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| Child Protection
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for dealing with suspicions or allegations of the abuse of a student
St Dominic's is a Roman Catholic Sixth Form College committed to the personal and spiritual growth of all its members based on Christian values, academic excellence and high quality pastoral care
1. Introduction
The Police and Social Services have the primary responsibility in the field of child protection. The Children Act 1989 places a duty on Local Authorities to take steps to protect children in appropriate circumstances and gives certain powers to the Police so that they can take action to protect children. The Children Act 1989 defines a child as a person under the age of 18.
Section 175 of the Education Act 2002, and Safeguarding Children Dfes guidelines on Child Protection 2004 place particular responsibilities on Colleges in order to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. St. Dominic's fully recognises its responsibilities for child protection.
It is the College's responsibility to investigate alleged abuse taking place within the College only. Nevertheless, it also has a duty to act if there is a cause or concern linked to alleged abuse taking place outside the College and to notify the appropriate agencies so that they can investigate and take appropriate action.
Child abuse can involve any one or more of the following:
- Neglect
- Physical injury
- Sexual abuse
- Emotional abuse
2. Aims
This policy applies to all staff, governors and volunteers working in the school. There are five main elements to the policy:
- Ensuring we practice safe recruitment in checking the suitability of staff and volunteers to work with children.
- Raising awareness of child protection issues and equipping students with the skills needed to keep them safe.
- Developing and then implementing procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases, of abuse.
- Supporting students who have been abused in accordance with his/her agreed child protection plan.
- Establishing a safe environment (including Health & Safety and Risk Management) in which students can learn and develop.
3. Implementation
We recognise that because of the day to day contact with students, College staff are well placed to observe the outward signs of abuse. St. Dominic's will therefore:
- Establish and maintain an environment where students feel secure, are encouraged to talk, and are listened to.
- Ensure students know that there are staff in the school whom they can approach if they are worried.
- Include opportunities in the PSHE and RME curriculum for students to develop the skills they need to recognise and stay safe from abuse. This includes the College's zero policy towards violence and drugs.
The College will follow the procedures set out by the Area Child Protection Committee and take account of guidance issued by the Department for Education and Skills to:
- Ensure we have a designated teacher for child protection, the Assistant Principal, who has received appropriate training and support for this role.
- Ensure we have a nominated governor responsible for child protection.
- Ensure every member of staff, volunteer and governor knows the name of the designated teacher responsible for child protection and their role.
- 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 teacher responsible for child protection.
- Ensure that parents have an understanding of the responsibility placed on the College and staff for child protection.
- Notify social services if there is an unexplained absence of more than two days of a student who is 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 case conferences.
- Keep written records of concerns about students, even where there is no need to refer the matter immediately.
- Ensure all records are kept securely, separate from the main student file, and in locked locations.
- Develop and then follow procedures where an allegation is made against a member of staff or volunteer.
- Ensure safe recruitment practices are always followed.
We recognise that students 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. College may be the only stable, secure and predictable element in the lives of students at risk. When at College their behaviour may be challenging and defiant or they may be withdrawn. St. Dominic's will endeavour to support the student through:
- The content of the curriculum.
- The College ethos which promotes a positive, supportive and secure environment and gives students a sense of being valued.
- The College's Pastoral Support procedures which are aimed at supporting vulnerable students. The College will ensure that the student 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 student such as social services, Child and Adult Mental Health Service, education welfare service and educational psychology service.
- Ensuring that, where a student on the child protection register leaves, their information is transferred to the new school or college immediately and that the student's social worker is informed.
4. Procedure in suspected cases of abuse
1. If any member of staff becomes aware of abuse concerning a student they must refer this immediately to the Principal and Assistant Principal.
2. Any suspicion, allegations or actual abuse of a child by a member of staff or student in the College must be reported to the Principal and Assistant Principal.
3. Promises of confidentiality should not be given as the matter may develop in such a way that these cannot be honoured.
4. Questions to the student should be kept to the minimum necessary to understand what is being alleged and leading questions should be avoided. The use of leading questions can cause problems for the subsequent investigation and any court proceedings.
5. A full record should be made as soon as possible of the nature of the allegation and any other relevant information including:-
- The date
- The time
- The place where the alleged abuse happened
- The name of the person receiving the report of alleged abuse and the name of others present
- The name of the complainant and, where different, the name of the student who has allegedly been abused
- The nature of the alleged abuse
- An accurate description of any injuries observed
- The account which has been given of the allegation
6. The College will then contact the Local Authority body with specific responsibility for Child Protection.
- If, following discussion with the Child Protection Unit (or other Local Authority body with specific responsibility for Child Protection), it is agreed that the matter should be reported, the College will telephone the Social Services department in the student's home Local Authority. A written record of the date and time of the report will be kept and the report must include the name and position of the person to whom the matter is reported. The telephone report must be confirmed in writing to the Local Authority Social Services department within 1 working day.
- The College will discuss with the Social Services department what action will be taken to inform the parents or guardians of the student and a note of that conversation should be made.
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