Child Protection Policy
The designated safeguarding lead for [Name of School] is [insert name of
designated lead]
(If applicable) The deputy designated safeguarding lead(s) for [Name of
School] is/are [insert name(s) of deputy lead(s)]
The local authority’s safeguarding procedures are available at: [insert link to
LA documentation on LA website]
For immediate advice or in case of an emergency:
Designated safeguarding lead: [insert telephone contact details]
Local Authority Children’s Services: [insert telephone contact details]
NSPCC: email xxxx@xxxxx.xxx.xx or telephone 0808 800 5000
Dedicated helpline for victims of sexual abuse in schools:
NSPCC: 0800 136 663
Scope
1) Creative Education Trust’s safeguarding lead is Karen Forster, trustee.
2) The Principal/Headteacher is responsible for implementing this policy,
publishing it on the school’s website and ensuring that all staff at the school,
including supply staff and volunteers, are aware of and comply with it.
3) The Principal/Headteacher will ensure that the school has a designated
safeguarding lead (DSL) who is a senior member of staff and a member of the
school’s leadership team, and one or more deputies.
4) The DSL will provide support to staff to carry out their safeguarding duties and
will liaise closely with other services, such as children’s social care. The
designated safeguarding lead’s duties are clearly outlined in his/her job
description in line with the guidance in Annex B of
Keeping children safe in
education1.
5) The Principal/Headteacher will ensure that the DSL and deputies are provided
with sufficient time to carry out their duties and will ensure that supervision
1 Keeping children safe in education, Department for Education, September 2020
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arrangements are in place to provide professional and emotional support.
COVID-19
6) This policy applies throughout the response to Covid-19 and must be applied
along with the most recent addendum to the policy.
Definition of safeguarding
7) Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined as:
a) protecting children from maltreatment
b) preventing impairment of children’s mental and physical health or
development
c) ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision
of safe and effective care
d) taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.
Principles
8) Creative Education Trust is committed to providing a safe and secure
environment for pupils, staff and visitors and promoting a climate where
pupils and adults feel confident about sharing any concerns that they may
have about their own safety or the wellbeing of others.
9) The academy contributes to inter-agency working in line with the statutory
guidance,
Working together to safeguard children2, and follows the local
authority’s safeguarding procedures set up by the three safeguarding
partners.
10) This policy is based on the DfE publication: Keeping children safe in
education, September 2020 and should be read in conjunction with that
document. The policy is not intended to replicate the content of the DfE
publication and it is a requirement that all staff read part 1 of Keeping children
safe in education.
11) This policy takes account of the welfare requirements for children under 5
years of age included in the
Statutory framework for the early years
foundation stage3.
12) The policy is applicable to all on- and off-site activities undertaken by pupils
whilst they are the responsibility of the school.
13) All staff have a responsibility to provide a safe environment in which children
2 Working together to safeguard children, H M Government, July 2018 (updated February 2019)
3 Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage, Department for Education, March
2017
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can learn. They must:
a) ‘think the unthinkable’ and accept that child abuse can happen anywhere,
including in schools, maintaining an attitude of
‘it could happen here’
b) treat all abuse seriously, including peer-on-peer abuse, and never tolerate
abuse or pass it off as ‘banter’, ‘just having a laugh’ or ‘part of growing up’
c) understand that any adult in school can report their concerns directly to
social care or the police
d) understand that safeguarding incidents and/or behaviours can be associated
with factors outside the academy and/or can involve children who are not the
academy’s pupils. Staff, particularly the Designated Safeguarding Lead and
deputies, must consider whether children are at risk of abuse or exploitation
in situations outside their families. Extra-familial harms take a variety of
different forms and children can be vulnerable to multiple harms including
sexual exploitation, criminal exploitation and serious youth violence. This is
known as contextual safeguarding
e) have a clear understanding about the wide range of safeguarding concerns,
including those listed below. Further information about all of these is available
in
Keeping children safe in education.
i)
Abuse – includes domestic, faith and relationship
ii)
Bullying
iii) Children and the courts
iv) Children missing from education, home or care
v)
Children with family members in prison
vi) Child exploitation – county lines, child sexual exploitation, trafficking
vii) Drugs
viii) Honour-based abuse – FGM, forced marriage
ix) Health and well-being – fabricated illness, medical conditions, mental
health
x)
Homelessness
xi) On-line – sexting
xii) Private fostering
xiii) Radicalisation – Prevent
xiv) Violence – gangs, women and girls, sexual
14) The safeguarding of children is also part of other school policies. Staff should
understand and follow:
a) Staff code of conduct
b) Anti-bullying policy
c) Behaviour for learning policy
d) Attendance policy, including children missing from education procedures
for their school
e) First aid policy
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f) Health and safety policy
g) Educational visits policy
h) Physical restraint policy
i) Safer recruitment policy
j) Supporting pupils with medical needs policy
k) On-line safety policy
l) Public sector equality duty statement
m) Whistle blowing policy
Information sharing
15) The Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR do not prevent the sharing of
information for the purposes of keeping children safe. Fears about sharing
information must not be allowed to stand in the way of the need to safeguard
and promote the welfare and protect the safety of children.
Induction and training
16) As part of their induction, all new staff will be provided with a copy of this
policy, part 1 of
Keeping children safe in education and access to all of the
above policies. They will also be introduced to the designated safeguarding
lead who will explain his/her role and provide them with basic safeguarding
training.
17) The Principal/Headteacher will determine the level of information that will be
provided to temporary staff and volunteers.
18) All staff members will be provided with regular safeguarding and child
protection training, at least annually, along with child protection updates as
required in order for them to have the relevant skills and knowledge to
safeguard children effectively. All training follows the latest advice from the
three safeguarding partners.
The designated safeguarding lead
19) The designated safeguarding lead:
a) takes lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection in the school
b) will ensure that he/she, and any deputies, have a complete safeguarding
picture of the academy
c) will always be available, or ensure a deputy DSL is available, during term time
and school hours for staff in school to discuss any safeguarding concerns
d) will undergo appropriate training which will be updated every two years in
addition to updating his/her knowledge and skills at regular intervals to keep up
to date with any developments relevant to the role
e) maintain strong links with mental health agencies
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f) will have an overview of all safeguarding concerns and follow the procedures
set out in local guidance and in
Keeping children safe in education to ensure
that appropriate action is taken in every case
g) will monitor all safeguarding concerns and escalate any concerns the DSL
considers are meeting threshold for further intervention/assessment
h) will support staff who make referrals to the Channel programme
i) will maintain written records, which must be signed and dated, of all child
protection concerns, ensuring these are kept secure and confidential to those
individuals and organisations that need to know.
The local context
This section must be completed, and reviewed at least annually, by each
academy to reflect local circumstances (delete this text and change added text
to black once completed)
20) … Academy is in … Local Authority. The academy follows the procedures of and
works with the three safeguarding partners (see link above).
21) Current local priorities are … (
include all issues that are particularly pertinent to
the academy’s pupils such as county lines, local grooming strategies, concerns
about any extremist work etc)
22) The academy is … (
describe the specific action that the academy is taking in
response to local issues such as additional training, bespoke procedures etc)
Multi-agency working
This section must be completed by each academy to show how the academy is
working with the three designated local partners: the local authority; a clinical
commissioning group for an area within the local authority; and the chief
officer of police for a police area in the local authority area. It must make clear
how the academy follows the local arrangements and is fully engaged in these
arrangements. (delete this text and change added text to black once
completed)
23) The academy cooperates fully with multi-agency safeguarding arrangements …
School Procedures
24) If staff have any concerns about a child’s welfare, they must act on them
immediately.
25) Any staff member who has concerns about a child’s welfare, either through
observed behaviour or disclosure by a child or other person must:
a) where a child is in immediate danger or is at risk of harm, ensure that a referral
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is made to children’s social care or the police immediately and speak with the
DSL immediately to agree a course of action
b) report all safeguarding concerns to the designated safeguarding lead
c) make clear notes, which must be dated and signed, of any observations or
disclosures and pass these to the designated safeguarding lead as soon as
possible
d) if speaking with a child who makes a disclosure, not promise a child that they
will not tell anyone else as this may not be in the best interest of the child
e) inform the DSL as soon as possible if they make a referral directly
f) speak to the DSL if they have any concerns about female genital mutilation
(FGM)
g) report to the police any act of FGM that they discover has been carried out on
a girl under the age of 18 years or where they are concerned about physical
signs that indicate that FGM may have taken place.
This is a legal duty.
26) The DSL will decide on the most appropriate course of action which may include:
a) managing any support internally
b) a home welfare visit, possibly with the support of the police
c) an early help assessment
d) seeking advice from local authority children’s services
e) a referral to statutory services.
27) All staff must be prepared to identify children who may benefit from early help. In
the first instance, staff should discuss early help requirements with the DSL or a
member of the safeguarding team who would normally take the lead in these
cases.
Concerns about other staff members and procedures for dealing with
allegations against staff (including supply staff and volunteers)
28) Any member of staff who has a concern, or receives an allegation, about another
staff member must refer this to the Principal/Headteacher.
29) Where an allegation is made against a supply teacher, the Principal/Headteacher
will immediately contact both the agency concerned and the LADO. The school will
continue to support any investigation that is required.
30) If a staff member has concerns about the Principal/Headteacher or a member of
head office staff, they must refer this to the Chief Executive Officer of Creative
Education Trust.
31) If a staff member has concerns about the Chief Executive Officer of Creative
Education Trust, they must refer this to the Chair of Trustees.
32) The person receiving the referral becomes the ‘case manager’.
33) In all cases concerning staff members that appear to meet one or more of the
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criteria outlined in
Keeping children safe in education, the case manager must
refer it to the designated officer at the local authority and/or the police to discuss
the case and then follow the advice given. The criteria are that a member of staff
or volunteer has:
a) behaved in a way that has harmed a child, or may have harmed a child
b) possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child
c) behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates he or she may pose
a risk of harm to children
d) behaved or may have behaved in a way that indicates they may not be suitable
to work with children.
34) In all cases, the case manager should inform the accused person about the
allegation as soon as possible after consulting the designated officer and in line
with his/her advice. The case manager should act in such a way as to minimise
stress and ensure that support is in place for the individual, advising them to
contact their trades union or a colleague for support.
35) All those involved must follow the reporting restrictions introduced in The
Education Act 2002 which prevent the publication of any material that may lead to
the identification of a teacher who has been accused by, or on behalf of, a pupil
from the same school. The reporting restrictions apply until the point that the
accused person is charged with an offence, or the Secretary of State publishes
information about an investigation or decision in a disciplinary case arising from
the allegation.
36) If a person in regulated activity is dismissed or removed due to safeguarding
concerns, or would have been had they not resigned, the case manager must
make a referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
This is a legal duty
and failure to refer when the criteria are met is a criminal offence.
Types of abuse and neglect
37) Abuse, neglect and safeguarding issues are rarely standalone events that can be
covered by one definition or label. In most cases multiple issues will overlap with
one another. The definitions below are from
Keeping children safe in education.
This publication provides additional information and links to other sources about
specific types of abuse. Staff members should refer to these sources and to the
designated safeguarding lead for further information.
a)
Abuse: a form of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a
child by inflicting harm or by failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be
abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting by those known to
them or, more rarely, by others (e.g. via the internet). They may be abused by
an adult or adults or another child or children.
b)
Physical abuse: a form of abuse which may involve hitting, shaking, throwing,
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poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing
physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or
carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child.
c)
Emotional abuse: the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to
cause severe and adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may
involve conveying to a child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or
valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. It may include
not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing
them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate. It may feature
age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children.
These may include interactions that are beyond a child’s developmental
capability as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning,
or preventing the child participating in normal social interaction. It may involve
seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another. It may involve serious bullying
(including cyberbullying), causing children frequently to feel frightened or in
danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional
abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, although it may occur
alone.
d)
Sexual abuse: involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part
in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether
or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve
physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example rape or oral
sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and
touching outside of clothing. They may also include non-contact activities, such
as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images,
watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually
inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via
the internet). Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women
can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children. The sexual abuse
of children by other children is a specific safeguarding issue in education.
e)
Neglect: the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or
psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s
health or development. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of
maternal substance abuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent
or carer failing to: provide adequate food,
clothing and shelter (including
exclusion from home or abandonment); protect a child from physical and
emotional harm or danger; ensure adequate supervision (including the use of
inadequate care-givers); or ensure access to appropriate medical care or
treatment. It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s
basic emotional needs.
Vulnerable children
38) Any child may benefit from early help, but all academy staff should be particularly
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alert to the potential need for early help for a child who:
a) is showing signs of mental health problems
b) is disabled and has specific additional needs
c) has special educational needs (whether or not they have a statutory education,
health and care plan)
d) is a young carer
e) is showing signs of being drawn into anti-social or criminal behaviour, including
gang involvement and association with organised crime groups
f) is frequently missing/goes missing from care or from home
g) is misusing drugs or alcohol themselves
h) is at risk of modern slavery, trafficking or exploitation
i) is in a family circumstance presenting challenges for the child, such as
substance abuse, adult mental health problems or domestic abuse
j) has returned home to their family from care
k) is showing early signs of abuse and/or neglect
l) is at risk of being radicalised or exploited
m) is a privately fostered child.
39) Some vulnerable children will have a social worker. Local authorities should share
information about these children with the school. The DSL will use this information
to make decisions in the child’s best interests and to respond quickly to
unauthorised absence or children missing from education, for example.
40) The DSL will maintain a list of pupils who the school has identified to be at
potential risk, including those with a social worker, and ensure that relevant staff
are made aware and that these pupils are monitored closely and supported to
achieve the best possible educational outcomes. Many of these children will be
looked after children (LAC), or previously LAC, or have special educational needs
or disabilities (SEND).
41) The most common reason for children becoming LAC is as a result of abuse
and/or neglect. Staff must be clear about the care arrangements for individual LAC
and be especially vigilant with regard to their well-being.
42) The designated safeguarding lead must have details of each LAC’s social worker
and the name of the virtual school Headteacher.
43) The DSL, in cooperation with the designated teacher for LAC, will liaise with the
Local Authority Personal Adviser to ensure appropriate support for any care
leavers in the academy.
44) Children with special educational needs and disabilities can face additional
safeguarding challenges and are disproportionately affected by things like bullying.
Staff must be especially vigilant for any signs of abuse and neglect with these
children and not assume that any signs relate to a child’s disability or special
educational needs.
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Child sexual exploitation (CSE) and Child criminal exploitation (CCE)
45) Both CSE and CCE are forms of abuse and both occur where an individual or
group takes advantage of an imbalance in power to coerce, manipulate or deceive
a child into sexual or criminal activity. Whilst age may be the most obvious, this
power imbalance can also be due to a range of other factors including gender,
sexual identity, cognitive ability, physical strength, status, and access to economic
or other resources. In some cases, the abuse will be in exchange for something
the victim needs or wants and/or will be to the financial benefit or other advantage
(such as increased status) of the perpetrator or facilitator. The abuse can be
perpetrated by individuals or groups, males or females, and children or adults. The
abuse can be a one-off occurrence or a series of incidents over time and range
from opportunistic to complex organised abuse. It can involve force and/or
enticement-based methods of compliance and may, or may not, be accompanied
by violence or threats of violence. Victims can be exploited even when activity
appears consensual and it should be noted exploitation as well as being physical
can be facilitated and/or take place online.
46) Some of the following can be indicators of CCE:
a) children who appear with unexplained gifts or new possessions
b) children who associate with other young people involved in exploitation
c) children who suffer from changes in emotional well-being
d) children who misuse drugs and alcohol
e) children who go missing for a period of time or regularly come home late
f) children who regularly miss school or do not take part in education.
47) In addition to the above, the following can be indicators of CSE:
a) children who have older boyfriends or girlfriends
b) children who suffer from sexually transmitted infections or become pregnant.
48) County lines, where drugs are moved around by victims of CCE, frequently involve
children and vulnerable adults who have been trafficked. In these cases the DSL
will consider the need to involve the police who can use the National Referral
Mechanism run by the National Crime Agency.
Peer on peer abuse
49) All staff should be aware that children can abuse other children and treat any
concerns about peer-on-peer abuse in the same way as that involving adults. This
is most likely to include, but may not be limited to:
a) bullying (including cyber bullying)
b) physical abuse such as hitting, kicking, shaking, biting, hair pulling, or
otherwise causing physical harm
c) sexual violence, such as rape, assault by penetration and sexual assault
d) sexual harassment, such as sexual comments, remarks, jokes and on-line
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sexual harassment, which may be stand-alone or part of a broader pattern of
abuse
e) upskirting, which typically involves taking a picture under a person’s clothing
without them knowing, with the intention of viewing their genitals or buttocks to
obtain sexual gratification, or cause the victim humiliation, distress or alarm;
this is a criminal offence
f) sexting; this is not tolerated in the school and any occurrences will be treated
extremely seriously in line with the behavior for learning policy
g) initiation/hazing type violence and rituals
50) Measures to minimise these risks are included in the anti-bullying and behaviour
for learning policies and these policies must be applied in addition to child
protection procedures when dealing with any issue of peer-on-peer abuse.
51) The academy does not accept and will not tolerate peer-on-peer abuse of any
kind.
52) In all cases of alleged child-on-child sexual violence, staff and the DSL will refer to
the detailed guidance contained in
Keeping Children Safe in Education and the
additional documents it refers to, in addition to seeking advice from the local
authority and the police as appropriate.
53) Reports of sexual violence and sexual harassment are likely to be complex and
require difficult decisions to be made quickly, but staff will always adhere to the
procedures set out in this policy.
54) Victims will always be reassured that they are being taken seriously, that they will
be supported and kept safe. Where possible, two members of staff, including the
DSL, will be present when managing reports from pupils.
55) Where a report of sexual violence has been made, the DSL will make an
immediate risk assessment. This will take account of: protection and support for
the victim; management of the alleged perpetrator; and consideration for other
children and staff. The implementation of a risk assessment to protect a victim,
perpetrator or others in the academy will not be delayed pending the outcome, or
even the start, of police or local authority investigations.
56) The DSL will liaise with local authority specialist services and the police as
required, following their advice and updating the risk assessment accordingly.
57) Following the completion of investigations and any police action, perpetrators will
be managed through the academy’s behaviour for learning and anti-bullying
policies.
Domestic Abuse
58) All children can witness and be adversely affected by domestic abuse in their
home lives and this can have serious, long lasting emotional and psychological
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impact on children, Incidents of domestic abuse have risen sharply during the
2020 Covid-19 pandemic.
59) Local police forces will inform schools of local cases, often through Operation
Encompass. The DSL will ensure that any pupils reported to them are added to
the list of vulnerable pupils and are supported appropriately in school.
Serious violence
60) All staff should be aware of indicators which may signal that children are at risk
from, or are involved with serious violent crime. These may include increased
absence from school, changes in friendships, a decline in performance, significant
changes to well-being and unexplained injuries, gifts or possessions.
61) Staff should seek advice from the DSL if they are concerned.
Radicalisation and extremism
62) The designated safeguarding lead will undertake Prevent awareness training and
ensure that all staff are suitably trained and kept up to date in order that they are
equipped to identify children at risk of being drawn into terrorism and to challenge
extremist ideas.
63) The designated safeguarding lead will guide staff to ensure that any concerns that
a child might be vulnerable to radicalisation are referred to Channel when
appropriate.
64) The school will work closely with parents, unless it has specific reason to think that
this would put the child at risk, to identify early signs of radicalisation, keeping
them informed about any concerns in school and pointing them towards the right
support mechanisms.
65) Through the E-safety policy, the school will have in place measures to prevent
children from accessing terrorist and extremist material on the internet.
Mental Health
66) Staff should also be aware that mental health problems can, in some cases, be an
indicator that a child has suffered or is at risk of suffering abuse, neglect or
exploitation.
67) Only appropriately trained professionals should attempt to make a diagnosis of a
mental health problem. Staff however, are well placed to observe children day-to-
day and identify those whose behaviour suggests that they may be experiencing a
mental health problem or be at risk of developing one.
68) Where children have suffered abuse and neglect, or other potentially traumatic
adverse childhood experiences, this can have a lasting impact throughout
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childhood, adolescence and into adulthood. It is key that staff are aware of how
these children’s experiences, can impact on their mental health, behaviour and
education.
69) If staff have a mental health concern about a child that is also a safeguarding
concern, they must immediately report this using the school’s procedures.
The curriculum
70) Pupils are taught about safeguarding, including online, through teaching and
learning opportunities within the curriculum. The details are included in the
school’s curriculum documentation.
71) The relationships and sex education policy includes teaching about safe
relationships.
Mobile phones and cameras
72) The use of personal mobile phones or cameras by pupils or staff is not permitted
at any time when pupils are present. The only exception to this is the use of a
mobile phone to make calls during an emergency situation.
73) Staff and supervised pupils may use school cameras for educational purposes
with the approval of the Principal/Headteacher.
Safer Recruitment
74) The school operates a safer recruitment policy to ensure that all staff employed by
the school are suitable for the posts they are employed for and all volunteers are
suitable to work with children.
75) The school maintains a single central record of its staff and volunteers in line with
statutory guidance.
76) The SCR will be monitored to ensure that it is accurate and up to date as follows:
a) The Headteacher/Principal and the Designated Safeguarding Lead will have
access to undertake spot checks to assure themselves that the appropriate
processes are being followed, or to verify information that may be connected to
a safeguarding concern;
b) The designated safeguarding lead member of the Academy Council or Rapid
Improvement Board will inspect the SCR as part of their routine safeguarding
reviews and report to the Board that robust processes are in place;
c) An annual review will be undertaken by the Head Office team to ensure that the
required safeguarding standards are in place and the SCR will be included in
this review.
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Record keeping
77) The DSL ensures that all safeguarding concerns are recorded in writing and that
all notes are signed, dated and stored securely and separate from educational
records. The records may only be accessed by the designated safeguarding lead,
any deputy safeguarding leads and the senior leaders of the school.
78) Child Protection records are not open to pupils or parents.
79) Records will be shared with other agencies as appropriate.
80) The school will seek parental consent before making a Child in Need (S17) referral
to Children’s Social Care (Children’s Services). If consent is withheld,
consideration will be given to the potential impact of this for the child and to the
need for a child protection referral (S47), which does not require parental consent.
The school will take into account the views and wishes of the child who is the
subject of the concern but staff will be alert to the dangers of colluding with
dangerous ‘secrets’.
81) When a child moves to another school, the designated safeguarding lead ensures
that all safeguarding records are sent securely to the new school and separate
from educational records. The academy must ensure that safe receipt is
confirmed. Where the DSL considers it to be appropriate, he/she will share child
protection information about a pupil with a new school in advance of a pupil
transferring. For example, to allow the receiving school to have procedures in
place to support a victim of abuse without delay.
The role of the Board of Directors of the Trust and the Academy Council/Rapid
Improvement Board
82) This policy has been prepared by the Board of Directors and is reviewed annually,
or more frequently as required.
83) The Academy Council/Rapid Improvement Board will appoint a safeguarding
governor who will visit the school regularly and meet with the designated
safeguarding lead. He/she will provide a report at each Academy Council/Rapid
Improvement Board meeting using the Creative Education Trust safeguarding visit
template to support the trust in fulfilling its requirement to ensure that the school’s
arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
84) The Principal/Headteacher will report statutory safeguarding information to the
trust each half term using the standard Creative Education Trust academy report
template.
Children who go missing in education
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85) In order to try to prevent children going missing in education all parents are
requested to provide at least two emergency contact numbers for each pupil. All
contact numbers provided are held on a pupil’s record.
86) The school will maintain an admission register and attendance registers in line
with statutory requirements.
87) The school will inform the local authority before it removes a child from the
admission register where the pupil:
a) has been taken out of school by their parents and the school has received
written notification from the parent they are being educated outside the school
system e.g. home education
b) has ceased to attend school and no longer lives within reasonable distance of
the school at which they are registered
c) has been certified by the school medical officer as unlikely to be in a fit state of
health to attend school before ceasing to be of compulsory school age, and
neither he/she nor his/her parent has indicated the intention to continue to
attend the school after ceasing to be of compulsory school age
d) is in custody for a period of more than four months due to a final court order
and the Principal/Headteacher does not reasonably believe they will be
returning to the school at the end of that period
e) has been permanently excluded.
88) The school will inform the local authority of any pupil who fails to attend school
regularly or has been absent without the school’s permission for a period of 10
consecutive school days or more.
Child protection policy
April 2021
Page 15
Document Outline
- Child Protection Policy
- The designated safeguarding lead for [Name of School] is [insert name of designated lead]
- (If applicable) The deputy designated safeguarding lead(s) for [Name of School] is/are [insert name(s) of deputy lead(s)]
- The local authority’s safeguarding procedures are available at: [insert link to LA documentation on LA website]
- For immediate advice or in case of an emergency:
- Designated safeguarding lead: [insert telephone contact details]
- Local Authority Children’s Services: [insert telephone contact details]
- NSPCC: email xxxx@xxxxx.xxx.xx or telephone 0808 800 5000
- Dedicated helpline for victims of sexual abuse in schools:
- NSPCC: 0800 136 663
- COVID-19
- Definition of safeguarding
- Principles
- Information sharing
- Induction and training
- The designated safeguarding lead
- 19) The designated safeguarding lead:
- a) takes lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection in the school
- b) will ensure that he/she, and any deputies, have a complete safeguarding picture of the academy
- c) will always be available, or ensure a deputy DSL is available, during term time and school hours for staff in school to discuss any safeguarding concerns
- d) will undergo appropriate training which will be updated every two years in addition to updating his/her knowledge and skills at regular intervals to keep up to date with any developments relevant to the role
- e) maintain strong links with mental health agencies
- f) will have an overview of all safeguarding concerns and follow the procedures set out in local guidance and in Keeping children safe in education to ensure that appropriate action is taken in every case
- g) will monitor all safeguarding concerns and escalate any concerns the DSL considers are meeting threshold for further intervention/assessment
- h) will support staff who make referrals to the Channel programme
- i) will maintain written records, which must be signed and dated, of all child protection concerns, ensuring these are kept secure and confidential to those individuals and organisations that need to know.
- The local context
- This section must be completed, and reviewed at least annually, by each academy to reflect local circumstances (delete this text and change added text to black once completed)
- 20) … Academy is in … Local Authority. The academy follows the procedures of and works with the three safeguarding partners (see link above).
- 21) Current local priorities are … (include all issues that are particularly pertinent to the academy’s pupils such as county lines, local grooming strategies, concerns about any extremist work etc)
- 22) The academy is … (describe the specific action that the academy is taking in response to local issues such as additional training, bespoke procedures etc)
- Multi-agency working
- This section must be completed by each academy to show how the academy is working with the three designated local partners: the local authority; a clinical commissioning group for an area within the local authority; and the chief officer of police for...
- 23) The academy cooperates fully with multi-agency safeguarding arrangements …
- School Procedures
- 24) If staff have any concerns about a child’s welfare, they must act on them immediately.
- 25) Any staff member who has concerns about a child’s welfare, either through observed behaviour or disclosure by a child or other person must:
- a) where a child is in immediate danger or is at risk of harm, ensure that a referral is made to children’s social care or the police immediately and speak with the DSL immediately to agree a course of action
- b) report all safeguarding concerns to the designated safeguarding lead
- c) make clear notes, which must be dated and signed, of any observations or disclosures and pass these to the designated safeguarding lead as soon as possible
- d) if speaking with a child who makes a disclosure, not promise a child that they will not tell anyone else as this may not be in the best interest of the child
- e) inform the DSL as soon as possible if they make a referral directly
- f) speak to the DSL if they have any concerns about female genital mutilation (FGM)
- g) report to the police any act of FGM that they discover has been carried out on a girl under the age of 18 years or where they are concerned about physical signs that indicate that FGM may have taken place. This is a legal duty.
- 26) The DSL will decide on the most appropriate course of action which may include:
- a) managing any support internally
- b) a home welfare visit, possibly with the support of the police
- c) an early help assessment
- d) seeking advice from local authority children’s services
- e) a referral to statutory services.
- 27) All staff must be prepared to identify children who may benefit from early help. In the first instance, staff should discuss early help requirements with the DSL or a member of the safeguarding team who would normally take the lead in these cases.
- Concerns about other staff members and procedures for dealing with allegations against staff (including supply staff and volunteers)
- 28) Any member of staff who has a concern, or receives an allegation, about another staff member must refer this to the Principal/Headteacher.
- 29) Where an allegation is made against a supply teacher, the Principal/Headteacher will immediately contact both the agency concerned and the LADO. The school will continue to support any investigation that is required.
- 30) If a staff member has concerns about the Principal/Headteacher or a member of head office staff, they must refer this to the Chief Executive Officer of Creative Education Trust.
- 31) If a staff member has concerns about the Chief Executive Officer of Creative Education Trust, they must refer this to the Chair of Trustees.
- 32) The person receiving the referral becomes the ‘case manager’.
- 33) In all cases concerning staff members that appear to meet one or more of the criteria outlined in Keeping children safe in education, the case manager must refer it to the designated officer at the local authority and/or the police to discuss the ...
- a) behaved in a way that has harmed a child, or may have harmed a child
- b) possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child
- c) behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates he or she may pose a risk of harm to children
- d) behaved or may have behaved in a way that indicates they may not be suitable to work with children.
- 34) In all cases, the case manager should inform the accused person about the allegation as soon as possible after consulting the designated officer and in line with his/her advice. The case manager should act in such a way as to minimise stress and e...
- 35) All those involved must follow the reporting restrictions introduced in The Education Act 2002 which prevent the publication of any material that may lead to the identification of a teacher who has been accused by, or on behalf of, a pupil from th...
- 36) If a person in regulated activity is dismissed or removed due to safeguarding concerns, or would have been had they not resigned, the case manager must make a referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). This is a legal duty and failure t...
- Types of abuse and neglect
- 37) Abuse, neglect and safeguarding issues are rarely standalone events that can be covered by one definition or label. In most cases multiple issues will overlap with one another. The definitions below are from Keeping children safe in education. Thi...
- a) Abuse: a form of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm or by failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting by those known to them or, more ...
- b) Physical abuse: a form of abuse which may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates th...
- c) Emotional abuse: the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to a child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only i...
- d) Sexual abuse: involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical co...
- e) Neglect: the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance abuse...
- Vulnerable children
- 38) Any child may benefit from early help, but all academy staff should be particularly alert to the potential need for early help for a child who:
- a) is showing signs of mental health problems
- b) is disabled and has specific additional needs
- c) has special educational needs (whether or not they have a statutory education, health and care plan)
- d) is a young carer
- e) is showing signs of being drawn into anti-social or criminal behaviour, including gang involvement and association with organised crime groups
- f) is frequently missing/goes missing from care or from home
- g) is misusing drugs or alcohol themselves
- h) is at risk of modern slavery, trafficking or exploitation
- i) is in a family circumstance presenting challenges for the child, such as substance abuse, adult mental health problems or domestic abuse
- j) has returned home to their family from care
- k) is showing early signs of abuse and/or neglect
- l) is at risk of being radicalised or exploited
- m) is a privately fostered child.
- 39) Some vulnerable children will have a social worker. Local authorities should share information about these children with the school. The DSL will use this information to make decisions in the child’s best interests and to respond quickly to unauth...
- 40) The DSL will maintain a list of pupils who the school has identified to be at potential risk, including those with a social worker, and ensure that relevant staff are made aware and that these pupils are monitored closely and supported to achieve ...
- 41) The most common reason for children becoming LAC is as a result of abuse and/or neglect. Staff must be clear about the care arrangements for individual LAC and be especially vigilant with regard to their well-being.
- 42) The designated safeguarding lead must have details of each LAC’s social worker and the name of the virtual school Headteacher.
- 43) The DSL, in cooperation with the designated teacher for LAC, will liaise with the Local Authority Personal Adviser to ensure appropriate support for any care leavers in the academy.
- 44) Children with special educational needs and disabilities can face additional safeguarding challenges and are disproportionately affected by things like bullying. Staff must be especially vigilant for any signs of abuse and neglect with these child...
- Child sexual exploitation (CSE) and Child criminal exploitation (CCE)
- 45) Both CSE and CCE are forms of abuse and both occur where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance in power to coerce, manipulate or deceive a child into sexual or criminal activity. Whilst age may be the most obvious, this power imba...
- 46) Some of the following can be indicators of CCE:
- a) children who appear with unexplained gifts or new possessions
- b) children who associate with other young people involved in exploitation
- c) children who suffer from changes in emotional well-being
- d) children who misuse drugs and alcohol
- e) children who go missing for a period of time or regularly come home late
- f) children who regularly miss school or do not take part in education.
- 47) In addition to the above, the following can be indicators of CSE:
- a) children who have older boyfriends or girlfriends
- b) children who suffer from sexually transmitted infections or become pregnant.
- 48) County lines, where drugs are moved around by victims of CCE, frequently involve children and vulnerable adults who have been trafficked. In these cases the DSL will consider the need to involve the police who can use the National Referral Mechani...
- Peer on peer abuse
- 49) All staff should be aware that children can abuse other children and treat any concerns about peer-on-peer abuse in the same way as that involving adults. This is most likely to include, but may not be limited to:
- a) bullying (including cyber bullying)
- b) physical abuse such as hitting, kicking, shaking, biting, hair pulling, or otherwise causing physical harm
- c) sexual violence, such as rape, assault by penetration and sexual assault
- d) sexual harassment, such as sexual comments, remarks, jokes and on-line sexual harassment, which may be stand-alone or part of a broader pattern of abuse
- e) upskirting, which typically involves taking a picture under a person’s clothing without them knowing, with the intention of viewing their genitals or buttocks to obtain sexual gratification, or cause the victim humiliation, distress or alarm; this ...
- f) sexting; this is not tolerated in the school and any occurrences will be treated extremely seriously in line with the behavior for learning policy
- g) initiation/hazing type violence and rituals
- 51) The academy does not accept and will not tolerate peer-on-peer abuse of any kind.
- 52) In all cases of alleged child-on-child sexual violence, staff and the DSL will refer to the detailed guidance contained in Keeping Children Safe in Education and the additional documents it refers to, in addition to seeking advice from the local a...
- 53) Reports of sexual violence and sexual harassment are likely to be complex and require difficult decisions to be made quickly, but staff will always adhere to the procedures set out in this policy.
- 54) Victims will always be reassured that they are being taken seriously, that they will be supported and kept safe. Where possible, two members of staff, including the DSL, will be present when managing reports from pupils.
- 55) Where a report of sexual violence has been made, the DSL will make an immediate risk assessment. This will take account of: protection and support for the victim; management of the alleged perpetrator; and consideration for other children and staf...
- 56) The DSL will liaise with local authority specialist services and the police as required, following their advice and updating the risk assessment accordingly.
- 57) Following the completion of investigations and any police action, perpetrators will be managed through the academy’s behaviour for learning and anti-bullying policies.
- Domestic Abuse
- 58) All children can witness and be adversely affected by domestic abuse in their home lives and this can have serious, long lasting emotional and psychological impact on children, Incidents of domestic abuse have risen sharply during the 2020 Covid-1...
- 59) Local police forces will inform schools of local cases, often through Operation Encompass. The DSL will ensure that any pupils reported to them are added to the list of vulnerable pupils and are supported appropriately in school.
- Serious violence
- 60) All staff should be aware of indicators which may signal that children are at risk from, or are involved with serious violent crime. These may include increased absence from school, changes in friendships, a decline in performance, significant cha...
- 61) Staff should seek advice from the DSL if they are concerned.
- Radicalisation and extremism
- 62) The designated safeguarding lead will undertake Prevent awareness training and ensure that all staff are suitably trained and kept up to date in order that they are equipped to identify children at risk of being drawn into terrorism and to challen...
- 63) The designated safeguarding lead will guide staff to ensure that any concerns that a child might be vulnerable to radicalisation are referred to Channel when appropriate.
- 64) The school will work closely with parents, unless it has specific reason to think that this would put the child at risk, to identify early signs of radicalisation, keeping them informed about any concerns in school and pointing them towards the ri...
- 65) Through the E-safety policy, the school will have in place measures to prevent children from accessing terrorist and extremist material on the internet.
- Mental Health
- 66) Staff should also be aware that mental health problems can, in some cases, be an indicator that a child has suffered or is at risk of suffering abuse, neglect or exploitation.
- 67) Only appropriately trained professionals should attempt to make a diagnosis of a mental health problem. Staff however, are well placed to observe children day-to-day and identify those whose behaviour suggests that they may be experiencing a menta...
- 68) Where children have suffered abuse and neglect, or other potentially traumatic adverse childhood experiences, this can have a lasting impact throughout childhood, adolescence and into adulthood. It is key that staff are aware of how these children...
- 69) If staff have a mental health concern about a child that is also a safeguarding concern, they must immediately report this using the school’s procedures.
- The curriculum
- 70) Pupils are taught about safeguarding, including online, through teaching and learning opportunities within the curriculum. The details are included in the school’s curriculum documentation.
- 71) The relationships and sex education policy includes teaching about safe relationships.
- Mobile phones and cameras
- 72) The use of personal mobile phones or cameras by pupils or staff is not permitted at any time when pupils are present. The only exception to this is the use of a mobile phone to make calls during an emergency situation.
- 73) Staff and supervised pupils may use school cameras for educational purposes with the approval of the Principal/Headteacher.
- Safer Recruitment
- 74) The school operates a safer recruitment policy to ensure that all staff employed by the school are suitable for the posts they are employed for and all volunteers are suitable to work with children.
- 75) The school maintains a single central record of its staff and volunteers in line with statutory guidance.
- Record keeping
- 77) The DSL ensures that all safeguarding concerns are recorded in writing and that all notes are signed, dated and stored securely and separate from educational records. The records may only be accessed by the designated safeguarding lead, any deputy...
- 78) Child Protection records are not open to pupils or parents.
- 79) Records will be shared with other agencies as appropriate.
- 80) The school will seek parental consent before making a Child in Need (S17) referral to Children’s Social Care (Children’s Services). If consent is withheld, consideration will be given to the potential impact of this for the child and to the need f...
- 81) When a child moves to another school, the designated safeguarding lead ensures that all safeguarding records are sent securely to the new school and separate from educational records. The academy must ensure that safe receipt is confirmed. Where t...
- The role of the Board of Directors of the Trust and the Academy Council/Rapid Improvement Board
- 82) This policy has been prepared by the Board of Directors and is reviewed annually, or more frequently as required.
- 83) The Academy Council/Rapid Improvement Board will appoint a safeguarding governor who will visit the school regularly and meet with the designated safeguarding lead. He/she will provide a report at each Academy Council/Rapid Improvement Board meeti...
- 84) The Principal/Headteacher will report statutory safeguarding information to the trust each half term using the standard Creative Education Trust academy report template.
- Children who go missing in education
- 85) In order to try to prevent children going missing in education all parents are requested to provide at least two emergency contact numbers for each pupil. All contact numbers provided are held on a pupil’s record.
- 86) The school will maintain an admission register and attendance registers in line with statutory requirements.
- 87) The school will inform the local authority before it removes a child from the admission register where the pupil:
- a) has been taken out of school by their parents and the school has received written notification from the parent they are being educated outside the school system e.g. home education
- b) has ceased to attend school and no longer lives within reasonable distance of the school at which they are registered
- c) has been certified by the school medical officer as unlikely to be in a fit state of health to attend school before ceasing to be of compulsory school age, and neither he/she nor his/her parent has indicated the intention to continue to attend the ...
- d) is in custody for a period of more than four months due to a final court order and the Principal/Headteacher does not reasonably believe they will be returning to the school at the end of that period
- e) has been permanently excluded.
- 88) The school will inform the local authority of any pupil who fails to attend school regularly or has been absent without the school’s permission for a period of 10 consecutive school days or more.