safeguarding incidents can be associated with factors outside the school and may take place outside of school. We will always consider contextual safeguarding factors when responding to safeguarding incidents.
5.10.6 Any incidents of ‘sexting’ involving the following will result in a MASH and/or Police referral;
5.10.7 Staff will not view images or videos on pupil devices. Confiscated devices will be stored securely and passed to the relevant agencies.
5.10.8 The school will work with parents as necessary if their child is involved in ‘sexting’.
5.10.9 We operate a culture of safeguarding and young people should feel confident to disclose if they have sent an inappropriate image of themselves. Children will always be supported to retrieve and delete the images.
5.11 Serious Violence
5.11.1 All staff will be made aware of indicators which may signal that children are at risk of or are involved with serious violent crime.
5.11.2 All staff will be made aware of the risks associated serious violence, criminal networks and gangs and understand the measures in place to prevent these.
5.12 Searching, Screening and Confiscation
5.12.1 Where necessary, searching, screening and confiscation will be used to safeguard children in Stoke Primary.
5.12.2 Stoke Primary will adhere to the ‘Searching, Screening and Confiscation: Advice for Schools (May 2018).
[1] Taken from paragraph 18, Keeping Children Safe in Education (September 2018) [2] Please note that definitions of physical, sexual, emotional abuse and neglect are contained in the main body of the policy. Further information about other safeguarding issues and indicators of abuse can be found in Appendix B. [3] *introduced in Section 5B of the FGM Act 2003, as inserted by section 74 of the Serious Crime Act 2015 [1] Taken from paragraph 18, Keeping Children Safe in Education (September 2018) [2] Please note that definitions of physical, sexual, emotional abuse and neglect are contained in the main body of the policy. Further information about other safeguarding issues and indicators of abuse can be found in Appendix B. [3] *introduced in Section 5B of the FGM Act 2003, as inserted by section 74 of the Serious Crime Act 2015
5.13 To raise concerns about children, members of staff should contact the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) by telephone to discuss the referral. They should then complete the online Multi-Agency Referral Form (MARF) and submit this to the MASH. The school will follow up referrals if we do not receive feedback from social care.
MASH Telephone number: 02476 788 555 MASH online referral form: http://www.coventry.gov.uk/safeguardingchildren Out of hours Emergency Duty Team: 02476 832 222 Prevent/Channel Referrals: Refer to MASH and to CTU_GATEWAY@west-midlands.pnn.police.uk
5.14 If a child’s situation does not appear to be improving following a referral, the school may re-refer the child. We will also consider using the LSCB’s Escalation Policy. to ensure that our concerns have been addressed and that the situation improves for the child.
6. Record Keeping
6.1 A written record of all safeguarding and/or child protection concerns, discussions and decisions made will be kept in individual children’s files. This will be separate from the main school file and will only be accessed by the relevant safeguarding staff.
6.2 Stoke Primary keeps all safeguarding files electronically, using a system called CPOMs.
6.3 Staff will submit all concerns in writing to the DSL at the earliest opportunity. This may be after having a verbal conversation, but conversations will also be followed up in writing.
6.4 In the event that a child moves school, the safeguarding file will be transferred to the new setting securely and separately from the main school file. Once received by the new school, this school will not retain the information.
6.5 The school will seek at least two emergency contacts for every child.
6.6 All data processed by Stoke Primary is done so in line with the General Data Protection Guidelines. Please see the GDPR Policy for additional information;
7.1 Consent from parents to photograph children at school events for promotional reasons will be sought when the child joins the school, at whatever point in the year, and will last for the duration the child is on roll.
7.2 Parents can withdraw consent at any time and must notify the school if they do not wish their child’s photographs to be used.
7.3 Photographs of children used publicly will not be displayed with their name or other personal information.
7.4 Photographs of children will be processed in line with the General Data Protection Regulation.
8. Early Help
8.1 Stoke Primary is committed to supporting families as soon as a possible problem arises. It is more effective to support a family through early help than reacting to a problem later. Everyone who comes into contact with children and their families and carers have a role to play in safeguarding children. The school works closely with a neighbourhood family hub to work with families in the community to improve outcomes for children. The schools hub is as follows:
Harmony Hub Clifford Street Coventry CV1 5GR Tel: 024 76787474
8.2 Stoke Primary works within the LSCB ‘Right Help, Right Time’ framework, available on the LSCB website.
9.1 In order for staff to be able to understand and discharge their safeguarding and child protection duties, Stoke Primary has committed to training staff throughout the academic year. All staff members will be made aware of the school’s safeguarding processes and structures and will receive training on these as part of their induction. As part of this training and their annual refresher, they will also receive;
9.2 Staff at Stoke Primary will engage in a variety of relevant training throughout the year which will include mental health, team teach, right help, right time, DSL briefings etc, e-bulletins etc. Where available and/or appropriate, governors and volunteers will be included.
9.3 Stoke Primary recognise that children may engage in risky behaviours that may put them at additional risk of danger. These can include drug taking, alcohol abuse, truanting and ‘sexting’[1]. Staff will be training in these areas in order to be able to further recognise if a child is at risk of harm.
10. Safer Recruitment
10.1 Stoke Primary is committed to providing children with a safe environment, in which they can learn. We take safer recruitment seriously and all staff are subject to the following checks;
10.2 A record of all checks on members of staff will be held on the Single Central Record.
10.3 All new members of staff will be required to obtain DBS clearance. The school reserves the right to re-check DBS clearance for any member of staff where information is received that indicates that they may pose a risk to children.
10.4 At least one member of every interview panel will have undergone Safer Recruitment training.
10.5 We take proportionate decisions on whether to check individuals beyond what is required.
10.6 Any visitor to the school who has not been subject to the necessary checks will be supervised at all times.
10.7 All safer recruitment practices at the school comply with Keeping Children Safe in Education (September 2019). See Part 3 of Keeping Children Safe in Education (September 2019) for further information. 11 Allegations of abuse against staff
11.1 The school takes all allegations against staff seriously and will manage them in line with this policy, Part Four of Keeping Children Safe in Education (September 2019) and the LSCB Guidance, ‘Managing Allegations against Staff and Persons in a Position of Trust’.
11.2 If a concern or allegation of abuse arises against the Headteacher, it must be reported to the Chair of Governors without delay.
11.3 If a concern or allegation of abuse arises against any member of staff other that the Headteacher, it must be reported to the Headteacher without delay.
11.4 Allegations of abuse against staff must be reported to the Headteacher or Chair of Governors as appropriate and not discussed directly with the person involved.
11.5 The Headteacher or Chair of Governors should consider if the allegation meets the threshold for Designated Officer intervention. The Local Authority designated officer details can be found of the front of this policy.
11.6 Concerns relating to a position of trust issue will be referred to the Local Authority designated officer within 24 hours.
11.7 If a child has suffered abuse or harm, a MASH referral will also be made.
11.8 In the instances where an allegation is dealt with internally, the Local Authority designated officer will provide information and support to the school in managing the allegation.
11.9 A referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service will be made if a member of staff is dismissed or removed from their post as a result of safeguarding concerns, or would have been removed if they had not have resigned.
11.10 Whistleblowing
11.10.1 The school operates a culture of safeguarding and all staff should report any concerns about poor or unsafe practice, or the school’s safeguarding processes to the senior leadership team.
11.9.2 The senior leadership team will take all concerns seriously.
11.9.3 In the event that a member of staff is unable to raise an issue with senior leadership in school, they should refer to Part 1 of Keeping Children Safe in Education for additional guidance on whistleblowing procedures.
12 Promoting safeguarding and welfare in the curriculum
12.1 The school recognises the importance of teaching children how to stay safe and look after their mental health and are committed to equipping children with the skills and knowledge to have successful and happy lives.
12.2 The school will teach children about safeguarding, including online safety. As part of a broad and balanced curriculum, the school will cover relevant issues in line with government guidance on Relationships and Sex Education.
12.3 Children at the school will receive the following as part of our promotion of safeguarding across the curriculum:
13 Chlidren looked after
13.1 The most common reason for children to be looked-after is because they have experienced abuse and/or neglect. The school recognises that children looked after may have additional vulnerabilities. The Designated Lead for Looked-After and Previously Looked-After Children is the Deputy Headteacher.
13.2 Staff will receive training on how to best safeguard children who are Looked-After and Previously Looked-After.
13.3 The school will work with Personal Advisors when children leave care (where applicable).
13.4 Stoke Primary is committed to working with other agencies to ensure the best outcomes for Looked-After and Previously Looked-After children.
14 Children with Special Educational Needs
14.1 As outlined in Keeping Children Safe in Education (2019), the school is aware that children with additional needs or disabilities may be more vulnerable to abuse and additional barriers may exist when recognising abuse and neglect.
This could be because;
14.2 Staff will be trained in recognising signs of abuse in children with SEN and disabilities.
14.3 Staff will take into account the needs of a child when responding to concerns of abuse or when taking a disclosure. We recognise that some children require specialist intervention to communicate and advice from the SENCO will be sought in these circumstances.
14.4 Safeguarding learning opportunities within the curriculum will be appropriately differentiated to ensure all children can access it. 15 Use of reasonable force
15.1 There may be occasions when it will be necessary for staff use reasonable force to safeguard children. We will not use any more force than is necessary. The school follows Team Teach practice. 16 Summary
16.1 The school is committed to safeguarding children and will always make safeguarding decisions that are in the best interests of each child. For further information or if you have any queries about this policy, please contact the school.
Appendix A
The school adheres to Coventry Local Safeguarding Children Board’s Policies, which can be found here: http://www.proceduresonline.com/covandwarksscb/contents.html
The school’s safeguarding policy is intended to be used in conjunction with the policies listed below:
Appendix B – Further Safeguarding Information
Types of Abuse
As outlined in paragraph 4.6, the school will take action if we believe a child is at risk of or is suffering from abuse. Abuse is not limited to physical, emotional, sexual abuse and neglect. For further information on the definitions of the types of abuse below, please refer to Keeping Children Safe in Education 2018, Annex A.
See below for policy information relating to other key safeguarding issues. All decisions taken in responding to concerns of abuse will be taken in the best interests of the child.
Stoke Primary takes all issues and types of abuse seriously, including, but not exclusive to; Bullying, including cyber- or online-bullying, Criminal exploitation (including involvement in county lines), Domestic abuse (where we work closely with other agencies to share information confidentially and support families), Fabricated or induced illness, Faith-based abuse, Female genital mutilation, Forced marriage, Gangs or youth violence, Gender-based violence, Hate, Homelessness, (So-called) ‘Honour-based’ violence, Radicalisation and Extremism (please see policy), Relationship abuse, Sexual violence or sexual harassment (including peer-on-peer abuse), Sexting, Trafficking and modern slavery.
We follow all statutory guidance with regards to the reporting of any of the above and will endeavour to support families who experience these types of abuse. We will seek advice from appropriate agencies to support our pastoral team, where needed. We will continue to work with the community and understand that these types of abuse can take many forms. We teach children to be respectful and considerate but also to share any concerns. The above will be reviewed regularly as part of the safeguarding meetings.
Children missing from education, home or care
The school will also take action to protect; • Children missing education • Children missing from home or care
Children Missing Education
Children Missing Education Statutory Guidance We follow all statutory guidance when reporting children missing from education.
Children Missing from home or care
Children Missing Education Statutory Guidance We follow all statutory guidance when reporting children missing from home or care
Private Fostering
The school have a duty to refer any children who are living in a private fostering arrangement to the local authority. We will do this through a MASH referral. It is important that parents/carers inform us if a child is going to be staying at an alternative address to that of their primary care-givers for more than 28 days.
Indicators of abuse
See below for possible indicators of abuse. (Taken from What to do if you are worried a child is being abused, 2015)
The school recognises that the above list of indicators is not exhaustive and staff will receive training on indicators of abuse. |
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