Child Protection & Safeguarding

Policy 

OLD POLICY - NO LONGER IN USE - See Child Protection and Safeguarding

The school will safeguard and promote the welfare of children who are pupils at the school in compliance with DfE Guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education (September 2016) (KCSIE) and Working Together to Safeguard Children (March 2015) (WT).  KCSIE incorporates the additional statutory guidance, Disqualification under the Childcare Act 2006 (February 2015) and also refers to the non-statutory advice for practitioners: What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused (March 2015).  WT refers to the non-statutory advice: Information sharing (March 2015) and Prevent Duty Guidance: for England and Wales (March 2015) (Prevent). Prevent is supplemented by non-statutory advice and a briefing note: The Prevent duty: Departmental advice for schools and childminders (June 2015) and The use of social media for on-line radicalisation (July 2015)

 

Aims

The school recognises its responsibility for the safeguarding of children in its care and its requirement to respond immediately to any aspect of concern relating to a child’s safeguarding whether it happens within the school community or outside.  Safeguarding means ensuring that children grow up in the provision of safe and effective care and optimising children’s life chances.

 

The main elements of the policy are to:

 

●           Ensure we practise safe recruitment in checking the suitability of staff and volunteers to work with children.

●           Raise awareness of child protection issues and equip children with the skills needed to keep them safe

●           Develop and implement procedures for identifying and reporting cases or suspected cases of abuse

●           Support pupils who have been abused

 

Safer Recruitment

The school will take all possible steps to ensure that unsuitable people are prevented from working with children through its recruitment processes, DBS checks, referrals to the Disclosure and Barring Service, Disqualification by Association checks, and induction procedures.  Assurances are obtained that appropriate child protection checks and procedures apply to other staff employed by another organisation and working with the school’s pupils on another site.

The school will notify the DfE, the Disclosure and Barring Service and any other designated authority within one month when the services of a person are discontinued because he or she was considered unsuitable to work with children.

Further details can be found in the school’s Recruitment & Selection Policy.

 Supervision of ancillary, contractor or ‘unchecked staff’

The School’s policy is that all staff should be checked.  All staff on the School payroll are required to be DBS checked and reference checked.  Contractors are required to sign in and be badged and  authorised to work in their designated areas only.  Contractors are expected to be DBS checked or only to work with someone who is.  Contractors are either DBS checked by the School or provide their DBS number to the Bursary.  The Bursary is responsible for the supervision of contractors. Contractors are not given keys or door codes to houses or other property at any time when children are in residence.  Door codes are changed every term or more often as needed.

A one off visitor or a contractor on a first visit will be accompanied at all times by a designated member of Wells Cathedral School staff. Staff and visitors are required to wear badges.  Students are instructed to report people without badges to the School Office or to house staff at all times.  Staff should approach any unbadged person and escort them to the School Office so they can be given a badge.

Welfare Team

The Welfare Team consists of the Assistant Head (Pastoral & Co-curriculum), DSL, School Counsellor, Medical Staff, and Head of Pastoral Care in the Junior School.  It meets weekly to discuss pastoral and welfare issues and all referrals and pastoral concerns which are passed to it.  The Welfare Team adopts a ‘team around the child’ approach to develop individual welfare plans which take into account the school’s duties to both children in need and those at risk of harm.  The Welfare Team will liaise with outside bodies, contributing to inter-agency working.  

Designated Safeguarding Lead

Arthur Mayhew Assistant Head (Pastoral & Co-curricular) is the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).  He is supported by Julie Barrow, Junior School Head and the Pre-Prep department, including the Early Years Foundation Stage and by Janet Bennett, the Head of the Pre-Prep. All have received inter-agency training.  The Designated Safeguarding Lead is involved in regular training, including inter-agency working, in accordance with the recommendations of Somerset Direct, the Local Safeguarding Children Board and other agencies at regular two yearly intervals.  The nominated governor for Child Protection is Helen Ball.  The Governors undertake an annual review of the  Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy and the procedures in place at the school for safeguarding children and the efficiency and effectiveness with which the related duties have been discharged.  This enables the Governing body to monitor compliance with the The Children Act (1989), the 2004 (updated) Children Act, guidance from the DfE, the local authority and locally agreed inter agency procedures, to identify areas for improvement and to ensure that any deficiencies or weaknesses in child protection are remedied as soon as they have been identified.

The DSL undertakes his own appropriate training, every two years to enable her to continue to develop her own understanding and skill base.  In particular she seeks to:

The DSL is responsible for raising awareness, and ensuring appropriate use of the school’s policies and procedures related to safeguarding.  In particular he will:

The School maintains good working relations with relevant agencies including Somerset Direct (LSCB) and the Avon and Somerset Public Protection Unit, and will always seek advice from these agencies.

  

The Designated Safeguarding Lead is the person responsible for contacting LSCB/Social Services/OFSTED to register concerns about a child’s welfare and implementing procedures relating to child protection at the Senior School, Junior School and Pre-Prep which includes EYFS.  He is fully conversant with LSCB procedures, and will ensure representations/reports to Child Protection Conferences.  He will inform OFSTED of any allegations of serious harm or abuse by any person living, working or looking after children on the school premises (whether the allegation relates to harm or abuse committed on or off the school site); or any other abuse which is alleged to have taken place on the school site, and of the resulting action taken in respect to the these allegations.  During his absence, the Head of the Junior School will perform this role.

As a senior member of staff, the Designated Safeguarding Lead has the authority to commit resources and where appropriate support and direct other staff as well as being able to call a full Senior Team meeting should need arise.

The DSL will provide for a report to be sent promptly to the Disclosure and Barring Service, if the school dispenses with a person’s services because of unsuitability to work with children, or would have done so had the person not resigned.

The DSL will give consideration to making a referral to the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) where a teacher has been dismissed (or would have been dismissed had he or she not resigned) and a prohibition order may be appropriate, because of ‘unacceptable professional conduct’, ‘conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute’, or a ‘conviction at any time for a relevant offence’.

The DSL is responsible for liaising with the Head to inform her of issues especially ongoing inquiries under section 47 of the Children Act 1989, and police investigations.

The DSL acts as a source of support, advice and expertise to all staff on matters of safety and safeguarding, and when deciding whether to make a referral by liaising with relevant agencies.

 

Training

The Head, all (permanent and temporary) staff and volunteers are given an appropriate level of child protection training by the Designated Safeguarding Lead as part of their induction programme. This includes the school safeguarding policy, the staff code of conduct, and the identity and function of the DSL as well as a copy of Part 1 of KCSIE.  As part of this induction programme all staff (including non-teaching and support) are given a document, Guidance for Safe Working Practice for the Protection of Children and Staff, which covers safeguarding and welfare responsibilities.  Staff are also given a quick reference card which provides clear guidance on what to do when receiving a disclosure and emphasises the sensitivity needed.  The Head and all staff have refresher child protection training on a 3 year cycle as advised by the local safeguarding children board in terms of frequency and content.

 

The school pupil leaders (prefects) and peer mentors receive guidance from the DSL as part of their induction training.

 

Both staff and pupils will have clear guidance through their training that their role is to listen, not to investigate or ask a child leading questions and not to ‘keep secrets’ but to refer the matter if they receive any allegations of abuse.

All staff have received an electronic copy of part one of Keeping children safe in education (2015) and to sign electronically that they have read it.

The Designated Safeguarding Lead is also involved in running training for staff outside of the school as part of our commitment to sharing best practice.

 

eSafety Officer

Simon Balderson, Assistant Head (Digital Strategy) is the school's eSafety officer and is responsible for co-ordinating the delivery of the Digital Citizenship programme, as well as supporting the other members of the Child Protection team in matters relating to eSafety.

Staying Safe

Children’s awareness about themselves, safeguarding, and Digital Citizenship, will be raised through the school’s PSHE programme and a trusting climate is developed in tutor times and house times.  Children are encouraged to share their thoughts and feelings.  The school seeks to promote a positive, supportive and secure environment and give pupils a sense of being valued.

The PSHE programme explores the role of sexual relationships and the potential for abuse from peers, which are possible within a school community.  The programme also seeks to educate pupils about child sexual exploitation (CSE), female genital mutilation (FGM) and radicalisation.  

 

The school’s Behaviour Policy and Anti-bullying Policy support vulnerable pupils in the school.

The school is aware that there are additional consideration required due to having choristers and specialist musicians as part of the school community.  This is reflected in the training received by staff, and the support structures put in place for these students, which are outlined in documents such as ‘Chorister Protection & Care’.

 

The Missing Child Policy provides clear procedures in the event that a pupil is found to be missing from school or on an off site visit.

 

All staff through their care of children try to ensure that children stay safe, remain healthy and are able to say ‘No’.

What is Abuse?

All members of the school staff should be alert to the possibility of signs of abuse by a parent, sibling, other relative, carers, acquaintances, other pupils or strangers.  Abuse may be by:

 

Neglect:  The persistent or severe neglect of a child (for example, by exposure to any kind of danger, including cold and starvation) which results in serious impairment of the child’s health or development, including non-organic failure to thrive.

 

Physical Abuse:  Physical injury to a child, (including deliberate poisoning) where there is definite knowledge, or a reasonable suspicion, that was inflicted or knowingly not prevented.

 

Sexual Abuse:  The involvement of dependent, developmentally immature children and adolescents in sexual activities, or activities that violate the social taboos of the family roles whether or not the child is aware of what is happening and whether or not the child is believed to have consented to the activity.  The activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative or non penetrative acts.  It may include non-contact activities such as involving children in looking at, or the production of pornagrahic material or watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in a sexually inappropriate way  or grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet).

 

Emotional Abuse:  The severe adverse effect on the behaviour and emotional development of a child caused by persistent or severe emotional ill treatment or rejection.  All abuse involves some emotional ill treatment; this category should be used where it is the main or sole form of abuse.

 

Grave Concern:  Children whose situations do not currently fit the above categories, but where social and medical assessments indicate that they are at significant risk of abuse.  These could include the situation where another child in the household has been harmed or the household contains a known abuser.

Further details are outlined in Part 1 of KCSIE, which is provided to all staff.  KCSiE emphasizes that all staff must be aware that safeguarding issues can happen at any school: IT COULD HAPPEN HERE.

 

Specific Safeguarding Issues

KCSiE also acknowledges the following as specific safeguarding issues:

 

Child sexual exploitation: Involves exploitative situations, contexts and relationships where young people receive something (for example food, accommodation, drugs, alcohol, gifts, money or in some cases simply affection) as a result of engaging in sexual activities. Sexual exploitation can take many forms ranging from the seemingly ‘consensual’ relationship where sex is exchanged for affection or gifts, to serious organised crime by gangs and groups. What marks out exploitation is an imbalance of power in the relationship. The perpetrator always holds some kind of power over the victim which increases as the exploitative relationship develops. Sexual exploitation involves varying degrees of coercion, intimidation or enticement, including unwanted pressure from peers to have sex, sexual bullying including cyberbullying and grooming. However, it also important to recognise that some young people who are being sexually exploited do not exhibit any external signs of this abuse.

 

Children missing from education: A child going missing from school is a potential indicator of abuse or neglect. Staff should follow the school’s procedure for children who go missing from education particularly on repeated occasions to help identify the risk of abuse and neglect, including sexual exploitation and to help prevent the risk of them going missing in future. All pupils must be on the Admissions Register and Attendance Registers. The School will inform the LADO of any pupil who fails to attend school regularly or has been absent without a school permission for a period of 10 school days or more.

 

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM): Comprises all procedures of partial or total removal of the female genitalia or other injury to other female genital organs. It is illegal in the UK and a form of child abuse with long lasting, harmful consequences. There is a range of potential indicators that a girl may be at risk of FGM and if staff are concerned they should immediately contact the Designated Safeguarding Lead. Where a member of staff discovers that an act of FGM appears to have been carried out on a girl aged under 18 there will be a statutory duty for that member of staff to report it to the police.

 

Preventing radicalisation: Protecting children from the risk of radicalisation should be seen as part of the School’s wider safeguarding duties. Radicalisation and violent extremism could cause harm or have the potential to cause harm to the child and others. Under the Prevent Duty (2015) the school will report any concerns, in line with the recommended policies and procedures, to the LSCB / the local Police force (Tel: 101) / Prevent Channel duty offices as appropriate.

 

The DfE dedicated telephone number for non–emergency advice for staff and

governors is 0207 3407264 and the mailbox is: counter-extremism@education.gsi.gov.uk.

Education

The school will take all reasonable measures to teach pupils about safeguarding, through the curriculum and PSHE, including e-safety, radicalisation and cyber-bullying. Attention will be paid to reducing risks and building resilience by promoting British/universal values and challenging extremist views. Radicalisation refers to the process by which a person comes to support terrorism and forms of extremism (e.g. vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values). The Designated Safeguarding Lead will undertake Prevent awareness training and provide advice and support to other members of staff in protecting children from the risk of radicalisation. The School will ensure, through ongoing checks by the Deputy Head that any visiting speakers are suitable and appropriately supervised. The School will ensure that children are safe from terrorist and extremist material when accessing the internet at school by ensuring that suitable filtering is in place. The School will also teach pupils about online safety in general. The normal referral processes are available when there are concerns about children who may be at risk of being drawn into terrorism. The School will consider the level of risk to identify the most appropriate referral, which could include Channel or Children’s Social care.

Reporting Abuse

If you have any worries or concerns, however vague, that a pupil is suffering abuse you must report these to the Designated Safeguarding Lead .  You must not think that by raising concerns you are starting procedures.  The criteria should be that you have ‘reasonable suspicion’ and this definition includes ‘or who may suffer in the future’.  It is important to trust your judgement rather than fear over-reaction.  Please refer to the Malpractice policy.  The information you have may not be enough on its own for a child referral issue but may help the Designated Safeguarding Lead build up a picture of a child at risk.  Any member of staff can make a referral directly to children’s social care, without recourse to the Head or Designated Safeguarding Lead if they felt this was appropriate.

The school is not required to gain consent from either the parents or pupils involved when making a referral to statutory agencies when there are concerns about a child’s safety.

Where abuse is perpetrated by other pupils, this will be referred to the local agencies and all pupils will be treated as being at risk.

 

It is of the utmost importance that anyone concerned with a suspected case of abuse maintains confidentiality at all times on a “need to know” basis.

 

Remember, the NSPCC advice is:

 

“The consequences of NOT reporting your suspicions if a child has been abused can be serious.  Your concerns or observations may play a vital part in protecting a child by contributing to the pool of information about the family, and by initiating a professional response which can establish whether or not a child is at risk, and if necessary take legal action to protect a child.  Failure to report your concerns may mean this does not happen, and the child may be further abused”.

 

The consequences of reporting suspected child abuse and being wrong can be difficult.  The consequences of NOT reporting suspected child abuse could be fatal!  Where there is a risk of immediate serious harm to a child, a referral should be made to children’s social care (Somerset Direct) immediately.

All staff, in whatever role, must be ready and willing to whistle-blow if they have concerns about the actions of colleagues.  Further details can be found in the school’s policy on suspected malpractice (whilstleblowing).

 

Confidentiality

Disclosures of abuse by a pupil to a member of staff cannot be kept confidential and must be shared with the Designated Safeguarding Lead.  Staff must explain to pupils that they cannot promise complete confidentiality and must pass on the information to help keep the child or other children safe.

 

Investigations

If an allegation is made of physical, sexual or emotional abuse against a member of staff or volunteer or there are other grounds for concern then the person receiving the allegation must take it seriously and immediately inform the Head or in her absence the Chair of Governors.

 

If the concerns are about the Head, then the Chair of Governors should be contacted without informing the Head.  

 

The school will not investigate the allegation itself, or take written or detailed statements, but will immediately refer the matter to the LADO.  Under these circumstances the member of staff against whom an allegation has been made should not be informed of said allegation until future action is agreed.  It may be necessary to discuss appropriate steps to ensure other children are not at risk.

In the event of a member of boarding or residential staff being suspended in circumstances of a child protection nature, the school will provide alternative accommodation.

 

Every Local Authority now has a Designated Officer for Allegations Management (LADO) who is available to provide support and advice to any organisation where staff work with children.  This role also incorporates a monitoring function to ensure that all organisations work to complete allegations processes in a time scale appropriate for both the victim and the alleged perpetrator.  The Local Authority Designated Officer must be informed immediately if an allegation has been made, and they will consult as necessary with the relevant personnel in Human Resources, and other agencies such as the Police, as appropriate.  Further guidance about dealing with allegations of abuse against staff appear in KCSIE part 4.

Somerset LCSB 

The Service Manager - Safeguarding and LADO Manager / Deputy LADO is:

Matthew Turner

MZTurner@somerset.gov.uk

(01823 357868)

Designated Officer (formerly known as LADO):

Anthony Gobel

Somerset Direct 0300 1232224

 

Further Information: 

Various further documentation is available from Assistant Head (Pastoral & Co-curricular).

 

Guidance for Safe Working Practice for the Protection of Children and Staff.  This booklet is distributed to all staff by the Child Protection Officer as part of the induction process for all staff.  This provides specific guidance relating to working of Wells Cathedral School.

 

Early Years Foundation Stage:

Safe usage of ICT technology - In the EYFS photographs form a key part of daily record keeping. Staff are provided with school cameras and mobile devices such as Ipads. These remain the property of the school at all times. The staff have access to colour printing facilities and digital storage on the school network. Staff must not use personally owned devices (such as cameras or mobile phones) to record, or store images of school children at any time. Annually parents are asked to give their permission to have their child’s photo taken for a variety of purposes (outlined in the consent form).

Staff use of Mobile Phones - Staff are permitted to bring their mobile phone to work. They should not be used during contact time with the children. Staff have access to the internal telephone system and are encouraged to give the school number to relatives as an emergency contact number for themselves.

Review:

This policy is reviewed annually by the school in conjunction with DSL and is is signed off by the Chair of Governors within one of the annual full Governors Meetings.

The school regularly reviews its practice and procedures relating to safeguarding issues, taking into account the nature, age range, and other significant features of the school such as  the specialist music programme and choristers, and of the specific issues related to operating in historic buildings.  Endeavouring to develop best practice.

Assistant Head (Pastoral & Co-curricular)

Governor’s Committee: Governing Body

April 2016

Next review date: April 2017