Child Protection Protocol Overview for NLPS Staff

1. NLPS Annual Protocol Review Last updated: Fall 2023 Department of Learning Services

2. As adults in the province of BC, we have a legal duty under Section 13 of the Child, Family and Community Service Act to report any reason to believe a minor child (under the age of 19) needs protection to the BC Ministry of Children and Family Development Child Protection Team. Overview of Duty to Report Child Abuse and Neglect When we receive concerning information that directly impacts a child’s physical safety and/or emotional wellbeing, we must document this conversation and report it to a child protection social worker. A report must be made in a timely manner (the same day is highly preferred). A report must be made immediately if the harm presents on the body physically (e.g. black eye, burn, etc.) If you are unsure about reporting a child’s physical injury or disclosed information, please connect with your administrator ASAP.

3. (a) physical harm by the child's parent; (b) sexual abuse or exploitation by the child's parent; Reasons to make a child protection report (harm has occurred or is likely to occur) (c) physical harm, sexual abuse or sexual exploitation by another person and if the child’s parent is unwilling or unable to protect the child; (d) physical harm because of neglect by the child’s parent; (e) emotional harm (i.e., demonstrates severe anxiety, depression, withdrawal, or self -destructive or aggressive behaviour) by: (i) the parent's conduct, or (ii) living in a situation where there is domestic violence by or towards a person with whom the child resides; (f) deprivation of necessary health care; (g) child's development is likely to be seriously impaired by a treatable condition and the child's parent refuses to provide or consent to treatment; (h) child's parent is unable or unwilling to care for the child and has not made adequate provision for the child's care; (i) child is or has been absent from home in circumstances that endanger the child's safety or well-being; (j) child's parent is dead and adequate provision has not been made for the child's care; (k) abandonment and adequate provision has not been made for the child's care; (l) child is in the care of a director or another person by agreement and the child's parent is unwilling or unable to resume care when the agreement is no longer in force.

4. Every adult in a school building may encounter a situation where a child is disclosing something about their family that causes them distress Responding to students with disclosures of mistreatment by an adult (possible abuse) It is our job to listen with empathy and be the supportive adult they are needing, while maintaining healthy psychological boundaries and rational detachment It is not our job to conduct an investigation, ask probing questions, make judgmental/inappropriate comments about the caregiver, or to provide reassurance that everything will get better soon We can tell the student that we are not able to keep this information a secret and that we will be requesting some additional support for their family

5. Some quick notes on the District Duty to Report Document • Child Protection calls are made when the alleged abuse/neglect is pertaining to a child’s guardian(s)/primary caregiver. • If the mistreatment is from an adult other than the parent/guardian, (e.g., uncle, family friend, etc.), the phone call is made to the parent/guardian (not MCFD). • Note: if the parent is reluctant or unable to keep their child safe from the unsafe adult, THEN an MCFD report can be made. • If the alleged abuse is pertaining to an NLPS staff person, we do not consult with admin and make a call directly to the District Superintendent (Scott Saywell), regarding a “confidential matter”. Senior District staff and RCMP will then follow up with parents.

6. Usual steps we take following a student disclosure 1. Report disclosure to PVP and ask for some time to document the incident and make the phone call to MCFD a) If you are unsure about whether or not to make the call, admin can support you with this or arrange to have a conversation with the school counsellor or CYFSW prior to making the call 2. Obtain the NLPS Duty to Report Protocol document (available on NLPS Learns or posted in copy room) and start filling out the last page with student information – MCFD will be asking you for all of this so it’s best to have it filled out before making the call. 3. Phone MCFD’s centralized screening line – you may be placed on hold for some time or asked if you would like a call-back. a) If a child’s family has an open file with a child protection social worker, it makes sense to contact that person directly. You can call the local office and ask to be connected with that person, if you know their name. Admin, counsellors, and CYFSWs usually have access to this confidential information.

7. Usual steps we take following a student disclosure 4. Ensure you record the name of the Social Worker you spoke with on the phone and the time of the call. 5. Keep your personal documentation (notes) in a confidential file or bound notebook that is kept in a secure location. 6. Make 2 copies of the original protocol document – one goes to admin for their confidential student files and one goes to the DAC – HR in a sealed envelope addressed to “Lynn Brown, Senior HR Manager - Mental Wellness” and marked “CONFIDENTIAL” 7. Ask for a debrief with admin or counsellor/CYFSW if you are feeling shaken/disturbed by the information you received. You may not realize you need this until the following day – that is completely normal. Please take care of yourself so that you can continue to be available for our vulnerable students.

8. Some helpful/comforting statements following a student disclosure • “Thank you for sharing this with me – I’m going to look into getting some supports for your family.” • “What happened to you/is happening to you is not okay. I will continue to be here to support you.” • “I’m sorry that you are carrying so much adult stress right now. Let’s do something together to take your mind off this problem and get you back into school mode.” • “I think it might be helpful for you to have someone trustworthy to chat with more regularly about this stress – what do you think?”

9. Any questions about making a child protection report? • Feel free to set up a time to ask questions in a more private setting 

10. Responding to students who are thinking about suicide

11. What does it look/sound like when a student is thinking about suicide? • Verbal outbursts to peers/school staff during or following a conflict • Social media posts – can be direct or cryptic in nature • Drawings that may indicate ideation • Comments like: “It doesn’t matter – I won’t be here” • Giving away their most precious belongings/pets • Google search history, e.g. “easiest ways to kill yourself” • Dark, depressive statements that indicate very little self worth, e.g. “Honestly, no one would care or notice if I died.” • Extremely withdrawn from peers, learning, and anything that used to interest them • Extreme change in hygiene or mood baseline

12. All disclosures or insinuations of suicidal thinking must be brought to the attention of admin, who will then dispatch the counsellor or CYFSW on site to pursue a suicide risk assessment Responding to students with suicidal disclosures and/or suicidal behaviour Admin may determine the disclosure to be a non- emergency follow-up rather than an immediate response All suicidal language must be reported to the guardian/primary caregiver – even impulsive language without true ideation

13. • Elementary and secondary counsellors and CYFSWs are trained annually in suicide risk assessment and intervention • No other NLPS staff should be attempting to administer a suicide risk assessment of any kind – even if you have received training outside of NLPS (e.g. ASIST Training) or work at the Crisis Line in the evenings • PVP may keep a student safe and supervised at the office until an appropriate staff person is available to complete the assessment RAAFT Administration: NLPS Suicide Risk Assessment

14. School Team Follow-Up & Planning • Following a RAAFT assessment with identified risk of suicide (low, medium, or high risk), a school-based team meeting should be scheduled on behalf of this student to communicate any important student needs and changes to people/programming