Child Protection and Safeguarding
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King’s Park Primary School and Children’s Centre Safeguarding Policy and Procedures
Jan 2010
Aims and Objectives
Kings Park Primary School and Children’s Centre fully recognises its responsibilities for protecting all children from abuse.
Our policy applies to all staff, governors and volunteers working in the school. There are five main elements to our policy:
• Ensuring we practice safe recruitment in checking 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 procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases, of abuse.
• Supporting pupils who have been abused in accordance with their agreed child protection plan.
• Establishing a safe environment in which children can learn and develop.
• Establish an ongoing culture of vigilance within the school.
Recruitment of staff, Governors and volunteers
King’s Park Primary school and children’s centre follows the local safeguarding board safer recruitment policy.
The school makes every effort to ensure that it recruits staff and volunteers that are suitable to work with children.
• Job adverts and information packs have clear statements outlining the school’s commitment to safeguarding.
• Each interview panel will have at least one member who has undergone safe recruitment training.
• All interviews are carefully planned and structured. All posts (including volunteers) have clear job and person specifications which outline safeguarding responsibilities.
• The school only uses application forms and does not accept CV’s
• A minimum of 3 references are obtained for all short listed candidates before interview whenever possible and these requests require a specific comment on safeguarding. Efforts are made to ensure that the references are from verifiable and reliable sources.
• All selection processes involve face-to-face interview and where possible another tool such as role play, presentation or teaching.
• Short listed candidates are required to bring identification and qualification documents to the interview.
• Interviews are carefully designed to explore candidate’s motivations, attitudes and behaviour as well as skills and experience.
• Offers of employment are always made conditional on verification of documentation and references and on future performance.
Before staff begin work at the school the following checks are carried out.
• Identity information
• Address
• Qualifications
• References
• Medical checks
• CRB and list 99 checks
• Right to work in the UK
• Further overseas checks as appropriate
The school keeps this information on a central register.
All staff are required to sign the ‘Code of Conduct’ (see appendix 1) before they begin work. Staff receive initial induction training in child protection and safeguarding. Training is updated regularly (usually every two years) and a central training record is kept of all child protection training. The designated child protection officer (see below) undergoes Level 3 safeguarding training every two years.
The school remains vigilant at all times and ensures that the precepts of the Code of Conduct are fulfilled. Staff are regularly reminded of their duties regarding safeguarding.
Staff are CRB checked every 3 years. If the CRB check identifies any issues with a new or existing member of staff the following procedure will be followed immediately:
1. Detailed information of the offence or issue will be obtained from CRB.
2. The issue will be discussed with the staff member or candidate.
3. The designated child protection officer will consult with nominated Governor and the Chair of Governors (if this is a different person) and a decision made based on the evidence.
4. The staff member will be informed of the decision. This may mean disciplinary action is initiated depending on the seriousness of the issue raised.
Governors, Students and Volunteers
All Governors and volunteers undergo the following checks.
• Identity information
• Address
• CRB and list 99 checks
Students are required to provide this information
The school keeps information on a central register. Governors and volunteers induction contains advice and guidance on safeguarding. Governors, students and volunteers are required to sign the ‘Code of Conduct’ and are given a copy of the safeguarding information sheet.
Governors and volunteers are made aware that they would not normally be required to carry out work with children unsupervised. Governors and regular volunteers are CRB checked every 3 years. If a CRB check identifies any issues of concern the school will follow the same procedure as with staff members as above.
Supporting children to stay safe
The school promotes a positive, supportive and secure environment which gives pupils a sense of being valued and gives children the opportunity to fulfil their potential.
Safeguarding forms an overt part of the school curriculum. Children are made aware of the dangers within the environment and how to avoid putting themselves in unsafe situations and to stay safe from abuse. We aim to encourage children to be self confident, self reliant and develop resilience. This is done through the following:
• Assemblies
• PSHE and SEAL lessons
• R.E. lessons
• Science lessons
It is also referred to in other areas of the curriculum as is appropriate.
Children are also given formal and informal opportunities to talk about issues and problems that affect them through the following:
• Class discussion
• Circle time
• School council meetings
• One to one mentoring discussions
The school is careful to ensure that issues of safeguarding are discussed openly and calmly without engendering an atmosphere of fear and mistrust.
The school Behaviour Policy and Anti-bullying Policy are both aimed at supporting and protecting vulnerable pupils in the school and ensure that all children understand that some behaviours are unacceptable.
Identifying abuse
Children who need protection fall into one of four categories, defined in Working Together to Safeguard Children (1999) but a single child may suffer more than one type of abuse.
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scaling, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer feigns the symptoms of or deliberately causes ill health to a child they are looking after. This situation is commonly described using terms such as fictitious illness by proxy, or Munchausen syndrome by proxy. The following are possible signs of such abuse:
• Unexplained injuries or burns, particularly if they are recurrent
• Improbable reasons given for injuries either by the child or the parent
• Refusal to discuss injuries
• Admission of punishment that appears excessive
• Fear of parents being contacted
• Bald patches
• Withdrawal from physical contact
• Arms and legs kept covered in hot weather
• Fear of returning home
• Fear of medical help
• Self destructive tendencies
• Aggression towards others
• Chronic running away
Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional ill treatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to children that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only in so far as they meet the needs of another person. It may feature age of developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. It may involve causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger or the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of ill treatment of a child although it may occur alone. The following are possible signs of such abuse:
• Physical, mental and emotional development lags
• Admission of punishment that appears excessive
• Overreaction to mistakes
• Sudden speech disorders
• Fear of new situations
• Inappropriate emotional responses to painful situations
• Neurotic behaviour
• Self-mutilation
• Fear of parents being contacted
• Extremes of passivity or aggression
• Drug/solvent abuse
• Chronic running away
• Compulsive stealing or scavenging
Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse involved 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. The activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative, e.g. (rape or buggery) or non-penetrative acts. They may include non-contact activities such as involving children in looking at or in the production of, pornographic material or watching sexual activities or encouraging children in behave in sexually inappropriate ways. The following are possible signs of such abuse:
• Hint about secrets that they cannot tell
• Say a friend has a problem
• Ask if you will keep a secret if they tell you something
• Being lying, stealing, blatantly cheating in the hope of being caught
• Have unexplained sources of money
• Have terrifying dreams
• Start wetting themselves
• Exhibit sudden inexplicable changes in behaviour, such as becoming aggressive or withdrawn
• Stop enjoying previously likes activities such as music, sports, art, gym club, uniformed organisations
• Become fearful or refuse to see certain adults for no apparent reason; dislike of a babysitter, relative or other adult
• Act in a sexual way, inappropriate for their age
• Draw sexually explicit pictures depicting some act of abuse
• Seem to be keeping secret something that is worrying them
• Have frequent urinary infections, bleeding in the genital or anal areas
• Have soreness or bleeding in the throat
• Have chronic ailments, such as stomach pains or headaches
• Develop eating disorders, such as anorexia or bulimia
• Become severely depressed and even attempt suicide
• Have a poor self image, self mutilate
• Continually running away
• Regress to younger behaviour such as thumb sucking, surrounding themselves with previously discarded toys
• Show discomfort when walking
• Say they are no good, dirty, rotten
• Be wary, watchful
• Repeat obscene words or phrases which may have been said during the abuse
• Attempt to sexually abuse another child
• Talk or write about sexual matters
• Find hundreds of excuses not to go home or to a friend’s house after school (places where abuse may be happening)
Neglect
Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of a child’s health or development. It may involve a parent or carer failing to provide adequate food, shelter and clothing, failing to protect a child from physical harm or danger. Alternatively, the failure to ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include neglect of or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs. The following are possible signs of such abuse:
• Constant hunger
• Poor personal hygiene
• Constant tiredness
• Poor state of clothing
• Emaciation
• Frequent lateness or non attendance at school
• Untreated medical problems
• Destructive tendencies
• Low self esteem
• Neurotic behaviour (e.g. rocking, hair twisting, thumb sucking)
• No social relationships
• Chronic running away
• Compulsive stealing or scavenging
Reporting Procedure
The school follows the procedures set out by the Local Safeguarding Children Board and take account of guidance issued by the Department for Children Schools and Families.
The designated child protection officer is the Head teacher, Mr Michael Keeling.
The nominated Governor responsible for child protection is Mrs Jacqui Rivers.
All staff, Governors and Volunteers are made aware of these roles through induction or the safeguarding information sheet.
If a child makes a disclosure of abuse you should:
• Be prepared to listen and comfort
• Do not show revulsion or distress however distasteful the events are
• Stay calm and controlled
• Don’t make false promises i.e. that you will keep the abuse a secret or that the police will not be involved
• Let the child know at once that it was not his/her fault and keep restating this
• Be aware of your own feelings about abuse and find someone you can share those feelings with once the procedures have been completed
• Reassure the child that you still care for them and that what they have said does not make you care for them less
• Reassure the child that they were right to tell, even though the abuse may have happened a long time ago
• As soon as possible write a first hand account of what was said and done
• Follow internal and interagency procedures
If a member of staff, Governor, volunteer or visitor is concerned over a possible issue of abuse to any child they should discuss this immediately with the designated person for child protection.
The designated person for child protection may ask the member of staff, volunteer or visitor to record the issue or disclosure on a concern sheet.
The designated person for child protection may decide to:
1. Take no action
2. Discuss the matter with other professionals concerned
3. Discuss the matter with parents
4. Consult with duty social worker
5. Record the incident confidentially for future reference
Incidents will only be discussed with parents if to do so would not place the child at risk.
All confidential records will be kept in a locked cabinet accessed only by the child protection officer. Case information is recorded using the following forms.
1. Header form with essential information concerning the child
2. Concern sheet for recording individual incidents’
3. Incident record sheet for recording chronological record of incidents
Confidential records will be shared with staff on a need to know basis. It is the responsibility of the designated child protection officer to ensure that all staff dealing with the child have sufficient information in order to safeguard that child.
Child protection records will be kept until the child leaves the school and will be passed on to the next school/ setting.
If a child is subject to a child protection plan the designated child protection officer will ensure that a school representative attends all relevant meetings and co-operates fully with other agencies. The designated child protection officer will also ensure that if that child leaves the school their information is transferred to the new school immediately and the child’s social worker is informed.
Supporting the abused child
The school works in partnership with a range of agencies to support children that have been abused. These include social services, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, education welfare service and educational psychology service.
What to expect from a child who has been abused.
• A child may experience a range of reactions to abuse, including some or all of the following
• A feeling of shame or guilt. “It must have been my fault” “I’m bad”
• A feeling that he/she is dirty – spoilt-degraded
• Embarrassment “I’m sure everyone knows”
• A desire to continually talk about the abuse and to gain reassurance
• Dislike of being touched and touching others
• Loss of confidence
• Trouble sleeping, nightmares
• Hatred of self and of his/her body
• Destructive behaviour
• Inability to complete school work
• Inability to relate to other children or adults
• Many of the behaviours indicated signs of abuse are an attempt by the child to express feelings that he/she cannot express in words and are a response/reaction to the abuse
• Difficulties may continue for a long time after the abuse and the child may need specialist support
Allegations against a member of staff, Governor or volunteer
The school follows the procedures set out by the Local Safeguarding Children Board and take account of guidance issued by the Department for Children Schools and Families.
If an allegation is made against a member of staff, Governor or volunteer this should be immediately reported to the Headteacher. If the Headteacher feels there is enough evidence he will then report the incident to the Local Authority Designated Officer for Allegations (LADO).
In the case of an allegation against the Headteacher, this should be reported to the Chair of Governors. If the Chair of Governors feels there is enough evidence she/he will then report the incident to the Local Authority Designated Officer for Allegations (LADO).
This policy will be reviewed annually.
Date of next review: January 2011
King’s Park Primary Safeguarding Form 1
FURTHER INFORMATION RELATING TO SAFEGUARDING AND CHILD PROTECTION IS BELOW. JUST CLICK ON THE LINK
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