Safeguarding TrainingBasic Training for all School Staff

(school logo/nameDate)

This training is level 1

It covers these topics:The Focus mission statementGovernment requirementsSafeguarding Policy and related policiesRaising awarenessIndicators of abuse and types of abuseProceduresAccusations against staff

Let’s start with definitions:

In School• Designated Person • Deputy Designated Person• Trustee with oversight of Safeguarding

Local Authority and Inter-agency • LSCB Local Safeguarding Children Board• CAF Common Assessment Framework• LADO Local Authority Designated Officer

Focus SC mission statement:

“our commitment is to be vigilant in identifying students who may be at risk, and to take whatever steps are necessary for protection, prevention and support”

We need YOU !

• YOUR role is absolutely vital• • YOU are in daily contact with

students and are in a unique position to detect problems

• We rely on YOUR observation and skill

The problem for central Government:

• Each week one child will be killed by their parent or carer in England and Wales

• 1 in 10 children suffer some form of abuse – that’s one million children!

• Most children know their abuser - fewer than 10% of children are abused by strangers

• Adult abusers average 380 crimes per offender• Most abuse is never disclosed

The problem for local government:

• 64,400 children were being looked after by UK Local Authorities as at March 31st 2010

• In January 2012 LAs made 903 court applications to take children into care – the highest since 2001

• At present LSCBs are so overloaded they are often putting cases back on the schools to handle

Key abuse cases

• Maria Colwell – 1973

• Victoria Climbié – 2000

• Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells – 2002

• Peter Connolly (Baby “P”) - 2007

Victoria Climbié

Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells

Khyra Ishaq

Baby “P”

legislation

• Legislation prompted by key cases includes: Formation of Independent Safeguarding

Authority (ISA) – a single vetting and barring agency to monitor staff working with children

Changes to DBS formerly CRB Further guidance reflected in the Safeguarding

Policy January 2013

How HMG supports Child Protection in schools

• Requirements for a trained Designated Person and Deputy Designated Person in every school

• OFSTED inspections• School Inspection Service Inspections• Local Safeguarding Children Boards

Local Safeguarding Children Boards

• The LSCB is the statutory body responsible for protecting children and young people from significant harm and for promoting their welfare

• LSCBs were set up by the Children Act 2004• LSCBs include representatives from the LA and

partner agencies such as Police, NHS, Probation, CAF, NSPCC etc

Faith schools and SC

• Serious child abuse has taken place in religious institutions

• In some cases courts have criticised SC arrangements where S Cos (DSPs) etc were drawn from the same religious community as where abuse took place

• This is why Focus has a policy of including in our SC structure school staff who are not members of the Brethren community

Focus arrangements for SC

• Peter Trevvett is the trustee on the central UK trust with overall responsibility for SC

• An SC Policy made widely available• A local trustee at each school responsible for

SC and appropriately trained• A Designated Person and Deputy Designated

Person in every school• Awareness and training

The Focus SC Policy

• This is a comprehensive document setting out our policies and procedures for SC

• You have your own copy, please read it and study it

• It’s available to parents, visitors and interested parties

Policies complementary to SC

• Anti -Bullying, including cyber bullying• Behaviour Management • Camera Policy• Data Protection • Disciplinary Procedures• Health and Safety including Educational Visits and First Aid• Induction of New Staff and Volunteers• Physical Control• Staff Handbook• Single Central Record (formerly Staff Credential Register)

It cannot be emphasised enough that SC involves every activity in the school

Child abuse – the damage

• Abuse of a child invariably causes harm, which may not manifest fully until later life: Brain damage (especially by shaking an infant) Impaired learning and development Long term impact on mental health Emotional damage – guilt and low self esteem Difficulties in forming relationships Foetal damage from drugs or alcohol

Indicators of possible abuse

• Change of personality, sudden fall off in performance

• Moodiness, withdrawal, general unhappiness• Unacceptable or attention seeking behaviour• Aggressive or hostile behaviour/bullying• Low self esteem/self harm/

suicidal tendency• Insecurity/running away/

truancy

Types of abuse

• 1 Physical

• 2 Sexual

• 3 Emotional

• 4 Neglect

Physical abuse

• “1 in 9 young adults (11.5%) has experienced severe physical violence during childhood at the hands of an adult” NSPCC, Radford et al, 2011

Refer to Focus SC Policy, Appendix A, for guidance in recognizing physical abuse.

Sexual abuse

• “An estimated 1 in 6 children experience sexual abuse before the age of 16” Child Maltreatment in the UK, NSPCC 2000

• Refer to Focus SC Policy, Appendix A, for guidance in recognising sexual abuse.

Emotional abuse

• Probably the most prevalent form of abuse, largely hidden and underestimated, but with severe long term consequences

• Refer to Focus SC Policy, Appendix A, for guidance in recognising emotional abuse

Neglect

• Refer to Focus SC Policy, Appendix A, for guidance in recognising neglect.

SC and the internet

• Naivety about the dangers of social media makes young people vulnerable to predators

• Boundaries and safeguards are essential for internet access and use

• Students need educating about the dangers to which they are exposed ifthey ignore these boundaries

Cyberbullying

• This is an issue of behaviour, nottechnology

• It is simply bullying in a different form

• Strategies for prevention and handling need to be included in the Anti Bullying Policy

How to deal with a disclosure

• If a student discloses:– Listen calmly– Prompt if necessary but do not question– Never put words into a child’s mouth– Don’t promise confidentiality– Reassure the child and be positive– Complete an Incident Report Form – Appendix 1 – Report /discuss action urgently with Designated

Person – Do not disclose to others without good reason

Sharing information

• Be open and honest with the person• Share with consent where appropriate• Share without consent if it is in the public

interest to do so (eg. a child at risk)• Share appropriately and securely• Consider safety and well being of the person• Incident Report Form and any notes to be

given to the Designated Person

Acting on a disclosure – risk assessment

• Is the child currently at risk of serious harm? If so it is mandatory to report to the authorities

• Is it safe to allow the child to go back to an area where the alleged abuse took place?

• Are the parents/guardians suspected of being involved in the abuse, or aware of it?

• What action needs to be taken to protect the child now and in the future?

Some long term caring strategies

• Options include:• Set up a team to agree strategy/action/review• Seek specialist legal/medical/psychiatric

advice• Involve community leaders for support• Involve parents/guardians – provided they are

not a source of risk • Always document actions and set review dates

Write it down!

Make brief notes during a disclosure

The Designated Person will maintain record of all cases – to be passed on in the event of a change of school

The Designated Person should record even minor incidents or suspicions

Raising awareness

Posters throughout the school giving names of SC Trustee, S Co (DSP) and Deputy

All staff, parents and other interested parties to be given the Focus SC Policy

Appropriate education of students regarding abuse/grooming dangers/cyberbullying

Awareness sessions for parents

SC involves the whole school!

• Protection of vulnerable children• Identifying and caring for SEN students• Facilities for those disabled• Equality for different racial/social backgrounds• H & S measures throughout the campus• Campus security against intruders• Healthy eating/exercise/mental health• Vigilance against all forms of bullying

Accusations against staff

• Accusations against staff also involve employment issues

• Guidance issued in 2012• From an SC standpoint must be reported to

agency if harm has been or could have been caused to a child/young person

• Section 13 gives teaching staff anonymity until charged or summonsed

Summary

• Focus is committed to do whatever is necessary to protect our children

• We rely on you to help us by being vigilant and discreet and reporting any concerns you may have

• THANK-YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Thank-you for listening!

Case histories for discussion

•What would you do??

1. Tracy

• Mrs Jones is giving Tracy one to one support and when she happens to reach suddenly across the table for a pencil Tracy jumps back in alarm. Mrs Jones thought nothing about it at the time, but later she began to wonder if it could be an indication Tracy was used to being hit.

• What would you do, if you were Mrs Jones?

2.Mark

• Mark is a somewhat withdrawn nine year old. His teacher, Miss Smith, comes across a sexually explicit drawing he has done. He is not forthcoming when questioned but eventually admits that Uncle Jack shows him pictures like this, starts to cry and asks her not to tell anyone.

• What would you do if you were Miss Smith?

3. Tom

• Tom is a cheerful fifteen year old but is grossly obese and gets taunted by his peers when he changes for PE. Teachers who know his background say his family life is chaotic. His Mum works all day and the family meal is a massive fry-up late every evening. Mr Brown, his teacher, isn’t sure how to address the problem.

• What would you do if you were Mr Brown?

4. Zara

• Zara is a rather shy and not very happy six year old. One day when her Mum comes to collect her Zara proudly gives her a drawing she has done but her mother tears it in two, stamps on it and yanks her away. Zara starts to cry silently. Miss Jones noticed this from a school window.

• What would you do if you were Miss Jones?

THE END