Child Protection

Child Protection Policy

In order to achieve the best for each child we are fully committed to developing with them our core values of learning, community and leadership. The Child Protection policy makes an invaluable contribution to this by:
• Contributing to the provision of a stimulating, supportive and safe environment;
• Nurturing students and empowering them to become independent and responsible;
• Instilling respect amongst students for themselves and others

Accountability for this policy rests with the Vice Principal responsible for student welfare.

Every Child Matters: Change for Children (DfES/1081/2004) set out the Government's proposals for a national framework for local programmes to build services around the needs of children and young people through local leaders and agencies working together for a programme of change. Subsequently, the Children Act 2004 provided the legislative foundation for the programme to be put in place.

A duty is placed on a local authority, referred to as a children's services authority (CSA) in the Children Act 2004, to promote co-operation between agencies to improve the wellbeing of children and young people, as defined by the following five outcomes:
• Be healthy.
• Stay safe.
• Enjoy and achieve.
• Make a positive contribution.
• Achieve economic well being.
This complements the earlier requirement in the Education Act 2002 for LAs and governing bodies to exercise their functions with a view to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of children.

Guidance on ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ published in April 2006 sets out how individuals and organisations should work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. This guidance reflects recent developments in legislation, policy and practice.

According to the Sex and Relationship Education guidance, schools should have a clear and explicit confidentiality policy. The policy should be drawn up in consultation with parents and reflect the views of teachers, parents and the needs of the school community.

Government guidance has consistently described the role of schools as crucial in referring concerns and providing information for social services.

This policy sets out the principles and procedures to ensure that staff at Paddington Academy identify and assist students at risk of abuse so that they can be protected and when they are in school feel that they are able to do their best. 

We recognise that high self esteem, confidence, supportive friends and good lines of communication with a trusted adult helps the prevention of child abuse. Paddington Academy will therefore:
• establish and maintain an ethos where students feel secure and are encouraged to talk, and are listened to;
• ensure students know that there are adults in the school whom they can approach if they are worried or in difficulty;
• include in the curriculum, activities and opportunities for PSHCE which equip students with the skills they need to stay safe from abuse and to know to whom to turn for help;
• include in the curriculum, material which will help students develop realistic attitudes to the responsibilities of adult life, particularly with regard to child care and parenting skills.

Our policy applies to all staff and volunteers working in the school, community education and professional staff and governors. Learning support assistants, mid-day supervisors, secretaries as well as teachers can be the first point of disclosure for a child. Concerned parents may also contact the school or governors.

There are five main elements to our policy:
• Ensuring we practice safe recruitment in checking the suitability of staff and volunteers to work with children;
• Raising awareness of child protection issues and equipping students with the skills needed to keep them safe;
• Developing and then implementing procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases, of abuse;
• Supporting students who have been abused in accordance with his/her agreed child protection plan;
• Establishing a safe environment in which students can learn and develop.

The Academy recognises that because Academy staff are in regular and frequent contact with students, they are particularly well placed to observe signs of abuse.  The Academy is aware of the responsibilities which all staff have with regard to the protection of children from abuse and from inappropriate and inadequate care and is committed to reacting in accordance with the Local Authority procedures in all cases where there is concern. We will follow the procedures set out by the Local Safeguarding Children Board and take account of guidance issued by the Department for Education and Skills.

All Academy staff are expected to adhere to the DCSF guidelines on what to do if they suspect that a child has been abused or assaulted. They must remember that it is not their responsibility to investigate suspected abuse and that they should not take action beyond that agreed in the procedures established by the Local Safeguarding Children Board.

The Governing Body

The Governing Body has appointed …. as the designated governor who will oversee the Academy’s Child Protection policy and practice.

The Principal

The Principal is responsible for:
• the implementation and day to day management of this policy and the associated procedures;
• ensuring that all staff at Paddington Academy have an understanding of child abuse and its main indicators, and are alert to their reporting and confidentiality responsibilities;
• ensuring that parents have an understanding of the responsibility placed on the Academy and staff for child protection by setting out its obligations in the Academy brochure;
• appointing a senior member of staff as the Child Protection Manager and monitoring that person’s work;
• ensuring the criminal background of applicants for vacant posts are checked in accordance with DfES circular 11/95 ‘Misconduct of Teachers and Workers with Children and Young People’ and from 2008 the ‘Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups act 2006; and,
• adhering to the procedures set out in … where???when an allegation is made against a member of staff.
 
Designated Child Protection Manager

The Principal has designated Mrs Oli Tomlinson to act as the designated senior member of staff for Child Protection or Child Protection Manager (CPM). She has two deputies (… and …) who should be contacted in the event of her absence on Child Protection issues.  The Principal shall advise the Governing Body and all members of staff of the name of the Academy’s CPM and inform them of any changes.

The CPM is expected to:
• be the first point of call for students and staff;
• coordinate action within the Academy;
• liaise with other agencies on suspected cases of abuse, taking advice where necessary from the local Child Protection Committee, Social Services or  the NSPCC;
• act as a source of support, advice and expertise within the Academy when deciding whether to make a referral by liaising with relevant agencies;
• advise the Principal about cases in hand according to the agreement already established about confidentiality;
• contribute to training;
• monitor students who have been identified as being at risk;
• keep in a secure place clear and confidential records of students’ progress, records of concerns (noting the date, event and action taken) and provide information to other professionals, reports for case conferences;
• notify the local Social Services team if the Academy has to exclude a student on the child protection register either for a fixed term or permanently or if there is an unexplained absence of a student on the child protection register of more than two days duration (or one day following a weekend);
• work to develop effective links with relevant agencies and co-operate as required with their enquiries regarding child protection matters including attendance at initial case conferences, core groups and child protection review conferences;

All staff

All Academy staff are responsible for protecting students from abuse and from inappropriate and inadequate care. They have a responsibility to be vigilant in identifying signs of child abuse.

In the event of a member of staff having a child protection concern about a student, they must immediately report that concern to the CPM.  The member of staff will be asked by the CPM to document briefly the events which have given rise to the concern.

Confidentiality

The Academy recognises the importance of listening to students at all times, particularly when they are distressed, worried or concerned.  It is appreciated that at times students may feel stressed and confused.  The Academy shall identify quiet areas and provide the opportunity to students to take respite from the normal day when necessary.

ULT’s Sex and Relationships Policy includes a Confidentiality Policy which applies equally to this Child Protection Policy. It is attached as Appendix 1.

In summary, in striving to ensure that the best interests of students are given high priority staff cannot offer or guarantee absolute confidentiality.  If confidentiality has to be broken, the student should be informed first and then supported, as appropriate. As far as possible, the Academy should keep parents fully informed of concerns concerning their child.  However, parents should only be informed of child abuse concerns if staff are certain that the child will not be put at risk by their doing so.

Training

To support staff in fulfilling their responsibilities to students with regard to Child Protection the CPM will ensure that all staff receive appropriate training. In particular the CPM is expected to ensure that staff are trained to:
• recognise how to identify signs of abuse and when it is appropriate to make a referral;
• have a working knowledge of how Local Safeguarding Children Boards operate, the conduct of a child protection case conference and be able to attend and contribute to these effectively when required to do so;
• ensure each member of staff has access to and understands the Academy’s child protection policy especially new or part time staff who may work with different educational establishments;
• ensure all staff have induction training covering child protection and are able to recognise and report any concerns immediately they arise;
• keep detailed accurate secure written records of referrals/concerns;

The CPM will also ensure that staff are able to obtain access to resources and attend any relevant or refresher training courses at least every two years.

The CPM must also ensure that her training remains up to date and relevant.

Recording and Record keeping

Child Protection records and reports should be objective and be based on evidence. They should distinguish between fact, observation, allegation and opinion. Staff should guard against myths and stereotypes – both positive and negative. This is particularly the case when working with minority ethnic families. Anxiety about being accused of racist practice should not prevent necessary action being taken to safeguard a child.

Where a person makes an oral statement, a written record should be produced and it should be signed and dated by the author.

Records should be archived for ten years, securely ensuring confidentialities.

Supporting students at risk

Staff should be given as much information as necessary in order to help the student concerned.  In general, this will mean that, where a student is on the Child Protection register, or where there are concerns about a student, the student’s tutor, any other relevant staff and any member of staff chosen by the student to provide support will be kept informed.  It may be appropriate in some cases to inform other staff, giving few details but raising general awareness, that there are issues that may affect a student’s behaviour and level of achievement at that time.

All staff shall be made aware that students who are not known to be the subjects of concern may, however, be experiencing ill treatment, neglect or abuse.  This means that staff should be aware of the need for sensitivity when dealing with students at all times.

The Academy recognises that children who are abused, distressed through experiences outside the classroom or witness violence may find it difficult to develop a sense of self worth and to view the world as benevolent and meaningful. They may feel helplessness, humiliation and some sense of self blame. The Academy may be the only stable, secure and predictable element in the lives of students at risk. Nevertheless, when at school their behaviour may be challenging and defiant or they may be withdrawn. While it is clear that such students need firm boundaries, staff will take into account the student’s distress when managing behaviour.
 
The Academy will endeavour to support the student through:
• The content of the curriculum to encourage self esteem and self motivation;
• The Academy ethos which promotes a positive, supportive and secure environment and gives pupils a sense of being valued;
• The Academy's behaviour policy which is aimed at supporting vulnerable students. All staff are expected to adopt a consistent approach which focuses on the behaviour of the offence committed by the student but does not damage the student's sense of self worth.  The Academy will endeavour to ensure that the student knows that some behaviour is unacceptable but s/he is valued and not to be blamed for any abuse which has occurred;
• Liaison with other agencies who support the student such as Social Services, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, the Educational Psychology Service, Behaviour Support Services and the Education Welfare Service;
• Keeping records and notifying Social Services as soon as there is a recurrence of a concern.

Students with Statements of Special Educational Needs

The Academy recognises that statistically children with behavioural difficulties and disabilities are most vulnerable to abuse. Academy staff who deal with students with SEN are expected to be particularly sensitive to signs of abuse.

Partnerships and Links with Other Agencies

Paddington Academy will work closely with other relevant agencies in protecting children.
In the event of the transfer to another school of a student about whom there are concerns the Academy will:
• find out the name of the receiving school;
• contact the relevant member of staff at that school to discuss the transfer;
• send all information relating to the student to the receiving school;
• check with the receiving school that the student has actually arrived there on the expected day; and
• inform all of the relevant agencies of the transfer

Monitoring and evaluation of this policy and practice will include the quality of provision and impact in relation to:

• Feelings of safety/threat/challenge/support
• Students’ understanding of rights and responsibilities
• Self-esteem

The policy will be monitored through seeking the:

• Views of learners
• Views of parents/carers
• Views of hard to reach groups
• Views of students accessing additional services

Policy and procedures will be kept under review.

This policy was reviewed by the Vice Principal responsible for teaching and learning in 2008 and will be reviewed every 2 years.

This policy relates directly to other key Academy policies, namely: Behaviour, Sex and Relationships, Anti-Bullying, SEN and Equal Opportunities policies.

In addition to the relevant section on the Academy website, information on this policy can be found:

For students: In the student planner
For staff: In the staff handbook in the section on teaching and learning and on the staff notice board
For parents: In the student planner, the Academy prospectus and induction guidance.