Governor Safeguarding Training Helen Wilson LSCB Business Manager Allison Francis LADO

Training Objectives understand what is meant by safeguarding and the categories of child abuse recognise the role of the school and the governing body in safeguarding understand the role of the nominated governor and chair of governors access guidance and up to date information about safeguarding

Definition of Safeguarding protecting children and young people from maltreatment preventing impairment of children and young people’s health or development ensuring that children and young people are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care undertaking that role so as to enable those children and young people to have optimum life chances and to enter adulthood successfully

We Keep Children and Young People Safe By: Identifying children and young people who are suffering or likely to suffer significant harm and taking appropriate action with the aim of making sure they are kept safe both at home and at school Providing a safe environment for children and young people to learn in education settings

Facts and Figures Over 25% of adults were severely maltreated during childhood One in 20 children (4.8%) have experienced contact sexual abuse. Over 90% of children who experienced sexual abuse, were abused by someone they knew. More than one in three children (34%) who experienced contact sexual abuse by an adult did not tell anyone else about it. One in 14 children aged 11-17 (6.9%) have experienced severe physical violence at the hands of an adult One in seven children aged 11-17 (13.3%) have been neglected. Almost one in ten (9.8%) have experienced severe neglect.

Categories of Abuse Physical Emotional Sexual Neglect

Legislation & Statutory Guidance The Governing Body has a duty to ensure that the school meets its statutory responsibilities and ensure that the children and young people attending the school are safe. Section 175 of the Education Act 2002, and regulations under section 157 relating to safeguarding pupils in Independent Schools place a duty on the governing bodies to have arrangements in place to ensure that they: carry out their functions with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children; and have regard to the statutory guidance issued by the Secretary of State in considering what arrangements they need to make for the purpose of that section.

Legislation & Statutory Guidance The statutory guidance, ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’, places statutory requirements on all governing bodies to make sure their school has policies and procedures in place and take into account any statutory guidance issued by the Secretary of State, any local authority guidance, and locally agreed inter-agency procedures.

Who’s Responsible? Governing bodies and proprietors should appoint an appropriate senior member of staff, from the school or college leadership team, to the role of designated safeguarding lead. The designated lead responsibilities can not be delegated although there may be deputies. The designated safeguarding lead should take lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection. This should be explicit in the role- holder’s job description.

Policies and Procedures Governing bodies and proprietors should ensure there are appropriate policies and procedures in place in order for appropriate action to be taken in a timely manner to safeguard and promote children’s welfare. This should include: an effective child protection policy; and a staff behaviour policy (sometimes called the code of conduct) which should amongst other things include - acceptable use of technologies, staff/pupil relationships and communications including the use of social media Governing Bodies should provide 'opportunities for staff to contribute to and shape safeguarding arrangements and child protection policy.'

Strategic & Monitoring Functions Safer Recruitment Security & Safety Attendance Bullying/Racial Incidents Allegations against Staff and Volunteers Referring cases to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Inter-Agency Working Opportunities to Teach Safeguarding Staff training Annual Safeguarding Governor’s Monitoring Return

Safer Recruitment Guidance about safer recruitment is in section 5 of the Governors’ Handbook, and in ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ (2016). Governing bodies must be clear about checking and vetting processes, including DBS, identity, right to work in the UK and any required overseas police checks The governing body must reassure itself that all appropriate suitability checks have been undertaken and that these are recorded in the single central record When making appointments, governing bodies will need to reassure themselves that mechanisms are in place to check that any person employed to teach has the required teaching qualifications and has successfully completed any statutory induction required. All school governors need an Enhanced DBS Check (without barred list, unless they are additionally in regulated activity) Identity checks for agency staff

Security and Safety Governing bodies are responsible for ensuring that the school is a safe place Managing the school grounds, perimeter, and access points Health & Safety Ensuring pupils and staff can be identified

Attendance Statutory responsibility to record the attendance of pupils Governors should ensure that they understand the follow up processes for absence. Appropriate safeguarding responses to children who go missing from education, particularly on repeat occasions, to help identify the risk of abuse and neglect including sexual abuse or exploitation and to help prevent the risks of their going missing in future

Bullying/Racial Incidents Governors should ensure that the school is recording bullying and racial incidents appropriately Governor should ensure that all bullying and racial incidents have been dealt with appropriately by the school

Allegations against Staff and Volunteers Governing bodies must have a clear policy and procedures for managing allegations against staff. Chairs of governing bodies are expected to work with the headteacher (unless the allegation concerns the headteacher) and Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) to confirm the facts about individual cases and reach a joint decision on the way forward in each case. In cases that involve the headteacher, the Chair of Governors is the key person to deal with the allegation. Concerns about the proprietor of an independent school should be taken to the LADO

Referring cases to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) A referral to the DBS must be made if someone has harmed, or poses a risk of harm to, a child and who has been removed from working (paid or unpaid) in regulated activity, or would have been removed had they not left. Referrals should be made to both the DBS and the NCTL in cases where there is alleged serious teacher misconduct as well as harm or risk of harm to a child.

Inter-Agency Working Governing bodies should ensure that the school or college contributes to inter-agency working in line with statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015. This includes providing a co-ordinated offer of early help when additional needs of children are identified and contributing to inter-agency plans to provide additional support to children subject to child protection plans

Opportunities to Teach Safeguarding Governing bodies should consider how children may be taught about safeguarding, including online, through teaching and learning opportunities, as part of providing a broad and balanced curriculum.

Staff Training Governing bodies and proprietors should ensure that all staff members undergo safeguarding and child protection training (including on FGM and PREVENT duties) at induction in line with advice from the LSCB. All staff members should receive regular safeguarding and child protection updates (for example, via email, e-bulletins, staff meetings) as required, but at least annually.

Annual Safeguarding Governor’s Monitoring Return The annual safeguarding governor’s monitoring return is an opportunity for governors to discuss safeguarding and child protection at a strategic level The Children Act 2004 states that schools and colleges must supply information to the Local Safeguarding Children Board in order for it to perform its functions and for monitoring the compliance of schools to safeguarding children and young people

Good practice High priority given to training in safeguarding – extending expertise widely and building internal capacity High Quality Leadership and Management – safeguarding a priority across the school Rigorous, accessible, up to date safeguarding policies & procedures in line with local and national guidelines, updated regularly an in line with plain English Courteous and responsible behaviour by pupils Robust site security , understood and applied by staff and pupils Risk assessment taken seriously and used to promote safety Well thought out day to day arrangements promote pupil’s safety and health Curriculum, flexible relevant, engaging – promote safeguarding – children protect themselves from harm and take responsibility for own and other’s safety CHILD Rigorously monitor absence and follow up Effective Links with other professionals/ agencies & LSCB Safe recruitment policies – stringent vetting procedures in place. Excellent communication systems – up to date – easy to access and to share by those who need to Child protection arrangements accessible to all – pupils, families, staff – all know who to talk to if they are worried

Useful Contacts Southend LADO – Allison Francis Tel: 01702 534539 Southend LSCB – www.safeguardingsouthend.co.uk https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/sy stem/uploads/attachment_data/file/550511/ Keeping_children_safe_in_education.pdf