Safeguarding Pupils

Policy

 

 

POLICY No. 68      Version 2010

Sonning Common Primary School recognises its responsibility for Safeguarding and Child Protection.

 

This policy applies to all staff, governors and volunteers working in school and focuses on 5 main elements;

 

• Staff recruitment and selection – ensuring that all staff (including volunteers) who have unsupervised access to children, have been appropriately checked for their suitability through the CRB procedure.

• Raising awareness of child protection issues and equipping children with the skills needed to keep them safe.

• Developing and implementing procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases of abuse.

• Supporting children who have been abused in accordance with his/her child protection plan.

• Establishing a safe and nurturing environment free from discrimination or bullying where children can learn and develop happily.

 

We recognise that because of the day-to-day contact with children, school staff are ideally placed to observe the outward signs of abuse and staff in school will therefore:

 

• Report any inappropriate behaviour / activities to designated staff member.

• Establish and maintain an environment where children feel secure, encouraged to talk and are listened to.

• Ensure that children know that they can approach any of the adults in school if they are worried and they will receive a consistent supportive response.

• Include in the curriculum opportunities for children to develop the skills they need to recognise and stay safe from abuse.

 

Staff in Sonning Common Primary School will follow the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Board Procedures in all cases of abuse, or suspected abuse, (these can be found at www.oscb.org.uk).

We will therefore:

 

• Ensure that we have a designated teacher for child protection (and inform the Safeguarding Team Administrator when this changes, on 01865 810515).

• In Sonning Common Primary School the designated teacher is Mrs Lynne Hems.

• Ensure that the designated teacher receives Specialist Safeguarding training, refreshed every two years, (contact the OSCB for more details on training: 01865 815843 or 01865 328562).

• Ensure that the whole staff receive Generalist Safeguarding training every three years, (contact the Safeguarding Team Administrator for information on training: 01865 810515).

• Ensure that new staff have read the safeguarding policies and procedures for the school and know who the designated member of staff is, including how to contact them and know what to do if they are concerned.

• Ensure that the governors of Sonning Common Primary School are aware of their responsibility to safeguard the welfare of pupils in the school.

 

• Ensure that every member of staff, (including volunteers and governors) knows who the designated teacher is and where to find them to pass on information or concerns.  

• Ensure that all staff and volunteers understand their responsibilities in being alert to, and acting appropriately in, cases of abuse or suspected abuse.

• Ensure that parents understand the school’s responsibilities in relation to child protection by setting out these obligations in the school prospectus.  Make the policy available to parents on request.

• Inform the duty social worker at the Assessment Team if a pupil, who is subject to a Child Protection Plan, has unexplained absence of more than 2 days.

• Establish and maintain links with relevant agencies and co-operate as required with enquiries of a child protection nature.

• Ensure that where possible appropriate staff attend case conferences and core groups on children enrolled in the school.  (If attendance is not possible a written report should be prepared and sent to the conference).

• Keep accurate written records of concerns on children even where referral is not appropriate immediately.

• Ensure that all child protection records are kept secure and confidential and separate from the main pupil file.

• Ensure that all staff/volunteers are selected and recruited only after having gone through appropriate checks. Safer Recruitment Training can be accessed at: http://www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/safeguarding/safer-recruitment

• Ensure that all staff, governors and volunteers understand that there is a procedure to be followed in dealing with child protection allegations made against teaching and non-teaching staff. This procedure must be followed on all occasions. All staff should be made aware of this process and how this process differs from other concerns about children.

• Ensure all records are kept securely; separate from the main pupil file, in locked locations.

• Follow the county guidance on reporting and tracking lost pupils (see missing pupils procedure via link: Directorates and Services/Children and Families / Our Services / Safeguarding and Child Protection / Revised Missing Pupils Procedure.

• Ensure that this policy on Safeguarding is reviewed annually by governors and senior staff and is in line with Oxfordshire County Council’s policy.

• Ensure safe recruitment practices are always followed by all staff and governors in recruitment of all staff and volunteers.

 

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. The school will endeavour to support the pupil through:

 

• The content of the curriculum.

• The school ethos, which promotes a positive, supportive and secure environment and gives pupils a sense of being valued.

• The School Behaviour and Attendance Policies, which are aimed at supporting vulnerable pupils in the school. The school will ensure that the pupil knows that some behaviours are unacceptable but they are valued and not to be blamed for any abuse which has occurred.

 

• Liaison with other agencies that support the pupil such as Social and Health Care, the Attendance and Engagement Service, the Educational Psychology Service, PCAMHS, Locality Co-ordinators, etc.

• Ensuring that, when a pupil subject to a Child Protection Plan leaves, their information is transferred to the new school immediately and that the child’s social worker is informed.

 

It is noted that the provisions of the Education Act place a general duty on our school to provide for the welfare of children in our care and, as such, staff will adhere to other related school policies, i.e. Behaviour Policy, Bullying Policy, Restraint Policy etc.

 

Child Protection Allegations Against Staff

 

A distinction should be made between the process for dealing with concerns about possible abuse of a child outside of the school environment and allegations of a child protection nature against a member of the school community.  In cases of allegations against school staff or volunteers, designated staff, headteacher (or Chair of Governors in cases of allegations against the headteacher) should always make contact with the Local Authority designated officer (LADO) before taking further action.  In Oxfordshire contact should be made with Barry Armstrong, Local Authority Designated Officer (01865 815956) or Rebecca Melmoth, Safeguarding Co-ordinator (01865 815186).

 

Role of the Governing Body

 

The governors of Sonning Common Primary School. Undertake the regularly review both safeguarding related policy and procedures that operate in our school.

 

Governors have a crucial role in monitoring and challenging school staff on the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements and will report to the Local Authority annually on these safeguarding arrangements (see schools annual safeguarding report).

 

Child Protection Procedures in Sonning Common Primary School

 

All staff have a responsibility for action in cases of suspected child abuse.  This document outlines the procedures which should be followed if any member of staff suspects a student is being abused, or if a disclosure is made.

 

Immediate action is required where there is

suspicion of abuse and written records must be made at each stage of process

 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 


All teachers are asked to be alert to possible physical or emotional problems being experienced by students in all Key Stages.

 

 

If a student asks to speak to you about a problem do not promise confidentiality, but explain that it may be necessary to consult a senior colleague. 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Categories of Abuse

 

The table below outlines the four main categories of abuse as defined by the Department of Health ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ document 2006.  Staff should be aware that the possible indicators are not definitive and that some children may present these behaviours for reasons other than abuse.

 

Type of Abuse

Possible Indicators

Neglect

The persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and psychological needs which is likely to result in serious impairments to their health and development.  This may involve a parent or carer failing to provide food, shelter, clothing or a failure to protect from physical harm or danger or allow access to medical treatment.

Obvious signs of lack of care including

  • Problems with personal hygiene
  • Constant hunger
  • Inadequate clothing
  • Emaciation
  • Lateness or non-attendance at school
  • Poor relationship with peers
  • Untreated medical problems
  • Compulsive stealing and scavenging
  • Rocking, hair twisting, thumb sucking
  • Running away
  • Low self-esteem

Physical Injury

Actual or likely physical injury or failure to prevent physical injury or suffering to a child including hitting, shaking, throwing, burning or scalding, deliberate poisoning, suffocation or Munchausen’s syndrome by proxy.

Physical signs that do not tally with the given account of occurrence/conflicting or unrealistic explanations of cause/repeated injuries/delay in reporting or seeking medical advice.

Sexual Abuse

Forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities, whether or not they are aware of what is happening.  May involve physical contact, penetrative or non-penetrative acts and also includes involving children in watching pornographic material or watching sexual acts.

 
  • Sudden changes in behaviour
  • Displays or affection which are sexual and age inappropriate
  • Tendency to cling or need constant reassurance
  • Tendency to cry easily
  • Regression to younger behaviour – eg thumb sucking, acting like a baby
  • Unexplained gifts or money
  • Depression and withdrawal
  • Wetting/soiling day or night
  • Fear of undressing for PE

Emotional Abuse

The actual or likely adverse effect on the emotional and behavioural development of a child caused by persistent or severe emotional ill treatment or rejection.

Rejection, Isolation, child being blamed for actions of adults, child being used as carer for younger siblings, affection and basic emotional care giving/warmth persistently absent or withheld.

 

 

Dealing with Disclosures

 

RECEIVE

 

Always stop and listen straight away to someone who wants to tell you about incidents or suspicions of abuse.  Listen quietly and actively, giving your undivided attention.  Allow silences when needed.  Do not show shock or disbelieve but take what is said seriously.

 

REASSURE

 

Stay calm, no judgements, empathise.  Never make a promise that you can keep what a child has said a secret.  Given reassurance that only those who need to know will be told.  Reassure the young person that they were right to tell you.

 

REACT

 

React to the student only as far as is necessary for you to establish whether or not you need to refer this matter, but don’t interrogate for full details.

 

Don’t ask leading questions – keep the open questions eg ’is there anything else you want to say?’

 

Do not criticize the perpetrator; the student may have affection for him/her.

 

Explain what you will do next – inform designated teacher, keep in contact.

 

RECORD

 

If possible make brief notes about what they are actually telling you at the time.  Keep these notes, however rough they are.  If you are unable to make notes at the time write down what was said as soon as you can.

 

Try to record what was actually said by the student rather than your interpretation of what they are telling you.

 

Record the date, time, place and any noticeable nonverbal behaviour.

 

REPORT

 

Report the incident to the designated teacher and do not tell any other adults or students what you have been told.

 

 

Record Keeping

 

The designated teachers for child protection are responsible for ensuring that the necessary paperwork is completed and sent to the relevant people and stored in a safe and confidential place.