Capel Manor Primary School. Child Protection Policy

Transcription

1 Capel Manor Primary School Child Protection Policy Adopted by the Governing Body: May 2016 Chair: Mr K Adams Headteacher: Mrs T Kilkenny Signed Signed Date for review: September 2016 Page 1 of 11

2 Capel Manor Primary School Child Protection Policy (reviewed September 2016) Introduction The Governors and staff of Capel Manor Primary School fully recognise the contribution it makes to safeguarding children. We recognise that all adults who work within the school have a full and active part to play in ensuring the health, safety and well-being of all our children. The school must be vigilant and keep safeguarding, with regards to recruitment, high on the school agenda. All staff and Governors are committed to providing a calm, caring, positive, safe and stimulating environment, which promotes the social, physical and moral development of the individual child. In our school we respect our children. The atmosphere within our school is one that encourages all children to do their best and express their feelings and concerns. We provide opportunities that enable our children to take and make decisions, for themselves. Aims The aim of this policy is to ensure that all our staff members are clear about the actions necessary with regard to a child protection issue. To support the child s development in ways that will foster security, confidence and independence. To raise the awareness of all staff of the need to safeguard children and of their responsibilities in identifying and reporting possible cases of abuse developing an ongoing culture of vigilance. To provide a systematic means of monitoring children known or thought to be at risk of harm. To ensure effective communication between all staff on child protection issues. To ensure clear procedures for reporting concerns are in place. To develop and promote effective working relationships with other agencies, especially the Police and Social Care. To ensure that all adults within our school who have access to children have been checked as to their suitability. Page 2 of 11

3 To ensure our school follows guidance for safer recruitment procedures. See our separate Safer Recruitment Policy 2015 for further information. To reduce the potential risks pupils face of being exposed to violence, extremism, exploitation or victimisation. To monitor pupil s attendance closely to ensure potentially at risk pupils are identified from missing education. To enable children to have the right to speak freely and voice their values and beliefs. To encourage all children to respect each other s values and support each other. Procedures Our school procedures for safeguarding children will be in line with Schools and Children Services (SCS) and the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) procedures. The LSCB have adopted and follow the London Child Protection Procedures. The designated Child Protection Team within the school are as follows: Lead Child Protection is Helen Gill (Inclusion Manager) Deputy Child Protection is Ayesha Corcoran (Deputy Head) Deputy Child Protection is Frances Chapman (Acting Deputy Head) whilst Ayesha Corcoran is on maternity leave. Child Protection Officer is Tracy Kilkenny (Headteacher) The school Governors for Child Protection are Mrs A Lettieri and Mrs J Moring. All members of staff must develop their understandings of the signs and indicators of abuse. The designated Child Protection Team should ensure that all staff and Governors are aware of their responsibilities in relations to child protection. All members of staff know how to respond to a pupil who discloses abuse and are trained on a regular basis. All parents and carers are made aware of the responsibilities of staff members with regard to child protection procedures. All new members of staff will be given a copy of our Child Protection Procedures as part of their induction into the school and Part One of Keeping Children Safe in Education. Page 3 of 11 Our procedures will be regularly reviewed and updated.

4 Responsibilities The designated Child Protection Team is responsible for: Adhering to the Local Safeguarding Children Board and school procedures with regard to referring a child if there are concerns about possible abuse. Keeping written records of concerns about a child even if there is not a need to make an immediate referral. Ensuring that all such records are kept confidentially and securely and are separate from pupil records. Ensuring that an indication of further record keeping is marked on the pupil records. Ensuring that any pupil subject to a child protection plan who is absent without explanation for two days is referred to Social Care. Ensuring that all staff receive regular training the designated Child Protection Team must update their training once every 2 years and all staff should be involved in refresher training once every 3 years. Careful records of staff training should be kept. Ensuring all staff have read and acknowledged (at least) Part One of the statutory guidance in the document Keeping children safe in education: information for all school and college staff (July 2015) Supporting Children We recognise that a child who is abused or witnesses violence may find it difficult to develop and maintain a sense of self worth. We recognise that a child in these circumstances may feel self blame, helpless and humiliated. We recognise that the school may provide the only stability in the lives of children who have been abused or who are at risk of harm. We accept that research shows that the behaviour of a child in these circumstances may range from that which is perceived to be normal to aggressive or withdrawn. Page 4 of 11

5 Our school will support all pupils by: Encouraging self-esteem and self-assertiveness whilst not condoning aggression or bullying. Promoting a caring, safe and positive environment within the school. Liaising and working together with all outside agencies involved in the safeguarding of children. Notifying Social Services as soon as there is a significant concern. If at any point, there is a risk of immediate serious harm to a child a referral should be made to children s social care immediately. Anybody can make a referral. If the child s situation does not appear to be improving the staff member with concerns should press for re-consideration. Concerns should always lead to help for the child at some point. Providing continuing support to a pupil to who there have been concerns, who leaves the school by ensuring that information is forwarded under confidential cover to the pupil s new school. Confidentiality and Sharing Information We recognise that all matters relating to Child Protection are confidential. The Headteacher/Designated Child Protection Team will only disclose any information about a pupil to other members of staff on a need to know basis. All staff must be aware that they have a professional responsibility to share information with other agencies in order to safeguard children. All staff must be aware that they cannot promise a child to keep secrets. Supporting Staff We recognise that staff members working in the school need support. We will provide an opportunity to talk through their anxieties with the Headteacher and to seek further support as appropriate. Page 5 of 11

6 Allegations against Staff If a pupil makes an allegation against a member of staff the member of staff receiving the allegation will immediately inform the Headteacher. The Headteacher will discuss the content of the allegation with the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) for Child Protection. If the allegation is against the Headteacher, the Chair of Governors will be informed, by a designated member of the Child Protection Team who will consult with the LADO. The school will follow the All London Child Protection Procedures for all allegations against staff, a copy of which will be readily available in the school. Looked After Children The designated teacher to promote the educational achievement of children who are looked after is Helen Gill (Inclusion Manager and Child Protection Lead). The most common reason for children becoming looked after is as a result of abuse and/or neglect. At Capel Manor we ensure that staff have the skills, knowledge and understanding necessary to keeping children safe. In particular, we ensure that the appropriate staff have the information they need in relation to a child s looked after legal status and contact arrangements with birth parents or those with parental responsibility. The designated safeguarding lead, through the designated teacher for looked after children, should have the details of the child s social worker and the name of the virtual school head in the authority that looks after the child. Whistle Blowing We recognise that children cannot be expected to raise concerns in an environment where staff fail to do so. All staff should be aware of their duty to raise concerns, where they exist, about the attitude or actions of colleagues. A copy of our Whistleblowing Policy is available on our school website and a whistleblowing telephone number is clearly displayed on the prominent child protection noticeboard in the staffroom. Page 6 of 11

7 Physical Intervention Physical intervention by staff must only ever be used as a last resort. Physical intervention should only be used if the child is in danger of hurting themselves or another person. Any intervention must be the minimal force necessary to prevent injury. (Please see a separate copy of our Positive Handling Policy.) We understand that physical intervention of a nature which causes injury or distress to a child, may be considered under child protection or disciplinary procedures. Bullying Our policy on bullying is set out in a separate policy and acknowledges that to allow or condone bullying may lead to consideration under child protection procedures. Racist Incidents Our policy on the promotion of racial equality is set out in a separate Equality policy and acknowledges that repeated racist incidents or a single serious incident may lead to consideration under child protection procedures. Health & Safety Our policy on Health and Safety is set out in a separate policy and reflects the consideration we give to the protection of our children both within the school environment and away from school during educational visits. E-Safety Our policy on e-safety is set out in a separate policy. Page 7 of 11

8 Safeguarding Pupils who are Vulnerable to Extremism Since 2010, when the Government published the prevent strategy there has been an awareness of the specific need to safeguard children and families in violent extremism. Capel Manor Primary School values freedom of speech and the expression of beliefs/ideology as fundamental rights underpinning our society s values. Both pupils and teachers have the right to speak freely and voice their opinions. However, freedom comes with responsibility and free speech that is designed to manipulate the vulnerable or that leads to violence and harm of others goes against the moral principles in which freedom of speech is valued. Free speech is not an unqualified privilege but is subject to laws and policies governing equality, human rights, community safety and community cohesion. The current threat from terrorism in the United Kingdom may include the exploitation of vulnerable people, to involve them in terrorism or in activity in support of terrorism. The normalisation of extreme views may also make children vulnerable to future manipulation and exploitation. Capel Manor Primary School is clear that this exploitation and radicalisation should be viewed as a safeguarding concern. Capel Manor Primary School seeks to protect children against the messages of all violent extremism including, but not restricted to, those linked to Islamist Ideology, or to Far Right / Neo-Nazi / White Supremacist, Irish Nationalist and Loyalist paramilitary groups and extremist Animal Rights movements. When any member of staff has concerns that a pupil may be at risk of radicalisation or involvement in terrorism, they should speak to the designated Child Protection Team, who will refer it to the Single Point of Entry (SPOE) If the school has concerns regarding any of the above we contact: Suj Ponnampalam (Prevent Co-ordinator) for the Enfield Local Authority If the school has an immediate concern, we dial 101 or 999. Page 8 of 11

9 Safeguarding Pupils who are Vulnerable to Exploitation, Forced Marriage, Female Genital Mutilation or Trafficking Our policy through the school s values, ethos and behaviour policies provide the basic platform to ensure children are given the support to respect themselves and others, stand up for themselves and protect each other. Our school keeps itself up-to-date with the latest advice and guidance provided to assist in addressing specific vulnerabilities and forms of exploitation. Our staff are supported to recognise warning signs and symptoms in relation to specific issues, including such issues in an age-appropriate way in their curriculum. Our school works with and engages our families and communities to talk about such issues. Our staff are supported to talk to families about sensitive concerns in relation to their children and to find ways to address them together wherever possible. Our designated Child Protection Team know where to seek and get advice as necessary. Our school brings in experts and uses specialist material to support the work we do. Children missing from education All children, regardless of their circumstances, are entitled to a full time education which is suitable to their age, ability, aptitude and any special educational needs they may have. Children missing education (CME) are significant risk of underachieving, being victims of abuse and becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training) later in life. At Capel Manor we monitor pupils attendance through the daily register. If a pupil is regularly absent or have missed 10 school days or more without permission, we must inform the local authority. Pupils who remain on the school roll are not necessarily missing education but we monitor and address it when it is poor. Any irregular attendance is referred to the local authority via the Education Welfare Service. See our separate policy about Attendance and Punctuality for further information. Page 9 of 11

10 Children at particular risk of missing education may come under one of the following: o Pupils at risk of harm/neglect o Children of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) Families o Families of Armed Forces o Missing children/runaways o Children and young people supervised by the Youth Justice System o Children who cease to attend a school It is essential that all staff are alert to signs to look out for and the individual triggers to be aware of when considering the risks of potential safeguarding concerns such as travelling to conflict zones, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage. Any concerns are referred to the school s designated Child Protection Lead or Attendance Lead (Mrs Frances Chapman). What do we do when we are concerned Where risk factors are present but there is no evidence of a particular risk then a member of our designated Child Protection Team will talk to and have conversations with the pupil s family, sharing the school s concern about the pupil s vulnerability and how the family and school can work together to reduce the risk. The school would then engage the pupil into mainstream activities and social groups, with preventative work with the school s Learning Mentor, Mrs Macrowan. Involving parents and carers In general, we will discuss any child protection concerns with parents and carers before approaching other agencies, and will seek their consent before making a referral to another agency. Appropriate staff will approach parents and carers after consultation with a member of the designated Child Protection Team. However, there may be occasions when the school will contact another agency before informing parents and carers because it considers that contacting them may increase the risk of significant harm to the child or put them at risk of further harm. Page 10 of 11

11 Use of Cameras and Mobile Telephones in School All children are required to leave their mobile phones in the school office on their arrival in school. Teachers must not use their mobile telephones in school or on school trips for recording the activities or work of children. Teachers are to use the school cameras or school ipads to take pictures of children. Photos are to be immediately downloaded from school cameras or ipads and stored on our secure server and deleted from the camera or ipad. No images should be put on social networking sites. No images of a child should be used on our School Website without the express permission of parents/carers in writing. Photographs are stored on our secure server for up to one year and then deleted. Prevention We recognise that the school plays a significant part in the prevention of harm to our pupils by providing pupils with good lines of communication with trusted adults, supportive friends and an ethos of protection. At Capel Manor Primary School we will therefore establish and maintain an ethos where children feel secure and are encouraged to talk and are always listened to. We will ensure that all children know there is an adult in the school whom they can approach if they are worried or in difficulty. Relevant issues will be addressed through the Personal, Social Health, Emotional (PSHE) curriculum, for example self-esteem, emotional resilience, assertiveness, power, sex and relationships education (see our separate Sex and Relationships Education policy), e-safety and bullying including homophobic and racial bullying. The curriculum will also include specific reference to British Values and the dangers of extremism and radicalisation We will provide opportunities to develop skills, concepts, attitudes and knowledge that promote their safety and well-being and equip them with the skills they need to stay safe from harm and to know to whom they should turn for help. Page 11 of 11