Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

Rationale

Section 175 of the Education Act 2002, section 11 of the Children’s Act 2004 and section 55 of the Boarders’ Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009, require local education authorities and the governors of maintained schools and further education (FE) colleges to make arrangements to ensure that their functions are carried out with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

Section 157 of the same act and the Education (Independent Schools’ Standards Regulations 2003), requires proprietors of independent schools to have arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children who are students at the school.

This policy has, therefore, been written with regard to the DCSF guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ (March 2010) and also ‘Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education’ (January 2007). This policy has also been written with due regard to the Independent Schools’ Inspectorate Regulatory Requirements (regulations 59-63) and the National Minimum Standards for Boarding (standard 3).

Safeguarding and promoting welfare

The School recognises that every member of staff has a key role in prevention of harm, early identification, intervention, and support for students at risk of significant harm and will endeavour to provide an environment where children are valued and know that their concerns will be taken seriously, where young people are safe and feel safe.

Although incidents requiring the implementation of the Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy are rare at Ratcliffe, it is vital that all staff, both teaching and support staff, are fully aware of the School’s policy and of the action they should take if a child protection situation arises. The Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy, as part of the school’s pastoral care, assists in achieving the aims of the School’s Mission Statement.

The procedures contained in this policy apply to all staff and governors and are consistent with those of the local safeguarding children board (LSCB). The policy can be found on our School website at www.ratcliffe-college.co.uk/child-protection-policy

Aims

This policy applies to the whole school including the Senior School, Junior School, Nursery School and Boarding Community. Our core safeguarding principles are:

To create a happy, well-ordered and caring community where safer children make more successful learners;
To raise awareness among all staff, both teaching and support staff, about issues relating to safeguarding and child protection and that the School’s responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children is of paramount importance;
To inform staff about the actions they should take if a child protection situation arises and to ensure consistent, good practice;
Representatives of the whole-school community of students, staff and governors will be involved in policy development and review;
Policies will be reviewed annually, unless an incident or new legislation or guidance suggests the need for an interim review.

Responsibilities

The Headmaster, Mr G. Lloyd has overall responsibility for child protection and welfare within the School. He:

ensures that the child protection policy and procedures are implemented and followed by all staff
allocates sufficient time and resources to enable the Designated Senior Person (DSP) and deputy to carry out their roles effectively, including the assessment of students and attendance at strategy discussions and other necessary meetings
ensures that all staff feel able to raise concerns about poor or unsafe practice and that such concerns are handled sensitively and in accordance with the whistle blowing procedures
ensures that students’ safety and welfare is addressed through the curriculum.

The DSP is:

q The Second Deputy Head: Mr J. Reddin

is appropriately trained (level4) in inter-agency working
acts as a source of support and expertise to the school community
has an understanding of LSCB procedures
keeps written records of all concerns, ensuring that such records are stored securely in, but kept separate from, the student’s general file
refers cases of suspected abuse to children’s social care or police as appropriate
notifies children’s social care if a child with a child protection plan is absent for more than two days without explanation
ensures that when a student with a child protection plan leaves the school, their information is passed to their new school and the student’s social worker is informed
attends and/or contributes to child protection conferences
coordinates the School’s contribution to child protection plans
develops effective links with relevant statutory and voluntary agencies
ensures that the safeguarding and child protection policy is updated annually so that any deficiencies are remedied without delay
liaises with the nominated governor and Headmaster (where the role is not carried out by the Headmaster) as appropriate
keeps a record of staff attendance at child protection training
makes the child protection policy available to parents via the Parents’ Handbook and school website
The deputy designated person(s) is appropriately trained and, in the absence of the designated person, carries out those functions necessary to ensure the ongoing safety and protection of students. In the event of the long-term absence of the designated person, the deputy will assume all of the functions above.

The Senior Deputy Head: Mrs P.Clayfield

is the deputy designated senior person (DDSP) of staff with responsibility for child protection;
carries out the role of the designated senior member of staff in their absence.

Head of Junior School: Mrs C Rigby

is the designated person for the Junior School for Child Protection

is appropriately trained (level4) in inter-agency working.

Head of Nursery School: Mrs S Rankine

is the designated person for the Nursery School and EYFS for Child Protection
is appropriately trained.

Designated Governor: Mrs J M Smidowicz

The governing body ensures that the school has:

a DSP for child protection who is a member of the senior leadership team and who has undertaken appropriate training
a safeguarding and child protection policy and procedures that are consistent with LSCB requirements, that is reviewed annually and any deficiencies in the policy are remedied without delay
efficiently discharged its duties with regard to safeguarding and child protection, and that the policy is available to parents on the School website
procedures for dealing with allegations of abuse made against members of staff including allegations made against the Headmaster and volunteers
safer recruitment procedures that include the requirement for appropriate checks
a training strategy that ensures that all staff, including the Headmaster, receive safeguarding and child protection training, with refresher training at three-yearly intervals. The DSP should receive refresher training at two-yearly intervals
arrangements to ensure that all temporary staff and volunteers are made aware of the school’s arrangements for safeguarding and child protection.

Terminology

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children refers to the process of protecting children from abuse or neglect, preventing the impairment of health or development, ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care and undertaking that role so as to enable those children to have optimum life chances and to enter adulthood successfully.

Child protection refers to the processes undertaken to protect children who have been identified as suffering, or being at risk of suffering significant harm.

Staff refers to all those working for or on behalf of the school, full time or part-time, in either a paid or voluntary capacity.

Child refers to all young people who have not yet reached their 18th birthday.

Parent refers to birth parents and other adults who are in a parenting role, for example step-parents, foster carers and adoptive parents.

Training

“Staff across frontline services need appropriate support and training to ensure that as far as possible they put themselves in the place of the child or young person and consider first and foremost how that situation must have felt for them.” Lord Laming 2009

All staff will attend safeguarding training accredited by the local Safeguarding and Children’s board every 3 years. Voluntary and part-time staff who work with children are also requested to attend training and are made aware of the arrangements.

The DSP will update their training every 2 years and will attend additional multi-agency training in order to ensure that the School works well with other agencies where appropriate to safeguard children.

Following any such training any deficiencies or weaknesses in child protection arrangements are remedied without delay.

Implementation

“Every Child should be listened to, no matter how difficult they are to talk to” Laming Report 2009

The school acknowledges that empowering young people to talk to adults when they trust and ensuring that these individuals respond appropriately, is the most effective way of keeping children safe from abuse. This school has developed strategies to ensure that its students have a range of adults with whom to share their concerns e.g. Tutors, Head of Year, School Nurse, and School Counsellor.

Procedures

Any member of staff who has concerns about the welfare of a child must share this information, without delay with the Designated Senior Person
Staff must make a brief accurate record of these concerns using the School welfare concern form (Appendix 3). Any allegations of abuse made by a child should be recorded using the child’s own words. All staff must be aware that confidentiality cannot be promised to a student giving evidence or making a disclosure.
Access to child protection related records kept on individuals will generally be confined to the Headmaster and the Designated Senior Person for Child Protection. Other members of staff will have access to records on a “need to know” basis.
Transfer of any child protection-related records will be to the DSP for child protection at the receiving school. They will be marked “private and confidential”.
Copies of Child Protection records will be retained for 25 years after a child has left the school.
In all cases, accurate, contemporaneous records should be kept including details of all observations, actions taken, liaison and communications. They should be dated, timed, signed and kept in a secure place.

If a child chooses to confide in you then the following are helpful responses that you can make:

Take what the child says seriously;
Listen to the child carefully without interrupting;
Remain calm and do not rush into action that may be inappropriate;
Reassure the child that he/she is not to blame;
If you are in a group situation with a child, arrange to see him/her on his/her own at the earliest possible opportunity;
If the child is in immediate danger or in need of emergency medical care, make sure the relevant emergency service is contacted;
Let the child know what you are going to do to help;
Report what you have been told to the designated teacher as soon as possible (or to another senior member of staff in their absence). This must always be done on the same day;
Record what was said and who was present on the School welfare concern form (Appendix 4). Use the child’s exact words wherever possible. Concerns about abuse must always be recorded;
Keep the matter confidential to as few people who need to know.

On the other hand:

Do not allow shock or distaste to show;
Do not probe for more information than is offered and avoid leading questions;
Do not speculate or make assumptions;
Do not make negative comments about the alleged abuser;
Do not make promises that you cannot keep, for example promising that ‘everything will be all right’;
Do not promise confidentiality to a student giving evidence or making a disclosure;
Never delay emergency action to protect a child;
Never express disbelief in what the child is saying;
Do not try to investigate or question the child, except to clarify what you have heard. This is particularly important in cases of sexual abuse.

This approach might be summarised as ‘Observe, Record and Report’.

R Respond without showing signs of disquiet, anxiety or shock;

E Enquire casually about how an injury was sustained or why a child appears upset;

C Confidentiality should not be promised to children or to adults;

O Observe carefully the behaviour or demeanour of the child expressing concern;

R Record in detail what you have seen and heard on the School welfare concern form;

D Do not interrogate or enter into detailed investigations. Encourage the child to say what he or she wants until enough information is gained to decide whether or not a referral is appropriate.

Procedures for dealing with abuse by one or more students against another student

We recognise that abuse can take many forms including abuse by one or more students against another student. This may be an isolated incident or indeed a series of incidents over a period of time. Staff are requested to treat such incidents in the same way as any other safeguarding or bullying matter and follow the procedures set out in this policy and in the anti-bullying policy.

Referral

The Designated Senior Person should assess all information available to the school about a child and refer to the Child Protection Services if appropriate and confirm this referral in writing by completing a Safeguarding Children in Education Referral Form (within 24 hours in writing or written confirmation of a telephone referral). This form can be found on the Local Safeguarding Children Board website.

In accordance with National Minimal Standard 3.5, all boarding staff, at all levels, (including newly appointed and ancillary staff) are given briefing or training on responding to suspicions or allegations of abuse and know what action they should take in response to such suspicions or allegations.

Contact details for Local Social Services in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland

Leicester County Social Services, Children and Families Team Social Care Duty Worker – 0116 2787111

Leicestershire County Council Child Protection Services Unit - 0116 2323232

Loughborough Child Protection Services Unit office - 01509 266641

Emergency Team - out of hours (covers all of Leicestershire and Rutland) - 0116 2551606

Leicestershire Police – 0116 222 2222

Police Child Protection Abuse Unit – DS Chris Baker (1079)

Cases where there are suspicions about abuse but no clear evidence:

The presenting signs/symptoms must be carefully observed and a history taken in a non-judgmental way. A watching brief should be kept and the suspicions should be re-evaluated. The Local Safeguarding Children Board should be consulted if concern is not alleviated. If necessary, it is the responsibility of the DSP, working with the Headmaster, to pass these concerns on to the LSCB.

Cases where abuse may have been inflicted by parents or external agencies:

Suspicion or knowledge of abuse must be reported immediately to either the Headmaster or the DSP. If a child alleges deliberate harm by an adult, attempts to establish how the injury was sustained should be made, except where such enquiries present a risk to the child. The Child Protection Services should also be notified, as a matter of urgency. Any adult to whom abuse is reported by a student has a duty to listen to the student, to provide reassurance, and subsequently record the student’s statements. He/she must not press the student, ask probing questions or suggest answers. The situation will then be discussed with the Headmaster or the DSP.

The Leicestershire Local Safeguarding and Child Protection Procedures must be referred to at all stages. This can be found on the Leicestershire LSCB website www.lrlscb.org which is updated regularly.

Expert diagnosis may be required quickly. The Headmaster or DSP will arrange this. The parents’ co-operation should be obtained wherever possible. If a child makes an allegation about sexual abuse, Child Protection Services and/or Police must be informed immediately. PARENTS MUST NOT BE CONSULTED.

Cases where allegations of abuse by staff/volunteers/Headmaster have been made:

The following section has been written with regard to regulation 59 (c) of the Independent Schools Inspectorate Regulatory Requirements and the DCSF ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children, 2010’, paragraphs 6.32-6.42 and appendix 5 – Procedures for managing allegations against people who work with children and ‘Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education, 2007’ Chapter 5, Dealing with Allegations of Abuse Against Teachers and Other Staff. It should be used in conjunction with chapter 13 of the Leicestershire Local Safeguarding Children’s Board Procedures: Allegations against a person who works with, or is in contact with, children in a work or care setting, including volunteers.

If an allegation is made against a member of staff at the school, there is an obvious need to act immediately and with the utmost discretion. The informant should be told that the matter will be referred in confidence to the appropriate people. This must be done, and the written record passed on the same day. If the allegation is against the Headmaster or the Designated Senior Member of Staff for Child Protection, the Designated Governor for Child Protection would co-ordinate the investigation into allegations.

The circumstances should be kept strictly confidential until the Headmaster and DSP have been able to judge whether or not the allegation or concern indicates possible abuse. When deciding to make a referral, following an allegation or suspicion of abuse, the Headmaster and the Senior Member of Staff for Child Protection should not make their own decision over what appear to be borderline cases, but rather the doubts and concerns should be discussed with the local authority designated officer (LADO) as part of the Child Protection Services. The current contact at Child Protection Services is Matthew Cannon or Maria Hunt (Allegations Manager). This may be done tentatively and without giving names in the first instance. What appears trivial at first can later be revealed to be much more serious, and an allegation of child abuse or neglect may lead to a criminal investigation. Thus the School should not do anything that may jeopardise a police investigation, such as asking a child leading questions or attempting to investigate the allegations of abuse. If it is decided that an investigation is indicated it is the responsibility of the Leicestershire LSCB to arrange a meeting to discuss how the next steps are handled. This would normally involve the Police and preferably a member of the governing body of the School and the Headmaster.

Allegations against staff, volunteers or the DSP with responsibility for safeguarding should be reported to the Headmaster. It is also advised that the DSP should be contacted (unless he or she is the object of the allegation); since the DSP will have received higher level safeguarding training. If the Headmaster is absent, the person receiving the allegation should immediately inform the Chair of Governors without notifying the Headmaster first. In case of serious harm, the Police should be informed from the outset.

The member of staff would normally be suspended without prejudice in this case. The arrangements agreed upon will include informing the parents and seeking their consent for any immediate medical examination. As a boarding school in accordance to NMS 3, if the member of staff concerned is a resident member of the boarding staff or lives in School property, the member of staff is expected, with the support of the School, to make alternative arrangements for accommodation away from children whilst suspended pending an investigation.

The member of staff would normally be informed as soon as possible after the result of the initial investigation is known, or the decision is made to dispense with one, but not invited to make a response. There should be a warning that anything said will be recorded. If it is established that the allegation is not well founded, either on the basis of medical evidence or further statements, then the person against whom the complaint has been made would normally be informed that the matter is closed.

If the police decide to take the matter further and the allegation is against a member of staff, he or she should normally be suspended or, where the circumstances are considered to warrant it, dismissed. It is reasonable to ask the police to give some indication of the time scale.

Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA)

The School will report to the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA), within one month of leaving the School any person (whether employed, contracted, a volunteer or student) whose services are no longer used because he or she is considered unsuitable to work with children.

The address for referrals is

PO Box 181

Darlington DL1 9FA (Tel 0300123 111)

Further guidance regarding this matter can be found in the Independent Schools Inspectorate Handbook, pages 19 and 20, ‘Regulatory Requirements’, part 3, regulations 61, 62, 63 and 64 and also on the ISA website.

In the above context, ceasing to use a person’s services includes: dismissal; non-renewal of a fixed-term contract; no longer engaging/refusing to engage a supply teacher provided by an employment agency; terminating the placement of a student or other trainee; no longer using staff employed by contractors; no longer using volunteers; resignation, and voluntary withdrawal from supply teaching, contract working, a course of initial teacher training, or volunteering. It is important that reports include as much evidence about the circumstances of the cases possible. Failure to make a report constitutes an offence and the School may be removed from the DfE register of Independent Schools. The relevant legislation is contained in The Education (Provision of Information by Independent Schools) (England) Regulations 2003. Compromise agreements cannot apply in this connection.

Offences related to the ISA requirements

Since October 12^th 2009, it has been an offence under the VBS legislation –

Knowingly to employ (or take on as a volunteer) in an ISA regulated activity someone who is barred from such activity. N.B. it is in effect but not a new requirement: it broadly replaces an offence under protection of children legislation which had existed since 2000.
Not to refer to the ISA details of anyone who is removed from the regulated activity, or who leaves while under investigation for allegedly causing harm or posing a risk of harm.

Since the formation of the coalition government, ISA registration is under further consideration. ISI guidance and in due course the ISI Regulatory Requirements and this School policy will reflect the developments when they are known.

Whistle blowing

The whistle blowing procedures and this code may be used by anyone employed by the school in a paid or voluntary capacity who believes they have reason to suspect that the conduct of an employee towards a student is inappropriate.

Inappropriate conduct includes, but is not confined to:

bullying or humiliation
contravening health and safety guidelines
serious breaches of the school’s code of ethical practice
professional practice that falls short of normally accepted standards

compromising students’ welfare but in a way that does not meet the threshold for child protection intervention.

Reasons for blowing the whistle

Staff will naturally be reticent to report a concern about the conduct of a colleague. However, each individual must take responsibility for ensuring that students are fairly treated. If poor practice is allowed to continue unchecked, it could escalate with serious consequences.

Reporting procedure

It may help if you write down, for your own benefit, what you have observed or heard that is causing alarm. One useful way to decide whether your concern should be reported is to consider whether you would want the conduct of this member of staff to continue unchecked if your own child or another young family member was involved.
You may raise your concern verbally or in writing. You should report your concern directly to the Headmaster.
If the Headmaster is the subject of your concern, speak to the Chair of Governors.
A friend, colleague or union representative may accompany you to the meeting if you wish.
Ensure the Headmaster or Chair informs you of their proposed action and sets a date for a second meeting.
Timescales will depend on the complexity of the initial inquiry but the case should not be allowed to stall and you should receive initial feedback within 10 working days. The timescale for subsequent feedback should then be agreed.
Ask for clarification about confidentiality and ensure you have your wishes regarding the protection of your identity recorded.
The whistle blowing procedures also apply to all those staff working within the boarding community.

Process and outcome

The Headmaster or Chair will make enquiries to establish the facts of the matter and whether poor practice or inappropriate conduct has occurred.
Members of the school community, including governors, may be asked to provide information or advice.
External advice, for example, from legal or human resources or children’s services, may be sought.
A written record of the conduct, established facts and outcome of the inquiry will be kept.
The whistleblower will be kept informed of the progress of the inquiry

The outcome of the inquiry will be one of the following:

No poor practice or wrong-doing is established and the case is closed
The concern has some substance and the subject of the concern will receive advice and support from the Headmaster to improve practice
Poor practice or wrong-doing is established and disciplinary proceedings are initiated
The concern is more serious and an investigation is initiated. This investigation may involve the local authority’s legal team, children’s social care or the police.

If, at any stage in the process, there is reason to believe that a child is at risk of significant harm, children’s social care will be immediately involved.

E-Safety and Bullying

The School acknowledges that new technologies, while enhancing learning opportunities, can provide ways of exposing young people to potentially harmful experiences. All staff must take such abuse seriously. Procedures for E-Safety for staff are outlined below and those for students in the Mobile and Online Technology Safety Policy in the staff handbook, which has regard the DSCF ‘Safe to Learn: Embedding anti-bullying work in school’ and Leicestershire LSCB guidance chapter 12 ‘Emerging Digital and Mobile Technologies and Child Abuse.’

Electronic Communication

In accordance with regulation 60 of the ISI Regulatory Requirements, all staff as part of their safeguarding and child protection training and E-Safety INSET receive guidance to ensure that their behaviour and actions do not place students or themselves at risk of harm or of allegations of harm to a student, for example, in one-to-one tuition, sports coaching, conveying a student by car, engaging in inappropriate electronic communication with a student via mobile phone, e-mail, social networking sites such as Face book or Bebo or any other form of electronic communication.

Staff are advised that electronic communication with students must at all times be professional. This applies largely to e-mail communication via the school network, and to the exchange of mobile telephone numbers (for example, sporting fixtures and trips). Staff are strongly advised to refrain from e-mail communication with students via home computers, and are explicitly advised not to communicate with students via social networking sites such as Face book or Bebo.

Guidelines for staff regarding electronic communication

All staff are asked to periodically (once a year) familiarise themselves with the contents of the School’s Acceptable Use Policy for staff (AUP), which can be found on the staff shared area together with the Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy, Anti-Bullying Policy and Mobile and Online Technology Safety Policy;
Staff are MUST NOT to accept current students as friends or request current students as friends on social networking sites.
Should a member of staff wish to contact a past student who has recently left the school they are advised to do so via the Old Ratcliffian Association and exercise caution if using a social networking site.
Staff who use social networking sites must ensure that they protect themselves from potential harm by deploying the necessary level of security on their page. Colleagues are reminded of the potentially serious consequences for inappropriate use of mobile and online technologies and the ease with which inappropriate material can be passed on to a very wide audience of people including students and parents;
Staff should not share their personal mobile telephone number with students or parents except in an emergency. For trips and visits, sports fixtures and day events staff are asked under normal circumstances to use a School mobile phone for all communication with students and parents. These can be borrowed from Mr Robson, Director of Finance;
Members of the boarding staff may share the duty mobile telephone number with members of the boarding community including parents, under the strict understanding that it is used appropriately. For example, staff may request a student to confirm their arrival at a travel destination or in the event of an emergency. The duty mobile should not be used for general informal conversations or chat either verbal or by text. Where staff do need to text a student it is good practice to copy another member of staff into the text;
Staff may, if appropriate, contact students using the School e-mail system regarding academic or pastoral matters only. Colleagues are MUST NOT to contact students via their personal e-mail address. If a member of staff decides to e-mail a student using the School e-mail system, the following simple guidelines MUST be followed:

i) All correspondence must be written in a formal style beginning with ‘Dear’ and ending with ‘Yours sincerely’ or ‘Kind regards’. The e-mail must always be signed using Mr, Mrs or Miss. First names must not be used;

ii) Colleagues are asked to copy the e-mail to themselves and at least one other member of staff such as a departmental colleague or Head of Department so that the content of any e-mail is not perceived to be confidential;

iii) E-mails sent to students should under normal circumstances be sent during normal School hours (8.00am-6.30pm), and no later than 9.00pm;

iv) Colleagues MUST NOT refer to any other student or member of staff within the e-mail unless those individuals have given their permission and are copied into the e-mail;

Colleagues should only e-mail students about routine matters. E-mails to students MUST NOT display emotion such as displeasure or anger which could unnecessarily upset a student or indeed any level of affection that could be misunderstood or misinterpreted by a student.
Staff may contact parents using the School e-mail system but are STRONGLY ADVISED not to contact parents regarding School business from their personal e-mail account. If a member of staff decides to e-mail a parent they should follow the same guidelines as those set out above for e-mailing students, in addition to those set out below:

i) When making the initial contact about a potentially sensitive matter such as poor standard of work or misbehaviour, colleagues must always attempt to speak to a parent first by telephone. If the matter cannot be resolved by a telephone call seek a face-to-face meeting before resorting to e-mail, unless a parent or guardian has expressed a desire to use this form of communication or where other means of communication are not possible, such as overseas boarders. However, staff must exercise caution when communicating by e-mail and have the contents checked thoroughly by a colleague to ensure that the content and tone is appropriate. If you are unsure about an e-mail, DON’T press send until you have spoken to a member of SLT or the Head of Department!

ii) The content of any e-mail should not be anything that you would not be prepared to say to a parent face-to-face;

iii) If colleagues receive an e-mail from a parent which pertains to a routine matter or a simple question, colleagues should answer by e-mail promptly following the guidelines set out in this policy;

iv) NEVER respond to a parent in anger or frustration and especially not by e-mail. Discuss sensitive matters with your Head of Department and/or Head of Year or a member of SLT before making any level of response;

v) If having decided to e-mail a parent about a potentially sensitive subject, do so only to arrange a face-to-face meeting or telephone conversation and ensure that it is copied to another member of staff;

vi) If you are responding to a parent by e-mail, ensure that your response is a new e-mail and does not include previous e-mail traffic between other staff.

If you receive an unpleasant communication by text, e-mail or any other electronic means, report it immediately to a member of SLT. DO NOT RESPOND.

Safer Recruitment and Retention

This school operates vetting and safe recruitment practices. Personnel at the school are appointed on this basis and in light of the Safer Recruitment guidelines by the NCSL. (Guidance can be found in Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education January 2007). Section 157 of the Education Act, 2002 and the Education Act (Independent Schools Standard, 2003) require proprietors of Independent Schools to have arrangements to safeguard and promote welfare of children who are students at school.

The school will follow the new vetting and barring guidelines that are being introduced in by the Government in due course.
The Human Resources Manager, Mrs Jane Orton, is accredited in Safer Recruitment and at least one member of the recruitment panel will have passed the required assessment. All staff will be given safeguarding and code of conduct information as part of their induction.

Safeguarding procedures for students on trips and visits away from school

This school recognises the need to seek assurances where ever possible that appropriate child protection checks and procedures apply to any staff employed by another organisation and working with our students on another site. Further guidance can be found in the School Trips and Visits Policy.

Boarding

As a boarding school this document adheres to the requirements set out in the National Minimal Standards for boarding (standards 3.1-3.9).

This policy is equally applicable to boarding staff and any adults working in the school and older boarders with positions of responsibility. Although the boarding community does have Sixth Form boarding prefects who have their own individual job descriptions, they do not have responsibility for the supervision of younger boarders. However, they are expected to be role models to the boarding community.

All school prefects including boarding prefects attend prefect training. One aspect of prefect training is to brief senior students given positions of responsibility over other students, on appropriate action to take should they receive any allegations of abuse.

Should a boarding student go missing there is a policy, known to staff as the ‘Missing Persons Policy’ and used in practice, for searching for and, if necessary reporting, any boarder missing from School. A written record is made of any incident of a boarder missing from School, the action taken, and any reasons given by the student for being missing.

If any parent (current or prospective), any staff or volunteers, or any students have any concerns about any aspect of safeguarding and welfare within the boarding (and /or day) community of Ratcliffe College, they may contact either the Headmaster, the Second Deputy Head, the Head of Nursery (if age applicable), or the Chairman of Governors. They may, of course, wish to direct their concern to:

Office for Standards In Education

Children’s Services & Skills

Royal Exchange Buildings

St Ann’s Square

Manchester

M2 7LA Tel: 08456 404040 Email: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk

The following appendices are included in the Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy:

Appendix 1 – Guidance for Staff about the Signs, Symptoms and Effects of Child Abuse
Appendix 2 – Guidelines for Staff on Physical Contact with Children
Appendix 3 – The School Child Welfare Form

Monitoring

The Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy is monitored by the Second Deputy Head through liaison with the Head of Nursery School and the Head of Junior School, who evaluates the effectiveness of the policy in the Nursery School and the Junior School.

In the Senior School, the Second Deputy Head monitors the policy through discussions with key post holders, in addition to checking the records of incidents which are reported.

Links to Other Policies

Behaviour, Rewards and Sanctions Policy

Anti-Bullying Policy

Trips and Visits Policy

School Development Plan

Staff Development Plan

Further Information

The Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy is in the Staff Handbook. Parents are informed of the School’s policy in the respective Senior School, Junior School, Nursery School and Boarding Information Handbooks. The specific details of the policy are available to parents on the school website.

Review

The Child Protection Policy is reviewed annually by the Second Deputy Head, normally in the summer term. This policy was last reviewed in August 2011.

Appendix 1

Guidance for Staff about the Signs, Symptoms and Effects of Child Abuse

The term ‘child abuse’ is used to describe a range of ways in which people harm children. The harm can be in the form of physical injury, sexual or emotional abuse or neglect.

The following points are worth noting:

Children can suffer from one or a combination of these forms of abuse;
Abuse can take place in the home, at school or anywhere where children spend their time;
It can happen to babies, children and young people of any age, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation or disability, including those with special educational needs;
In most cases the abuser is someone known (and often trusted) by the child, for example a parent, other relative or family friend.

It is a teacher’s responsibility to recognise signs of abuse and to refer these concerns to the designated teacher for child protection so that the school can in turn refer these concerns to the relevant investigatory agency – usually a social services department.

All lists of ‘signs’ or ‘symptoms’ of child abuse should be treated with caution. At times there will be straightforward explanations for injuries or behaviour. What is essential is that teachers share their concerns with the designated teacher and that these are discussed in the light of what is known about the child and family and with those professionals with the responsibility for investigative abuse.

There is a growing recognition that children brought up in ‘high criticism, low warmth’ households are particularly vulnerable. Therefore, it is often the case that class and race are not the key issues in child abuse cases.

Some definitions of child abuse and the signs to look out for are as follows:

Physical Abuse

Actual or likely physical injury to a child where there is evidence or reason to suspect the injury or likely injury was deliberately inflicted or not prevented.
Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning (including inappropriate use of drugs or alcohol), biting, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. This includes the use of excessive force when carrying out tasks like feeding or nappy changing.
Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer feigns symptoms of, or deliberately causes, ill-health to a child (variously described as ‘fabricated or induced illness’ or ‘Munchausen’s syndrome by proxy’).

Possible signs of physical abuse:

Unexplained injuries and/or refusal to discuss them;
History of bruises/injuries with inconsistent explanations;
Cigarette burns;
Long bruises – possibly made by a belt or a stick;
Teeth marks;
Fingertip/slap marks or bruises;
Bilateral black eyes;
Self-destruction tendencies;
Aggression towards others;
Untreated injuries;
Fear of medical treatment;
Unexplained patterns of absence that could be in order to hide injuries.

Common sites of non-accidental injuries include: ears, cheeks, neck, chest, buttocks, stomach, palms, backs of hands, back of wrists, inner thighs, back of legs.

Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional ill treatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent effects on the child’s emotional development.

It may involve conveying to children that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. It may involve causing children to feel frightened or in danger or feature developmentally inappropriate expectations.
Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of ill treatment of children, though emotional abuse may occur alone.
Where this form of abuse is suspected, advice should be sought from those with expertise in child or adolescent mental health.

Possible signs of emotional abuse:

Excessive fear of parent/carer;
Developmentally delayed;
Inappropriate emotional responses;
Self-mutilation;
Extreme passivity or aggression;
Running away;
Drug/solvent abuse;
Excessive fear of situations or people;
Social isolation;
Depression.

Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse is defined as the sexual exploitation of children (under 18 years old) and involves forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities, whether or not he/she is aware of what is happening.

Activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative and non-penetrative acts.
Sexual abuse may take non-physical forms, e.g. involving a child looking at, or in production of, pornography, watching sexual activities or encouraging him/her to behave in sexually inappropriate ways.
For the purpose of criminal prosecution, sexual abuse will be related to the legal age of consent.

The key elements in any definition of child sexual abuse are:

Betrayal of trust and responsibility;
Abuse of power for the sexual gratification of the abuser;
Inability of children to consent.

Possible signs of sexual abuse:

Depression, suicidal, self-harming;
Anorexic/bulimic;
Acting in a sexually inappropriate way towards adults/peers;
Unexplained pregnancies;
Running away;
Telling of a ‘friend with a problem of abuse’;
Sexually abusing a younger child;
Sudden changes in school or work habits;
Afraid of certain people;
‘Chronic’ medical problems (stomach pains/headaches);
Withdrawn, isolated, excessively isolated.

Neglect

Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of his/her health and development, including non-organic failure to thrive.

Neglect may involve parental failure to provide adequate food, shelter or clothing, protection from physical harm or danger or ensure access to appropriate medical care/treatment. This may also include neglect of a child’s basic emotional needs, such as the refusal or failure to give adequate love and affection.
Evidence of neglect is built up over time and can cover a range of parenting tasks. Typical features include:

Failure by parents or carers to meet the basic essential needs, e.g. adequate food, clothes, warmth, hygiene and medical care;
A child seen to be listless, apathetic and unresponsive with no apparent medical cause;
Failure of a child to grow within normal expected pattern, with accompanying pallor and weight loss;
Observed thriving of child away from the home environment;
Voracious appetite.

There is often little professional consensus about what constitutes neglect. The following indicators have been highlighted by a recent research study as gaining considerable professional consensus as indicators of probable or definite neglect:

Non-compliance with specific medical care;
Inadequate or dirty clothing;
Child wandering or unsupervised;
Child dirty or smelly;
Poor child health surveillance and immunisation uptake;
Domestic violence;
Severe dental decay;
Not registered with GP or dentist;
Frequent accidents or injuries to child;
Poor feeding or sleeping patterns;
Refusal to accept social services input.

The Effects of Child Abuse

Children are confused and frightened by abuse. They do not know where to turn for help or who they can trust. The effects of abuse are wide ranging and often profound. They vary according to the individual child, the context of the abuse and how long it has gone on, but can include:

Behavioural problems, for example being either aggressive or withdrawn in school;
Educational problems, for example difficulty in concentrating and/or under-achieving;
Mental health problems such as depression;
Relationship difficulties;
Being smelly, unkempt or emaciated as a result of neglect;
Drug and/or alcohol problems;
Suicide or other self-harm;
In extreme cases, death following abuse.

Many survivors comment that the emotional consequences are far more severe than the physical effects of abuse. One survivor described the consequences of the abuse: ‘Today I live with rage and sadness that rule my life. I feel I shall never be a whole human being’.

Many abused children become withdrawn, introverted and depressed, making it harder for outsiders to help. Children who have been abused often suffer from low self-esteem. When adults or other children treat them as though they are worthless, they begin to believe they are worthless. Believing that they cannot be helped, they withdraw into their own isolated world. The effects of abuse are long lasting and, sadly, many victims of abuse also endure a sense of guilt, believing that they themselves caused the abuse to take place.

Fortunately, children who are abused can be helped. What is vital is that everyone who works with children is equipped to recognize signs of child abuse at the earliest opportunity so that harm can be stopped and the damage can start to be repaired.

Appendix 3

Guidelines for Staff on Physical Contact with Children

Introduction

The current climate of suspicion with regard to child abuse poses a genuine dilemma for caring adults. This is true in all schools, but especially so in schools like ours where we have children from 3-18 and children who live at the school as boarders. In order to protect children from abuse, and staff from suspicions of abuse, the natural inclination to comfort and reassure children through physical contact has to be restrained by a considered assessment of the situation.

This does not mean that physical contact is never permissible. However, it does mean that adults touching children must operate within understood limits, and that contact beyond those limits must be a considered response which can be justified if necessary.

Where those limits lie will vary according to the age of the child and the role of the member of staff. For example, a young child may well require being comforted and reassured. Prohibition of any physical contact would clearly not be to the benefit of the child, but staff must use their professional judgement when they feel a child needs this kind of support. It is expected that the need and desirability of such contact with older students is considerably less, though even in these circumstances situations could arise in which it would be a natural and human occurrence.

Appropriate Physical Contact

There are occasions when physical contact with a child may be proper or necessary, for example to demonstrate exercises or techniques during P.E. lessons or if a member of staff has to give first aid. Young children and children with special educational needs may need staff to provide physical prompts or help. However, staff should always be able to justify resort to physical contact in any situation and the nature of the contact should be limited to what is appropriate.

Physical contact may be misconstrued by a child, parent or observer. Touching children, including well intentioned gestures such as putting a hand on a shoulder, can, if repeated regularly, lead to serious questions being raised. As a general principle staff must not make gratuitous physical contact with children. It is particularly unwise to attribute touching to a teaching style or as a way of relating to children.

Informed Common Sense

It would be impossible to lay down rigid rules about what is and is not permissible. Common sense is a good guide, but it must be informed common sense. Child abusers often seek to gain the trust and confidence of children by seeming to care and then by exploiting that trust. It is important for caring adults to understand that too generous limits which can be operated by some can be exploited by others with less worthy motives.

Corporal punishment

Any form of physical punishment of children in school is unlawful, as is any form of physical response to misbehaviour unless it is by way of restraint. It is particularly important that staff understand this, both to protect their own position and the overall reputation of the school.

Restraint

In an emergency, staff very rarely may find it necessary to use physical restraint as a last resort. Schools have powers that enable them to use reasonable force to manage situations where pupils are behaving dangerously or challenging the authority of staff (Use of Force to Control or Restrain Pupils, DCSF 2007).

Use of Force to Control or Restrain Pupils explains that schools are allowed to use reasonable force to prevent a pupil from doing, or continuing to do any of the following:

• Committing any offence (or, for a pupil under the age of criminal responsibility, what would be an offence for an older pupil)

• Causing personal injury to, or damage to the property of, any person (including the person causing the incident)

• Prejudicing the maintenance of good order and discipline at the school or among any pupils receiving education at the school, whether during a teaching session or otherwise.

This authority is given to schools under Section 93 of the Education Act 2006.

The force must:

• be reasonable and proportionate to the circumstances

• be undertaken only by teachers and other staff given the authority by the headteacher

• take account of a pupil’s disability or SEN

• never be used as a punishment.

Section 45 of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 also allows the headteacher or staff authorised by the headteacher to search pupils without consent for weapons.

Restraint should only be used as a short term measure and should involve the minimum force necessary, and for the minimum duration, to protect children at imminent risk of harming themselves and others, or inflicting damage to property, and only if there is no viable alternative to physical intervention. Any physical restraint used must be commensurate with the actual risk to the child and should involve the use of ‘reasonable force’ (see below). Colleagues should, where possible, be summoned to witness and assist if necessary.

Before intervening physically a member of staff should, wherever practicable, do the following:

tell the child who is misbehaving to stop, and what will happen if he or she does not
continue attempting to communicate with the child throughout the incident
make it clear that physical contact or restraint will stop as soon as it ceases to be necessary.

A calm and measured approach to a situation is needed and teachers should never give the impression that they have lost their temper, or are acting out of anger or frustration, or to punish the child.

Any use of restraint must be reported to the Second Deputy Head. The report must be in writing and give details of why the restraint was needed, the duration of the restraint, the names of any witnesses present and the signatures of all staff present.

Reasonable Force

There is no legal definition of ‘reasonable force’, so it is not possible to set out comprehensively when it is reasonable to use force, or the degree of force that may reasonably be used. It will always depend on all the circumstances of the case.

Opportunity

Staff must try, as far as possible, to avoid being alone with a child or young person. This may, of course, prove difficult in a number of situations. Staff should be sensible and try to arrange, where possible, that others are within earshot or vision. Staff holding individual meetings with students in classrooms or boarding houses should, for example, leave the door open.

Attachments

Staff are advised to share their concerns with a senior colleague if they suspect that a child or young person is becoming inappropriately attached to them or to another member of staff, or if their feelings towards a child or young person are placing them at risk of unprofessional behaviour.

There may be occasions where a distressed child needs comfort and reassurance, which may include physical comforting such as a caring parent would give. Staff must use their discretion in such cases to ensure that what is normal and natural does not become unnecessary and unjustified contact, particularly with the same child over a period of time.

Advice to Staff

The key message for all staff is to share any concerns they may have about physical contact with children with the Second Deputy Head, who is also the child protection officer, or with any other member of the senior management team.

Appendix 3

Ratcliffe College - School Welfare Concern Form

Use this form to record any concern about a student’s welfare and give it to the designated senior person for child protection: Mr Jon Reddin (Second Deputy Head)

If you suspect the student may be suffering abuse or neglect, or you have received a disclosure of abuse from a student, or you have heard about an allegation of abuse, you must complete the child protection record of concern form instead, and hand it to the designated person today.

Student’s full name

Class teacher/form tutor

Date of this record

Your name and designation

Why are you concerned about this student?

Signature _____________________________

What have you observed and when?

Have you spoken to the student?

□ Yes □ No

What have you heard and when?

What did they say? Use the student’s own words

What have you been told and when?

Date and time you handed this form to the designated person

Have you spoken to anyone else about your concern? □ Yes □ No

Are the parents/carers aware of your concern? □ Yes □ No

Who?

Is this the first time you have been concerned about this student?

□ Yes □ No

Further details

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