Governors Approved Date

POLICY

CHILD PROTECTION

REVIEWED BY M Morgan November 2009

GOVERNORS APPROVED DATE

Safeguarding Children in Education (Sept 04) places a general duty on schools to co-operate with other agencies in the protection of children. It also requires that schools have in place policies and procedures, which should be shared with parents/carers, to address concerns about the safety and protection of children.

Babington House School fully recognises its responsibilities for Child Protection. The Headteacher and in her absence the Head of Pastoral Care take responsibility for Child Protection, Welfare issues and liaison with the Social Services Department as the named person.

Our policy applies to all staff, governors and volunteers working in the school. There are five main elements to our policy:

 Ensuring we practice safe recruitment in checking the suitability of staff and volunteers to work with children, (see Recruitment Policy).  Raising awareness of child protection issues and equipping children with the skills needed to keep them safe.  Developing and then implementing procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases, of abuse, (see attached flow diagram)  Supporting pupils who have been abused in accordance with his/her agreed child protection plan.  Establishing a safe environment in which children can learn and develop.

We recognise that because of the day to day contact with children, school staff are well placed to observe the outward signs of abuse. Babington House School defines abuse as Physical, Emotional, Sexual or Neglect. The school will therefore:

 Establish and maintain an environment where children feel secure, are encouraged to talk and are listened to.  Ensure that children know that there are many adults in the school whom they can approach if they are worried, but none of them may ask leading questions or promise confidentiality.  Include opportunities in the PSHCRE curriculum for children to develop the skills they need to recognise and stay safe from abuse.

Cont’d We will follow the procedures set out in the Bromley Guidelines for schools and take account of guidance issued by the Department of Education and Skills to:

 Ensure that we have a designated senior person for child protection who has received appropriate training and support for this role.  Ensure that we have a nominated governor responsible for child protection.  Ensure every member of staff (including temporary and supply staff and volunteers) and governing body know the names of the designated senior people responsible for child protection and their roles.  Ensure that all staff and volunteers understand their responsibilities in being alert to the signs of abuse and responsibility for referring any concerns to the designated senior persons responsible for child protection.  Ensure that all staff have child protection training.  Ensure that parents/carers have an understanding of the responsibility placed on the school and staff for child protection.  Notify social services if there is an unexplained absence of a pupil 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 attendances at case conferences.  Keep written records of concerns about children, even when there is no need to refer the matter immediately.  Ensure all records are kept securely; separate from the main pupil file, and in locked locations.  Ensure that referrals are considered according to the BSCB continuum of need document.  When an urgent child protection situation arises, a referral will be made to the relevant Referral Assessment team by telephone and then followed up with a completed CAF form and Social Care Referral form within 48hrs.  Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of procedures where an allegation is made against a member of staff or volunteer.  Ensure safe recruitment practices are followed (see Recruitment Policy)

We recognise that pupils who are abused or witness violence may find it difficult to develop a sense of self worth. They may feel helplessness, humiliation and in some sense of blame. The school may be the only stable, secure and predictable element in the lives of children at risk. When at school their behaviour may be challenging and defiant or they may be withdrawn, the school will endeavour to support the pupil through:

 The content of the curriculum.  The school counsellor  The school ethos which promotes a positive, supportive and secure environment and gives pupils a sense of being valued. Cont’d  The school behaviour policy which is aimed at supporting vulnerable pupils in the school. The school will ensure that the pupil knows that some behaviour is unacceptable but they are valued and not to be blamed for any abuse that has occurred.  Liaise with other agencies that support the pupil such as social services, Child and Adult Mental Health Service, education welfare service and educational psychology service.  Ensuring that, where a pupil on the child protection register leaves, their information is transferred to the new school.

At Babington House we believe that the best outcomes for children are generally achieved when professionals can work together effectively with parents/carers. The school will communicate and share with parents/carers any information or concerns that they have about their children at the earliest opportunity, except where it was felt that such communication might compromise the child's safety. If a child is felt to be in need of protection and becomes the subject of a child protection plan, parents/carers should see the school as a source of help and support. Babington House takes seriously its duty of Pastoral Care and seeks to prevent children becoming the victims of abuse or neglect. We aim to create a culture which respects the rights of all individuals and discourages bullying and discrimination of any kind (see appropriate policies).

We inform children of their rights to be free from harm and encourage them to speak to staff if they have any concerns. Form tutors have responsibility for pupils in their form and they work closely with the Head of Pastoral Care. The school has a School Counsellor to whom the pupils may talk and she also works closely with the Head of Pastoral Care.

In the event of physical or emotional abuse of one pupil by another, this will be dealt with according to the school's anti-bullying policy.

Allegations against any member of staff which have implications for the safety and welfare of children will be taken seriously and will be investigated according to the procedures set out in the Bromley Guidelines for Schools. (See attached flow diagram)

Governors responsible for Child Protection: Mr. J. Bentley Mrs. K. Fairchild

Independent listener: Reverend Adams Christchurch Vicarage 62 Lubbock Road Chislehurst BR7 5JX

Contacts Referral & Assessment Team (West), Penge Referral & Assessment Team (East), Orpington Tel: 020 8461 7089/7058 Tel: 020 7379/7404 Fax: 020 8461 7018 Fax: 01689 897 475 Cont’d Date assessment started

Notes for use: If you are completing form electronically, text boxes will expand to fit your text Where check boxes appear, insert an ‘X’ in those that apply.

Identifying details Record details of unborn baby, infant, child or young person being assessed. If unborn, state name as ‘unborn baby’ and mother’s name, e.g. unborn baby of Ann Smith.

Given name(s) Family name

Male Female Unknown AKA1/previous names

Address Date of birth or EDD2

Contact tel. no. COPY Unique ref. no. Version no. Postcode

Ethnicity

White Black or Black British Asian or Asian British Mixed/Dual Background Chinese & Other

White British Caribbean Indian White & Black Chinese Caribbean

White Irish African Pakistani White & Black African

Traveller of Any other Bangladeshi White & Asian Any other Irish Heritage Black ethnic group* background* Gypsy/Roma Any other Asian Any other Mixed Not given background* background*

Any other White background* *If other, please specify Immigration status Child’s first language Parent’s first language

Is the child or young person Yes No disabled?

If ‘yes’ give details Details of any special requirements (for child and/or their parent) eg signing,

interpretation or access needs COPY 1 ‘Also known as’ 2 Expected date of delivery Assessment information

People present at assessment COPY

What has led to this unborn baby, infant, child or young person being assessed?

Details of parents/carers

Name Contact tel. no.

Relationship to unborn baby, infant, child or young person

Address Parental responsibility? Yes No

Postcode: Name Contact tel. no.

Relationship to unborn baby, infant, child or young person

Address Parental responsibility? Yes No

Postcode: Current family and home situation

(e.g. family structure including siblings, other significant adults etc; who lives with the child and who does not live with the child)

Details of person(s) undertaking assessment Name Contact tel. no.

Address Role COPY Organisation

Postcode:

Name of lead professional (where applicable)

Lead professional’s contact number

Lead professional’s email address

Services working with this infant, child or young person l

a GP Details Tel. s r e v i n U

Early years/education/FE Details Tel. training provision s

e Service Details Tel. c i v r e s

r e h t

O Service Details Tel.

Service Details Tel.

Service Details Tel. COPY

Service Details Tel. CAF assessment summary: strengths and needs

Consider each of the elements to the extent they are appropriate in the circumstances. You do not need to comment on every element. Wherever possible, base comments on evidence, not just opinion, and indicate what your evidence is. However, if there are any major differences of view, these should be recorded too.

1. Development of unborn baby, infant, child or young person Health General health Conditions and impairments; access to and use of dentist, GP, optician; immunisations, developmental checks, hospital admissions, accidents, health advice and information COPY

Physical development Nourishment; activity; relaxation; vision and hearing; fine motor skills (drawing etc.); gross motor skills (mobility, playing games and sport etc.)

Speech, language and communication Preferred communication, language, conversation, expression, questioning; games; stories and songs; listening; responding; understanding

Emotional and social development Feeling special; early attachments; risking/actual self-harm; phobias; psychological difficulties; coping with stress; motivation, positive attitudes; confidence; relationships with peers; feeling isolated and solitary; fears; often unhappy

Behavioural development Lifestyle, self-control, reckless or impulsive activity; behaviour with peers; substance COPY misuse; anti-social behaviour; sexual behaviour; offending; violence and aggression; restless and overactive; easily distracted, attention span/concentration

1. Development of unborn baby, infant, child or young person (continued)

COPY Conclusions, solutions and actions Now the assessment is completed you need to record conclusions, solutions and actions. Work with the baby, child or young person and/or parent or carer, and take account of their ideas, solutions and goals.

What are your aims? (What are the key aims the child, young person and/or family would like to address?)

What are your conclusions? (What are the child/young person’s/families strengths and resources, what are their needs – e.g. no additional needs, additional needs, complex needs, risk of harm to self or others?) Strengths & Resources:

Needs/ worries:

What changes are wanted? (Include the child/young person’s, parent/carer’s and practitioner’s views)

How can change happen? (Include the child/young person’s, parent/carer’s and practitioner’s views)

Agreed Actions (in order of priority list the actions agreed for the people present at the assessment) Child or young person’s comment on the assessment and actions identified

Parent or carer’s comment on the assessment and actions identified

Consent statement for information storage and information sharing

“We need to collect the information in this CAF form so that we can understand what help you may need. If we cannot cover all of your needs we may need to share some of this information with the other organisations specified below, so that they can help us to provide the services you need. If we need to share information with any other organisation(s) later to offer you more help we will ask you about this before we do it.”

“We will treat your information as confidential and we will not share it with any other organisation unless we are required by law to share it or unless you will come to some harm if we do not share it. In any case we will only ever share the minimum information we need to share”

I understand the information that is recorded on this form and that it will be stored and used for the purpose of providing services to: Me This infant, child or young person for whom I am a parent This infant, child or young person for whom I am a carer I have had the reasons for information sharing explained to me and I understand those reasons. I agree to the sharing of information, as agreed, between the services listed below Yes No

Signed Name Date

Assessor’s signature Signed Name Date Exceptional circumstances: concerns about significant harm to infant, child or young person If at any time during the course of this assessment you are concerned that an infant, child or young person has been harmed or abused or is at risk of being harmed or abused, you must follow your Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) safeguarding children procedures. The practice guidance What to do If you’re worried a child is being abused (HM Government, 2006) sets out the processes to be followed by all practitioners.

If you think the child may be a child in need (under section 17 of the Children Act 1989) then you should also consider referring the child to children's social care. These referral processes will be included in your local safeguarding children procedures and are set out in Chapter 5 of Working Together to Safgeguard Children (2006) (www.ecm.gov.uk/workingtogether). You should seek the agreement of the child and family before making such a referral unless to do so would place the child at increased risk of significant harm.

Delivery Plan & Review (Actions from the assessment should be brought forward into the delivery plan and added to where a multi-agency team around the child response is required and/or used to review progress) Personal Details Given name(s) Family name DOB or EDD

Address Postcode Male Female Unknown

LP Details Name Agency/Relationship Email

Address Contact Number COPY FOR COMPLETION AT REVIEW STAGE Desired outcome (as agreed Progress & Date Contributing Action Who will do this? By when? with child, young person, family) Comment Closed to ECM Aim1

1 These outcomes should be linked to the ‘Every Child Matters’ aims where appropriate. Please see the CAF Practitioners Guide Annex A for a full list of the ECM aims which sit below the five ECM outcomes. Review Date:

People present

(Review delivery plan and update with any agreed further action) Next Steps

Yes Reason for closure: Can the CAF be closed? No Agreed review date:

Review Notes

Child or young person’s comment on the review and actions identified

Parent or carer’s comment on the assessment and actions identified