Child Protection Policy
Westfield Primary School and Nursery 2016

1.0 	Principles

1.1 	This school takes seriously its responsibility to protect and safeguard the welfare of the children and young people in its care. “The welfare of the child is paramount.” Children Act 1989.

1.2 		All action is taken in line with the following legislation/guidance:
• South West Child Protection Procedures (SWCPP), www.swcppp.org.uk, 
• Section 175 Children Act 2002
• Keeping Children Safe in Education: Schools and Colleges 2015
• Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015
• What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused 2006
• Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education 2007
• Local Safeguarding Children Board Guidance 

1.3 	We will follow procedures set out by the Local Safeguarding Children Board and take account of further guidance issued by the DfE, and the Local Authority (LA).

1.4 	Our policy applies to all staff, governors/proprietors and volunteers working in the school.

1.5 	We recognise that staff, because of their contact with and knowledge of children or young people in their care, are well placed to identify abuse and offer support to children in need.

1.6 	As part of the ethos of the school, the staff and governors are committed
to:
• ensuring the school practises safer recruitment in checking the suitability of staff and volunteers to work with children1;
• ensure we have a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for Safeguarding/child protection and a Deputy DSL who has received appropriate training and support for this role (Mr Simon Mills (Lead), Mr Chris Chorley and Mrs Sally Campbell)
• ensuring that all staff and volunteers understand, and adhere to, the school’s code of conduct;
• establishing and maintaining a safe school environment, where all pupils feel secure, can learn and develop, are encouraged to talk and are listened to, where their views are valued and respected;
•	supporting pupils who have been abused, and carrying out specific actions in accordance with the agreed child protection plan; the named Social Worker will be informed immediately if a pupil subject to a child protection support plan is excluded, and the school works closely with other professionals to support individual pupils.
•	including opportunities in the curriculum for children to develop the skills they need to recognise, and stay safe from, abuse; these include special assemblies (PANTS/NSPCC), ongoing PSE curriculum work, explicit teaching of Emotion Coaching as part of Attachment Awareness.
• ensuring all teaching and support staff are aware of signs and symptoms of physical, sexual, emotional abuse and neglect and know the correct procedure for referring concerns, or reporting allegations against staff, in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education 2014 and the Local Authority Managing Allegations procedures, and receive appropriate training to enable them to carry out these requirements;
• ensuring all volunteers understand their responsibilities in being alert to the signs of abuse and their responsibility for referring any concerns to the designated person responsible for child protection;
• exercising their duty to work in partnership with other agencies and to share information with them, including attendance at child protection conferences, core groups and preparation of reports for conferences;
•	professional disagreements in work in relation to the safety of children are resolved with reference to the Escalation policy on the SWCPP
• encouraging and supporting parents/carers, working in partnership with
	them.

1.7 		The school recognises that it is an agent of referral and not of investigation.

1.8 	The child protection policy should be read in conjunction with other relevant policies and include definitions of abuse (Please ensure you check all the new priorities in KCSIE2016)
•	Positive Handling and the Use of Reasonable Force

1 Please refer to the South West Child Protection procedures for further information on safer recruitment.
http://www.online-procedures.co.uk/swcpp/contents/safer-recruitment/

•	    Anti-bullying
•	Homophobic bullying
•	Child Sexual Exploitation
•	Female Genital Mutilation (Appendix B)
•	Children in Care
•	Radicalisation (Appendix A)
•	Children Missing from home and education  (Appendix C)
•	Anti-racism
•	Health and Safety
•	Behaviour
•	Exclusions
•	Equal Opportunities
•	PHSE
•	Internet Safety
•	School Security
•	Educational Visits
•	Medical Needs
•	First Aid
•	Lone Working
•	Use of social media/your policies regarding staff not using IT for any personal use
•	Whistle Blowing
•	Recruitment    
•	Escalation/Resolution policy

Types of Abuse

Neglect: is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance misuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to:
•	Provide adequate food, clothing and shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment)
•	Protect a child from  physical and emotional harm or danger
•	Ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate care givers)
•	Ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment.

It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to a child’s basic emotional needs.

Physical abuse: may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating, or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child.

Sexual abuse: involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, including prostitution, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative (e.g. rape, anal or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts. They may include non-contact activities such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of sexual online images, watching sexual activities, or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways.

Emotional abuse:  is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on a child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to children that they are worthless and unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions beyond the child’s developmental capability as well as the overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child from participating in normal social interaction. It may involve serious bullying, causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation of corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, though it may occur alone.

2.0	Procedures for Referral

2.1 	Any member of staff or visitor to the school who receives a disclosure of abuse or suspects that abuse may have occurred must report it immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (Simon Mills) or if unavailable to the Deputy Designated person (Chris Chorley or Sally Campbell). In the absence of either of the above, the matter should be brought to the attention of the most senior member of staff.

2.2 	The Designated Safeguarding Lead will immediately inform the Children and Families Assessment and Intervention Team (CAFAIT) by telephone
       	01225 396312/313 or the Emergency Duty Team 01454 615165.
			
2.3 	Telephone referral to the Children and Families Assessment and Intervention Team (CAFAIT) will be confirmed in writing using the form marked C2 within a maximum of 48 hours, ideally 24 hours.
	
2.4	Essential information will include the pupil’s name, address, date of birth, family composition, and reason for referral, previous concerns, name of person receiving the referral and any advice given. The referral must be signed and dated by the referrer.

2.5 	The referral will be shared with the parent/carer, and where appropriate with the child/young person, unless to do so may place the pupil at increased risk of significant harm, in which case advice should be sought from the CAFAIT team. If a child discloses physical or sexual abuse, where the alleged abuser is either a family member or someone resident within the household, the school must consult the Duty Social Worker before informing parents, unless the child is subject to a Child Protection Plan in which case schools must contact the allocated Social Worker. The relevant Social Worker will advise the school when, and by whom, parents will be informed.

2.6 	Confidentiality must be maintained and information relating to individual pupils/families shared with staff on a strictly need to know basis.

2.7 	Referrals for Alleged Perpetrators of Sexual Abuse – Where a pupil is being investigated by the police for allegedly committing sexual offences, and the police have said they will make a referral to CAFAIT, the school will still telephone the CAFAIT without delay to raise awareness of the concerns relating to the alleged perpetrator. The CAFAIT will advise whether or not a C2 needs to be completed by the school.

3.0  	Alleged Abuse by Staff

3.1 	The school will follow the LSCB Managing Allegations Protocol available on LSCB website and The Hub and the South West Child Protection Procedures for managing allegations against staff. Maintained schools will contact the Senior Human Resources Consultant adviser for consultation as soon as an allegation is made on telephone 01225 394490 (or one of the other Senior HR Consultants).
	
3.2 	If unable to contact the above, the school will contact the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) on 01225 396810 or, in the LADO’s absence, Head of Safeguarding and Quality Assurance 01225 396339.  The LADO must be notified within one working day. 	

3.3 	The LADO will co-ordinate the next steps, record notes and advise on the appropriate action to be taken.

3.4 	If staff have a concern about another member of staff then this should be referred to the Head teacher or Principal. Where there are concerns about the Head Teacher or Principal, they should be referred to the chair of Governors or Proprietor.

3.5 	The Chair of Governors or the Proprietor will follow the LA ‘Guidance for Chairs of Governors Dealing with Child Protection Allegations against the Head Teacher’, and contact the Senior H R Consultant for consultation (Or one of the other Senior HR Consultants) An allegation must not be discussed with the alleged perpetrator or other members of staff/governors, unless advised to do so by a LA designated officer. Schools must be clear they are following the revised guidance in Keeping Children Safe in Education 2015. 

3.6	The school is legally obliged to make a referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service (and NCTL for teachers) if at the end of the allegation process a member of staff or volunteer is removed from their position, or if they leave while under investigation for allegedly causing harm or posing a risk of harm to children

3.7 	The school has a code of conduct in place, which clearly states what behaviours are acceptable and what behaviours are not. Staff sign to say that they have read and understood the document.

4.0	Record Keeping

4.1 	Any member of staff receiving a disclosure of abuse, or noticing possible abuse, must make an accurate record as soon as possible, noting what was said or seen, putting the event into context, and giving the date, time and location. All records must be dated and signed and discussed with the designated person for child protection. Where staff have observed injuries to a child, these should be recorded on a body map outline, with some indication given about the size of the injury. Staff should not take photographs of injuries.

4.2 	All hand-written records will be retained, even if they are subsequently typed up in a more formal report.

4.3 	Written records of concerns about children must be kept, even where there is no need to make a referral immediately. Where concerns do not meet the threshold for a referral to CAFAIT consideration should be given to the appropriateness of completing a CAF and making a referral for a Team Around the Child meeting.

4.4 	All records relating to child protection concerns will be kept in a secure place and will remain confidential. They do not form part of the pupil’s educational records and must be kept separate from other records.

4.5 	A chronology will be kept at the front of individual pupils’ files, which is reviewed and updated whenever a new concern is raised or additional relevant information becomes available, noting actions and outcomes.

4.6 	The quality of child protection records will be monitored by the Head teacher.

4.7 	Where a child moves school, copies of child protection documentation must be passed immediately and confidentially to the receiving school, separate from general records, with the original records retained by the school. The Head Teacher or designated person for child protection will also telephone the Head Teacher or designated person for child protection at the new school/college to raise awareness of child protection concerns, and that records are being transferred. It is worth considering a handover record-slip.

4.8 	The school will refer to the NSPCC document entitled Records Retention and Storage.

5.0	Parental Involvement

5.1 	This school is committed to helping parents/carers understand its responsibility for the welfare of all pupils.

5.2 	Parents/carers will be made aware of the school’s child protection policy via the school prospectus and initial meetings with parents of new pupils. Parents will also be made aware of how they can access the full child protection policy.
	
5.3 	Concerns will be discussed with parents/carers. Where a referral is needed, the designated person should seek the agreement of parents/carers before making the referral, unless to do so may place the pupil at increased risk of significant harm. However, a lack of agreement should not stop a referral going ahead.

6.0	Training

6.1 	Governors and proprietors must ensure that all staff read and are familiar with Part One: Safeguarding Information for all staff (page 5) in Keeping Children Safe in Education 2016. Governors and proprietors will also ensure that all staff understand and discharge their responsibilities as set out on Part One of this Guidance. 

6.2  	The Designated Safeguarding Lead and their Deputy must receive multi-agency child protection training every 2 years. (minimum as set out by the LSCB and refresher requirements set nationally i.e. every 2 years) and undertake refresher training on specific issues as required. 
 
6.3 	All staff, both teaching and support, must be provided with child protection
	training on a regular basis, at least every 3 years (minimum).

6.4     	In addition all staff members should receive safeguarding and child protection updates (for example, via email, e-bulletins and staff meetings), as required, but at least annually, to provide them with relevant skills and knowledge to safeguard children effectively.

6.5 	Temporary and supply staff must be made aware of basic information in respect of the school’s child protection procedures, including the name of the Designated Safeguarding Lead.

6.6 	The Designated Safeguarding Lead will have undertaken Trainers the trainers Course and will induct new staff/volunteers to ensure they are aware of the CP practices, policies and codes of behaviour within the school and ensure they receive appropriate training
	
6.7 	In addition to the formal training for DSLs and their deputies, as set out above, their knowledge and skills should be updated, (for example via e-bulletins, meeting other designated safeguarding leads, or taking time to read and digest safeguarding developments), at regular intervals, but at least annually, to keep up with any developments relevant to their role. Now covered in 6.2

6.8 	Training records must be kept up to date by schools, recording the date, focus and level of training received by individuals.

6.9 	Training is available from the Local Safeguarding Children Board and all schools http://bathnes.learningpool.com

7.0 	The Role of the Governing Body

7.1 	The governing body will ensure that all statutory duties with regard to child protection are fulfilled, as detailed in any” Safer Recruitment in Education Guidance” and Keeping Children Safe in Education 2016.

7.2 	The school will complete the school safeguarding annual audit, in partnership with the designated Governor for Safeguarding. A copy of this report must be sent to the Head of Safeguarding on completion.

7.3 	The governing body will ensure that weaknesses identified; within the annual school safeguarding audit; through on-going monitoring of child protection procedures; other sources, are addressed explicitly within the School Improvement Plan. The governing body will regularly monitor the implementation and impact of the identified actions.

7.4 	The Chair of Governors (or designated governor for child protection, if they are not the chair), in liaison with the designated person, will ensure that the school has a child protection policy and procedures in place, which are known to all members of staff, and up-dated annually.

7.5 	The governing body controls the use of school premises both within and outside of school hours and has a duty to safeguard children and young people using the premises. Where services or activities are provided separately by another body, the Governing Body will seek assurance that the body concerned has appropriate policies and procedures in place in regard to safeguarding children and child protection.

8.0	Review

8.1 	This policy will be reviewed on an annual basis, and up-dated where appropriate, however if a weakness is identified in school procedures, the policy will be reviewed and revised immediately.

Date when policy was last reviewed: September 2016
Date when next review is due: September 2017

Signed: 

APPENDIX A: PROCESS MAP FOR REPORTING A “PREVENT” CONCERN

Prevent and Channel

It is important for you as a member of school staff to know where to go if you have a concern that someone may be on the route to radicalisation. Below is 
a flow chart which aims to show the process which you can follow.

Member of staff identifies concern

Concern reported to Line Manager or, ideally, 
the school’s Prevent Lead

	

Call the Police on
999 

Prevent Lead works with member of staff to gather more information where possible and identify what further action is required

YES

Is there is an IMMEDIATE RISK
to a child’s safety and/or 
of a criminal act being committed?

NO

5 options…

1.	Call Somerset Direct 
on 0300 123 2224

5. Email: channelsw@avonandsomerset.pnn.Police.uk

2. Call 101 and ask for Local Policing Team

4. Call the 
Anti-terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321

3. Contact the Regional Police Prevent and Channel Leads: 
DI Mandy Pilling 07585307109 
DI Sam Norman 07881268432

Further information-gathering with your institution and other key agencies that the individual is involved with. Are there shared concerns between partners? Is there a vulnerability to radicalisation?

NO

YES

If it is deemed there is low risk –further action within normal support. Key agency progresses with further monitoring.

Police will organise a Multi-Agency Channel meeting which will be made up of key partners. The meeting will be chaired by your Local Authority.

It is important to remember that consent is gained from the individual to be part of Channel support and intervention.

Implement support plan depending on level of risk.

Regularly review process – Channel Panel members work together to review progress and reduce risks.

The individual will exit the Channel process when all partner agencies feel that the vulnerability to radicalisation has been completely removed or significantly lessened.

Once a referral has exited the process, it will be 
reviewed at 6 and 12 months. If concerns
 remain, the individual can be re-referred.

APPENDIX B: FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION (FGM) 

FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION (FGM) 
It is essential that all staff are aware of FGM practices and the need to look for signs, symptoms and other indicators of FGM.

What is FGM? 
It involves procedures that intentionally alter/injure the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. FGM is medically unnecessary, extremely painful and has serious health consequences for women who undergo it both at the time when the mutilation is carried out and in later life. 

Four types of FGM procedure:
1)	Clitoridectomy – partial/total removal of clitoris
2)	Excision – partial/total removal of clitoris and labia minora
3)	Infibulation – entrance to vagina is narrowed by repositioning the inner/outer labia
4)	All other procedures, which may include pricking, piercing, incising, cauterising and scraping the genital area.

Why is it carried out? 
Belief that FGM:
•	brings status/respect to the girl – social acceptance for marriage
•	preserves a girl’s virginity
•	is a legitimate rite of passage for young women
•	upholds family honour
•	cleanses and purifies the girl
•	gives a sense of belonging to the community
•	fulfils a religious requirement
•	perpetuates a custom/tradition
•	helps girls be clean/hygienic
•	is cosmetically desirable
•	(mistakenly) makes childbirth easier.

Is FGM legal?  
FGM is internationally recognised as a violation of human rights of girls and women. It is illegal in most countries, including the UK.

Circumstances and occurrences that may point to FGM happening are:
•	the child talking about getting ready for a special ceremony
•	the family taking a long trip abroad
•	the child’s family being from one of the “at risk” communities for FGM (Kenyan, Somalian, Sudanese, Sierra Leonean, Egyptian, Nigerian, Eritrean, as well as non-African communities, including Yemeni, Afghani, Kurdistani, Indonesian and Pakistani)
•	knowledge that the child’s sibling has undergone FGM
•	the child talks about going abroad to be “cut” or to prepare for marriage.
Signs that may indicate a child has undergone FGM could include:
•	prolonged absence from school and other activities
•	behaviour change on return from a holiday abroad, such as being withdrawn and appearing subdued
•	bladder or menstrual problems
•	finding it difficult to sit still and looking uncomfortable
•	complaining about pain between the legs
•	mentioning something somebody did to them that they are not allowed to talk about
•	secretive behaviour, including isolating themselves from the group
•	reluctance to take part in physical activity
•	repeated urinal tract infection
•	disclosure. 

APPENDIX C: WHAT TO DO WHEN A CHILD IS MISSING IN EDUCATION (CME)

Pupil missing from school

Pupil fails to attend school 

Investigation of absence by school in line with published attendance procedures, 
e.g. parent first day contact, with enquiries extending to emergency contact numbers, friends, etc. 

If the pupil has not returned after 10 school days 
(20 continuous sessions), absence is recorded as unauthorised and the case referred to the Education Attendance Officer on 01823 394236.

Pupil absconds from, 
or on route to/from, school 

Pupil abducted 

Child’s whereabouts NOT known and/or child is at risk of significant harm.

Child’s whereabouts known and/or child is NOT 
at risk of significant harm.

Call the Police on 999

Children’s Social Care Duty Team 01225 396313

Child Missing in Education Officer should be informed 
on 01225 394236
Follow CP reporting and recording procedures.

Education Attendance Officer takes action

Me

Pupil is NOT located

Pupil is located

Pupil is supposed to start at new school but does NOT turn up when expected. 

Pupil is 
NOT found after 
10 school days (20 continuous sessions).

Pupil on school roll but not attending.

Investigation in accordance with Education Act 1996, Section 444 (parental duty to ensure regular attendance at school).

Legal action initiated if appropriate.

Case closed on CME database.

Pupil located and receiving education otherwise than at school, i.e.
Elective Home Education (EHE). 

Original school to complete Exit From School Form and electronically submit to EHE Team. 

Original school notified and pupil removed from roll. 

Case closed on CME database.

Pupil moved to another local authority:
school to upload a Common Transfer File (CTF) onto national s2s database. 

CME Officer contacts AEAM to request visits as necessary. 

CME Officer agrees the removal of the pupil from roll on behalf of the local authority. 

CME team liaise with other local authority CME Officers and other agencies. 

Case remains open on CME register pending confirmation of school place in new locality.

School(s) to alert Children’s Social Care Duty Team if child remains at risk of significant harm. 

School to upload CTF onto national s2s database. 

CME Officer agrees the removal of the pupil from roll on behalf of the local authority. 

Case remains open on CME register pending regular check of national database or notification from another authority confirms pupil has been located.
The CME Officer may liaise with the LSCB on CME that they have not been found.