Child protection

   Early Years Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

 

 

BritAcademy  endeavours to provide a safe and welcoming environment where children are respected and valued. We are alert to the signs of abuse and neglect and follow our procedures to ensure that children receive effective support, protection and justice.

 

Principles                                                                                                     

Our core safeguarding principles are:

 

  • It is my/the setting’s responsibility to take all reasonable steps to safeguard and protect the rights, health and well-being of all children who are in my/our care.
  • The setting will ensure that the welfare of children is given consideration when developing and delivering all activities.
  • All children, regardless of age, gender, ability, culture, race, language, religion or sexual identity, have equal rights to protection.
  • All staff have an equal responsibility to act on any suspicion or disclosure that may suggest a child is at risk of harm in accordance with this guidance.
  • All children and staff involved in child protection issues will receive appropriate support from the manager of the setting (if applicable) who will follow this policy guidance in doing so.

 

Aims

  • To provide all staff with the necessary information to enable us to meet our statutory responsibilities to promote and safeguard the wellbeing of children.
  • To ensure consistent good practice across the setting
  • To demonstrate the setting’s commitment to safeguarding children.
  • BritAcademy takes into account the relevant guidance issued by the UK Department for Education to: Designate a Child Protection Officer (CPO)- Glodeanu Ramona
  • Ensure that all staff (including temporary and supply staff)  know the identity of the CPO(s) and, through induction and in-house training, have an awareness of their role
  • Ensure that all staff understand their responsibility to refer concerns to the relevant CPO, and  the procedure for doing so
  • Ensure that all parents understand the responsibility placed on the school and its employees for safeguarding students; including the requirement to share information with local Child Guidance Centres when necessar
  • Keep secure written records of concerns relating to students, even when there is no requirement to take immediate further action
  • Follow a set procedure when an allegation is made against a BST employee or volunteer
  • Ensure that safe recruitment practices are observed and that such practices are reviewed on a regular basis

 

At BritAcademy, the Child Protection Officers will:

 

Act as a source of support, advice and expertise within the school

Liaise with relevant external agencies both in the UK and Romania

Liaise with the Principal and the Heads of School and keep them informed of any issues

Ensure that all employees have access to and understand the school’s Safeguarding and CP Policy

Ensure that all staff have induction training covering safeguarding and child protection issues and  that they understand their responsibilities and reporting procedures

Keep detailed, accurate written records of all concerns in a secure manner

Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding and CP developments, and share resources.

It is NOT the responsibility of teachers or other employees to investigate suspected abuse; they should not take action beyond that agreed by the  Principal and Child Protection Officers

 

 

Recognising abuse

To ensure that our children are protected from harm, we need to understand what types of behaviour constitute abuse and neglect.  I/We will ensure all staff understands their responsibilities in being alert to indicators of abuse and their responsibility for referring any concerns to the designated person responsible for child protection.

 

There are four categories of abuse: physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and neglect.

 

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 fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces illness in a child (this used to be called Munchausen’s Syndrome by Proxy, but is now more usually referred to as fabricated or induced illness).

 

 

 

Emotional abuse

Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment 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 for meeting the needs of another person. It may feature age – or developmentally-inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond the child’s developmental capability, as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child participating in normal social interaction. It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another. It may involve serious bullying, 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 maltreatment of a child, although it may occur alone.

 

 

Sexual abuse

Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, including prostitution, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative and non-penetrative acts. They may include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, pornographic material or watching sexual activities, or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways.

 

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. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance misuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to provide adequate food and clothing or shelter, including exclusion from home or abandonment; failing to protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger; failure to ensure adequate supervision, including the use of inadequate

care-takers; 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.

 

 

Taking action

 

Our staff is trained to take the following measures:

  • in an emergency take the action necessary to help the child, for example, call 112
  • ensure the information is shared with the most senior person in the setting that day and ensure action is taken to report the concern to children’s social care
  • do not start your own investigation
  • share information on a need-to-know basis only – do not discuss the issue with colleagues, friends or family
  • complete a record of concern about children, even where there is no need to refer the matter immediately (dated and signed on each page)
  • seek support for yourself if you are distressed.

Recording suspicions of abuse and disclosures

The record includes:

  • Child’s name
  • Child’s address
  • Age of the child and date of birth
  • Date and time of the observation or the disclosure
  • Exact words spoken by the child
  • Exact position and type of injuries or marks seen
  • Exact observation of an incident including any other witnesses
  • Name of the person to whom the concern was reported, with date and time; and the names of any other person present at the time.
  • Any discussion held with the parent(s) (where deemed appropriate).

 

 

These records should be signed by the person reporting this and the CPO, dated and kept in a separate confidential file.

If a child starts to talk to an adult about potential abuse, the staff doesn’t promise the child complete confidentiality. This promise cannot be kept. It is vital that the child is allowed to talk openly and disclosure is not forced or words put into the child’s mouth. As soon as possible after the disclosure it is vital details are logged down accurately.

Staff involved may be asked to supply details of any information/concerns they have with regard to a child. The preschool expects all members of staff to co-operate with the local Child protection service.

 

Staff must not make any comments either publicly or in private about a parent’s or staff’s supposed or actual behaviour.

 

Behavioural expectations to ensure children are safe and to ensure false accusations are avoided.

Whilst caring for other people’s children, we are in a position of trust and our responsibilities to them and the ‘organisation’ must be uppermost in practitioners’ minds at all times.

 

 

 

We do not:

  • use any kind of physical punishment or chastisement such as smacking, hitting or rough handling
  • behave in a way that frightens or demeans any child
  • use any racist, sexist, discriminatory or offensive language

 

Allegations Against Pupils

A pupil against whom an allegation of abuse has been made may be suspended from the preschool during the investigation and the Schools policy on behaviour, discipline and sanctions will apply. If it is necessary for a pupil to be interviewed by the police in relation to allegations of abuse, the School will ensure that, parents are informed as soon as possible and that the pupil is supported during the interview by an appropriate adult.

 

Suspected Harm From Outside the School

A member of staff who suspects that a pupil is suffering harm from outside the School should seek information from the young person with tact and sympathy using open and not leading questions. A sufficient record should be made of the conversation and if the member of staff continues to be concerned he or she should refer the matter to the CPO

 

 

Allegations against a member of the family/staff

 

The setting will:

  • report such allegations in the same way as any other child protection referral
  • record the details that give cause for concern
  • instigate the disciplinary procedure, due to the serious nature of the concerns, and suspend the member of staff until a full investigation has taken place
  • not take further disciplinary action until the outcome of the investigation is known
  • cooperate fully with the process of Social Care investigations
  • support and treat with respect the member of staff whilst suspended
  • ensure, if it appears from the results of the investigation that the allegations are justified, that disciplinary action will follow, in full consultation with the management committee

 

 

Suspension will not be an automatic response to an allegation.

Full consideration will be given to all the options, subject to the need to ensure: the safety and welfare of the pupil or pupils concerned; and the need for a full and fair investigation.

Where an allegation or complaint is made against the CPO or any other member of staff or a volunteer, the matter should be reported immediately to the Trustees. Detailed

 

guidance is given to staff to ensure that their behaviour and actions do not place pupils or themselves at risk of harm or of allegations of harm to a pupil.

 

Whistleblowing

All staff are required to report to the Headteacher  Ramona Glodeanu or the trustee Radu Alexandru Cata in her absence, any concern or allegations about school practices or the behaviour of colleagues which BritAcademy are likely to put pupils at risk of abuse or other serious harm. There will be no retribution or disciplinary action taken against a member of staff for making such a report provided that it is done in good faith.

 

 

Referral Guidelines

A referral to the Romanian Social Services or the police will not normally be made when:

  1. The complaint does not involve a serious criminal offence;
  2. The case is one that can be satisfactorily investigated and dealt with under the Schools internal procedures. Where the need arises the CPO should contact Bucharest District 2 Social Services on 021 252 22 02.  Also, it is  our duty to make a phone call at 11611 “Telefonul copilului”‘ (emergency call for child abuse) if we suspect any kind of child abuse- please check “Recognising abuse” for reference. 

     

 

Parental partnership

 

Where possible, concerns will be discussed with the parent/carer for an explanation, providing it does not put the child at immediate risk.

.Parents must notify the setting regarding any concerns they may have about their child and any accidents, incidents or injuries affecting the child, which will be recorded.

 

We will involve parents and carers wherever possible and ensure they have an understanding of the responsibilities placed on the setting for safeguarding children by setting out its statutory duty in the setting’s policy and procedures, prospectus, notice board and newsletter.

 

Confidentiality and sharing information

All staff understand that child protection issues warrant a high level of confidentiality, not only out of respect for the child and staff involved but also to ensure that being released into the public domain does not compromise evidence.  I staff should only discuss concerns with the designated person or manager. That person will then decide who else needs to have the information and they will disseminate it on a ‘need-to-know’ basis.

 

Information is:

  • processed for limited purposes
  • adequate, relevant and not excessive
  • accurate
  • kept no longer than necessary
  • processed in accordance with the data subject’s rights
  • secure

 

External Agencies

 

Whether or not the School decides to refer a particular complaint to the Romanian Social Services or the police, the parents and student will be informed in writing of their right to make their own complaint or referral to the Social Services Department or the police and will be provided with contact names, addresses and telephone numbers, as appropriate.