Safeguarding Children

1. Safeguarding Children A basic outline of what you need to know as a school governor in respect of safeguarding children Our Vision To improve the outcomes for all children and young people by working in partnership with others.

2. Aims By the end of the session you will be able to: • Understand the concept of safeguarding scrutiny and how to promote the welfare of children in your establishment • Understand the respective roles and responsibilities of the Headteacher, Designated Safeguarding Lead, Governing body and Local Authority • Fully understand and be proactive in fulfilling your duties as Governors (especially as the nominated Safeguarding Governor) and the importance of underpinning evidence • Be aware of some essential points to consider when recruiting staff and promoting a culture of vigilance

3. Keeping Children Safe in Education: information for all school and college staff April 2014, updated 15 October 2014, updated March 2015, updated July 2015 • Summary – 15 pages Handout 1https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/447596/KCSIE_Part_1_July_2015.pdf • Full document – 61 pages (for Safeguarding Governor) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2 Working together to safeguard children (March 2015) https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/419595/Working_Together_to_Safeguard_Children.pdf

4. What is Safeguarding? There are two aspects – it is everything that we can do to prevent harm but also to protect children. In the school setting this would include policies relating to: • Child protection • Pupil health & safety • Behaviour policies and anti-bullying strategies • Emotional literacy • Physical intervention • Medical needs and first aid • School security • Safer staff recruitment • Internet safety • Extremism and radicalisation (Prevent) H1 - Keeping children safe in education Summary p9

5. Abuse and the Technological Age • Has your school agreed an acceptable use of mobile phones procedures and is everyone aware of them? • Is the school community aware of guidelines around data storage in terms of how to store, how to transfer and the removal of data from the school site? • Do staff know what to do with inappropriate data they find that pupils are in possession of? • Would the school community, including the pupils know how to deal with suspected cyber bullying? • Resources for schools through Somerset eLIM: • www.360safe.org.uk • Somerset Byte awards (for curriculum support)

6. Discuss the following questions Discuss the following questions: • What would you consider to answer the following questions? • More importantly, are you confident the staff in your school would have similar discussions?

7. Are these safeguarding issues? • A child with a profound hearing loss who often comes to school without their hearing aids • A music tutor who takes children into a room on their own for the teaching session • A 12 year old who asks a school nurse for contraceptive advice • A teacher who gives their personal e-mail address to students • A PE teacher who ‘in a hurry’ changes into their PE kit in the classroom

8. Why are we here? Because in the past we have had concerns about the welfare of children but we didn’t do enough. Children die – including in Somerset The difference between child abuse or child protection could be you

9. . These three tragic cases led to three significant new laws: The Education Act 2002 The Children Act 2004 Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 / Protection of Freedoms Act 2012

10. The Education Act 2002 • Section 175 (157) of the Education Act became law on 1st June 2004. • It placed a statutory duty on all schools, including independent, academy and free schools, to safeguard and promote the welfare of children by ensuring robust policies and procedures are in place and are adhered to. • Safeguarding runs as a thread throughout the whole of an Ofsted Inspection.

11. The Education Act 2011 Covers a wide range of safeguarding issues • power of staff to search pupils • process for reviews of permanent exclusions • prohibition from teaching by Secretary of State as a consequence of unacceptable professional behaviour • restricts the public reporting of allegations made against teachers to protect them from false accusations • allows schools to decide for themselves how to improve pupil well being

12. More recently Peter Connelly ( Baby P) L Little Teds Nursery, Plymouth Sexual exploitation, Derby, Rochdale and Torbay Nigel Leat, North Somerset

13. What helps keep children safe? • Annual review of your safeguarding policy – this is a legal requirement • All staff regularly trained, adhere to the school’s Code of Conduct and aware of safeguarding issues and responsibilities – this is a legal requirement • All members of the school community know about child protection procedures, who and how to contact the current designated/deputy safeguarding lead officers’ and child protection governor together with the process for reporting concerns about the behaviour of a staff member. • Follow safer recruitment practice and embed a culture of vigilance in the organisation • Governors having confidence to challenge safeguarding practice in the school • Use PSHE opportunities for learning about keeping safe and who to ask for help

14. Ofsted Inspections Inspectors will want to see evidence of good practice and may: • Read relevant documentation • Talk to the Headteacher/Designated Safeguarding Lead, Chair of Governors and/or relevant governor(s) • Talk to children • Check parents’ questionnaires • Talk with the LSCB and or Designated Officer

15. Ofsted Inspections ‘Inspecting safeguarding in early years, educations and skills settings from September 2015’ https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inspecting-safeguarding-in-early-years-education-and-skills-from-september-2015 The new framework for safeguarding as part of the Common Inspection Framework. Handout 3 – Ofsted Annex 1

16. What are abuse and neglect? • Abuse and neglect are forms of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm • Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting, by those known to them or more rarely, by a stranger • They may be abused by an adult or adults, or another child or children. • Bullying is a form of abuse – includes cyberbullying Keeping children safe in education Summary p8

17. How might abuse or neglect be identified Changes in child’s mood or behaviour Parent says that they have hurt child Child tells someone Attitude of parents Behaviour of adult towards child Signs/indicators seen A parent or carer tells someone that they are having problems in meeting their child’s needs Someone else talks about their concerns

18. Seriously abusive environment Child with additional needs Child in need of protection Child in need Healthy, safe, supportive environment Child Protection Assessment Framework Common Assessment Framework Safeguarding Safeguarding applies to all children

19. What happens … Designated Safeguarding Lead informed Concern identified Action in school Provide support Start CAF process Observe, Monitor. Review Consult (in principle) with Somerset Direct including for a LADO referral if its an allegation Refer to Somerset Direct (0845 3459122) including referrals to LADO. Confirm in writing If threshold reached (eligibility criteria) passed to Children’s Social Care Area Team for assessment Initial assessment – information from other agencies and family members, consideration of concern alongside family strengths/extended family support etc. Child Protection Multiagency assessment, CP conference Child in need Family support No CSC involvement

20. Who abuses? • The majority of child abuse occurs within the family and there are clear multi- agency procedures to follow; your Designated Safeguarding Leads should be familiar with them – how can you be sure they are? • However, children can also be abused by people in positions of trust with whom they come into contact. • They can be sexually ‘groomed’ for abuse, physically abused, emotionally abused or neglected

21. Allegations of abuse made against a person who works with children • Remember children can be subjected to abuse by those who work with them in any and every setting • DfE Statutory Guidance “Dealing with allegations of abuse against teachers and other staff” (October 2012) provides detail of required processes https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/289327/Dealing_with_allegations_of_abuse_against_teachers_and_other_staff.pdf • DfE Governors’ Handbook

22. Allegations of abuse made against school staff • These are usually dealt with by the Headteacher (with Chair) and not the Designated Safeguarding Lead. • If the allegation is against the Head, the Chair of Governors has responsibility • All allegations or concerns must be treated seriously and in accordance with the specified procedures (check you know what they are!) • Advice from the Designated Officer (DO) must be sought within 24 hours of the allegation and before an internal investigation is held. • Somerset’s DO can be accessed through Somerset Direct

23. Has everything been done to try to ensure that potential abusers don’t work in your school? • Sexual abuse is premeditated: • victims and colleagues are groomed • the behaviour is planned and deliberate • some abusers enter the profession with motivation to abuse; others develop this propensity during employment. • But remember in schools the most common allegations against adults relate to physical abuse • Ensure all staff follow the “Code of Conduct - Guidance for Safer Working Practice Oct 2014” (www.somersetlscb.org.uk Safeguarding in Education – protocol and guidance) Handout 4 – Nigel Leat

24. Safer workforce cycle Safer recruitment Determining future employment Induction Safer Workforce Training Managing allegations Supervision

25. Safer Recruitment • Safeguarding statement in the advertisement • Clear job descriptions and person specifications • Don’t rely solely on criminal record checks (DBS) • Don’t appoint until all pre-employment checks are complete • Explore suitability at interview • Ensure post appointment induction including safeguarding • Help embed a culture of ‘co-operative vigilance’ • Remember all staff and volunteers who work in a school setting are seen as safe and trustworthy by children

26. Exercise So how do I scrutinise and evidence? Handout 5 – Annual Report Handout 6 – Scrutiny of Safeguarding

27. Questions I could ask staff and/or children… • Can I see where you keep your safeguarding files? • How often are they reviewed? • Can I see your safeguarding training records for staff? • How do you ensure dissemination of the latest Government or other guidance? • Have you completed the 360 degree e safety audit – can I see it? • What safeguarding protection is in place for children undertaking extended school activities? • Who would you talk to if you had a safeguarding concern? • What would you do if someone was upsetting youin school? • And there are many more ….(see ‘Safeguarding Scrutiny’ on www.somersetlscb.org.uk Policies are worthless if people don’t know or follow them

28. Some of you are also the Governor for Looked After Children • Do you know how many looked after children attend your school? You should! • Every looked after child should have a personal education plan (PEP) – how are you going to evidence that they have? • What are you going to do if some are missing? • As with all safeguarding scrutiny and supporting evidence gathering – they should be regular and not ‘one-offs’ • Are you familiar with the DfE July 2014 ‘Promoting the education of looked after children’ – you should be! https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/promoting-the-education-of-looked-after-children

29. Roles and Responsibilities The Local Authority • To ensure that schools are aware of their responsibilities • To provide access to training and guidance • To provide model policies and procedures • To monitor that appropriate safeguarding arrangements are in place in all schools • To advise and support links with other agencies

30. Roles and Responsibilities The Governing Body appoints a nominated governor to lead on child protection and safeguarding. They in turn ensure that: • effective policies and procedures (incl. allegations management) are in place, available to the whole school community and regularly monitored to ensure compliance • the annual safeguarding report is completed and returned to the local authority • a Designated Safeguarding Lead and deputy are appointed from the senior management team for each school site • all those with child protection roles have appropriate training • the whole school receives 3 yearly in-house child protection awareness raising training • all weaknesses are addressed

31. Roles and Responsibilities Designated Safeguarding Leads: • Refer cases of suspected abuse to the relevant agencies and attend and contribute to child protection case conferences and other inter-agency meetings • Act as a source of support and advice within the school • Liaise with Headteachers to inform them of any on-going issues • Ensure all staff understand and apply the school’s Staff Code of Conduct and Safeguarding policy and all attend appropriate level of training (see Annual Report) • Keep accurate, confidential and secure written records, separate from the pupil main file, which should be transferred if the child moves school (model documentation and guidance is available) • Complete and return Annual Report to Governors and monitor compliance with recommendations

32. Useful contacts and websites • South West Child Protection Procedureswww.swcpp.org.uk • Local Safeguarding Children’s Boardwww.somersetlscb.org.uk • Safer Recruitment Training available online: • NSPCC http://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-you-can-do/get-expert-training • Governor Services via SCIL as part of training package/ • Somerset Direct: Children & Young People 0300 123 2224 • Designated Officer (Anthony Goble) – Phone Somerset Direct • LSCB Education Safeguarding Adviser Liz Bidmead 01823 358269

33. Review • review of any points raised at start of session • complete form for Feedback to your Governing Board • have a safe journey home!