staying safe deputies & assistant head teachers conference 1 st december 2005

Staying safeDeputies & Assistant Head Teachers

Conference

1st December 2005

Hertfordshire County Councilwww.hertsdirect.org

staying safe Outcomes

Children and young people are :

• safe from maltreatment, neglect, violence and sexual exploitation

• safe from accidental injury and death

• safe from bullying and discrimination

• safe from crime and anti social behaviour in and out of school

• have security and stability and are cared for


staying safe Key Judgements

• Children & young people and their carers are informed about key risks to their safety and how to deal with them

• Children and young people are provided with a safe environment



• The incidence of child abuse and neglect is minimised

• Agencies collaborate to safeguard children according to the requirements of the current government guidance


staying safe Key JudgementsKey Judgements

• Services are effective in establishing the identity and whereabouts of all children and young people 0-16

• Action is taken to avoid children and young people having to be looked after

• Looked after children live in safe environments and are protected from abuse and exploitation



• Children and young people with learning difficulties and / or disabilities live in safe environments and are protected from abuse and exploitation


A Safe School

Has a protective ethos:• Recognise the worries of children• Recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse• Understand the procedures in place to safeguard children

in school• Know your role and responsibilities and that of the

Designated Senior Person


Legislation and Guidance – key documents

• Children Act 1989 - Section 47• Working Together to Safeguard Children 1999• Education Act 2002 - Section 175 / 157• DfES Guidance ‘Safeguarding Children in Education’ 2004• Hertfordshire Area Child Protection Committee - Child

Protection Procedures 2002• Children Act 2004 - Section 11


Children Act 1989

Section 47Section 47 - Child Protection Investigation- Child Protection Investigation

The local authority have a duty to investigate where there is reasonable cause to suspect a child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm

AND


Children Act 1989

Places a duty on any local education authority to help a local authority to help a local authority with its enquiries where there is reasonable cause to suspect significant harm


Education Act 2002

Section 175Section 175

LEAs and governing bodies are now legally required to exercise their functions with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children

Schools are therefore accountable for their child protection work


Working Together to SafeguardChildren - DoH 1999

The education service itself does not have a direct investigative responsibility in child protection work, but schools DO have a role in:

- recognition and referral of child protection

concerns- providing information for S47 child protection

enquiries.


DfES Guidance ‘Safeguarding Children in Education’

Requires schools to have:• School child protection policy and procedures• Procedures for dealing with allegations against staff /

volunteers (Appendix C, ACPC CP Procedures, 2002)• Designated Senior Person for child protection (senior

member of school leadership team)• Whole school staff child protection training every three

years


Key CP Roles in Schools

• Head and Deputy Head Teacher• Designated Senior Person (DSP) for child

protection• Designated Child Protection Governor / Chair of

School Governors• Named Child Protection School Liaison Officer


Designated Senior Person for child protection (DSP)

Must be supported by Heads and Deputies to fulfiltheir specific role and responsibilities.

- Attend the DSP level 2 training- Attend DSP refresher training bi-annually- Induct new members of staff into CP requirements- Be the central point of reference for all staff / volunteers- Produce clear records of concerns raised- Maintain separate child protection pupil files- Participate in CPC process


DSP Participation CPCprocess

• Collate relevant information from all staff• Attend Child Protection Conferences• Produce a written report to CPCs• Contribute to the child protection planning process• Attend CP Core Group meetings• Ensure that the school participate in the child

protection plan – as required


Designated Child Protection Governor / Chair of School Governors

‘The Governing body of a maintained school shall make arrangements for ensuring that their functions relating to the conduct of the school are exercised with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children who are pupils at their school’


- Ensure the schools child protection policy and practice is fit for purpose(CP-SEF, 2005)

- Attend strategy meetings regarding allegations made against the Head Teacher

- Determine whether a member of staff should be suspended from duty and / or dismissed


Child Protection School Liaison Officer

• Every school has a named CPSLO who

- Is based in the child protection unit, CSF

- Is contactable via office and mobile telephone

- Aims to provide a same / next day response

- Has a training, support and liaison role


CPSLO Training - statutory

• Basic Awareness CP training (level 1) –Delivered to whole school communities3 yearly cycle

• DSP training (level 2) –Delivered to all DSPs (and their deputies)2 yearly cycle

• DSP refresher training (level 2) -Via ½ day CPSLO course – attendance at the annual DSP

conference or ACPC multi-agency child protection training events


Additional CPSLO training (2)

• Head Teachers who have attended the BasicCP Awareness (level 1 training) may choose toAttend ‘Reducing and Managing Allegations Against Staff’

• Additional training delivered by CPSLOs to whole staff groups include

‘Listening to Children’ ‘Reducing the Risk’


CPSLOs also deliver training to….

• School Governors• Education Support Centres• Home Hospital Education Service• Education Welfare Officers• Perepatetic Music Teachers

• All staff employed by CSF who are education based colleagues !


CPSLO support to schools

• DSP handbook

• DSP annual conference

• DSP termly newsletter

• Child Protection site on the HGfL

• Consultation – advice and guidance on all CP matters

• Support in meetings


CPSLO liaison role

• CPSLOs liaise on behalf of both education and social care colleagues to promote inter-agency partnership working and seek resolution of any difficulties that might arise in case work.

• CPSLOs have knowledge of the social care referral and assessment systems and processes and have established networks.


Managing Staff

• Position of trust – Sexual Offences Act,2003

• Advice about disclosures

• Key points


Sexual Offences Act 2003

Position of TrustPosition of TrustIn relation to schools, a person aged 18 orover is said to be in a position of trust inrelation to students of that school if they look after

children at the school.

‘Looking after’ is defined as regularly involved in caring for, training, supervising or being in sole charge of such persons.


Sexual Offences Act 2003

Abuse of Position of TrustAbuse of Position of Trust

It is an offence for a person aged 18 or over to have sexual intercourse or to engage in other sexual activity with a person under the age of 18, where they are in a ‘position of trust’ in relation to the younger person


Disclosures

ConfidentialityConfidentialityBe clear from the outset that you cannot treat as confidential any disclosure of abuse.If you receive any information from a child or another adult that makes you suspect abuseyou have a duty to report it to your Designated Senior Person.


Key Points

• To delay reporting a suspicion could cause

the child greater harm• School staff will often be the first person to

see a child after he or she has been

abused• Many forms of abuse have no physical

symptoms• If in doubt ask for advice and guidance

staying safe deputies & assistant head teachers conference 1 st december 2005

Documents