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Alder Bridge School aims to ensure that the welfare
and safeguarding of children in the area of Child Protection will be maintained
to a high level in order to fulfil its statutory and pastoral obligations,
and as a part of the School’s Safeguarding Children Policy. "Because
of their day to day contact with individual children during the school
terms, teachers and other school staff are particularly well placed to
observe the outward signs of abuse, changes in behaviour or failure to
develop" (Working Together under the Children Act 1989).
This policy applies to all pupils,
staff, Trustees and visitors.
This Procedure will ensure that all
staff are informed about the policy and about Alder Bridge School’s procedures
for dealing with issues concerning Child Protection – which include information
on how to recognise child abuse, how to deal with concerns of abuse, and
what happens in the referral process. These procedures are consistent
with those set out in the Berkshire Child Protection Procedures and by
the Local Safeguarding Children Board, and with the guidance in the Early
Years Foundation Stage. The School will ensure that all staff members
are trained appropriately to follow Child Protection procedures.
- Alder Bridge School has a Designated Person – currently
Ann Morgan.
- The Designated Person will follow the relevant
Role and Responsibilities (see attached).
- Members of the staff will follow procedures set
out in the document ‘Child Protection Procedures’ (see attached).
- Responsibility for the implementation, monitoring
and reviewing of the Policy rests with the Designated Person, as mandated
by the Trustees who have overall responsibility for statutory compliance.
- The School recognises it is an agent of referral
and not of investigation and enquiry.
- The School will ensure that wherever possible every
effort will be made to establish effective working relationships with
parents and colleagues from partner agencies.
Local Authority Designated Officer
(LADO)
Juliet Penley
01635-519093
The Designated Person should contact
the team based in the child’s home area – a team in a different local
authority area will be unable to help.
The R & A and Children’s Social
Care Duty Teams are available 9am-5pm weekdays (excl. Bank Holidays) :
Bracknell - 01344-351582
Reading - 0118-955-3641
Slough - 01753-690898 / 875591
W Berks - 01635-503406
Windsor & Maidenhead - 01628-683150
Wokingham - 0118-908-8002
The Emergency Duty Team – for calls
between 5pm and 9am weekends and Bank Holidays – covers the whole of Berkshire
and can be contacted on : 01344-786543
Fiona
Victoria Park Nursery
April 2010
The Designated Person has the lead
responsibility for safeguarding children within the setting and liaising
with local statutory children’s services agencies as appropriate. This
responsibility covers all issues regarding safeguarding, which include
Child Protection, Health & Safety, First Aid and Medicine Management,
Safe Working Practices (physical intervention, bullying and behaviour
procedures) as set out in the School’s Safeguarding Children Policy.
The role and responsibilities of the
Designated Person at Alder Bridge School are consistent with the guidance
set out in Berkshire Child Protection Procedures and other documents,
for example ‘What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused’.
To provide training, advice, and support
to staff as regards Child Protection (CP) issues:
- ensuring proper policies and procedures are in
place and are followed with regard to CP issues.
- ensuring all staff have access to, and understand,
the School’s CP policy, especially new or part-time staff.
- ensuring each member of staff has training (induction
and refresher every three years) covering CP is are able to recognise
and report any concerns immediately they arise.
To liaise with the local authority
(LA) and work with other agencies.
- referring cases of suspected abuse to the relevant
investigating agencies: Berkshire Referral and Assessment Team; the
Police.
- providing the essential information: child’s name,
address, date of birth; family composition; reason for referral; whether
the child’s parents are aware of the referral; the name of the person
who initially received the disclosure plus any advice given. A telephone
referral must be confirmed in writing within 24 hours and signed and
dated.
- referring allegations about members of staff to
the Chair of Trustees (or another member of the Trustees if necessary).
- ensuring the School is represented at, and a report
is submitted to, any child protection conferences or core group meetings,
and that a record is kept. When a child is made subject to a Child Protection
Plan, it is the DP’s responsibility to ensure that the child is monitored
regarding their school attendance, welfare and presentation. The key
worker will be informed if there is unexplained absence of two or more
days. All concerns regarding a child protection plan and/or the child
must be discussed, recorded and passed to the key worker immediately,
and the action confirmed in writing.
To ensure the School’s Child Protection
Policy is implemented, updated, reviewed and made accessible: (to staff,
parents, wider public – website) as per statutory requirements.
- organising an annual review of the policy.
- making copies of the policy available to staff
and parents (alerts them to the fact that referrals may be made and
what the school’s role would be).
To keep appropriate records:
- filing detailed accurate written records of referrals/concerns
securely. Records regarding CP issues, relating to children and to staff
members, must be kept in a confidential file which is separate to other
files, and stored in a secure place, for access only by the DP (children)
or Chair of Trustees – or other - (staff).
- passing such records to the Designated Person in
the next setting/school when the child transfers.
To obtain access to resources and
attend refresher courses at least every two years and any other relevant
courses.
To appoint a deputy to be available
when necessary.
The Designated Person must also have
regard to other aspects of a safe setting.
To ensure that effective policies
are in place for: Safe Recruitment and Training; Pupil Health & Safety;
Managing Bullying and Inappropriate Behaviour; First Aid (including Managing
Medicines); Recording Accidents; Attendance and Lateness; Security of
Premises; Missing Children; Collection of Children; Recording of Essential
Pupil Information (contact numbers, dietary requirements, medical information,
who has legal contact/parental responsibility); Safe Working Practices
(as part of Child Protection); Equality; SEN; Volunteer Working; Photography
of Children; Use of Mobile Phones; Complaints; Letting of Premises; School
Trips and Off-site Activities.
To ensure that these policies and
their procedures are implemented and monitored, and reviewed annually.
CHILD PROTECTION PROCEDURES FORMEMBERS OF STAFF
Child Protection is defined as "the
activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering,
or at risk of suffering significant harm."
Schools and Early Years Settings play
a key role in the early identification, intervention and support for children
at risk of significant harm. Schools and Early Years Settings need to
be proactively involved in safeguarding children.
There are various ways staff may be
involved:
- They may have concerns about a child or colleague.
- They may be approached by children’s social care
and asked to provide information about a child or family, or to be involved
in an assessment.
- They may be asked to provide help or a specific
service to a child or family member as part of an agreed plan, and to
contribute to progress reviews.
There are four types of abuse: Physical
Abuse; Emotional Abuse; Sexual Abuse; Neglect.
Please refer to the additional sheets
for details.
- and remember: the vast majority
of abusers live within our communities unknown, and unconvicted; they
can be rich or poor, from any race or religion, and may be well-liked
and trusted members of society. Child abuse and neglect can occur in
any population or socio-economic group, regardless of religion, culture
or ethnicity, gender or income. Concerns should not be repressed because
of "the curse of optimism", fear of reprisals, concern over
seeking proof or evidence (that is the role of someone else). Be sensitive
about how personal values, life-styles and perceptions affect views
of others’ situations – but do not let this dismiss valid concerns.
- A child makes a direct allegation to you.
- You witness it directly
- An adult or child tells you that they have hurt
a child or are having difficulties with them.
- You observe behaviour or injury consistent with
abuse that is unlikely to be caused another way: for instance, significant
changes in children’s behaviour; deterioration in their general well
being; unexplained bruising, marks or other signs of physical harm;
signs of neglect; sexualised language or play.
- Artwork, play, or creative writing suggests abuse
is being, or has been, experienced.
- Friends of the child, or other parents inform you.
- Through anonymous sources.
Extra Vigilance (listening and observing)
needed for Early Years:
- Very young children have no way of alerting adults
to abuse as they can’t verbalise well enough.
- A toddler may be able to say "ow" while
pointing at an injury, but is unlikely to be able to talk in any detail
about what happened.
- If a child chooses you as a confidante, it is important
to listen carefully and keep questioning limited to the minimum for
clarification.
- If you are the first person a child has told about
abuse, your action now could become very important in protecting the
child and in any future legal proceedings.
- The child is looking to you to provide support
and help.
- It is a difficult subject and hard to accept, and
you might not know what to say.
- The best help you can provide is calm, unconditional
support and reassurance.
- Listen carefully.
- If possible, make notes using the child’s words
– either at the time or immediately afterwards.
- Tell the child that they have done the right thing.
- Tell the child that you may have to tell other
people in order to help them/keep them safe, but only people who need
to know will be told.
- Do not ask leading questions, or closed questions
(ie ones that have only ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers).
- Do not ask questions unnecessarily.
- Do not use your own words to describe events.
- Do not investigate (this includes talking to the
child’s parents).
- Do not promise secrecy.
- Do not make assumptions.
- Do not comment on / criticise the alleged perpetrator.
- If you observe something which gives you concerns
about abuse, note down the details:
Description and location of any
marks or bruising.
Description of behaviour / events,
including people present, location, dates.
In England there is no legal duty
on an individual to report abuse, but failure to do so is seen as a breach
of duty of care (and could be seen as misconduct).
- Contact the Designated Person for Alder Bridge
School – Ann Morgan
- Give written notes i.e. report of conversation
with child/adult, or report of observation.
- Include names of all people named and/or present,
and any dates
- Do not share this information with anyone else
– Data Protection and Confidentiality require that this information
be given only to those who need to know it.
If it was not abuse and you acted
in good faith and without malice, you will be protected.
Good faith – you took reasonable steps
to learn the facts that were readily available and at hand.
Without malice – you did not intend
to injure or violate the rights of another person.
The Designated Person (DP) will begin
the process of making a referral.
- The DP will obtain written –signed and dated –
accounts from staff who have been involved.
- The DP will consider whether to inform the parents
of the situation (advice may be taken from the Duty Social Worker).
- The DP will contact the Local Authority Referral
& Assessment Team and speak to the Duty Social Worker and the DSW
will advise on what should be done next – including the question of
contacting the parents; taking emergency action to safeguard the child’s
welfare.
- The DSW will assess the information, and make checks.
If the child is thought to be suffering significant harm, or at risk
of significant harm, the Local Authority has a duty to investigate.
- Investigation may entail:
Contacting other services
Initiating emergency action to
protect a child
In-depth assessment of the child’s
needs and the family’s capacity to respond
Involving other services eg parenting
work, family group conferences
Initiating criminal proceedings
Organising a child protection case
conference or plan
Initiating care proceedings
- contributing information to the investigating agencies
- providing help/specific service as part of an agreed
plan and contributing to reviews
- providing support in the school environment, including
through the curriculum, to children who have suffered abuse as part
of a support plan – including liaising with other professionals and
agencies that support children and their families; committing to develop
productive, supportive relationships with parents, whenever it is in
the child’s best interest to do so; developing a consistent approach
by all staff to the child’s behaviour.
Thresholds:
Allegations may be made about a person
who works (paid or unpaid) with children who is believed to have:
- behaved in a way that has harmed, or may have harmed
a child;
- possibly committed a criminal offence against,
or related to, a child;
- behaved towards a child/children in a way that
indicates that s/he is unsuitable to work with children.
Allegations could be about:
- a child with whom the subject is working; (a child
in the setting);
- a child the person knows from private life (their
own child or through a community activity);
- an unknown child (downloading child abuse images
from the internet).
Allegations should be made if they
refer to abuse that took place some time ago and the accused person may
still be working with, or having contact with, children.
A copy of the DCSF document ‘Guidance
for Safe Working Practice for Adults working with Children and Young People’
is attached.
The School’s Policy on Recording Images
of Children will be available soon.
- Allegations should be reported to the Chair of
Trusteess and the Designated Person - unless the allegations are about
them.
- If the allegation meets any of criteria for Alder
Bridge School’s Procedure (as set out above under ‘Thresholds’) the
Chair of Trustees (or if necessary, another Trustee) will report it:
to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) within 1 working day
OR to the Referral and Assessment Team if
it is an urgent Child Protection referral
and copy the referral to the LADO, and to
OFSTED in all cases.
- no further action should be taken unless advised
by the LADO – this includes no interviewing of the alleged victim or
potential witnesses; no informing or interviewing of the alleged perpetrator
- advice from the LADO, should be given as to whether
and how the parents are told before the referral is made.
- parents will be told as long as providing this
information does not impede the process, and they may need to be told
immediately if, for instance, a child needs medical treatment.
All staff members should be aware
of their duty to raise concerns about the attitude or actions of colleagues.
The School’s Whistle-blowing Policy will be available soon.
- The decision to suspend, temporarily re-deploy
members of staff, or take no action, is made without prejudice and the
decision rests with the employing body (governors, or employment agency).
- Employers should take notice of advice from the
LADO or from the strategy meeting.
- Suspension should not be automatic.
- On receipt of a referral, the LADO (and/or the
Duty Social Worker) will review the allegation, giving initial consideration
to all available information and evidence.
- If there is cause to suspect that a child has suffered,
or is likely to suffer, significant harm the Duty Social Worker will
treat the referral as a Child Protection referral.
- If a criminal offence may have been committed,
the Duty Social Worker will refer to the Police for a strategy meeting.
- Where the initial evaluation decides that a criminal
offence has not been committed, the allegation is to be dealt with by
the employer.
There are then three possible strands
of investigation:
- Enquiries and assessment by Children’s Social Care
if a child is in need of protection, or in need of services.
- A police investigation into a possible criminal
offence.
- Consideration by an employer of disciplinary action
in respect of the individual.
Appropriate support must be given
to the accused individual by the employer during the process, and to the
child and the child’s family by the appropriate services/people.
Throughout the process information
about an allegation must be restricted to those who have a need to know
in order to:
- protect children
- facilitate enquiries
- avoid victimisation
- safeguard the rights of the person about whom the
allegation has been made and others who might be affected
- manage disciplinary/complaints aspects.
April 2010
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