"All children have rights to protection, to education, to food and medical care and to much, much more.

Every child, no matter where he or she lives, has the right to grow up feeling safe and cared for: a simple thought which few would openly challenge."  

                                                            The Rights of the Child.  UNICEF.

Buckingham College Preparatory School fully recognises its responsibilities for child protection.

1.     Our policy applies to all staff, governors and volunteers working in the school.  There are four main elements to the school's policy:

•§         Ensuring we practise safe recruitment in checking with the Criminal Records Bureau that volunteers are suitable to work with children.

•§         Raising awareness of child protection issues and equipping children with the skills needed to keep them safe. 

•§         Developing and implementing procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases, of abuse. 

•§         Establishing a safe environment in which children can learn and develop.

2.   We believe that the 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 in any way. 

•§         Include opportunities in the PSHE curriculum for children to develop the skills they need to recognise and stay safe from abuse.

•§         Ensure we have a designated teacher for child protection and a deputy in case the Child Protection Officer is absent.  Both the Child Protection Officer and Deputy Child Protection Officer will have received appropriate training and support for their roles.

•§         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.

•§         Notify social services if there is an unexplained absence of more than two days of a pupil who is on the child protection register.

•§         Develop effective links with relevant agencies and co-operate with their enquiries regarding child protection matters including attendance at case conferences.

•§         Keep written records of concerns about children, even where there is no need to refer the matter immediately. 

•§         Ensure one governor is responsible for Child Protection policies and procedures.

•§         Ensure all records are kept securely, separate from the main pupil 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.

•§         Monitor absence of children where a pattern is suspected.

3.     We recognise that children 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.  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 ethos which promotes a positive, supportive and secure environment and gives pupils a sense of being valued.

•§         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 which has occurred.

•§         Liaison with other agencies that support the pupil such as the Social Services, the Child and Adult Mental Health Service, the Education Welfare Service and the Educational Psychology Service.

•§         Ensuring that, where a pupil on the child protection register leaves, their information is transferred to the new school immediately and that the child's social worker is informed.

4.     Practices and Procedures

•§         It is the responsibility of all staff, teaching and non teaching, to implement this policy.

•§         All members of staff receive training on issues of child protection as appropriate (every 2 years).

•§         There are agreed procedures for the reporting of concerns (see Child Protection Guidelines).

•§         It is the responsibility of the Child Protection Officer, the Deputy Child Protection Officer, or in their absence, the Headmaster to take the appropriate action.

•§         Child Protection Officer to update knowledge through training at least every 2 years.

•§         Child Protection Policy to be reviewed annually.

Child Protection Guidelines

What is child protection?

Child protection is the active prevention of child abuse by all those involved with children.

What is child abuse?

Child abuse is significant, non-accidental harm to children. It can be emotional, physical, sexual or through neglect.

Who are children abused by?

Children have been abused by their own parents, step parents, other members of the family, other children, those in positions of responsibilities including teachers and strangers.  Children are most likely to be abused by people they know and trust.

Who needs to know about child protection?

Child protection is an issue for all members of teaching and support staff.  A child may choose to confide in any adult.

Who should know?

Staff should never give children an assurance that they will keep a secret as a disclosure of possible child abuse should be passed on to the nominated person.  If abuse is suspected, has taken place or if there has been Social Services involvement, this information should be treated in the strictest confidence and only shared with colleagues and support agencies that have a legitimate need to know.

Who is the nominated person?

The nominated person with responsibility for child protection at this school is the Child Protection Officer, the Deputy Child Protection Officer or, in their absence, the Headteacher.

What are the signs of child abuse?

Abused children may have unaccountable or frequent injuries and may appear to be unusually aggressive or withdrawn.  If the abuse is neglect, then they may appear unkempt, inappropriately dressed, dirty or poorly nourished.

Listed below are some of the signs and types of behaviour which may indicate that a child is being abused.  In themselves they are not evidence of child abuse, but may suggest abuse, particularly if a child exhibits such signs of behaviour.  There can be other explanations for a child showing such signs or behaving in these ways.

•Ø      repeated minor physical injuries (e.g. bruising, cuts etc.)

•Ø      children who are dirty, smelly, poorly clothed or who appear underfed

•Ø      children to have lingering illnesses which are not attended to

•Ø      deterioration in school work or significant changes in behaviour without explanation

•Ø      aggressive behaviour, severe tantrums

•Ø      an air of ‘detachment' or ‘don't care' attitude

•Ø      overly compliant behaviour, ‘watchful' attitude

•Ø      continual open masturbation, aggressive and inappropriate sex play

•Ø      the child who is reluctant to go home or is kept away from school by a parent for no apparent reason

•Ø      does not join in school social activities, has few school friends

•Ø      does not trust adults, particularly those who are close

•Ø      ‘stomach pains' with no medical reason

•Ø      eating problems, including over-eating, loss of appetite

•Ø      disturbed sleep, nightmares, bed-wetting

•Ø      running away from home, suicide attempts, self-inflicted wounds

•Ø      reverting to younger behaviour, depression, withdrawal

•Ø      relationships between the child and adults which are secretive and exclude others

What is a referral?

When social services are informed that child abuse has taken place this is known as a referral.  If the circumstances warrant it, then social services will make an investigation which will probably involve the Child Protection Unit of the Police.  This will also involve talking to the parents and explaining what has been alleged and where the referral has come from.

Who can make a referral?

The nominated person (i.e. the Child Protection Officer) or, in his absence, the Headteacher, is the only person with the responsibility to make a referral.

What are the likely outcomes of a referral?

If it is believed that child abuse may have taken place, then there will be a case conference to decide how to help the child.  Social Services will work with the family to improve the situation for the child. Children are only very rarely taken into care.

Who attends a case conference?

A case conference is usually attended by relevant professionals who have dealings with any of the children in the family.  This may include social workers, police, educational welfare officers, school nurses, health visitors, Child Protection Officer or Headteacher, class teachers and doctors.  The parents and sometimes the child may also attend.

What does a case conference do?

The case conference shares each participant's concerns and perception of the child and decides whether or not the child should be on the at risk register.

What is the at risk register?

The at risk register is a list, held by Social Services, of children who are considered to be at risk from child abuse, usually in their own homes.  All the agencies are required to work together and share information on children on the register.  There will be regular case conferences and a nominated social worker.

How do I react to a disclosure?

•·        Be sympathetic but try not to show that you are shocked.

•·        Don't make a promise you can't keep.

•·        You must not promise confidentiality when a child approaches you with a complaint about abuse.

•·        Try not to ask questions, especially leading questions, as this could jeopardise further investigations.

•·        Tell the nominated person during that school session.

•·        Write down exactly what was said.

How do I respond to a non-accidental injury?

•·        Routinely but informally ask the children how they came to have cuts and bruises.

•·        If the explanation does not match the injury or you have other reasons to believe this may be a non-accidental injury, report this to the nominated person as soon as possible.

•·        Record your concern.

•·        The Child Protection Officer, in the presence of another member of staff, should initiate a preliminary enquiry to establish the possibility of non-accidental harm having occurred and appropriate action taken.