This policy updated 22 November 2011, and supersedes any previous version.

RENDCOMB COLLEGE
CHILD PROTECTION POLICY
AND PROCEDURE

Rendcomb College fully recognises its responsibilities for safeguarding children (child protection).

Policy

Our policy applies to all staff (teaching and non-teaching), Headmaster, Governors and volunteers in the school and the procedures are consistent with those of the Local Safeguarding Children Board. There are five main elements to our policy:

• Ensuring we practice safe recruitment in line with Government guidance by using at least one NSL accredited recruiter on all interview working panels and by checking the suitability of staff and volunteers to work with children and ensuring any unsuitable behaviour is reported and managed using the Allegations Management procedures.
• Raising awareness of child protection issues and equipping children with skills needed to keep them safe.
• Developing and then implementing procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases, of abuse by logging welfare concerns and referring to the Children’s Helpdesk.
• Supporting pupils who have been abused in accordance with his/her child protection plan.
• Establishing a safe environment in which children can learn and develop.

We recognise that because of the day to day contact with children, school staff are well placed to observe the outward signs of abuse. The school will therefore:

• Establish and maintain an environment where children feel secure, are encouraged to talk, and are listened to.
• Ensure children know that there are adults in the school whom they can approach if they are worried.
• Include opportunities in the curriculum for children to develop skills they need to recognise and stay safe from abuse.

We will follow the procedures set out by the Gloucestershire Safeguarding Children Board and take account of guidance issued by the Department for Education:

• Ensure we have a designated person for safeguarding (child protection) in the Senior and Junior School who, with their deputies, undergo training every two year in child protection and inter-agency working.
• Ensure we have a nominated Governor responsible for child protection who has received appropriate training.
• Ensure every member of staff (including the Headmaster, temporary, supply staff and volunteers) and governing body knows the name of the designated senior person responsible for child protection and their role. All staff will attend training every three years in conjunction with the Local Authority Designated Officer.
• Ensure all staff and volunteers understand their responsibilities in being alert to the signs of abuse and responsibility for referring any concerns to the designated person responsible for child protection. To facilitate this, new members of staff are required to meet with the Child Protection Officers of both the Junior and Senior School and to undergo e-training arranged through Gloucestershire Safeguarding Children’s Board.
• Ensure that parents have an understanding of the responsibility placed on the school and staff for child protection by setting out its obligation on the school website.
• Notify the relevant social worker if there is an unexplained absence of more than two days of a pupil who has a Child Protection Plan (previously known as being on the child protection register).
• Develop effective links with relevant agencies and co-operate as required with their enquiries regarding child protection matters including attendance at child protection conferences and core groups.
• Keep written records of concerns about children, even where there is no need to refer the matter immediately.
• Ensure all records are kept securely; separate from the main pupil file, and in locked locations.
• Follow the appropriate procedures where an allegation is made against a member of staff or volunteer including supply or agency workers, contractors or Governors.
• Ensure safe recruitment practices are always followed.
• Ensure that the Governing body undertakes an annual review of the School’s child protection policies and procedures and of the efficiency with which the related duties have been discharged.
• Ensure a commitment to remedy any deficiencies or weaknesses identified in the child protection policy.

We recognise that children who are abused or witness violence may find it difficult to develop a sense of self worth. They may feel helplessness, humiliation and some sense of blame. The school may be the only stable, secure and predictable element in the lives of children at risk. When at school their behaviour may be challenging and defiant or they may be withdrawn. The school will endeavour to support the pupil through:

• The content of the curriculum
• The school ethos which promotes a positive, supportive and secure environment and gives pupils a sense of being valued.
• The school behaviour policy which is aimed at supporting vulnerable pupils in the school.
• The school will ensure that the pupil knows that some behaviour is unacceptable but they are valued and not to be blamed for any abuse which has occurred.
• Liaison with other agencies that support the pupil such as social care, Child and Adult Mental Health Service, education welfare service and educational psychology service.
• Ensuring that, where a pupil who has a child protection plan leaves, their information is transferred to the new school immediately and that the child’s social worker is informed.

Procedures for Safeguarding Children

It is the College policy to comply fully with the child protection procedures established by Gloucester County Council for use in educational establishments.

The College has an important role in its frequent contact with the children.  The staff get to know the children quite well: they form trusting relationships; they see changes in behaviour, and they are available for the sharing of concerns.

It is the policy of Rendcomb College to safeguard the welfare of the children by protecting them from physical, sexual and emotional abuse, neglect and bullying.

It is the responsibility of each member of staff ( that is anyone working in the school, paid, unpaid, contracted for services or not including supply staff and volunteer) to ensure that their behaviour is appropriate at all times. If there is an allegation or suspicion of abuse, this must be referred immediately to the College Child Protection Officers. In the senior school the Designated Child Protection Officer is Michelle Lucas who is Head of Geography. The Deputy Child Protection Officer for the senior school is Mandy Bevans who is the College’s SENCO. In the Junior School the post is held by Fiona Auster who is the J4 Teacher and her deputy is Melanie Bleaken who is a J1 teacher. The Junior School CPO has responsibility for the Early Years Foundation Stage. In Child Protection Issues the DCPO for that part of the school will take the lead role and will be supported by the Senior Leadership Team.

The College is not an investigation or intervention agency. At all times the child's welfare must be paramount. Swift reporting will enable the correct authorities to give advice and take appropriate action. There is an obligation for the College to act in this way.

Any information conveyed by a member of staff to the College Child Protection Officer must not be withheld or filtered but must be passed on immediately to the correct agency. These procedures are not negotiable; they enable the Governors to fulfil their legal as well as moral responsibilities. The member of staff should never give absolute guarantee of confidentiality but assure the pupil or adult that they will only pass on information to the minimum number of people who need to be told. They should also emphasise that they will take whatever steps are necessary to protect the informing pupil or adult from any retaliation or unnecessary stress that might be feared after a disclosure of alleged abuse has been made.

All serious allegations made against volunteers or staff which are reported to the Child Protection Officer will be referred immediately to the Headmaster. No investigation or questioning is to be undertaken. If the Headmaster is implicated the College Child Protection Officer will refer direct to the Chair of Governors. All allegations or suspicions are to be referred, no matter how insignificant they may seem to be, or when they occur. The Child Protection Officer may contact the Local Authority Designated Officer for advice on deciding whether to make a formal referral in a case of alleged or suspected abuse.

Procedures at Rendcomb College

1. Any suspicion that a pupil at the college is suffering from abuse should, in the first instance be referred to the member of staff designated to deal with child abuse (appointed Child Protection Officers): Michelle Lucas (Senior School); tel: 07557238870; Fiona Auster (Junior School); tel: 01285 832310 or you can emaill
   lucasm@rendcomb.gloucs.sch.uk (Head of Geography)
   austerf@rendcomb.gloucs.sch.uk (J4 Teacher)
   
   If they are unavailable it is advisable to contact the Deputy Child protection Officers: Mandy Bevans (Senior School); tel: 01285 832344; Melanie Bleaken (Junior School); tel: 01285 832310 or email:
   Bevansm@rendcomb.gloucs.sch.uk (SENCO)
   BleakenM@rendcomb.gloucs.sch.uk (Class teacher)
   
   Child abuse includes abuse at home which a pupils reports to staff, abuse by a stranger outside of school and abuse of one pupil by another pupil. In the case of abuse by a pupil, or group of pupils, the key issues identifying the problem as abuse (rather than an isolated case of bullying or "adolescent experimentation" which might be considered within normal bounds in the school community) are:
   • The frequency, nature and severity of the incident(s)
   • Whether the victim was coerced by physical force, fear, or by a pupil or group of pupils significantly older than him or herself or having power or authority over him/her.
   • Whether the incident involved a potentially criminal act and whether if the same incident (or injury) had occurred to a member of staff or other adult, it would have been regarded as assault.
2. If there is any injury to the child which requires treatment, the member of staff responsible for the child should contact Sister in the Medical Centre: tel: 01285 832329; mobile: 07786 653983
3. The concern of the reporting member of staff should be accurately and legibly recorded in writing, signed and dated and given to the College Child Protection Officer as soon as possible.
4. The College Child Protection Officer will arrange to interview the child to further substantiate the concern.
5. At all times, the College Child Protection Officer will follow the guidelines given in The Gloucestershire Safeguarding Children Board's Handbook, which can be accessed at www.gscb.org.uk/handbook.
6. In cases where the Child Protection Officer decides that a social work assessment is required, a referral will be made to the children's helpdesk 01452 426565. The "Children and Young People's Directorate" (CYPD) will then take responsibility. Physical and sexual abuse concerns will be made immediately; any other concerns will be referred within 24 hours. Details of the concern will subsequently be written up and will be submitted to the CYPD within 48 hours.
7. If there is a concern for immediate safety out of hours, the emergency duty team will be contacted on 01452 614194. If the child is felt to be in any danger, he or she should not be allowed to go home, if this is at all possible.
8. The discussion with 'Children and Young People's Directorate' should involve consideration of how, when and by whom the parents should be informed of the concern, bearing in mind on the one hand, the need to protect the child and on the other, the duty of the 'Children and Young People's Directorate' and the College to work in partnership with parents, wherever possible.
9. Referrals of allegations or suspicions of abuse by a member of staff will be made by the Designated Child Protection Officer or her deputy, to the Local Authority Lead Designated Officer, Jane Bee 01452 426994. Any person whose services are subsequently discontinued because he or she is considered to be unsuitable to work with Children will be reported to the Independent Safeguarding Authority. This referral will be made within one month.

 
Staff guidance

To assist all staff (teaching and non-teaching) the College will provide:

• Regular INSET training (every three years)
• Documentation from the INSET training
• A green card with the following information:
  1. Stop and listen to what the child is saying
  2. Don't promise confidentiality; you cannot promise not to tell anyone
  3. Do not ask leading questions – keep them open
  4. Afterwards:
     • Write down exactly what was said, date and sign
     • Contact the College Child Protection Officer:
       Senior School: Michelle Lucas: Tel: 07557238870
       Junior School: Fiona Auster: Tel: 01285 832310
  5. For Senior School: if unable to contact Michelle and you feel it is urgent, then refer to Mandy Bevans who is Deputy Child Protection Officer. 01285 832344
  6. For Junior School: if unable to contact Fiona and you feel it is urgent, then refer to Melanie Bleaken who is Deputy Child Protection Officer. 01285 832310
  7. Do not investigate further.
  8. If the child is distressed or injured contact the Medical Centre
     Tel: 01285 832329                    mobile: 07786 653983

Links

Staff should be aware of the following documents which are linked with the Child Protection Policy

• A Comprehensive Code of Safe Practice
• Physical Restraint Policy

ML: Updated 07/09/2011
Further Updated: 28/09/2011
Governor Review: P. Hornby – November 2011
Review Date: July 2012