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Child Protection Policy

HOW TO REPORT A CHILD PROTECTION CONCERN

ATTENDANCES AT CHILD PROTECTION CONFERENCES

The aim of this policy is to safeguard and promote our pupil?s welfare, safety, health and guidance by fostering an honest, open, caring and supportive climate. The pupil?s welfare is of paramount importance.

Manor Lodge Community Primary School fully recognises the contribution it must make to protect children and support pupils in school.

There are three main elements to our Child Protection policy:

a) Prevention:
(e.g., positive school atmosphere, teaching and pastoral, support to pupils)

b) Protection:
(By following agreed procedures, ensuring staff are trained and supported to respond appropriately and sensitively to Child Protection concerns)

c) Support:
(To pupils and school staff and to children who may have been abused).

This policy applies to all staff, whether teaching or non-teaching, full or part time, volunteer helpers and students on placement. Back to top

SCHOOL COMMITMENT

We recognise that for children, high self-esteem, confidence, supportive friends and clear lines of communication with a trusted adult helps prevention.

Our school will therefore:

a) Establish and maintain an ethos where children feel secure and are encouraged to talk, and are listened to.

b) Ensure that children know that there are adults in the school who they can approach if they are worried or are in difficulty.

c) Include in the curriculum, activities and opportunities for PHSE, which help equip children with the skills they need to stay safe from abuse.

d) Include in the curriculum, material, which will help children develop realistic attitudes to the responsibilities of adult life, particularly with regard to childcare and parenting skills.

e) Ensure that wherever possible every effort will be made to establish effective working relationships with parents and colleagues from other agencies. Back to top

FRAMEWORK

Schools do not operate in isolation. Child protection is the responsibility of all adults and especially those working with children. The development of appropriate procedures and the monitoring of good practice are the responsibilities of Sheffield Safeguarding Children Board (SSCB). Christine Gould and Flora Bandele head the Sheffield Child Protection Team. The blue folder containing the new framework will be followed in all cases. Back to top

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

All adults working with or on behalf of children have a responsibility to protect children. There are however, key people within schools and the CYPS who have specific responsibilities under Child Protection procedures. The names of those carrying these responsibilities for the current year are:

CPLT: Headteacher (Cath Whittingham)
Deputy CPLT: Deputy Headteacher (Bernie Watters)

The Head teacher is the designated teacher whose role includes the following responsibilities:

Attending Child Protection conferences
Dealing with referrals
Liaising with other institutions
Giving advice to colleagues
Organising/conducting In service training

There is a nominated governor who monitors and oversees this area of school life. Confidentiality is always maintained.
Nominated CP Governor: Rev Dr Joanne Grenfell

The LEA Child Protection Co-ordinator is available to give advice and run INSET for staff or individuals. Back to top

PROCEDURES

- We will follow the procedure set out in the procedure manual produced by Sheffield Area Child Protection Committee.
- One staff meeting every two years will be dedicated to Child Protection and the appropriate procedures to follow.
- The school?s prospectus will inform parent/carers of school?s duties and responsibilities in this area.
- Governors will be kept informed by an anonymous report annually. Back to top

HOW TO REPORT A CHILD PROTECTION CONCERN

- Contact the CPLT as soon as possible. A delay can significantly hinder the response of other agencies. If the CPLT is not available, contact the Deputy CPLT who will then follow procedures.
- Do not interrogate or ask the child leading questions but do make simple inquiries and record in detail. Include the circumstances, date and time when the information was received.
- Do not contact the parent/carers.
- Report all allegations no matter how insignificant they may appear. The CPLT will add the documented information to any previous records. The child involved may be on the ?At Risk register and may have a Key Worker who will be contacted.
- If a pupil demonstrates that they will only confide in their class teacher then immediate help should be sought in order to supervise their class.
- If an allegation is made about the Headteacher, the matter should be reported to the Nominated CP Governor (Rev Dr Joanne Grenfell) who will assume the CPLT role. Back to top

TRAINING AND SUPPORT

Our school will ensure that the Head teacher/Deputy CPLT and the nominated governor for Child Protection attend training relevant to their role. Staff will be trained in staff meetings and any issues which arise will be prioritised. Back to top

PROFESSIONAL CONFIDENTIALITY

- Confidentiality is an issue, which needs to be discussed and fully understood by all those working with children, particularly in the context of child protection. The only purpose of confidentiality in this respect is to benefit the child.
- Staff will be aware that they can never guarantee confidentiality to a child and that the member of staff must convey to the child that they have to inform the Child Protection Teacher who may then need to contact other people about the issue.
- The class teacher will be informed that there are concerns about a child in their class but confidentiality will be maintained. Back to top

RECORDS AND MONITORING

- Well-kept records are essential to good child protection practice. Our school is clear about the need to record any concerns held about a child or children within our school, the status of such records and when these records should be passed over to other agencies.
- Factual observations only will be recorded without embellishment.
- When an issue is raised the Child Protection Teacher records the information and files it in the locked cabinet in the Headteacher?s office.
- Children who have been identified as ?At Risk?, will be monitored in terms of their progress and clear records will be maintained.
- These records will be passed to the LEA child protection co-ordinator if requested or Social Services if a referral is made. Back to top

ATTENDANCES AT CHILD PROTECTION CONFERENCES

Where necessary, the CPLT or class teacher, if appropriate, will attend a Child Protection Conference. When whole staff training takes place, staff will be briefed as to the purpose and procedure of these conferences. They will also receive advice on how to produce relevant, concise and professional reports. If school has made a referral, the CPLT will support staff to maintain a working relationship with parent/carers throughout the process. Back to top