Woodlodge Safeguarding Policy

 

Preface We recognise the paramount importance of our role in the wider safeguarding system[1] for children[2]. Our policy has been developed in consultation with experienced and expert staff. The policy is reviewed annually, or immediately in the event of changes to guidance. Effective implementation and adherence to the policy is reviewed through an annual cycle.   As detailed throughout this document, our policy complies with relevant statutory and non-statutory guidance, including Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE)effective from September 2016. The policy applies wherever staff are working with children, including when this involves being off-premises.   Recognising that safeguarding is the responsibility of everyone within the organisation, we ensure that mechanisms are in place to assist all members of staff[3]to understand and discharge their responsibilities, and that they are appropriately and regularly informed and trained. All staff are obliged to make an annual affirmation statement that they have read and understood this policy and Part 1 of KCSIE.   Our policy is available to parents on request and is published on our website.   This policy should be read in conjunction with our other policies which concern the welfare of children, which are listed below in Section A under the sub-heading: The scope of welfare.

 

 

Primary person responsible for implementation and monitoring of this policy Secondary person responsible: 3rd person responsible:	Suresh Sharma Manager   Pagan Buckley     Zahra
Review date:	September 2022
Next Review:	August 2023

 

Relevant ISI regulatory reference:

A6	Arrangements for safeguarding	Part 3, paragraph 7(a) and (b); paragraph 8(a) and (b)
E1	EYFS – Arrangements for safeguarding childs and promoting their welfare

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Key Contact Details

 

External services

 

[Include names of individuals where possible]

Local authority designated officer (LADO)	Family Services                                                      Hannah Ives 01895 250975/07753431285 hives@hillingdon.gov.uk Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) & LADO Service Manager Safeguarding Children and Quality Assurance Service Social Care & Health 4E/01 Civic Centre High Street Uxbridge UB8 1UW Tel: 01895 250975 Emergency Duty Team
Children’s social care (CSC)	Family Support and Child Protection Advisor Tel: 01895 556633 (01895) 250111 (In an emergency only)
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)	Helpline: 03000 200190 Barring referrals: dbsdispatch@dbs.gsi.gov.uk PO Box 181,DarlingtonDL1 9FA 01325 953 795
[ADD OTHERS/AMEND WHERE APPROPRIATE]	NSPCC Child Protection Helpline 0808 800 5000   PREVENT Borough Lead: Fiona Gibbs 01895 277035 Prevent referrals to MASH: 01895 556644 DFE HELPLINE: 020 7340 7264 Childcare and early years service 01895 277930 Police child protection team: 0208 246 1903   Early Years OFSTED Complaints Manager Telephone: 0300 123 1231 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk Piccadilly Gate  Store Street Manchester, M1 2WD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contents

 

PART A – PRINCIPLES AND RISKS

 

• Principles of safeguarding and welfare
• The scope of welfare (including references to our other policies which promote welfare)
• Identifying risks to the welfare of children
• Duty of staff
• Duty of parents
• Harm and abuse: definitions and categories

 

PART B – RESPONDING TO THE DISCOVERY OR DISCLOSURE OF A SAFEGUARDING CONCERN

 

• Early help
• Response to the child and information gathering
• Next steps – notification, consultation and reporting
• Record keeping
• Allegations against members of staff
• Resolution of allegations
• Following through on a concern
• Conflict of interest
• Disqualification by association
• Confidentiality

 

PART C – THE MANAGEMENT OF SAFEGUARDING

 

• Working together to safeguard children
• The role and responsibilities of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
• Managing referrals
• Raising awareness
• Training
• Safer recruitment

 

APPENDICES (see detail on next page)

 

NB – The following acronyms/terms are used in this document, and often within safeguarding discourse:

DSL – Designated safeguarding lead

CSC – Children’s social care

LSCB – Local safeguarding children board

(LA)DO – (Local authority) designated officer

FGM – Female genital mutilation

CSE – Child sexual exploitation

KCSIE – Keeping Children Safe in Education

WT – Working Together (to Safeguard Children)

FBV – fundamental British values

‘Prevent’ – the duty to have due regard to the need to prevent children from being drawn into terrorism

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appendices

 

 

 

1. Categories of abuse and harm
2. Risk indicators of child abuse
3. Ideological harm: radicalisation and the ‘Prevent Duty’
4. Risk indicators of being drawn into terrorism
5. Hyperlinks to further information on specific safeguarding topics
6. Allegations against members of staff

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PART A – PRINCIPLES AND RISKS

 

 

Principles of safeguarding and welfare

Children have a right to be safe, and to feel cared for and supported. Adults have a responsibility to protect children. The safeguarding of children and the promotion of their welfare is a simple and uncontested priority of society, and is of paramount important to us.

 

Although the principles of safeguarding may be simple, the perceptions of the threats to the welfare of children are broad, complex, and sometimes poorly-understood. They are also subject to ever-increasing public concern, government guidance and regulation. Such breadth and complexity create an environment which can be challenging for all those working in education, and for parents.

In response, this policy aims to provide a holistic framework which:

 

• defines the types of risk which pose a threat to the welfare of children in education,

and explains:

• how we assess and respond to those risks
• what expectations we have of ourselves, and of parents
• what procedures should be followed to identify children who may be vulnerable
• what must happen when a specific concern or disclosure arises
• what other channels and specialist resources are available for children and parents

 

In doing so, we follow prevailing statutory duties and guidance[4], and we fully embrace the value of working together with local authorities and agencies in order to keep children safe.

 

The scope of welfare

The welfare of children may be described and evaluated in many ways including:

• their safety, security and protection from maltreatment
• the prevention of impairment of their health or development
• their emotional resilience, self-esteem, and self-confidence
• their ability to communicate, trust others, and to form social bonds
• the development of their critical faculties, moral awareness, independence and maturity

 

Welfare also includes children’s feelings of being valued, supported, respected and listened to. This is especially relevant when their individuality and differences are not being respected. Such differences might be cultural, racial, religious, or based on special needs or disabilities.

 

 

 

 

Staying alert and responsive to these aspects of welfare, and providing early help as soon as a problem emerges, are at the heart of everything we do to keep children safe. We take a child-centred approach, meaning that we consider at all times what is in the best interests of the individual child, taking action to enable all children to have the best possible outcomes.

 

With such a broad scope, it is impossible to address all aspects of welfare exclusively within one policy. Therefore this policy should be read in conjunction with our other policies which directly or indirectly address welfare including:

• Anti-bullying, which includes cyber-bullying
• The E-Safety ‘suite’ including ICT Usage, Mobile phones and other electronic devices, Cameras, photos and images, and Social media
• Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHEE). This also incorporates the spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development of children, and Sex and Relationship Education (SRE)
• Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND)
• Behaviour and discipline
• Health and safety
• Educational visits and risk assessments
• Whistle blowing policy, which explains the process for disclosure of malpractice.
• Staff code of conduct
• Ethical and professional conduct

 

 

Identifying risks to the welfare of children

Risks can arise from many different sources and be categorized in a number of different ways.

All children are potentially at risk, but children with disabilities or special educational needs are especially vulnerable.

 

The source of a risk may be from people known to the child and in close physical proximity, or it may be more remote and anonymous, including via the internet[5]. The risk may be from peers and other children (e.g. bullying), or it may come from adults, including practitioners or other professionals. A risk to welfare may also manifest itself through a child harming itself, whether consciously or otherwise.

 

Being sensitive to the indicators of risk is central to our culture of safeguarding, and underpins the induction of staff, and ongoing awareness-building and training of staff. Risk indicators which help staff identify vulnerability of children to various categories of harm or abuse are included in Appendix 2 and 4.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Duty of Staff

All Nurseries have a responsibility to identify children who may be in need of extra help or who are suffering, or are likely to suffer harm. All staff then have a responsibility to take appropriate action, working with other services as needed.

 

The early identification of potential problems, and the provision of early help, relies upon the following general expectations which apply to all staff at all times:

 

• Staff must be vigilant and open-minded, and maintain the attitude ‘it could happen here’.

 

• Staff must regularly encourage all children to share any concerns they have with an adult and they must listen sympathetically, taking any allegations seriously.

 

• Staff must ensure that they:
  • always act in the best interests of the child
  • understand the systems and processes which support the welfare and safeguarding of children in the Nurseries, and seek clarification if anything is not clear to them.
  • are able to identify children who may be in need of additional help, and respond in appropriate ways consistent with our SEND policy, and with the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) and Team Around the Child (TAC) approach[6].
  • are familiar with the indicators of various types of child abuse. (Appendix 2 provides a list of risk indicators)
  • report suspicions of child-abuse immediately. Child abuse is defined below along with procedures to be followed. Appendix 1 describes the different forms of harm and abuse in more detail.
  • have received appropriate child protection training on induction, and at appropriate intervals thereafter. Whilst it is one of the DSL’s responsibilities to ensure that staff have received the appropriate level of training, staff-members have a reciprocal responsibility to check with the DSL if they are unsure about their training requirements, or feel that they need further training.
  • recognise their responsibility  to raise concerns[7] about poor or unsafe practice and potential failures in the Nurseries safeguarding regime, and to follow-up if such concerns are not taken seriously by the senior leadership team.

 

Duty of parents

This policy focuses on the duties and the responsibilities of the educational establishment, but it is also worth stating briefly our expectations of parents. Parents are expected to help their children to behave in non-violent and non-abusive ways towards both staff and other pupils. Parents will be informed if it was necessary to use minimal force to protect a pupil from injury or to prevent a pupil from harming others.

 

Parents should always inform the nursery of any accidental bruising or other injuries that might otherwise be misinterpreted. They should also inform the nursery of any changes in home circumstances, such as the death of a member of the family, separation or divorce that might lead to otherwise unexplained changes in behaviour or characteristics.

Harm and abuse – definitions and categories

Threats to the welfare of children tend to be described using the words ‘ harm’ or ‘abuse’. The Children Act 1989 introduced the concept of ‘significant[8] harm’ as the threshold that justifies interventions by institutions in fulfilment of their duty of care, if and when such interventions are in the best interest of the child. In this context, harm is defined as ill-treatment, or the impairment of health and development, where:

 

• Ill-treatment can be anything which impairs physical or mental health, and includes sexual abuse.
• development includes physical, intellectual, emotional, social, or behavioural development.

 

The term ‘abuse’ is widely, and sometimes loosely, applied. It takes many forms, both active and passive, including inflicting harm, or failing to act to prevent harm. Abuse can be profoundly damaging, and can blight the remainder of a child’s life. Abused children sometimes become abusing adults themselves. Child abuse usually exists in a world of secrecy and silence, and the cycle of abuse must be broken, not only to prevent serious injury (or even death), but also so that children can grow up to be well-adjusted adults.

 

So what is child abuse? Amongst the agencies who work with children, four categories of abuse are recognised under which a child may be assessed as having suffered, or being likely to suffer significant harm. These four categories are:

 

1. Physical abuse (which includes female genital mutilation ‘FGM’[9] and ‘honour-based’ violence)
2. Emotional abuse
3. Sexual abuse (which includes child sexual exploitation ‘CSE’)
4. Neglect (which includes ‘children missing from education’)

 

Descriptions of these four categories of abuse are included in appendix 1, and risk indicators which can help staff to recognise them are included in appendix 2.

 

Though not an accepted category of abuse in its own right, the vulnerability of children to being seduced by extreme ideological positions is something we take very seriously. Appendix 3 contains an explanation of the threat of young people being drawn into terrorism, including the statutory ‘Prevent Duty’ which applies to those working in nurseries.

 

Abuse, neglect and safeguarding issues are rarely stand-alone events that can be covered by one definition or label. In most cases multiple issues will overlap with one another.

 

Allegations of abuse made against other children

All staff should be aware that safeguarding issues are not confined to instances where children are harmed by adults but can also manifest themselves via peer-on-peer abuse, such as bullying, gender-based violence, sexual assaults, sexting, or initiation/hazing type violence.

 

Staff must be clear that abuse is abuse and should never be tolerated or dismissed as ‘banter’ or ‘part of growing up’. In addition to this Safeguarding policy, staff should also consider the provisions of our Anti-bullying policy. If staff are unsure as to how these policies work together they should seek guidance from the DSL.

 

 

PART B – RESPONDING TO THE DISCOVERY OR DISCLOSURE OF A SAFEGUARDING CONCERN[10]

 

 

 

Safeguarding concerns might arise in a variety of ways. Information might be received from a concerned friend, or another child. Staff may become concerned by direct observation, general chatter, or the behaviour of a colleague, or a child’s parent. Information might be received from an internet user, or via a support service such as ChildLine. Changes in a child’s appearance or behaviour might trigger concerns or unusual physical injuries to a child may become noticeable. It is important to note any patterns of indicators, which on a one-off basis may not be felt to be serious, but which in aggregate could be indicative of an underlying concern.

 

 

Early help

Early help means providing support as soon as a problem emerges at any point in a child’s life. In the first instance staff should discuss early help requirements with the DSL who will determine a course of action in accordance with the threshold criteria of the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB).

 

Where a child would benefit from co-ordinated early help, an early help inter-agency assessment should be arranged, and staff may be required to support other agencies and professionals in such early help assessment. Chapter one of Working together to safeguard children provides further guidance on the early help process.

 

 

Response to the child and information-gathering

Abuse is rarely disclosed explicitly by children themselves. When they do, it is essential that they are listened to and taken seriously and that their disclosure is treated discretely and sensitively. If a child (either as a victim or as a third party) asks to speak with a staff-member about anything relevant to safeguarding concerns, they should never be promised confidentiality, nor told that the secret will be kept. The staff-member should listen sympathetically and carefully right to the end of what the child has to say. Even if it is not immediately, the child may have been struggling with this decision for days or weeks, and may have had to summon up tremendous courage to come forward. Therefore, however uncomfortable the details, the child should not be stopped mid-account nor be told that they need to speak to someone else. Notes should not be taken while the child is speaking, as this can put unhelpful pressure on the child by formalising the situation.

 

Procedures for staff members

If a child tells you about possible child abuse, respond appropriately

• React calmly so as not to frighten the child.
• Listen to the child.
• Do not show disbelief.
• Tell the child that he/she is not to blame and that he/she was right to tell.
• Explain to the child that if what they tell you means that they need more help you will need to tell some other people about what they have said so that they get help they need.
• Take what the child says seriously while recognising the difficulties in interpreting what a child says, especially if they have a speech disability and/or differences in language.
• Do not pre-suppose the experience was bad or painful – it may have been neutral or even pleasurable.
• Always avoid projecting your own reactions on to the child.
• If you need to clarify any points, keep questions to the absolute minimum to ensure a clear and accurate understanding of what has been said.
• If you need to clarify or the statement is ambiguous, use open-ended, non-leading questions, eg what happened; where did it happen; when did it happen; who did it?
• Do not introduce personal information from either your own experiences or those of other children.
• As the child may have been threatened about telling anyone about that has happened, let the child know that they have done the right thing in telling you about it.

If the child has no language or has disabilities that prevent them being able to put into words what is troubling them, then staff should record their observations of the child’s injuries or concerning behaviour and what is worrying to the staff member about it. Is it unusual? Has it been going on for some time?

As a fundamental principle children should be given a fair hearing and taken seriously. Even if the staff-member suspects the child’s disclosure is implausible, fanciful or malicious, they should continue to listen carefully, without betraying any hint of scepticism or asking any leading questions. It is not the role of the nursery or its DSL to investigate allegations of abuse. It is their role simply to gather sufficient information to be able to make a preliminary decision about how to proceed. For this reason alone, staff-members listening to disclosures from children can, when necessary, gently ask questions for basic clarification of the facts such as “what?”, “when?” and “where?”. However, they should be careful not to invite the child to speculate about motive as this might undermine any criminal investigation, and can prejudice outcomes.

 

At the end of the disclosure, the staff-member should reassure the child that they have done the right thing, and offer a guarantee that the information will be taken seriously. The child should be advised not to discuss the matter with anyone else[11] for the time being, and be reassured that the matter will be dealt with by experienced, caring people who operate with the greatest discretion. The child should also be advised that they will be kept informed of the progress of the disclosure, and their wishes and feelings taken into account in responding to the matter. Clearly, however, the information will need to be passed on, so staff-members should never mislead children by telling them that the secret will go no further.

 

As soon as possible, the staff-member should write a comprehensive note of all that has been said, using the child’s words as far as possible. The note should be signed with a time and date, and passed on as detailed in the next section below. Beyond this strict channel of communication, confidentiality must be maintained.

 

 

Next steps – notification, consultation and reporting

If staff members have any concerns about a child (as opposed to a child being at risk of abuse or in immediate danger – see below) they will need to decide what action to take. Where possible there should be a conversation with the DSL to agree a course of action, although any staff member can refer their concerns to Children’s Social Care (CSC) directly, in which case they must inform the DSL as soon as possible. Please note the explicit reporting obligation for cases of female genital mutilation (FGM). If a practitioner in the course of their work in the profession discovers that an act of FGM appears to have been carried out on a girl under the age of 18, the practitioner must report this to the police. For further details on FGM link here and see Annex A to KCSIE (2016).

 

In all cases of referrals, the local authority should make a decision within one working day of a referral being made about what course of action they are taking, and must let the referrer know the outcome. If early help is appropriate, the DSL should support the staff member in liaising with other agencies and setting up an inter-agency assessment as appropriate.

 

Staff should follow-up on a referral should appropriate information not be forthcoming. Thereafter they should press for re-consideration if the child’s situation does not appear to be improving. The following link Reporting child abuse to your local council directs staff to the appropriate contact details and process.

 

 

 

In cases where a child is in immediate danger or at risk of harm and in all suspected cases of abuse action must be taken immediately. Details must be given to the DSL without delay. The Manager must also be notified immediately[12]. Staff should not wait for a disclosure. If they have concerns, they should discuss them with the DSL early, and not wait for concerns to escalate. Where the child requires urgent medical treatment an ambulance should be called to take them to hospital.

 

Within 24 hours, the DSL will consult with:

 

• children’s social care (CSC) services[13]
• the police[14]
• the local authority Designated Officer (LADO) if there is any suspicion or allegation against anyone working in the school or college. The LADO can provide advice and guidance in assessing the seriousness of any incident or allegation, help co-ordinate information-sharing with the right people, and monitor any investigation with the aim to resolve it as quickly as possible.

 

Taking into account the nature, content and context of the allegation, the DSL will agree a course of action with the relevant parties in accordance with Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) policy and guidance.

 

The DSL will enter into a preliminary discussion with the parents, but only if there is no risk to the child of further harm resulting out of this action. The DSL should seek to ascertain any possible additional information or explanations of the indicators which have given rise to a suspicion or allegation. These discussions are exploratory, and the DSL should be careful not to prejudice the outcome of any potential multi-agency investigation.

 

 

Record keeping

All concerns, discussions and decisions made, the reasons for those decisions, and any actions taken, should be recorded in writing. If in doubt about record keeping, staff should consult the DSL.

 

 

Allegations against members of staff

If the disclosure, or other evidence, reveals possible concerns about any staff members (including the Manager), it is important that no discussion should take place with the individual concerned until

 

the DSL agrees to this course of action, after considering the welfare of the child, and after consultation with the designated officer(s) at the local authority. Guidance on how such an allegation should be handled can be found in Appendix 6.

 

 

Resolution of allegations

Every effort should be made to resolve alleged cases of abuse so that they are not left open to widespread speculation which can be damaging for all parties. The following definitions should be used when determining the outcome of allegation investigations:

 

 

• Substantiated: there is sufficient evidence to prove the allegation;
• Malicious: there is sufficient evidence to disprove the allegation and there has been a deliberate act to deceive;
• False: there is sufficient evidence to disprove the allegation;
• Unsubstantiated: there is insufficient evidence either to prove or disprove the allegation. The term, therefore, does not imply guilt or innocence

 

 

Following through on a concern

Although it is usually not possible to discuss child protection cases in full, a member of staff who has passed on information to the DSL should expect an acknowledgement and a brief and confidential update on progress or outcome. Members of staff who are dissatisfied with the manner in which concerns have been handled, or believe that a child is still at risk and continuing to suffer, are at liberty, and indeed are obliged to contact the Local Authority themselves, challenging other agencies and professionals regarding their actions (or inaction) as appropriate.

 

 

Conflicts of interest

All adults who work within an educational context have a duty to report promptly any concerns or information about possible child abuse, whether those responsible are thought to be other children, adults, or colleagues. Our commitment to the paramount importance of the welfare of the child means that in both principle and practice it takes precedence over any other concern, relationship or reputation. Pupils cannot be expected to raise concerns if they are aware of staff failing to do so. Those who do not report information quickly could put children at risk and bring the nursery into disrepute, and may face disciplinary action.

 

 

Disqualification by association

It is the responsibility of staff to be aware of legislation[15]regarding ‘disqualification by association’. Staff are expected to disclose such information to their Manager, if they believe they may be subject to disqualification by association. The Manager will then liaise with a Proprietor and, if appropriate, the LADO to determine the next steps.

 

 

All staff are required to inform the Manager immediately if their family or child within their care or household, or for whom they are responsible, is undergoing an investigation by Social Services or is placed on a Child Protection Register or is the subject of a Child Protection Plan.

 

 

Confidentiality

It is extremely important that when an allegation is made, the nursery makes every effort to maintain confidentiality and guard against unwanted publicity while an allegation is being investigated or considered.

 

The Education Act 2002 introduced reporting restrictions preventing the publication of any material that may lead to the identification of a practitioner who has been accused by, or on behalf of, a pupil from the same nursery(where that identification would identify the practitioner as the subject of the allegation). The reporting restrictions apply until the point that the accused person is charged with an offence, or until a relevant authority publishes information about an investigation or decision in a disciplinary case arising from the allegation. The reporting restrictions cease to apply if the individual to whom the restrictions apply effectively waives their right to anonymity by going public themselves or by giving their written consent for another to do so or if a judge lifts restrictions in response to a request to do so.

 

 

 

 

PART C – THE MANAGEMENT OF SAFEGUARDING

 

 

Working Together

We contribute to inter-agency work in line with statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children.  This includes a co-ordinated offer of early help when additional needs of children are identified and contributing to inter-agency assessments and plans to provide additional support to children subject to child protection plans. Access is allowed from the host local authority, and where appropriate, from a placing local authority. Fears about sharing information are not allowed to stand in the way of the need to promote the welfare and protect the safety of children.

 

We take into account the procedures and practices of the local authority as part of the inter-agency safeguarding procedures set up by the LSCB, and co-operate with all relevant partners and other organisations who are engaged in activities relating to the welfare and safeguarding of children.

 

 

The role and responsibilities of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

It is apparent from the procedures outlined throughout this policy that great reliance is placed upon

all staff sharing information and referring their concerns to the DSL. This, in turn, puts great reliance on the DSL to carry out their role thoroughly and diligently.

 

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the DSL must ensure they have appropriate status, authority, time, funding, training, resources and support to fulfil their responsibilities. They must consult the Manager, and if necessary the proprietor, if they feel that this is not the case. There must always be cover for the DSL role, in the form of a deputy DSL, who must be trained to the same level as the DSL. Though activities may be delegated to the Deputy DSL, the ultimate responsibility remains with the DSL.

The DSL’s role and responsibilities must be explicitly recorded in their job description.

 

The duties and objectives of the DSL include:

 

• providing advice and support to staff on child welfare and child protection matters
• for ‘looked after’ children, ensuring that appropriate staff have relevant information about care needs and contact arrangements
• gathering and collating information on alleged safeguarding incidents, seeking clarification from alleged perpetrators or victims
• managing the referral process (see more below)
• keeping parents informed (wherever possible) and sharing with them any reports concerning their child
• keeping the Manager informed of all significant safeguarding matters
• undergoing their own training updates (see more below)
• raising  awareness of safeguarding matters generally (see more below)
• liaising with the LADO(s) and other local agencies in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children

• consulting on the design of the PSHEE policy and relevant curriculum components of welfare and safeguarding.

• in conjunction with the proprietors, ensure the safeguarding policy is reviewed annually for effectiveness and for compliance with latest legislation, or  updated sooner where necessary

 

Managing referrals

In particular the DSL is expected to:

 

• Be aware of the early help process and the referral threshold criteria of the relevant Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB).

 

• Refer all cases of suspected abuse to the local authority children’s social care and:

 

• The designated officer(s) for child protection concerns (all cases which concern a staff member),
• Disclosure and Barring Service (cases where a person is dismissed or left due to risk/harm to a child); and/or
• Police (cases where a crime may have been committed).
• the Channel programme where there is a radicalisation concern

 

• If the referrals listed above are made by other staff, the DSL should support those staff in the process

 

• Keep detailed, accurate, secure written records of concerns and referrals.

 

• Liaise with the Manager to inform them of issues especially ongoing enquiries under section 47 of the Children Act 1989 and police investigations.

 

• Act as a source of support, advice and expertise to staff on matters of safety and safeguarding and when deciding whether to make a referral by liaising with relevant agencies.

 

 

Raising Awareness

The DSL should ensure that safeguarding policy and procedures are known and used appropriately:

 

• Ensure the child protection policy is available publicly and parents are aware of the fact that referrals about suspected abuse or neglect may be made and the role of the nurseryin this.

 

• Liaise with the LSCB to ensure awareness of local multi-agency procedures, local referral procedures and training opportunities, and maintain a list of local multi-agency contacts.

 

• Where children leave the nursery ensure their child protection file is transferred to the new nursery as soon as possible. This should be transferred separately from the main pupil file, ensuring secure transit and confirmation of receipt should be obtained.

 

 

Training for the DSL

The DSL and deputy DSL should receive appropriate training and updates in order to:

 

• Understand the assessment process for providing early help and intervention, for example through locally agreed common and shared assessment processes such as early help assessments.
• Have a working knowledge of how local authorities conduct a child protection case conference and a child protection review conference and be able to attend and contribute to these effectively when required to do so.

 

• Ensure each member of staff has access to and understands the safeguarding policy and procedures, especially new and part time staff.

 

• Be alert to the specific needs of children in need, those with special educational needs and young carers.

 

• Be able to keep detailed, accurate, secure written records of concerns and referrals.

 

• Obtain access to resources and attend any relevant or refresher training courses.

 

• Encourage a culture of listening to children and taking account of their wishes and feelings, among all staff, in any measures which may be put in place to protect them.

 

Formal training[16] should be updated every two years, with continuing professional development updates (e.g. via e-bulletins, meetings, workshops, reading) at regular intervals (minimum annually) to keep up with developments relevant to their role.

 

For further details of guidance on the role of the DSL, consult Annex B of KCSIE.

 

 

Training for staff (including Managers/Proprietor)

All staff are provided with our safeguarding policy as part of their induction programme. They are required to affirm annually that they have read and understood these documents. Induction training also covers the identity and function of the DSL, the staff code of conduct, and whistle-blowing procedures.

 

Child protection training updates (e.g. via email, staff meetings and e-bulletins) are provided regularly (minimum annually). In the absence of any prevailing minimum intervals for formal training of all staff[17], we deem between 24 and 36 months from their last training to be appropriate, unless particular circumstances require greater frequency.

 

Training includes:

 

• recognition and reporting of concerns immediately as they arise
• what to do if a child tells staff they are being abused or neglected, including appropriate levels of confidentiality, liaising with professionals (including the DSL), and never promising to a child that they will not tell anyone about an allegation
• identification of signs of abuse and when it is appropriate to make a referral
• awareness of the process for making referrals to children’s social care, and for subsequent statutory assessments, along with the role staff might be expected to play in such assessments
• a working knowledge of how the LSCB operates, the conduct of a child protection case conference and how to contribute to these effectively when required
• e-safety training
• ‘Prevent’ training

 

 

Safer recruitment

 

Woodlodge operate a ‘safer recruitment’ procedures as outlined by KCSIE (2016)[18] for all positions involving regulated activity. All prospective staff are subject to criminal records checks, checks by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) List and compliance with the Independent School Standards Regulations.

 

We observe the requirement to report to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), within one month of leaving the nursery any person (whether employed, contracted, a volunteer or student) whose services are no longer used because s/he is considered unsuitable to work with children.

 

Any offer of appointment to a successful candidate, including one who has lived or worked abroad, must be conditional upon satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks. When appointing new staff, the following steps must be taken:

 

• verify a candidate’s identity, preferably from current photographic ID and proof of address except where, for exceptional reasons, none is available
• obtain a certificate for an enhanced DBS check with a barred list information where the person will be engaging in regulated activity. Refer toAnnex G of KCSIE, or to the official Guide for eligibility for DBS checks for more details.
• obtain a separate barred list check if an individual will start work in regulated activity before the DBS certificate is available.
• check that a candidate to be employed as a Practitioner is not subject to a prohibition order (or an interim prohibition order) issued by the Secretary of State.
• verify the candidate’s mental and physical fitness to carry out their work responsibilities. A job applicant can be asked relevant questions about disability and health in order to establish whether they have the physical and mental capacity for the specific role
• verify the person’s right to work in theUK. If there is uncertainty about whether an individual needs permission to work in theUK, then prospective employers, or volunteer managers, should follow advice on theGOV.UK website
• obtain at least two references from prior employment, or if there is good reason for these being unavailable, from other appropriate sources.
• if the person has lived or worked outside theUK, make any further checks the school considers  appropriate.
• verify professional qualifications, as appropriate

 

There is a legal requirement for employers to make a referral to the DBS where they think that an individual has engaged in conduct that harmed (or is likely to harm) a child; or if a person otherwise poses a risk of harm to a child.

 

 

 

At Woodlodge we ensure that:

• the safety and welfare of children are paramount
• children will be listened to and respected
• children will be understood within their own culture and racial origin
• there is an atmosphere where children feel secure and are valued
• the nursery has a range of adults that children can approach for help
• staff are appropriately trained in safeguarding
• there are clear procedures and lines of communication in place to seek support and advice
• the nursery works closely with parents and other local agencies
• children considered at risk are monitored
• the PSHEE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education) curriculum is used to raise awareness of welfare and safeguarding issues
• the DSL has the authority to provide support and advice in the first instance
• appropriate resources are provided to safeguard children
• this policy and all other nursery policies which affect the safety and welfare of children are reviewed annually for effectiveness, maintained in accordance with statutory and other applicable guidelines, and applied in practice.

 

 

 

Appendix 1

 

Categories of Abuse and Harm

Including first line responses

 

Abuse, neglect and safeguarding issues are rarely stand-alone events that can be covered by one definition or label. In most cases multiple issues will overlap with one another. Similarly, all staff should be aware that safeguarding issues are not confined to instances where children are harmed by adults but can also manifest themselves via peer-on-peer abuse, such as bullying, gender-based violence, sexual assaults and sexting. In addition to this Safeguarding policy, staff should also consider the provisions of our Anti-bullying policy. If staff are unsure as to how these policies work together they should seek guidance from the DSL.

 

Despite these overlapping realities, it is helpful to give some definitions of types of abuse and harm.

 

Physical abuse(includes female genital mutilation ‘FGM’)

Emotional abuse

Sexual abuse(includes child sexual exploitation ‘CSE’)

Neglect(includes‘children missing from education’)

‘Honour based’ violence

Ideological harm (includes radicalisation, extremism and the ‘Prevent Duty’) – see Appendix 3

 

Risk indicators of child abuse are included in Appendix 2 and 4

 

 

*************************************

 

Physical abuse

This is a form of abuse which may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning, scalding, drowning, suffocating, excessive physical constraint, or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. It may involve consumption of drugs or alcohol. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces illness in a child.

 

Staff are reminded that children who have been physically abused will often go to some lengths to hide or cover-up their injuries, for example by wearing long clothing even it hot weather.

 

Physical abuse also includes female genital mutilation (FGM), which is an extremely harmful practice and is illegal in the UK. Despite being an embedded practice in some cultures, FGM is not a matter which can be decided by personal preference. Staff must be alert to the indicators that a child may be at risk of FGM, and must refer any suspicions to the DSL[19]. More information on FGM, including the Multi-Agency Practice Guidelines, indicators of imminent risk or post-FGM trauma, and measures the DSL should consider implementing to raise awareness of FGM are available on the government website:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/female-genital-mutilation-guidelines

 

 

 

Female Genital Mutilation (See FGM Policy)

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is illegal inEnglandandWalesunder the FGM Act 2003 (“the 2003 Act”). It is a form of child abuse and violence against women. FGM comprises all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia for non-medical reasons.

At Woodlodge , we have a robust and rigorous safeguarding procedure and protecting children in our care is paramount. The safeguarding officer and all members of staff are responsible to adhere and follow these policies.

We endeavor to adhere to the following:

·        The safety and welfare of the child is paramount

·        All agencies involved act in the interest of the rights of the child as stated in the UN convention 1989 and the Children’s act 1989.

·        All professionals are made aware of the possibility of a girl being at risk of FGM as a result of religious beliefs, nationality and other unusual events that could led to FGM e.g. a child being taken out of the setting for a six weeks or more by parents or relatives.

·         If a member of staff had concerns over a child, they would report it to the safeguarding officer in the setting who would then decide whether a referral was needed to the MASH team (multi agency safeguarding hub) 01895556644

·         0800 028 3550 FGM helpine

Types of FGM

Female genital mutilation is classified into 4 major types.

1.       Type 1: Often referred to as clitoridectomy, this is the partial or total removal of the clitoris (a small, sensitive and erectile part of the female genitals), and in very rare cases, only the prepuce (the fold of skin surrounding the clitoris). Clitoridectomy: partial or total removal of the clitoris (a small, sensitive and erectile part of the female genitals) and, in very rare cases, only the prepuce (the fold of skin surrounding the clitoris).

2.       Type 2: Often referred to as excision, this is the partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia minora (the inner folds of the vulva), with or without excision of the labia majora (the outer folds of skin of the vulva ).

3.       Type 3: Often referred to as infibulation, this is the narrowing of the vaginal opening through the creation of a covering seal. The seal is formed by cutting and repositioning the labia minora, or labia majora, sometimes through stitching, with or without removal of the clitoris (clitoridectomy).

4.   Type 4: This includes all other harmful procedures to the female genitalia for non-medical purposes, e.g. pricking, piercing, incising, scraping and cauterizing the genital area.

Deinfibulation refers to the practice of cutting open the sealed vaginal opening in a woman who has been infibulated, which is often necessary for improving health and well-being as well as to allow intercourse or to facilitate childbirth.

 

No health benefits, only harm

FGM has no health benefits, and it harms girls and women in many ways. It involves removing and damaging healthy and normal female genital tissue, and interferes with the natural functions of girls’ and women’s bodies. Generally speaking, risks increase with increasing severity of the procedure.

 

 

Cultural and social factors for performing FGM

The reasons why female genital mutilations are performed vary from one region to another as well as over time, and include a mix of sociocultural factors within families and communities. The most commonly cited reasons are:

·         Where FGM is a social convention (social norm), the social pressure to conform to what others do and have been doing, as well as the need to be accepted socially and the fear of being rejected by the community, are strong motivations to perpetuate the practice. In some communities, FGM is almost universally performed and unquestioned.

·         FGM is often considered a necessary part of raising a girl, and a way to prepare her for adulthood and marriage.

·         FGM is often motivated by beliefs about what is considered acceptable sexual behaviour. It aims to ensure premarital virginity and marital fidelity. FGM is in many communities believed to reduce a woman’s libido and therefore believed to help her resist extramarital sexual acts. When a vaginal opening is covered or narrowed (type 3), the fear of the pain of opening it, and the fear that this will be found out, is expected to further discourage extramarital sexual intercourse among women with this type of FGM.

·         In contexts where women are financially dependent on their husbands, marriageability is a strong motivating factor in carrying out FGM.

·         FGM is associated with cultural ideals of femininity and modesty, which include the notion that girls are clean and beautiful after removal of body parts that are considered unclean or unfeminine or male.

·         Though no religious scripts prescribe the practice, practitioners often believe the practice has religious support.

·         Religious leaders take varying positions with regard to FGM: some promote it, some consider it irrelevant to religion, and others contribute to its elimination.

·         Local structures of power and authority, such as community leaders, religious leaders, circumcisers, and even some medical personnel can contribute to upholding the practice.

·         In most societies, where FGM is practised it is considered a cultural tradition, which is often used as an argument for its continuation.

·         In some societies, recent adoption of the practice is linked to copying the traditions of neighbouring groups. Sometimes it has started as part of a wider religious or traditional revival movement.

 

Any incidents will be treated in the strictest confidence. Safeguarding the children in our care is a priority at all times and we will not tolerate any form of child abuse.

 

 

Emotional abuse

Some level of emotional abuse will generally occur in all types of maltreatment. It may be defined as the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such that it will cause severe and adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve a relationship with an adult which is inappropriate or grossly inconsistent; the persistent denial of love and affection; conveying that a child is worthless, unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. It may include not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate, or making them feel stupid. Children also suffer if they are persistently shouted at, or used as scapegoats.

 

Emotional abuse may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond a 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, such as the observation of serious bullying, or domestic violence, or exposure to extreme horror or violence through audio-visual media. It may involve being a victim of serious bullying(including online or ‘cyber bullying’), causing the child frequent feelings of humiliation or fear for their safety.

 

This category of abuse may also involve the moral, economic, or ideological corruption of children. Such corruption could be for the purposes of gratification or criminality, or it might be ideologically motivated, for example through a child’s exposure to propaganda promoting extremist views[20].

 

 

Sexual abuse

Child sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing. They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in the production of, sexual images, ‘sexting’[21], watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet).Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children.

 

Child sexual exploitation (CSE) involves exploitative situations, contexts and relationships where young people receive something (for example food, accommodation, drugs, alcohol, gifts, money or in some cases simply affection) as a result of engaging in sexual activities. Sexual exploitation can take many forms ranging from the seemingly ‘consensual’ relationship where sex is exchanged for affection or gifts, to serious organised crime by gangs and groups. What marks out exploitation is an imbalance of power in the relationship. The perpetrator always holds some kind of power over the victim which increases as the exploitative relationship develops. Sexual exploitation involves varying degrees of coercion, intimidation or enticement, including unwanted pressure from peers to have sex, sexual bullying including cyber bullying and grooming. However, it also important to recognise that some young people who are being sexually exploited do not exhibit any external signs of this abuse.

 

Under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, it is an abuse of a position of trust, and thus a criminal offence, for a member of staff to ‘groom’ or engage in sexual activity with a pupil under the age of 18. The consent of the young person (or the agreement of a parent) is irrelevant. Furthermore, a relationship between a member of staff and a pupil over the age of 18, or a recent former pupil, is also deemed inappropriate, and will lead to questions about that member of staff’s suitability for work in an educational context.

 

 

Neglect

Neglect is defined as 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 abuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to: provide adequate food, clothing and shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment); protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger; ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate care-givers); or ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.

 

 

 

Children missing from education

 

All children, regardless of their circumstances, are entitled to a full-time education. A child going missing from education is a potential indicator of neglect, and of other forms of abuse. As required by law all schools to have an admissions register and an attendance register. All pupils must be placed on both registers and attendance must be logged daily. Beyond general concerns of neglect arising from absences, all staff must be alert to the risks of potential safeguarding concerns triggered by children missing education such as: travelling to conflict zones, FGM and forced marriage.

 

The local authority must be informed of any child who is going to be deleted from the admission register where they:

 

• have been taken out of nursery by their parents and are being educated outside the school system e.g. home education;
• have ceased to attend nursery and no longer live within reasonable distance of the nursery at which they are registered;
• have been certified by the nursery medical officer as unlikely to be in a fit state of health to attend nursery before ceasing to be of compulsory school age, and neither he/she nor his/her parent has indicated the intention to continue to attend the school after ceasing to be of compulsory school age;
• are in custody for a period of more than four months due to a final court order and the proprietor does not reasonably believe they will be returning to the nursery at the end of that period; or,
• have been permanently excluded.

 

Notification should be made as soon as the grounds for deletion are met, but no later than deleting the pupil’s name from the register. It is essential that schools comply with this duty, so that local authorities can, as part of their duty to identify children of compulsory school age who are missing education, follow up with any child who might be in danger of not receiving an education and who might be at risk of abuse or neglect.

 

All schools/colleges must inform the local authority of any pupil who fails to attend regularly, or has been absent without the school/college’s permission for a continuous period of 10 school days or more, at such intervals as are agreed between the school and the local authority (or in default of such agreement, at intervals determined by the Secretary of State.

 

 

Honour based violence

So-called ‘honour-based’ violence (HBV) encompasses crimes which have been committed to protect or defend the honour of the family and/or the community, including Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), forced marriage, and practices such as breast ironing. All forms of so called HBV are abuse (regardless of the motivation) and should be handled and escalated as such. If in any doubts staff should speak to the DSL.

Indicators

There are a range of potential indicators that a child may be at risk of HBV. Guidance on the warning signs that FGM or forced marriage may be about to take place, or may have already taken place, can be found on pages 38-41 of the Multi agency statutory guidance on FGM (pages 59-61 focus on the role of nurseries) and pages 13-14 of the Multi-agency guidelines: Handling case of forced marriage.

 

Actions

If staff have a concern regarding a child that might be at risk of HBV they should activate the safeguarding procedures described in this policy, using existing national and local protocols for multi-agency liaison with police and children’s social care. Where FGM has taken place, since 31 October 2015there has been a mandatory reporting duty placed on practitioners to report such cases to the police.

 

Additional information about specific forms of abuse and safeguarding issues can be found in Annex A of KCSIE 2016.

 

Child Trafficking

To ensure that children are safeguarded it is important that staff are aware of their local community concerns, and to know signs of abuse who they need to report concerns they may have.

Child trafficking and exploitation.

Child sexual exploitation (CSE) is a type of sexual abuse in which children are sexually exploited for money, power or status. Children or young people may be tricked into believing they’re in a loving, consensual relationship. They might be invited to parties and given drugs and alcohol. They may also be groomed online. Grooming is when someone builds an emotional connection with a child to gain their trust for the purposes of sexual abuse or exploitation.

Children and young people can be groomed online or in the real world, by a stranger or by someone they know – for example a family member, friend or professional. Groomers may be male or female. They could be any age. Many children and young people don’t understand that they have been groomed, or that what has happened is abuse.

Some children and young people are trafficked into or within the UK for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Sexual exploitation can also happen to young people in gangs.

Sexual exploitation can be very difficult to identify. Warning signs can easily be mistaken for ‘normal’ teenage behaviour.

Young people who are being sexually exploited may:

• be involved in abusive relationships, intimidated and fearful of certain people or situations
• hang out with groups of older people, or antisocial groups, or with other vulnerable peers
• associate with other young people involved in sexual exploitation
• get involved in gangs, gang fights, gang membership
• have older boyfriends or girlfriends
• spend time at places of concern, such as hotels or known brothels
• not know where they are, because they have been moved around the country
• go missing from home, care or education.

 

Appendix 2

Risk indicators of child abuse

 

Physical Abuse:

• Injuries, bruises, burns, bite marks which are unexplained or implausibly explained
• Repeated injuries or requests to be excused through injury, illness
• Fear, watchfulness, over-anxiety to please
• Reluctance to get changed for sports etc.

 

Sexual abuse

• Comments about sexual activity
• Sexual knowledge, comments, behaviour inconsistent with a child of that age
• Unexpected reaction of fear or wariness to people
• Repeated urinary or genital infections
• Pregnancy/sexually transmitted diseases
• Genital trauma

 

Emotional abuse

• Withdrawn, anxious behaviour, lack of self-confidence. Mood swings.
• Challenging/disruptive/aggressive behaviour which is inconsistent with previous experience of the child
• Self-harm and eating disorders
• Demanding or attention-seeking behaviour
• Unwillingness to communicate. Secretive and reluctant to share information
• Repetitive, nervous behaviour such as rocking, hair twisting or pulling

 

General indicators of abuse or neglect

• Poor attendance or frequent absences which are implausibly explained
• Deterioration in educational progress
• Parents show little interest in child’s performance[22]or behaviour and are non-responsive or dismissive to professional concerns.
  • The child’s clothes are often dirty, scruffy or unsuitable for the weather
  • No one seeks medical help when the child is ill or hurt
  • Poor hygiene (smelly, dirty)
  • The child is left alone with unsuitable carers
  • The child is thin, pale, lacking in energy
  • The child talks of running away
  • Evidence of alcohol or other substance abuse
  • Unexplained gifts of money

 

Please note: this is not a comprehensive list. Staff should consult with the DSL if in doubt about any symptoms which might be indicative of abuse.

 

 

 

Appendix 3

 

Ideological harm: radicalisation, extremism and the ‘Prevent Duty’

 

Though not an accepted category of abuse in its own right, the vulnerability of children to being seduced by extreme ideological positions is something we take very seriously. Recent government legislation means that it is helpful to include here a summary of the ‘Prevent Duty’ for those working in education. For further information, the Department for Education has published advice for schools on the Prevent duty, and has launched a website educate against hate.

 

Radicalisation refers to the process by which a person comes to support terrorism or forms of extremism. Consistent with the requirement to promote fundamental British values, all staff have a statutory duty to have due regard to the need to prevent children from being drawn into terrorism. In interpreting what is meant by ‘due regard’, we take guidance from the government’s Prevent strategy, including the Channel programme, which aims to ensure that vulnerable children of any faith, ethnicity or background receive support before their vulnerabilities are exploited by those that would want them to embrace terrorism. Success of this programme depends on effective communication and co-operation between staff, individuals, their families and (where appropriate) the Local Authority and other agencies.

 

Without undermining values such as freedom of speech, mutual respect and tolerance, all staff must respond to the ideological challenge of extremist views. ‘Extremism’ is defined as vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect, and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. The definition specifically includes calls for the death of members of our armed forces, whether in this country or overseas. It also includes the notion of non-violent extremism, which can create an atmosphere conducive to terrorism, and can popularise views which terrorists exploit. Extremism can take many forms whether ideological, political or religious. It can manifest itself explicitly and aggressively, for example through inciting hatred or a call to arms, or through more subtle and sophisticated channels of propaganda, including social media. These channels exploit aspirational images of success, status and belonging, and personal and moral duty which can capture the imagination of young minds.

 

Our classrooms are safe spaces where children can understand and discuss a wide range of sensitive topics, including extremism. In the process of promoting critical thinking, and in learning how to challenge terrorist ideologies, we recognise that staff may occasionally find themselves faced with a paradox. In an educational and developmental context, it is natural for children to want to explore and question different views and beliefs, some of which may, if only hypothetically or temporarily, challenge fundamental British values. Staff must exercise careful professional judgment in such cases, and above all, whether inside or outside the classroom, they must be particularly alert to risk-indicators of vulnerable children and, if appropriate, must seek further guidance. This is a complex and sensitive area, and over-simplified assessments can increase, rather than reduce risk.

 

 

 

There are five dimensions to the actions we take in response to the Prevent Duty:

• Risk assessment
• Working in partnership with local authorities
• Awareness raising amongst staff.
• Protection from terrorist and extremist material when accessing the internet in school/college
• Building resilience to radicalisation through the curriculum, e.g. through citizenship and religious education, and considerations for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development. These aspects are addressed through our PSHEE policy.

 

Specific tasks for the DSL relating to the Prevent Duty

The DSL should establish appropriate and proportionate measures to raise awareness of the Prevent Duty amongst staff and to achieve the following:

 

• assess the risk of children being drawn into terrorism. Document the risk assessment and any subsequent action plan. Prevent risk assessments are published on the Group Portal.

 

• ensure that safeguarding arrangements take into account the Prevent policies and procedures of the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB)

 

• ensure that staff have training that gives them the knowledge and confidence to identify[23] children at risk of being drawn into terrorism, and to challenge extremist ideas which can be used to legitimise terrorism. As a minimum, the DSL should attend WRAP (Workshop Raising Awareness of Prevent) training where available, and be aware of the process for referring individual cases of vulnerability to the Channel programme, as opposed to local Children’s Services in the normal way

 

• ensure that there is appropriate supervision of visiting speakers to the nursery to prevent presentations (including the distribution of materials) which are not contrary to fundamental British values

 

• the incorporation of any necessary syllabus amendments (e.g. in citizenship, history, politics, religious education)

 

• protection for children from terrorist or extremist material when accessing the internet

 

More guidance on the Channel programme is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/channel-guidance

 

Guidance for schools on how terrorist groups such as ISILuse social media to encourage travel to Syriaand Iraqis available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-use-of-social-media-for-online-radicalisation

 

For details of measures to minimise the risk of internet exposure to harmful material, refer to the ICT usage/Social Media policy.

 

 

Appendix 4

 

Risk indicators of being drawn into terrorism

NB references below are to ‘child’ which includes young people up to the age of 18.

 

Vulnerability

• Identity Crisis – Distance from cultural/religious heritage and uncomfortable with their place in the society around them
• Personal Crisis – Family tensions; sense of isolation; adolescence; low self-esteem; disassociating from existing friendship group and becoming involved with a new and different group of friends; searching for answers to questions about identity, faith and belonging
• Personal Circumstances – Migration; local community tensions; events affecting country or region of origin; alienation from UK values; having a sense of grievance that is triggered by personal experience of racism or discrimination or aspects of Government policy
• Unmet Aspirations – Perceptions of injustice; feeling of failure; rejection of civic life
• Criminality – Experiences of imprisonment; poor resettlement/ reintegration, previous involvement with criminal groups

 

Travel

• Is there a pattern of regular or extended travel within theUK, with other evidence to suggest this is for purposes of extremist training or activity?
• Has the child travelled for extended periods of time to international locations known to be associated with extremism?
• Has the child employed any methods to disguise their true identity? Has the child used documents or cover to support this?

 

Social Factors

• Does the child have experience of poverty, disadvantage, discrimination or social exclusion?
• Does the child experience a lack of meaningful employment appropriate to their skills?
• Does the child display a lack of affinity or understanding for others, or social isolation from peer groups?
• Does the child demonstrate identity conflict and confusion normally associated with youth development?
• Does the child have any learning difficulties/ mental health support needs?
• Does the child demonstrate a simplistic or flawed understanding of religion or politics?
• Does the child have a history of crime, including episodes in prison?
• Is the child a foreign national, refugee or awaiting a decision on their immigration/ national status?
• Does the child have insecure, conflicted or absent family relationships?
• Has the child experienced any trauma in their lives, particularly any trauma associated with war or sectarian conflict?
• Is there evidence that a significant adult or other in the child’s life has extremist view or sympathies?

 

More critical risk factors could include:-

• Being in contact with extremist recruiters
• Articulating support for extremist causes or leaders
• Accessing extremist websites, especially those with a social networking element
• Possessing extremist literature
• Using extremist narratives and a global ideology to explain personal disadvantage
• Justifying the use of violence to solve societal issues
• Joining extremist organisations
• Significant changes to appearance and/or behaviour

 

If you have any concerns discuss them with your Safeguarding Lead and local Prevent Officer

 

Appendix 5

 

Hyperlinks to further information on specific safeguarding topics

 

 

Expert and professional organisations are best placed to provide up-to-date guidance and practical support on specific safeguarding issues. For example information for nurseries can be found on the TES website and the NSPCC website.

 

Nurseries can also access broad government guidance on the issues listed below via the embedded links to theGOV.UK website:

 

 

• child missing from education

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-attendance

 

• child missing from home or care

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/children-who-run-away-or-go-missing-from-home-or-care

 

• child sexual exploitation (CSE)

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-to-do-if-you-suspect-a-child-is-being-sexually-exploited

 

• bullying including cyberbullying

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying

• domestic violence

https://www.gov.uk/domestic-violence-and-abuse

• drugs

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/drugs-advice-for-schools

• fabricated or induced illness

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safeguarding-children-in-whom-illness-is-fabricated-or-induced

 

• faith abuse

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-action-plan-to-tackle-child-abuse-linked-to-faith-or-belief

• female genital mutilation (FGM)

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/female-genital-mutilation-guidelines

• forced marriage

https://www.gov.uk/forced-marriage

 

• gender-based violence/violence against women and girls (VAWG)

https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/violence-against-women-and-girls

• mental health

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-mental-health-strategy-for-england

• private fostering

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/children-act-1989-private-fostering

• preventing radicalisation

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/channel-guidance

• sexting

https://www.ceop.police.uk/Media-Centre/Press-releases/2009/What-does-sexting-mean/

• trafficking

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safeguarding-children-who-may-have-been-trafficked-practice-guidance

Appendix 6

 

 

Allegations of abuse by staff

 

 

While considerations of child protection must always be paramount, reasonable care must also be taken to safeguard staff against the effects of false and malicious allegations. However, if it is suspected or alleged that a member of staff has:

 

• behaved in a way that has harmed a child, or may have harmed a child; or
• possibly committed a criminal offence against, or related to, a child; or
• behaved towards a child in a way that suggests the staff-member might pose a risk of harm if they were to work regularly or closely with children;

 

then the matter must be brought promptly and confidentially to the notice of the DSL.

 

It is entirely possible that a person making an allegation or disclosure which involves a work colleague will judge that the information is of a nature sufficiently grave or confidential as to warrant bypassing the DSL and informing the Manager directly[24]. What is important is that, one way or another, the Manager receives the information immediately.

 

If the DSL is the subject of the allegation, then the manager/owner will of course need to be informed directly. If the manager/owner is the subject of the allegation, then the LADO must be informed (see page 2 of this document for contact details). See below for clarification of communication with the alleged abuser.

 

In EYFS settings, a report must be made to Ofsted[25]of any allegation of serious harm or abuse by any person living, working or looking after children at the premises (whether the allegation relates to harm or abuse committed on the premises or elsewhere). The notification should include action taken, and be made as soon as reasonably practicable, but at the latest within 14 days of the allegations being made. Failure to comply with this requirement constitutes a statutory offence.

 

 

Communication with the alleged abuser

The staff-member should not be told of the allegations until the DSL agrees to this course of action, after considering the welfare of the child and after consultation with the local authority designated officer (LADO). The expectation is that in most cases the employee will be immediately informed of any allegations, but in the case of alleged sexual abuse, (or other rare cases requiring special action to protect a child), the DSL will ask for a delay in informing the alleged perpetrator to ensure that the child is protected, and evidence secured. Such delay should be kept to an absolute minimum, and in such cases a week would be regarded as a long time, unless there are special circumstances.

 

Communication with outside parties

The DSL (or Manager/Proprietor, if the allegation compromises the DSL or Manager) will contact the LADO within 24 hours if and when it is believed that a member of staff has behaved in a way that has or could have harmed a child, or possibly committed a criminal offence against a child, or conducted them self in such a way as to suggest they are not suited to working in an educational establishment.

 

The DSL/manager will coordinate any investigation with the appropriate LADO(s), the police and any other agencies that are involved, and will act as a channel of communication with school/college. It would normally be the case that in the event of an allegation against a staff-member which is likely to require full operation of the Child Protection Procedures, there will be an inter-agency planning meeting, to which the Manager will be invited, and which will determine the appropriate action.

 

Suspension

If a matter is referred for formal investigation under the Child Protection procedures, consideration should be given to suspending the employee until investigations have been completed. Suspension does not imply a finding of guilt but is intended to enable a dispassionate investigation of the facts, unimpeded by interpersonal tensions. Any employee who is suspended must be informed immediately for the reason for suspension. A member of staff suspended in such a context must not remain on the premises.

 

If the case is not referred under the Child Protection arrangements, but in the professional opinion of the Manager further action is necessary, then the allegation will be investigated under the disciplinary/complaints procedures. Clearly any case of striking or otherwise physically chastising a child is at first sight a reason for disciplinary investigation, not least because corporal punishment (including the threat of using it) is contrary to Woodlodge policy.

 

At any stage in the process, as soon as it becomes clear to the Manager that the conduct of the employee could be regarded as gross misconduct (i.e. conduct which if proven goes to the root of the contract of employment), then it is important that the employee is suspended. If this is not done, it could undermine the case for dismissal, because the employer has not immediately treated the alleged conduct as so serious as to require suspension. Clearly the decision on suspension will only be made once it is established there is a case to be investigated. So such action will only follow the initial gathering of the facts to determine that the alleged misconduct could have occurred, and that there is evidence which needs investigation. It must be re-emphasised that taking such action does not imply any finding of guilt.

 

Support for the member of staff

The Manager must ensure that the member of staff is provided with the opportunity for personal support by someone who is not involved in pursuing the allegation. This should be additional to ensuring the employee has the opportunity to contact their trade union or professional association.

 

 

 

Resolution of the investigation

Every effort should be made to resolve alleged cases of abuse so that they are not left open to widespread speculation which can be damaging for all parties. Details of allegations that are found to have been malicious should be removed from personnel records. However, for all other allegations, it is important that a clear and comprehensive summary of the allegation, details of how the allegation was followed up and resolved, and a note of any action taken and decisions reached, is kept on the confidential personnel file, and a copy provided to the person concerned.

 

If the allegation is substantiated, and the member of staff resigns or is asked to leave then the grounds that he or she has caused harm, engaged in criminal behaviour, or is otherwise no longer considered suitable to work with children, then the Manager will, within one month, and after consultation with local authority designated officer(s)write a report giving the details of the case to both the Disclosure and Barring Service[26], and, as appropriate to other professional body. In such cases the nursery will not enter into settlement or compromise agreements, and will refer to substantiated allegations in any reference provided for employment involving children or vulnerable adults.