Child Protection & Safeguarding Policy

The Dominie has a duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. As such we must promote a safe and secure environment in which children can develop trusting relationships with their teachers.

Pupils are encouraged to develop moral discernment. High standards of behaviour are expected and pupils are asked to treat others with courtesy and respect. Good pastoral care is central to the life of the school.

We aim to:

Support the child’s development in ways that will foster security, confidence and resilience.
Provide an environment in which children and young people feel safe, secure, valued and respected, feel confident and know how to approach adults if they are in difficulties.
Raise awareness of all teaching and non-teaching staff of the need to safeguard children, and of their responsibilities in identifying and reporting possible causes of abuse.
Provide a systematic means of monitoring children known or thought to be at risk of harm, and ensure we, the school, contribute to assessments of need and support plans for those children.
Acknowledge the need for effective and appropriate communication between all members of staff in relation to safeguarding pupils.
Develop a structured procedure within the school which will be followed by all members of the school community in cases of suspected abuse.
Develop effective working relationships with all other agencies involved in safeguarding children.
Ensure that all adults within our school who have access to children have been checked as to their suitability.

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 PSHE curriculum for children to develop the skills they need to recognise and stay safe from abuse

Child abuse is taken to refer to any child of under 18 years who, through the actions of parents or other carers, or through their failure to act, has suffered, or is at risk of suffering, physical or serious emotional harm. Children can also suffer physical or emotional abuse by other children although the latter would not result in the child being given a Child Protection Plan.

There are many components in child abuse and neglect. Whilst one may try to define them individually, often there is an overlap and one child may be subjected to one or more of the different forms of child abuse and neglect.

Neglect The persistent or severe neglect of a child, or the failure to protect a child from exposure to any kind of danger including cold or starvation, or failure to carry out important aspects of care resulting in the significant impairment of the child’s health or development.
Physical Injury Actual or likely physical injury to a child (or failure to prevent physical injury or suffering to a child). Physical injury can include hitting, shaking, squeezing, burning and biting. It also includes giving children inappropriate drugs or alcohol, poisonous substances and attempted suffocation or drowning.
Sexual Abuse Actual or likely sexual exploitation of a child or adolescent. The child may be dependent and/or developmentally immature. Sexual abuse can involve the exposure of children to, or their use in, the production of pornographic material.
Emotional Abuse All abuse involves some emotional ill treatment or rejection. This category is used where it is the main or sole form of abuse. It is the actual or likely severe adverse effect on the emotional and behavioural development of a child caused by persistent or severe emotional ill treatment or rejection.

Procedures:
The school will

Ensure it has a designated member of staff who will undertake regular, appropriate training
Ensure it has a member of staff who will act in the absence of the designated member of staff
Ensure that every member of staff knows the name of the designated member of staff and their role.
Ensure that all staff understand their responsibilities in being alert to the signs of abuse and responsibility for referring any concerns to the designated member of staff.
Ensure that parents have an understanding of the responsibility placed on the school and staff for child protection by setting out its obligations in the school handbook.
Develop effective links with relevant agencies and co-operate as required with their enquiries regarding safeguarding matters.
Ensure that the duty of care towards its pupils and staff is promoted by raising awareness of illegal, unsafe and unwise behaviour and assist staff to monitor their own standards and practice.
Ensure that safer recruitment practices are always followed.
When staff join our school they will be informed of the safeguarding children arrangements in place. They will be given a copy of this policy and told who the designated member of staff is and who acts in their absence.