At St. Andrew’s School, we are committed to promoting the welfare, health, safety and guidance of every child, by providing a caring environment in which we listen to each other.

Aims of the Policy

We will create a supportive environment in which:

• Children feel safe and secure
• Staff are perceptive and feel able to instigate appropriate action in any situation they encounter
• Staff have an understanding of the possible signs and symptoms of child abuse
• The procedure for raising concerns internally or externally is fully understood.

The following Whole School approach will be encouraged:

• We will promote an ethos in which children feel secure, their viewpoints valued, where they are encouraged to talk and they are listened to, and where their self-esteem is built.
• We will provide suitable support and guidance so that children have appropriate adults whom they feel confident to approach if they are in difficulties.
• We will work with parents to build an understanding of the School's responsibility to ensure the welfare of all children.
• Staff will undergo induction and subsequent, regular training in Safeguarding Children matters.
• Staff's attention will be drawn to:
  • "The Safeguarding Children Manual of Procedures" - available in the main school office.
  • "What to do if you're worried a child is being abused" (DfES 2003) - available in staff rooms in each part of the School.

The designated person for Safeguarding Children is the Headmaster.

There is a designated governor for Safeguarding Children

Implementation of the Policy

All staff should be vigilant in being aware of anything that may constitute grounds for concern about abuse of a child. All concerns should be passed on to the designated person without delay.

Abuse may be one or a combination of:

• Physical abuse
• Emotional abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Neglect
• Witnessing domestic violence

Concerns may arise from:

• Statements made by the child, stories, ‘news’, drawings, etc
• Information from others
• Marks on a child’s body
• Unusual/different behaviour
• Mood changes
• Change in pattern of attendance

If a member of staff has concerns that a child may be being abused, those concerns should be passed, without delay, to the designated person. The member of staff should not question the child or discuss their concerns with other staff or with the child's parents/carers.

If a child discloses abuse to a member of staff, the child should be allowed to say what they want to say but should not be asked for further information. This should be written up without delay and brought to the attention of the designated person, again without discussing it with anyone else. The information should be recorded in factual, non-emotive, non-judgemental terms, with notes of the time, date and context of the events disclosed. Before making a disclosure, the child may ask for an assurance of confidentiality. Staff should be aware of and ready to respond in line with the following general principles.

1. If a child makes a disclosure, the child should be kept informed of who knows and why. Children will often seek a promise that a disclosure is made in confidence. Such a promise cannot be given. There is an overriding duty to protect a child from abuse, and all abuse must be reported.
2. Teachers should not, in any circumstances, remove a child's clothing. They should only note those marks, which they have noticed, or which have been brought to their attention by the child. No further examination should be carried out.
3. All staff should be aware that personal information about a child and his/her family is confidential and should only be given to an appropriate person.
4. The School accepts that other staff need know only enough to prepare them to act with sensitivity to a distressed child.
5. If there is a threat to a child's safety and welfare, all staff may have to be alerted to watch for signs of abuse.
6. If staff hear worrying information about children from other parents, neighbours or even other children, this should be passed on to the designated person.

Recording of Concerns

The designated person will maintain cumulative summary sheets (Chronology Sheets) for children over whom concerns are raised. Notes of all concerns will be kept with the Chronology Sheet. These records will be kept in a locked file in the Headmaster's office. Concerns about issues to do with Safeguarding Children must NOT be kept in the child's file in the office or in the teacher's own files.

If concerns continue and are such that the child is considered to be "in need" the designated person will make a referral to the appropriate outside agency, where possible with the knowledge and consent of the parent/carer, and where this will not place the child at increased risk.

If the concerns are serious, such that the child is "at risk" the designated person will make an immediate referral to the appropriate outside agencies, without the knowledge of the parent/carer.

Safeguarding Children Training for Staff

• The designated person will ensure that they keep up to date with changes in Safeguarding Children procedures.
• New staff (including temporary staff) will have their attention drawn to the School’s Safeguarding Children policy by the Head or Deputy Head, as appropriate.
• Individual staff will be encouraged to attend INSET on Safeguarding Children.
• All staff will receive Safeguarding Children training at least every three years.

Appointment of Staff/Helpers

Staff appointments are subject to clearance under the enhanced CRB checks and the satisfactory completion of a medical questionnaire indicating their fitness to teach, with the provision for 'reasonable adjustments' to be made in the case of a disabled person's being appointed.

From April 2006, all interview panels will have to include at least one interviewer who has undergone training in interviewing with a view to Safeguarding Children matters.

Volunteers/helpers will be checked against the 'List 99' e-mail facility offered by CRB and by enhanced CRB checks where appropriate.

Allegations of Abuse made against staff

If an allegation of abuse is made by a child/parent against a member of staff, the adult hearing the allegation should listen, without asking for further information and without promising confidentiality. A written, dated record of the allegation should be made as soon as possible and certainly within 24 hours. If the member of staff hearing the allegation is not the Head, the matter must be reported to the Head without delay. If the allegation is made against the Head, the member of staff hearing it should report to the Chair of Governors.

On receiving the allegation, the Head (or Chair of Governors) will contact the School's legal advisers and the Safeguarding Children agencies and follow their direction as to whether it is appropriate to suspend the member of staff against whom the allegation has been made and what other actions should be taken.

Unless directed otherwise by the Safeguarding Children agencies, the Head will:

• Inform the child/parent making the allegation of the likely course of action.
• Inform the teacher against whom the allegation is made and explain the likely course of action.
• Inform the Chair of Governors.

It is possible that an investigation would be undertaken by the police, social services or NSPCC, under local Safeguarding Children procedures. Any such investigation would take precedence over an internal investigation under the School's disciplinary procedures.

If the teacher against whom the allegation is made is suspended, the teacher should be encouraged to seek legal help/support from their Teachers' Association or a solicitor and arrangements should be made for the teacher to be contacted with information by the School.

Support will be made available to the child/parent making the allegation and to other staff and pupils as appropriate.

In all of this, confidentiality for all parties involved will be maintained as far as possible. Any requests for comment from the media will be dealt with by the Chair of Governors.

Advice to Staff

Staff always be aware of their surroundings and their actions. They should not place themselves in situations where allegations of abuse could be easily made, e.g.

1. being alone in a classroom with a child when the door is closed, especially if door has no window.
2. Accompanying a child to the toilet and standing in a closed cubicle with them, even if they are feeling sick or ill.
3. Being in the area of the School alone with a child.
4. Giving pupils their personal landline, mobile telephone numbers or e-mail addresses.
5. Giving pupils gifts.
6. Socialising with pupils.
7. Touching/ patting/hugging.

Staff should think carefully about the types of conversations, or written exchanges they have with pupils to prevent words or actions being misconstrued by either pupils or their parents. Teachers who work with children on a 1:1 basis should be extra vigilant. If it is necessary to touch pupils for purpose of teaching e.g. positioning hands on a keyboard, the member of staff is advised to tell the pupil just before doing so, so that the pupil has a chance to refuse the action.

If staff find that a pupil is making what could be considered inappropriate contact with them by phone or e-mail they should discourage it immediately and report it to the Headmaster as soon as possible for their own protection.

Power to Restrain Pupils

Although teachers may not use corporal punishment as a disciplinary sanction, they may use such force as is reasonable to prevent a pupil from:

• Committing a criminal offence
• Injuring themselves or others
• Damaging property, including their own
• Behaving in a way, which is prejudicial to the good discipline and order of the School whether in the classroom or elsewhere where the teacher has lawful control of a pupil.

Reasonable Force

There is no legal definition of what constitutes "reasonable force". It is the circumstances of a particular incident which warrant the use of force and to use physical force to prevent a trivial misdemeanour or when other means would be appropriate could not be justified. Moreover, the degree of force must be in proportion to the incident and the minimum to achieve the desired result. Examples of situations which fall into the categories above when the use of "reasonable force" might be justified include:

• Violent behaviour by a pupil such as fighting or attacking a member of staff or another pupil
• Acts of vandalism
• Behaviour by a pupil, such as rough play, the misuse of objects or running in the corridors, which is likely to cause personal injury or damage to property
• Refusal by a disruptive pupil to leave a classroom.

Teachers are urged to exercise great caution in the use of force and always try to use other means to resolve a situation. This is particularly important where the enforcement of good order is the motive and there is no risk to person or property. The view is expressed that to use force to achieve compliance with instructions given by a member of staff becomes increasingly inappropriate, as the pupils get older. Staff should not act in a way which might cause pain or injury, eg by striking, holding a pupil around the neck, pulling hair or ears or holding a child by the arms so tightly that it leaves marks or bruises in any way which might be considered indecent.

If it is necessary for physical restraint to be used, the member of staff should make a written record of the incident as soon as possible afterwards (within 24 hours) and bring it to the attention of the Head.

Pupils undertaking Work Experience Placements

The checking procedure for Year 10 Work Experience is as follows:

Application

Pupils arrange their own Work Experience. A slip is returned to School, indicating that parents are aware of the application the pupil has made and have given permission for their child to do Work Experience.

The School contacts the Work Experience placement

The next stage of the process is that the School contacts each of the Work Experience placements and ask for details of insurance and health and safety policies.

Validating Authority

The School then passes the insurance and health and safety details to an external authority - the Bedfordshire Education Business Partnership. This organisation validates each of the Work Experience placements.

School Visit

When Work Experience begins, teachers from St. Andrew's, where possible, will visit the pupils at their various Work Experience placements.

Other policies held by the School that relate to Safeguarding Children:

• Bullying
• Health and Safety
• Sex and Relationships Education