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Child Protection Policy


Preamble

Rishworth School recognises that a number of other policies and procedures developed and operated by school form a wider agenda of safeguarding and promoting children’s welfare and this policy should be read in conjunction with the policies listed below:

  • Anti-bullying policy
  • Discipline
  • Concerns and Complaints procedure
  • Health and safety policy
  • Procedures for assessing risk, ie school trips
  • Safer recruitment policies and practice
  • Induction and codes of practice for staff as set out in key documents, such as the Staff Handbook
  • Policies that recognise and identify vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities, EFL and those with particular learning needs.

Please note: some of these policies are retained in school for staff purposes only.

 

AIMS

Child Protection is the responsibility of all school staff. The School will therefore:

  • establish and maintain an environment where children feel safe and secure, are encouraged to talk, and are listened to;
  • ensure children know that there are adults in the school whom they can approach if they are worried;
  • provide basic safeguards against abuse;
  • promote the general welfare of its pupils;
  • protect its pupils from harm of all kinds;
  • treat its pupils with dignity and respect.
  • include opportunities, including through the PSHCE curriculum, for children to develop the skills they need to recognise and stay safe from abuse.

 

MEANS

The means by which the School seeks to meet these aims have due regard for the guidance entitled ‘Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education’ published by the DCFS and which came into force 1 January 2007. Rishworth School fully recognises its responsibilities for child protection. This policy applies to all staff, governors and volunteers working with the school’s pupils
The main elements of the policy are:

  • raising awareness of child protection issues and equipping children with the skills needed to keep them safe;
  • a child protection policy and procedures that have due regard to the Calderdale Safeguarding Children Board Safeguarding Procedures, its vision statement and the Boarding Schools National Minimum Standards;
  • rigorous recruitment procedures to ensure that all appropriate checks are carried out on new staff and volunteers who work with children, including Criminal Record Bureau and the ‘Children’s List’ and the Vulnerable Adults List’ administered by the ISA;
  • where the School ceases to use the services of a member of staff or volunteers on the grounds of unsuitability to work with children arising from any child protection issue, it will refer, as required by statutory regulations, the details to the Independent Safeguarding Authority, PO Box 181, Darlington, DL19FA (tel. 0300 123 1111) and the DCSF;
  • procedures for dealing with allegations of abuse against a member of staff and volunteers;
  • a designated senior member of staff (Mrs I Shelton) to take lead responsibility at Rishworth in dealing with child protection issues and liaising with other agencies where necessary (and in her absence the Headmaster will take lead responsibility); the Head of Heathfield  (Mr Wilkins) is the designated member of staff with identical responsibilities for Heathfield (and in his absence Mrs I Shelton or the Headmaster); the outside agencies most likely to be involved are the Calderdale Safeguarding Children Board(01422 393297), its Local Authority Designated Officer, John Murray (01422 392812) and the NSPCC (0808 8005000);
  • training to equip staff who work with children with the knowledge and skills necessary to carry out their responsibilities for child protection, including alertness to the signs of abuse and awareness of pupils’ vulnerability and the risk of harm; training includes refresher training at least every two years for the designated member of staff and at least every three years for all members of staff (although in practice we try to ensure that all staff receive more than the minimum training required and the nominated governor responsible for Child Protection, Mrs D. Whitaker); and all temporary staff and volunteers who work with children are made aware of the School’s arrangements for child protection and their responsibilities;
  • staff awareness of and access to the Calderdale Safeguarding Children Board interagency safeguarding procedures ( www.calderdale-scb.org.uk),  the School’s Child Protection Policy and the DCFS guidance ‘What To Do If You’re Worried A Child Is Being Abused’;
  • assurance is obtained that appropriate child protection checks and procedures apply to any staff employed by another organisation and working with Rishworth School pupils on another site;
  • all newly appointed staff, teaching and non-teaching, are made aware of the School’s policy and procedures for the protection and safeguarding of its pupils and undertake Safegarding e-training;
  • parents are made aware via this policy and the Boarders’ Handbook that any private fostering arrangements by a non-relative exceeding 28 days must be reported to the local authority in which a child (aged under 16, or under 18 if disabled) is to reside in accordance with Part IX of the Children Act 1989 and the regulations made thereunder;
  • all Child Protection records are kept centrally and secure by the designated member of staff;
  • any deficiencies, however identified, in this policy and its procedures being remedied without delay;
  • governors, through the nominated governor for child protection, ensure, that the School has an effective policy, that locally agreed procedures are in place, and that the policy and structures supporting safeguarding children are reviewed
  • full consideration is given at all times, to the sensitivity of child protection matters, and particulars of individual cases are made known only to those persons who absolutely have to know.

 

In addition to the matters already mentioned, the School makes every effort to ensure that:

  • pupils feel valued, respected and part of an environment which promotes the development of self-esteem;
  • there is an openness (within the structures of the Law and when it is not counter to the interests of the child) on the part of the School with families, the wider community, and agencies responsible for safeguarding and promoting a child’s welfare;
  • School Prefects and Boarding Prefects are briefed by the Deputy Headmaster and Director of Boarding to be alert to any signs of abuse or unhappiness in pupils and immediately to report any such concerns to a member of staff;
  • all pupils have access to an Independent Listener/Person and are made aware of the help on offer from independent services such as Childline;
  • accessible complaints procedures are in place which are clear, effective and child friendly;
  • there is respect for race, culture, religion, gender, sexuality, age and disability within the ethos of the School.
  • arrangements are made as part of the School’s own self-evaluation for independent scrutiny and challenge, to ensure strict compliance with procedures at all times. 

 

GUIDANCE TO STAFF

GENERAL

Every member of the teaching staff receives a copy of this policy and its accompanying guidance; further copies are available in the Red Policy File kept in the Staff Common Room and in designated places and by designated staff around the school.  It is a requirement of all teaching staff to be acquainted, and to act in accordance, with all School policies including this one.

The Bursar will ensure that all non-teaching staff are informed of, and have easy access to, a copy of this policy. 

There are different categories of abuse/harm: physical, sexual, emotional and neglect. Staff must be alert to the signs of abuse and report any concerns to the Designated Member of Staff or to the Headmaster immediately.

Possible signs of abuse are listed below. Those signs and others should do no more than raise questions: they are not in themselves proof that abuse has occurred.

 

PHYSICAL ABUSE

  • the nature, site and severity of injuries (although minor injuries will not be overlooked)
  • presentation for treatment with an unexplained delay
  • explanations which do not appear to be consistent with the injury.

 

SEXUAL ABUSE

  • withdrawal and introversion
  • display of sexual knowledge or behaviour beyond a pupil’s years
  • persistent masturbation , particularly in inappropriate settings
  • provocative or seductive behaviour towards adults
  • disclosure of sexual activity through words, play or drawings.

 

EMOTIONAL ABUSE

  • lack of praise and encouragement
  • lack of comfort and love
  • lack of attachment
  • lack of appropriate stimulation
  • lack of continuity of care
  • singling out a particular child for such treatment, e.g. scapegoating or carrying the burden of many tasks at home inappropriate to their age and status
  • over-protective and possessive behaviour of a parent so not allowing the child to have normal contact and activity with friends. 

 

NEGLECT
  • general neglected appearance and child being poorly clothed
  • general developmental delay
  • persistent failure to attend school with apparent collusion of parents/carers
  • attention disorder
  • lack of responsiveness.

 

WHAT TO DO IF ABUSE IS SUSPECTED

When a member of staff sees a sign which may be a cause for concern (s)he should seek any information from the pupil with tact and sympathy.

If a pupil makes an allegation of abuse to a member of staff, that member of staff should act in the following way:

  • not promise confidentiality; reassure the pupil that any information will be treated with the utmost sensitivity and that it will only be disclosed to those people who need to know about it
  • listen to the pupil
  • limit any questioning of the pupil to the minimum necessary to seek clarification only, strictly avoiding ‘leading’  the pupil by making suggestions or asking questions that suggest an answer. (Do not ask questions like ‘Did s/he do …… to you?, using instead a minimum number of questions of the ‘Tell me what happened’, type).
  • reassure the pupil
  • make a written record as soon as possible after the conversation, noting the time, date, place, people present, what was said and pass the record, which should be signed and dated, to the Designated Member of Staff or Headmaster as soon as possible
  • not inform the parent at this stage
  • not make any detailed physical examination nor initiate an examination by any other agency other than in an emergency.

Once the Designated Member of Staff has been informed, the Headmaster will be notified immediately and a decision made as to what, if any, further action should be taken with regard being given to Calderdale Child Protection Procedures. Any allegation or suspicion of abuse will be referred to Calderdale Social Services within 24 hours for initial discussion, and thereafter, for the services to be free to carry out, if deemed appropriate, a child protection investigation rather than an internal investigation by the School.

It should be remembered that an allegation of abuse might be made by one or more pupils against another pupil. The procedure, should such a situation arise, is identical to that set out above, save that immediate steps might be required to protect the pupil(s) making the allegation(s) from any risk of further harm. This should be checked with the Designated Member of Staff and/or the Headmaster.

Likewise any third party or anonymous allegation of abuse against any pupil should be reported to the Designated Member of Staff or the Headmaster immediately.

If a teacher or member of staff becomes concerned or learns of allegations of possible abuse against a colleague, s/he must report those concerns or allegations to the Headmaster immediately unless they are about the Headmaster, in which case they should be reported to the Deputy Headmaster who will contact the Chairman of the Governors.

In addition, any serious incidents relating to childcare will be reported by the Designated Member of Staff to the National Business Unit of Ofsted, initially by telephone (08456 40 40 40) and thereafter by completing and sending by post a notification form, a copy of which can be downloaded from the NBU website at Ofsted: www.ofsted.gov.uk. These additional steps take account of the guidance issued by Ofsted in its booklet ‘The regulation and inspection of children’s social care from 1 April 2007’ and are also available to parents and guardians.

Child protection records are kept centrally by the designated child protection member of staff. Child protection records must not be kept in the child’s tutor’s file.

 

I.S. Revised Michaelmas  2009
Next Review: Michaelmas 2010

 
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