1. Immediate Action to Ensure Safety
2. Recognition of Abuse or Neglect
3. What to do if children talk to you about abuse or neglect
6. Allegations against Adults who work with Children
Useful Salford Telephone Numbers
To fulfil their commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, all organisations that provide services for, or work with, children must have:
- Clear priorities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, explicitly stated in strategic policy documents.
- A clear commitment by senior management to the importance of safeguarding and promoting children's welfare.
- A clear line of accountability within the organisation for work on safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
- Recruitment and human resources management procedures that take account of the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people, including arrangements for appropriate checks on new staff and volunteers.
- Procedures for dealing with allegations of abuse against members of staff and volunteers.
- Arrangements to ensure that all staff undertake appropriate training to equip them to carry out their responsibilities effectively, and keep this up-to-date by refresher training at regular intervals; and that all staff, including temporary staff and volunteers who work with children, are made aware of the establishment's arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and their responsibilities for that.
- Policies for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children (eg pupils/students) , and procedures that are in accordance with guidance and locally agreed inter-agency procedures.
- Arrangements to work effectively with other organisations to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, including arrangements for sharing information.
- A culture of listening to, and engaging in dialogue, with children - seeking children's views in ways that are appropriate to their age and understanding, and taking account of those views in individual decisions and in the establishment or development of services.
- Appropriate whistle-blowing procedures, and a culture that enables issues about safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children to be addressed.
Introduction
This document is the Safeguarding Children Policy for St Luke's RC Primary School Salford, which will be followed by all members of the organisation and followed and promoted by those in the position of leadership within the organisation.
Individual agencies are responsible for ensuring that their staff are competent and confident in carrying out their responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting children's welfare.
The purpose of the organisation is to provide a safe learning environment for all adults and children.
We know that being a young person makes them vulnerable to abuse by adults. The purpose of this policy is to make sure that the actions of any adult in the context of the work carried out by the organisation are transparent and safeguard and promote the welfare of all young people.
This document is written in accordance with the Local Safeguarding Children Board Policy and 'Working Together to Safeguard Children' 2006.
Principles upon which the Safeguarding Children Policy is based.
- The welfare of a child or young person will always be paramount.
- The welfare of families will be promoted.
- The rights, wishes and feelings of children, young people and their families will be respected and listened to.
- Keeping children safe from harm requires people who work with children to share information - see Information Sharing : Practitioners Guide on line at www.ecm.gov.uk/informationsharing
- Those people in positions of responsibility within the organisation will work in accordance with the interests of children and young people and follow the policy outlined below.
SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN POLICY
1. Immediate Action to Ensure Safety
Immediate action may be necessary at any stage in involvement with children and families.
IN ALL CASES IT IS VITAL TO TAKE WHATEVER ACTION IS NEEDED TO SAFEGUARD THE CHILDREN ie:
- If emergency medical attention is required this can be secured by calling an ambulance (dial 999) or taking a child to the nearest Accident and Emergency Department.
- If a child is in immediate danger the police should be contacted (dial 999) as they alone have the power to remove a child immediately if protection is necessary, via Police Protection Order.
2. Recognition of Abuse or Neglect
Abuse or neglect of a child is caused by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting; by those known to them or more rarely by a stranger.
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating, or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer feigns the symptoms of, or deliberately causes ill health to a child whom they are looking after. This situation is commonly described using terms such as, fabricated illness by proxy or Munchausen Syndrome by proxy.
Emotional AbuseEmotional abuse is the persistent emotional ill treatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child's emotional development. It may involve conveying to children that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only in so far as they meet the needs of another person. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. It may involve causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of ill treatment of a child though it may occur alone.
Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening.
Neglect
Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child's basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child's health or development. It may involve a parent or carer failing to provide adequate food, shelter and clothing, failing to protect a child from physical harm or danger, or the failure to ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child's basic emotional needs.
Individuals within the organisation need to be alert to the potential abuse of children both within their families and also from other sources including abuse by members of that organisation.
The organisation should know how to recognise and act upon indicators of abuse or potential abuse involving children and where there are concerns about a child's welfare. There is an expected responsibility for all members of the organisation to respond to any suspected or actual abuse of a child in accordance with these procedures.
It is good practice to be as open and honest as possible with parents/carers about any concerns.
However, you MUST NOT discuss your concerns with parents/carers in the following circumstances:
- where sexual abuse or sexual exploitation is suspected.
- where organised or multiple abuse is suspected where fabricated or induced illness (previously known as Munchausen Syndrome by proxy) is suspected.
- where female genital mutilation is the concern.
- in cases of suspected forced marriage.
- where contacting parents/carers would place a child, yourself or others at immediate risk.
These decisions should not be taken in isolation. Consult with your senior manager/line manager/designated teacher.
3. What to do if children talk to you about abuse or neglect
It is recognised that a child may seek you out to share information about abuse or neglect, or talk spontaneously individually or in groups when you are present. In these situations YOU MUST:
- Listen carefully to the child. DO NOT directly question the child.
- Give the child time and attention.
- Allow the child to give a spontaneous account; do not stop a child who is freely recalling significant events.
- Make an accurate record of the information you have been given taking care to record the timing, setting and people present, the child's presentation as well as what was said. Do not throw this away as it may later be needed as evidence.
- Use the child's own words where possible.
- Explain that you cannot promise not to speak to others about the information they have shared -do not offer false confidentiality.
- Reassure the child that:
- they have done the right thing in telling you;
- they have not done anything wrong;
- Tell the child what you are going to do next and explain that you will need to get help to keep him/her safe.
- DO NOT ask the child to repeat his or her account of events to anyone.
If you have a Child Protection concern you should:
Because of your observations of, or information received you may become concerned about a child who has not spoken to you.
It is good practice to ask a child why they are upset or how a cut or bruise was caused , or respond to a child wanting to talk to you. This practice can help clarify vague concerns and result in appropriate action.
If you are concerned about a child you must share your concerns. Initially you should talk to one of the people designated as responsible for child protection within your organisation. In this organisation this person is Paul Jameson - Headteacher.
(If one of those people is implicated in the concerns you should discuss your concerns directly with the Safeguarding Children Unit -
tel: 0161 6034500)
You should consult with your local Children's Social Care Duty & Investigation Team in the area where the child resides, in the following circumstances:
- when you remain unsure after internal consultation as to whether child protection concerns exist.
- when there is disagreement as to whether child protection concerns exist.
- when you are unable to consult promptly or at all with your designated internal contact for child protection.
- when the concerns relate to any member of the organising committee.
Consultation is not the same as making a referral but should enable a decision to be made as to whether a referral to Children's Social Care or the Police should progress.
5. Make a Referral
A referral involves giving Children's Social Care or the Police information about concerns relating to an individual or family in order that enquiries can be undertaken by the appropriate agency followed by any necessary action.
Parents/carers should be informed if a referral is being made except in the circumstances outlined above.
However, inability to inform parents for any reason should not prevent a referral being made. It would then become a joint decision with Children's Social Care about how and when the parents should be approached and by whom.
- If your concern is about harm or risk of harm from a family member or someone known to the children, you should make a telephone referral to the Children's Social Care Duty & Investigation Team in the area where the child resides [click here for Salford telephone numbers].
- If your concern is about harm or risk of harm from someone not known to the child or child's family, you should make a telephone referral directly to the Police and consult with the parents.
- If your concern is about harm or risk of harm from an adult in a position of trust [see 6 below]
Information required when making a referral
Be prepared to give as much of the following information as possible (in emergency situations all of this information may not be available). Unavailability of some information should not stop you making a referral.
- Your name, telephone number, position and request the same of the person to whom you are speaking.
- Full name and address, telephone number of family, date of birth of child and siblings.
- Gender, ethnicity, first language, any special needs.
- Names, dates of birth and relationship of household members and any significant others.
- The names of professionals' known to be involved with the child/family eg: GP, Health Visitor, School.
- The nature of the concern; and foundation for them.
- An opinion on whether the child may need urgent action to make them safe.
- Your view of what appears to be the needs of the child and family.
- Whether the consent of a parent with parental responsibility has been given to the referral being made.
Action to be taken following the referral
- Ensure that you keep an accurate record of your concern(s) made at the time.
- Put your concerns in writing to the Children's Social Care Duty & Investigation Team following the referral (within 48 hours -and using the multi-agency referral form).
- Accurately record the action agreed or that no further action is to be taken and the reasons for this decision.
6. Allegations against Adults who work with Children
If you have information which suggests an adult who works with children (in a paid or unpaid capacity) has:
- behaved in a way that has harmed or may have harmed a child.
- possibly committed a criminal offence against, or related to, a child.
- behaved towards a children in a way that indicated s/he is unsuitable to work with children.
you should speak immediately with your line manager or senior manager who has responsibility for managing allegations. The senior manager will consult with/make a referral to the LADO ( Local Authority Designated Officer)Safeguarding Children Unit.
(If one of those people is implicated in the concerns you should discuss your concerns directly with the Safeguarding Children Unit -
tel: 0161 603 4500)
7. Confidentiality
The organisation should ensure that any records made in relation to a referral should be kept confidentially and in a secure place.
Information in relation to child protection concerns should be shared on
a "need to know" basis. However, the sharing of information is vital to child protection and, therefore, the issue of confidentiality is secondary to a child's need for protection -see Salford's Information Sharing Protocol.
If in doubt, consult:
USEFUL SALFORD TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
| City-Wide Duty and Investigation Team -(DIT) For referrals 8.30 am - 4.30 pm, Monday - Friday | 603 4500 |
| Emergency Duty Team For referrals at other times | 794 8888 |
| Salford Safeguarding Children Unit | 603 4350 |
| Police Central Switchboard | 872 5050 |
| North Locality Team | 778 0493 |
| South Locality Team | 921 2280 |
| Central Locality Team | 778 0660 |
| West Locality Team | 975 7377 |