Hollingwood Primary School Staff Login

Safeguarding and Child Protection

1. Statement of intent

Farnham Primary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare, both physical and emotional, of every pupil both inside and outside of the school premises.

This policy sets out a clear and consistent framework for delivering this promise, in line with safeguarding legislation and statutory guidance.

It will be achieved by:

  • Creating a culture of safer recruitment by adopting procedures that help deter, reject or identify people who might pose a risk to children
  • Educating pupils on how to keep safe and to recognise behaviour that is unacceptable
  • Identifying and making provision for any pupil that has been subject to abuse
  • Ensuring that members of the governing body, the Headteacher and staff members understand their responsibilities under safeguarding legislation and statutory guidance, and are alert to the signs of child abuse and know to refer concerns to the designated safeguarding lead (DSL)
  • Ensuring that the Headteacher and any new staff members and volunteers are only appointed when all the appropriate checks have been satisfactorily completed

The DSL is: Mr D Quick. In the absence of the DSL, child protection matters will be dealt with by Mrs B Bains and Mr R Edwards

2. Overall Aims

To contribute to the prevention of abusive experiences in the following ways:

  • Clarifying standards of behaviour for staff and pupils
  • Introducing appropriate work within the curriculum
  • Developing staff awareness of the causes of abuse
  • Encouraging pupils and parental participation in practice
  • Addressing concerns at the earliest possible stage
  • Be aware of the needs of vulnerable groups and individuals

To contribute to the protection of our pupils in the following ways:

  • Including appropriate work within the curriculum
  • Implementing child protection policies and procedures
  • Working in partnership with pupils, parents and agencies

To contribute to supporting our pupils in the following ways:

  • Identifying individual needs where possible
  • Designing plans to meet needs

3. Definition

For the purpose of this policy, Farnham Primary will define ‘safeguarding and protecting the welfare of children’ as:

  • Protecting pupils from maltreatment
  • Preventing the impairment of pupils’ health or development
  • Ensuring that pupils grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
  • Taking action to enable all pupils to have the best outcomes.

4. Legal Framework

This policy has consideration for, and is compliant with, the following legislation and statutory guidance:

Legislation:

  • The Children Act 1989
  • The Children Act 2004
  • The Education Act 2002
  • The Education Health Standards) (England) Regulations 2003
  • The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
  • School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009 (as amended)
  • The Equality Act 2010
  • The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
  • The Education (School Teachers’ Appraisal) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended)
  • The Children and Families Act 2014
  • The Sexual Offences Act 2003
  • The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 (as amended)
  • Education Act 2002 s175
  • Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006

Statutory Guidance 

  • DfE (2015) ‘Working together to safeguard children’
  • DfE (Sept 2016) Keeping children safe in education – FGM, CSE and Prevent
  • CTSA (Mar 2015) see section 29
  • DfE (2015) ‘What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused’
  • DfE (2015) ‘Information sharing’
  • DfE (2016) ‘Disqualification under the Childcare Act 2006’
  • DfE (2015) ‘The Prevent duty’
  • HM Government (2014) ‘Multi-agency practice guidelines: Handling cases of Forced
  • Marriage’
  • Bradford Safeguarding Children Board Procedures. Electronic version only now available on BSCB website Children Act 2004
  • DfE (2014) Early Years statutory framework
  • Information sharing March 2015
  • FGM Act 2003 (section 74 serious crime act 2015)

5. The Curriculum

Relevant issues will be addressed through the PSHE curriculum.  For example, self-esteem, emotional literacy, assertiveness, power, sex and relationship education, bullying and homophobic bullying, etc. Relevant issues will be addressed through other areas of the curriculum.  For example, circle time, English, History, Drama, RE and Art etc.

6. Other Areas of Work

All our policies which address issues of power and potential harm, e.g. Anti-Bullying, Equal opportunities, Positive Handling, Positive Relationships, need to be linked, to ensure a whole school approach.

Our safeguarding and child protection policy cannot be separated from the general ethos of the school, which should ensure that children are treated with respect and dignity, feel safe, and are listened to.

7. Keeping Children Safe in Education

All staff will be provided with a copy of the DfE part 1 guidance ‘Keeping Children safe in education:  information for staff’ which they must read and sign for.  In particular, staff must understand their individual responsibility for recognising abuse and taking action to protect a child; passing concerns on at an early stage to enable the school to offer the child and family early help; and to make a referral to social care themselves or press for re-consideration if they believe that action is not being taken to protect a child for whom they have concerns. See:

Keeping children safe in education – Statutory guidance for schools and colleges

8. Roles and Responsibilities

Farnham Primary School recognises that the governing body, DSL, Headteacher and other staff members have a responsibility to ensure the school complies with its duties in accordance with child protection safeguarding legislation.  See ‘Roles and Responsibilities’ Appendix 1.

9. Inter-agency Working

We work in partnership with other agencies in the best interests of the children.  Therefore, school will, where necessary, liaise with the school nurse and doctor, and make referrals to Social Care.  If a staff member has any concerns about a pupil, they will raise this with the DSL or, if necessary, refer the case to specialist or early help services.

Where a child already has a social worker, the referral should indicate that fact and the social worker should also be informed.

We will co-operate with Children’s Social Care where they are conducting child protection enquiries.  Furthermore, school will endeavour to attend appropriate inter-agency meetings such as Initial and Review Child Protection Conferences, Planning and Core Group meetings and Family Support Meetings.

We will provide written reports as required for these meetings.  If school is unable to attend, a written report will be sent.

Where a child in school is subject to an inter-agency child protection plan, school will contribute to the preparation implementation and review of the plan as appropriate.

The school recognises the importance of information sharing between professionals and local agencies in order to effectively meet pupils’ needs.

In light of the above, staff members are aware that whilst the Data Protection Act 1998 places a duty on schools to process personal information fairly and lawfully, it is not a barrier to sharing information where failure to do so would result in the pupil being placed at risk of harm.

Staff members will ensure that fear of sharing information does not stand in the way of their responsibility to promote the welfare and safety of pupils.

The school also recognises the particular importance of inter-agency working in identifying and preventing child sexual exploitation (CSE).

10. Abuse and Neglect

All members of staff will be aware that abuse, neglect and safeguarding issues are rarely standalone events that can be given a specific label and, as such, multiple issues often overlap one another.

All members of staff will also be aware of peer-on-peer abuse, most likely to include actions such as bullying, gender based violence, sexual assaults and sexting.

All staff will be aware of the actions involving peer-on-peer abuse, and the necessary procedures to follow to prevent such abuse, as outlined in the school’s Anti-Bullying Policy.

All staff will be aware of the behaviours linked to drug taking, alcohol abuse, truancy and sexting, and will understand that these put pupils in danger.

Descriptors of types of abuse and possible signs are outlined in Appendix 2.

11. Specific Safeguarding issues (KCSIE Sep2006 part 1)

Please see below, specific safeguarding issues identified in KCSIE Part 1, page 12-13

  • Bullying including cyberbullying
  • Children missing education – see appendix 3
  • Child missing from home or care
  • Child sexual exploitation (CSE) – see appendix 3
  • Domestic violence
  • Drugs
  • Fabricated or induced illness
  • Faith abuse
  • Female genital mutilation (FGM) – see appendix 3
  • Forced marriage – see appendix 4
  • Gangs and youth violence
  • Gender-based violence/violence against women and girls (VAWG) 13
  • Hate
  • Mental health
  • Missing children and adults
  • Private fostering
  • Preventing radicalisation – see appendix 6 Relationship abuse
  • Sexting
  • Trafficking

12. Pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

The school recognises that pupils with SEND can face additional safeguarding challenges, and understands that further barriers may exist when determining abuse and neglect in this group of pupils.

Staff will be aware of the following:

Certain indicators of abuse such as behaviour, mood and injury may relate to the pupil’s disability without further exploration.

Pupils with SEND can be disproportionally impacted by things like bullying, without outwardly showing any signs.

Communication barriers may exist, as well as difficulties in overcoming these barriers.

When reporting concerns or making referrals for pupils with SEND, the above factors will always be taken into consideration.

13. Concerns about a Pupil

Concerns about a pupil do not include those in immediate danger and so must be handled differently.

If a staff member has any concerns about a pupil, they will raise this with the DSL or named person, if necessary; refer the case to specialist or early help services. Refer to Child Protection Procedures Flowchart (January 2016) – see appendix 9

If a referral is made about a child by anyone other than the DSL, the DSL will be informed as soon as possible.

The LA will make a decision regarding what action is required within one working day of the referral being made, and will notify the referrer.

Staff are required to monitor a referral if they do not receive information from the LA regarding what action is necessary for the pupil.

If the situation does not improve after a referral, the DSL will ask for reconsideration to ensure that their concerns have been addressed and that the situation improves for the pupil.

If early help is appropriate, the case will be kept under constant review. If the pupil’s situation does not improve, a referral will be considered.

All concerns, discussions and decisions made, as well as the reasons for those decisions, will be recorded in writing by the DSL and kept securely in a locked cabinet in the DSL’s Office.

If a pupil is in immediate danger, a referral will be made to Children’s Social Care and/or the police straight away.

Where there are safeguarding concerns, the school will ensure that the pupil’s wishes are always taken into account, and that there are systems available for pupils to provide feedback and express their views.

An inter-agency assessment will be undertaken where a child and their family could benefit from coordinated support from more than one agency. These assessments will identify what help the child and family require in preventing needs escalating to a point where intervention would be needed.

14. The Designated Staff and Confidential Information

  • Currently these are Mr D Quick, Mr R Edwards, and Mrs B Bains. These people have all received current ‘Named Person’ training. Along with the Head of School, they will be responsible for co-ordinating all child protection activity.
  • Where the school has concerns about a child, the Designated Staff, in consultation with the Headteacher if appropriate, will decide what steps should be taken. See flowchart (appendix 5)
  • Child Protection information needs to be dealt with in a confidential manner. A written record will be made of what information has been shared with who, and when. Staff will be informed of relevant details only when the Designated Staff feels their having knowledge of a situation will improve their ability to deal with an individual child and/or family. 
  • CPOMS – Child Protection Online Monitoring System will be used by all staff to monitor incidents and alert other members of staff. Named Persons have keys for full access to Child Protection information.
  • Child Protection records will be stored securely in a central place separate from academic records. They should be kept for at least the period during which the child is attending the school, and beyond that in line with current data legislation.
  • Access to these by staff other than the Designated Staff will be restricted, and a written record will be kept of who has had access to them and when.
  • Parents should be aware of information held on their children and kept up to date regarding any concerns or developments by the appropriate members of staff. General communications with parents should be in line with any home school policies and give due regard to which adults have parental responsibility.
  • Do not disclose to a parent any information held on a child, if it would put the child at risk of significant harm.
  • If a pupil moves from our school, child protection records will be forwarded onto the new school, with due regard to their confidential nature. Contact between the two schools may be necessary, especially on transfer from primary to high schools. We will record where and to whom the records have been passed, and the date.

15. Concerns About Staff Members and Safeguarding Practices

If a staff member has concerns about another member of staff then this will be raised with the Headteacher.

If the concern is with regards to the Headteacher, this will be referred to the chair of governors.

Any concerns regarding the safeguarding practices at Farnham Primary will be raised with the SLT, and the necessary whistleblowing procedures will be followed, as outlined in the Whistleblowing Policy.

If a staff member feels unable to raise an issue with the SLT, they should access other whistleblowing channels such as the NSPCC whistleblowing helpline (0800 028 0285).

Any allegations of abuse made against staff members will be dealt with in accordance with the school’s Allegations of Abuse Against Staff Policy.

16. Allegations of Abuse Against Other Pupils

All staff will be aware that pupils are capable of abusing their peers, and will never tolerate abuse as ‘banter’ or ‘part of growing up’.

The school is aware that peer-on-peer abuse can be manifested in many different ways, including sexting and gender issues, such as girls being sexually touched or assaulted, and boys being subjected to hazing/initiation type of violence, which aims to cause physical, emotional or psychological harm.

All allegations of abuse made against other pupils and the disciplinary action necessary will be dealt with in accordance with the procedures outlined in the school’s Anti-Bullying Policy.

The DSL will be informed of any allegations of abuse against other pupils, who will record the incident in writing and decide what course of action is necessary, with the best interests of the pupil in mind at all times.

If appropriate, a referral may be made to children’s social services, depending on the nature of the incident, the police.

The DSL will decide which safeguards, if any, are necessary for the pupil, e.g. counselling support or immediate protection.

In all cases, parents/carers will be informed of the incident and how it is being managed, unless doing so would put the pupil at further risk of harm.

In order to prevent peer-on-peer abuse, the school will educate pupils about abuse, its forms, the importance of discussing any concerns and respecting others, through the curriculum, assemblies and PSHE lessons regularly.

The school will also ensure that pupils are taught about safeguarding, including online safety, as part of a broad and balanced curriculum in PSHE lessons, sex and relationship education (SRE) and group sessions.

17. Online Safety

Farnham Primary will ensure that suitable filtering systems are in place to prevent children accessing terrorist and extremist material, in accordance with the school’s ‘Online Safety Policy’.

The use of mobile phones by staff and pupils is closely monitored by the school, in accordance with the Acceptable Use Policy and Code of Conduct.

The school will ensure that the use of filtering and monitoring systems does not cause ‘overblocking’ which may lead to unreasonable restrictions as to what pupils can be taught regarding online teaching.

18. Safer Recruitment

The school pays full regard to section 3 of Keeping Children Safe in Education (DfE September 2016). Safe recruitment practice includes scrutinising applications, verifying identity and academic or vocational qualifications, obtaining professional and character references, checking previous employment history and ensuring that a candidate has the health and physical capacity for the job. It also includes undertaking interviews and, where appropriate, undertaking Barred list checks and a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) certificate. In addition, all teachers appointed after 02.09.13 are checked against the NCTL Prohibition list. For further guidance on Safer Recruitment practices please see appendix 8.

19. Training

Staff members will undergo safeguarding and child protection training at induction, which will be updated at least annually, and as new legislation is introduced. This will be in line with advice from the BSCB.

Staff will receive and seek out opportunities to contribute towards and inform the safeguarding arrangements in the school.

The DSL will undergo updated child protection training every two years, as well as additional training to refresh their skills and knowledge at regular intervals (at least annually) to allow them to keep up with any developments relevant to their role.

The DSL will also undergo regular Prevent awareness training which will enable them to understand and support the school with regards to the Prevent duty, and equip them with the knowledge needed to advise staff.

If the school decides to appoint a deputy DSL, they will also undergo the same training as the DSL and, therefore, will be trained to the same standard, though ultimately, the DSL will leas safeguarding practices at the school.

Online training will also be conducted for all staff members as part of the overall safeguarding approach.

20. Staff Support

We recognise the stressful and traumatic nature of child protection work. Support is available for any member of staff through the DSL.

Further Guidance

Safe Practice

All staff and volunteers work within the guidance of the Education Bradford Code of Conduct or DCSF ‘Safe Working Practice for the Protection of Children and Staff in Education Settings’. Although this national guidance was last reviewed in 2009, it remains an excellent source of advice and guidance.

 

Reviewed: February 2018