CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

SAFEGUARDING AND CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

To download this document as PDF Click Here

Safeguarding and promoting welfare

"Safeguarding" is an umbrella term encompassing the whole well-being of a child and recognizes the importance of the preventative agenda. Child Protection is an important component of safeguarding.

The school recognises that every member of staff has a key role in prevention of harm, early identification, intervention, and support for pupils at risk of significant harm and will endeavour to provide an environment where children are valued and know that their concerns will be taken seriously, where young people are safe and feel safe.

Although incidents requiring the implementation of the Child Protection Policy are rare at Ratcliffe, it is vital that all staff, both teaching and support staff, are fully aware of the school's policy and of the action they should take if a child protection situation arises. The Child Protection Policy, as part of the school's pastoral care, assists in achieving the aims of the school's Mission Statement.

The procedures contained in this policy apply to all staff and governors and are consistent with those of the local safeguarding children board (LSCB).

Aims

This policy applies to the whole school including the Senior School, Junior Department and Nursery School. Our core safeguarding principles are:

Responsibilities

The DSP is:

 

 

 

Terminology

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children refers to the process of protecting children from abuse or neglect, preventing the impairment of health or development, ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care and undertaking that role so as to enable those children to have optimum life chances and to enter adulthood successfully.

Child protection refers to the processes undertaken to protect children who have been identified as suffering, or being at risk of suffering significant harm.

Staff refers to all those working for or on behalf of the school, full time or part-time, in either a paid or voluntary capacity.

Child refers to all young people who have not yet reached their 18th birthday.

Parent refers to birth parents and other adults who are in a parenting role, for example step-parents, foster carers and adoptive parents.

Context

Section 175 of the Education Act 2002 requires local education authorities and the governors of maintained schools and further education (FE) colleges to make arrangements to ensure that their functions are carried out with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

Section 157 of the same act and the Education (Independent Schools Standards) (England) Regulations 2003 require proprietors of independent schools (including academies and city technology colleges) to have arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children who are students at the school.

Implementation

Staff action with regard to child protection is as follows:

It can take a great deal of courage for a child to talk to another adult about their abuse, because the child is 'telling' on someone who is more powerful than they are. The child learns to be very good at covering up the abuse and is able to give plausible explanations for what has happened. The child may have to betray a person who is not only close to them but also loved by them, and they are risking a great deal in the hope that you will believe what they say.

"Every Child should be listened to, no matter how difficult they are to talk to" Laming Report 2009

Listening to Children

The school acknowledges that empowering young people to talk to adults when they trust and ensuring that these individuals respond appropriately, is the most effective way of keeping children safe from abuse. This school has developed strategies to ensure that its pupils have a range of adults with whom to share their concerns e.g. Tutors, Head of Year, School Nurse, School Counsellor.

Procedures

If a child chooses to confide in you then the following are helpful responses that you can make:

 

On the other hand:

 

This approach might be summarised as 'Observe, Record and Report'.

R Respond without showing signs of disquiet, anxiety or shock;
E Enquire casually about how an injury was sustained or why a child appears upset;
C Confidentiality should not be promised to children or to adults;
O Observe carefully the behaviour or demeanour of the child expressing concern;
R Record in detail what you have seen and heard on the School welfare concern form;
D Do not interrogate or enter into detailed investigations. Encourage the child to say what he or she wants until enough information is gained to decide whether or not a referral is appropriate.

Procedures for dealing with abuse by one or more students against another student

We recognise that abuse can take many forms including abuse by one or more students against another student. This may be an isolated incident or indeed a series of incidents over a period of time. Staff are requested to treat such incidents in the same way as any other safeguarding or bullying matter and follow the procedures set out in this policy and in the anti-bullying policy.

Referral

The designated Child Protection Officer should assess all information available to the school about a child and refer to the Social Care Access Team if appropriate and confirm this referral in writing by completing a Safeguarding Children in Education Referral Form (within 24 hours). This form can be found on the Local Safeguarding Children Board website.

In accordance with National Minimal Standard 3.5, all boarding staff, at all levels, (including newly appointed and ancillary staff ) are given briefing or training on responding to suspicions or allegations of abuse and know what action they should take in response to such suspicions or allegations.

Contact details for Local Social Services in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland

Rutland Social Services, Children and Families Team Social Care Duty Worker
Leicestershire County Council Child Protection Services Unit - 0116 2323232
Loughborough Child Protection Services Unit office - 01509 266641
Emergency Team - out of hours (covers all of Leicestershire and Rutland) - 0116 2551606
Police - 0116 222 2222
Cases where there are suspicions about abuse but no clear evidence:

The presenting signs/symptoms must be carefully observed and a history taken in a non-judgmental way. A watching brief should be kept and the suspicions should be re-evaluated. The Local Safeguarding Children Board should be consulted if concern is not alleviated. If necessary, it is the responsibility of the Designated Member of Staff, working with the Headmaster, to pass these concerns on to the LSCB.

Cases where abuse may have been inflicted by parents or external agencies:

Suspicion or knowledge of abuse must be reported immediately to either the Headmaster or the Designated Senior Member of Staff. If a child alleges deliberate harm by an adult, attempts to establish how the injury was sustained should be made, except where such enquiries present a risk to the child. The Access Team should also be notified, as a matter of urgency. Any adult to whom abuse is reported by a pupil has a duty to listen to the pupil, to provide reassurance, and subsequently record the pupil's statements. He/she must not press the pupil, ask probing questions or suggest answers. The situation will then be discussed with the Headmaster or the Designated Senior Member of Staff.

The Leicestershire Child Protection Manual must be referred to at all stages.
This can be found on the Leicestershire LSCB website which is updated regularly.

Expert diagnosis may be required quickly. The Headmaster or the Designated Senior Member of Staff will arrange this. The parents' co-operation should be obtained wherever possible. If a child makes an allegation about sexual abuse, Social Services Access Team and/or police must be informed immediately. PARENTS MUST NOT BE CONSULTED.

Cases where allegations of abuse by staff/volunteers/Headmaster have been made:

If an allegation is made against a member of staff at the school, there is an obvious need to act immediately and with the utmost discretion. The informant should be told that the matter will be referred in confidence to the appropriate people. This must be done, and the written record passed on the same day. If the allegation is against the Headmaster or the Designated Senior Member of Staff for Child Protection, the Designated Governor for Child Protection would co-ordinate the investigation into allegations.

The circumstances should be kept strictly confidential until the Headmaster has been able to judge whether or not the allegation or concern indicates possible abuse. The next step is always to discuss the situation with the appropriate Social Care Access Team. If it is decided that an investigation is indicated it is the responsibility of the LSCB to arrange a meeting to discuss how the next steps are handled. This would normally involve the Police and preferably a member of the governing body of the School and the Headmaster.

The member of staff would normally be suspended without prejudice in this case. The arrangements agreed upon will include informing the parents and seeking their consent for any immediate medical examination. The member of staff would normally be informed as soon as possible after the result of the initial investigation is known, or the decision is made to dispense with one, but not invited to make a response. There should be a warning that anything said will be recorded. If it is established that the allegation is not well founded, either on the basis of medical evidence or further statements, then the person against whom the complaint has been made would normally be informed that the matter is closed.

If the police decide to take the matter further and the allegation is against a member of staff, he or she should normally be suspended or, where the circumstances are considered to warrant it, dismissed. It is reasonable to ask the police to give some indication of the time scale.

Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA)

The school will report to the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA), within one month of leaving the school any person (whether employed, contracted, a volunteer or student) whose services are no longer used because he or she is considered unsuitable to work with children.
The address for referrals is
PO Box 181
Darlington DL1 9FA

Whistleblowing

The whistleblowing procedures and this code may be used by anyone employed by the school in a paid or voluntary capacity who believes they have reason to suspect that the conduct of an employee towards a pupil is inappropriate.

Inappropriate conduct includes, but is not confined to:

Reasons for blowing the whistle

Staff will naturally be reticent to report a concern about the conduct of a colleague. However, each individual must take responsibility for ensuring that pupils are fairly treated. If poor practice is allowed to continue unchecked, it could escalate
with serious consequences.

Reporting procedure

 

Process and outcome

 

The outcome of the inquiry will be one of the following:

If, at any stage in the process, there is reason to believe that a child is at risk of significant harm, children's social care will be immediately involved.

Training

"Staff across frontline services need appropriate support and training to ensure that as far as possible they put themselves in the place of the child or young person and consider first and foremost how that situation must have felt for them." Lord Laming 2009

All staff will attend safeguarding training accredited by the local Safeguarding and Children's board every 3 years. Voluntary and part-time staff who work with children are also requested to attend training and are made aware of the arrangements.

The DSP will update their training every 2 years and will attend additional multi-agency training in order to ensure that the school works well with other agencies where appropriate to safeguard children.

Following any such training any deficiencies or weaknesses in child protection arrangements are remedied without delay, so that.

E-safety and bullying

"The damage inflicted by bullying can frequently be underestimated. It can cause considerable distress to children, to the extent it affects their health and development or, at the extreme, causes them significant harm (including self-harm). All settings in which children are provided with services or are living away from home should have in place rigorously enforced anti bullying strategies."
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006

The School acknowledges that new technologies, while enhancing learning opportunities, can provide ways of exposing young people to potentially harmful experiences. All staff must take such abuse seriously. Procedures are outlined in the anti bullying policy in the staff handbook.

Electronic Communication

Staff are advised that electronic communication with students must at all times be professional. This applies largely to e-mail communication via the school network, and to the exchange of mobile telephone numbers (for example, sporting fixtures and trips). Staff are strongly advised from e-mail communication with students via home computers, and are explicitly advised not to communicate with students via social networking sites such as Facebook or Bebo.

Safer Recruitment and Retention

This school operates vetting and safe recruitment practices. Personnel at the school are appointed on this basis and in light of the Safer Recruitment guidelines by the NCSL. (Guidance can be found in Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education published January 2007).

Safeguarding procedures for students on trips and visits away from school

This school recognises the need to seek assurances where ever possible that appropriate child protection checks and procedures apply to any staff employed by another organisation and working with our students on another site.

Boarding

As a boarding school this document adheres to the requirements set out in the National Minimal Standards for boarding, standards 3.1 to 3.9

This policy is equally applicable to boarding staff and any adults working in the school and older boarders with positions of responsibility. Although the boarding community does have Sixth Form boarding prefects who have their own individual job descriptions, they are not required to have responsibility for the supervision of younger boarders. However, they are expected to be role models to the boarding community.

All school prefects including boarding prefects attend prefect training. One aspect of prefect training is to brief senior students given positions of responsibility over other students, on appropriate action to take should they receive any allegations of abuse.

Should a boarding student go missing there is a policy, known to staff as the 'Missing Persons' Policy and used in practice, for searching for and, if necessary reporting, any boarder missing from school. A written record is made of any incident of a boarder missing from school, the action taken, and any reasons given by the pupil for being missing.

If any parent (current or prospective), any staff or volunteers, or any students have any concerns about any aspect of safeguarding and welfare within the boarding (and /or day) community of Ratcliffe College, they may contact either the Headmaster, the Second Deputy Head, the Head of Nursery (if age applicable), or the Chairman of Governors. They may, of course, wish to direct their concern to:

Office for Standards In Education
Children's Services & Skills
Royal Exchange Buildings
St Ann's Square
Manchester
M2 7LA Tel: 08456 404040 Email: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk

The following appendices are included in the Child Protection Policy:

Monitoring

 

The Child Protection Policy is monitored by the Second Deputy Head through liaison with the Head of Nursery School and the Head of Junior Department, who evaluates the effectiveness of the policy in the Nursery School and the Junior Department.

In the Senior School, the Second Deputy Head monitors the policy through discussions with key post holders, in addition to checking the records of incidents which are reported.

Links to Other Policies

Anti-Bullying Policy
School Development Plan
Staff Development Plan

 

Further Information

The Child Protection Policy is in the Staff Handbook. Parents are informed of the school's policy in the respective Senior School, Junior Department, Nursery School and Boarding Information Handbooks. The specific details of the policy are available to parents on the school website.

Review
The Child Protection Policy is reviewed annually by the Second Deputy Head in the summer term.

Latest review - December 2009


Appendix 1

Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education - (DCSF)

The school's child protection policy complies with the guidance in this document, in that:

 

 

 

 

Schools and Colleges - Duties as per Sections 157 and 175 of the Education Act 2002

Furthermore, the school's policy takes account of the following points set out in this Act:

 

 


Appendix 2

Guidance for Staff about the Signs, Symptoms and Effects of Child Abuse

The term 'child abuse' is used to describe a range of ways in which people harm children. The harm can be in the form of physical injury, sexual or emotional abuse or neglect.

The following points are worth noting:

 

It is a teacher's responsibility to recognise signs of abuse and to refer these concerns to the designated teacher for child protection so that the school can in turn refer these concerns to the relevant investigatory agency - usually a social services department.

All lists of 'signs' or 'symptoms' of child abuse should be treated with caution. At times there will be straightforward explanations for injuries or behaviour. What is essential is that teachers share their concerns with the designated teacher and that these are discussed in the light of what is known about the child and family and with those professionals with the responsibility for investigative abuse.

There is a growing recognition that children brought up in 'high criticism, low warmth' households are particularly vulnerable. Therefore, it is often the case that class and race are not the key issues in child abuse cases.

Some definitions of child abuse and the signs to look out for are as follows:

 

Physical Abuse

 

Possible signs of physical abuse:

 

Common sites of non-accidental injuries include: ears, cheeks, neck, chest, buttocks, stomach, palms, backs of hands, back of wrists, inner thighs, back of legs.

Emotional Abuse

 

Possible signs of emotional abuse:

 

Sexual Abuse

The key elements in any definition of child sexual abuse are:

Possible signs of sexual abuse:

Neglect

 

 

There is often little professional consensus about what constitutes neglect. The following indicators have been highlighted by a recent research study as gaining considerable professional consensus as indicators of probable or definite neglect:

The Effects of Child Abuse

 

Children are confused and frightened by abuse. They do not know where to turn for help or who they can trust. The effects of abuse are wide ranging and often profound. They vary according to the individual child, the context of the abuse and how long it has gone on, but can include:

 

Many survivors comment that the emotional consequences are far more severe than the physical effects of abuse. One survivor described the consequences of the abuse: 'Today I live with rage and sadness that rule my life. I feel I shall never be a whole human being'.

Many abused children become withdrawn, introverted and depressed, making it harder for outsiders to help. Children who have been abused often suffer from low self-esteem. When adults or other children treat them as though they are worthless, they begin to believe they are worthless. Believing that they cannot be helped, they withdraw into their own isolated world. The effects of abuse are long lasting and, sadly, many victims of abuse also endure a sense of guilt, believing that they themselves caused the abuse to take place.

Fortunately, children who are abused can be helped. What is vital is that everyone who works with children is equipped to recognize signs of child abuse at the earliest opportunity so that harm can be stopped and the damage can start to be repaired.


Appendix 3

Guidelines for Staff on Physical Contact with Children

Introduction

The current climate of suspicion with regard to child abuse poses a genuine dilemma for caring adults. This is true in all schools, but especially so in schools like ours where we have children from 3-18 and children who live at the school as boarders. In order to protect children from abuse, and staff from suspicions of abuse, the natural inclination to comfort and reassure children through physical contact has to be restrained by a considered assessment of the situation.

This does not mean that physical contact is never permissible. However, it does mean that adults touching children must operate within understood limits, and that contact beyond those limits must be a considered response which can be justified if necessary.

Where those limits lie will vary according to the age of the child and the role of the member of staff. For example, a young child may well require being comforted and reassured. Prohibition of any physical contact would clearly not be to the benefit of the child, but staff must use their professional judgement when they feel a child needs this kind of support. It is expected that the need and desirability of such contact with older students is considerably less, though even in these circumstances situations could arise in which it would be a natural and human occurrence.

Appropriate Physical Contact

There are occasions when physical contact with a child may be proper or necessary, for example to demonstrate exercises or techniques during P.E. lessons or if a member of staff has to give first aid. Young children and children with special educational needs may need staff to provide physical prompts or help. However, staff should always be able to justify resort to physical contact in any situation and the nature of the contact should be limited to what is appropriate.

Physical contact may be misconstrued by a child, parent or observer. Touching children, including well intentioned gestures such as putting a hand on a shoulder, can, if repeated regularly, lead to serious questions being raised. As a general principle staff must not make gratuitous physical contact with children. It is particularly unwise to attribute touching to a teaching style or as a way of relating to children.

Informed Common Sense

It would be impossible to lay down rigid rules about what is and is not permissible. Common sense is a good guide, but it must be informed common sense. Child abusers often seek to gain the trust and confidence of children by seeming to care and then by exploiting that trust. It is important for caring adults to understand that too generous limits which can be operated by some can be exploited by others with less worthy motives.

 

Corporal punishment

Any form of physical punishment of children in school is unlawful, as is any form of physical response to misbehaviour unless it is by way of restraint. It is particularly important that staff understand this, both to protect their own position and the overall reputation of the school.

Restraint

In an emergency, staff very rarely may find it necessary to use physical restraint as a last resort. Restraint should only be used as a short term measure and should involve the minimum force necessary, and for the minimum duration, to protect children at imminent risk of harming themselves and others, or inflicting damage to property, and only if there is no viable alternative to physical intervention. Any physical restraint used must be commensurate with the actual risk to the child and should involve the use of 'reasonable force' (see below). Colleagues should, where possible, be summoned to witness and assist if necessary.

Before intervening physically a member of staff should, wherever practicable, do the following:

A calm and measured approach to a situation is needed and teachers should never give the impression that they have lost their temper, or are acting out of anger or frustration, or to punish the child.

Any use of restraint must be reported to the Second Deputy Head. The report must be in writing and give details of why the restraint was needed, the duration of the restraint, the names of any witnesses present and the signatures of all staff present.

Reasonable Force

There is no legal definition of 'reasonable force', so it is not possible to set out comprehensively when it is reasonable to use force, or the degree of force that may reasonably be used. It will always depend on all the circumstances of the case.

Opportunity

Staff must try, as far as possible, to avoid being alone with a child or young person. This may, of course, prove difficult in a number of situations. Staff should be sensible and try to arrange, where possible, that others are within earshot or vision. Staff holding individual meetings with students in classrooms or boarding houses should, for example, leave the door open.

Attachments

Staff are advised to share their concerns with a senior colleague if they suspect that a child or young person is becoming inappropriately attached to them or to another member of staff, or if their feelings towards a child or young person are placing them at risk of unprofessional behaviour.

There may be occasions where a distressed child needs comfort and reassurance, which may include physical comforting such as a caring parent would give. Staff must use their discretion in such cases to ensure that what is normal and natural does not become unnecessary and unjustified contact, particularly with the same child over a period of time.

Advice to Staff

The key message for all staff is to share any concerns they may have about physical contact with children with the Second Deputy Head, who is also the child protection officer, or with any other member of the senior management team.

Appendix 4

Use this form to record any concern about a pupil's welfare and give it to the designated senior person for child protection: Mr Jon Reddin (Second Deputy Head)
If you suspect the pupil may be suffering abuse or neglect, or you have received a disclosure of abuse from a pupil, or you have heard about an allegation of abuse, you must complete the child protection record of concern form instead, and hand it to the designated person today.

Pupil's full name

Class teacher/form tutor

Date of this record

Your name and designation

Why are you concerned about this pupil?

Signature

 

_____________________________

What have you observed and when?

Have you spoken to the pupil?
[]Yes [] No

What have you heard and when?

What did they say? Use the pupil's own words

What have you been told and when?

Date and time you handed this form to the designated person

Have you spoken to anyone else about your concern? [] Yes [] No

Are the parents/carers aware of your concern? [] Yes [] No

Who?

Is this the first time you have been concerned about this pupil?
[]Yes [] No

Further details

Appendix 5

Every Child Matters: Change for Children

Every Child Matters, the Government's vision for children's services, was published in September 2003. It proposed reshaping children's services to help achieve the outcomes children and young people identified as being essential for well-being in childhood and later life. There are five outcomes, as follows:

 

Every Child Matters strongly supports the principle of personalisation and the work schools are already doing to raise educational standards by:

 

The thinking behind Every Child Matters is not new. High expectations and a broad view of supporting children and young people are common features of highly successful schools. Schools already contribute to pupils' wider well-being through, for example:

 

New inspection arrangements mean the criteria for school inspection cover the contribution schools make to pupil well-being, as reflected in the school's self-evaluation.

A particular issue for all schools, including independent schools, is the statutory duty on schools in the Education Act 2002 to safeguard children, to promote their welfare and to ensure everyone plays their full part in safeguarding children from abuse and neglect.

Further information on all aspects of the Every Child Matters programme is available at www.everychildmatters.gov.uk