1. Safeguarding the Children in your School Briefing for School Governors 2016 1 Children & Young People’s Service

2. Aims To ensure that Governors are aware of: roles and responsibilities of staff and Governors what needs to be in place monitoring and audit

3. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children protecting children from maltreatment; preventing impairment of children’s health or development; ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; and taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes Working Together 2015

4. Child protection is a part of safeguarding and promoting welfare. This refers to the activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm.

5. Legislation, Procedures and Guidance Children Acts 1989 & 2004 Education Act 2002 Sec. 175 Keeping Children Safe in Education DfE July 2015 (Revised Guidance) Schools should ensure that staff have read Part 1 of the guidance. What to do it you’re Worried a Child is being Abused March 2015 Working Together to Safeguard Children HM Government March 2015 North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Board Procedures and Guidance www.safeguardingchildren.co.uk School Child Protection policy (updated at least annually as required) Guidance for Safer Working Practice for Those Working with Children in Education and Early Years Setting September 2014

6. Education Act 2002 (Sec.175) Implemented June 2004 “The Governing body of a maintained school shall make arrangements for ensuring that their functions relating to the conduct of the school are exercised with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children who are pupils at the school.” In considering such arrangements they shall, “have regard to any guidance given….by the Secretary of State.”

7. Responsibility of Governing Body Governing bodies and proprietors must ensure that they comply with their duties under legislation. They must also have regard to this guidance to ensure that the policies, procedures and training in their schools or colleges are effective and comply with the law at all times. Keeping Children Safe in Education July 2015 (page 18)

8. Inter-agency working Ensure that school or college contributes to inter-agency working in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015. –Provide a co-ordinated offer of Early Help where additional needs are identified. –Contribute to inter agency plans to provide additional support to children subject to Child Protection plans. –Allow access for children’s social care to conduct, or consider whether to conduct, a section 17 or section 47 assessment Ensure safeguarding arrangement take into account procedures and practice of the local authority as part of the inter agency procedures under the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board. Member of Governing Body (usually the Chair) to liaise with Local Authority in the event of allegations of abuse against the Head or Principal. NYCC recommend a nominated Governor for Child Protection. What does this mean in practice and how does your school do this?

9. Safeguarding Policies Ensure effective CP policy in place together with staff behaviour policy (code of conduct) which should amongst other things include staff /pupil relationships and communications including the use of social media. Both should be provided to staff, including temporary staff and volunteers on induction. Policy should be updated annually and be available publicly. Governing bodies should put in place 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. Policies and procedures, particularly concerning referrals of suspected abuse and neglect, are followed by staff. Sample School CP policy (Updated annually for September) Safer Working Practice (Staff Behaviour Policy) http://cyps.northyorks.gov.uk Search “Education Child Protection” How do you ensure staff and volunteers are aware of polices and what they need to know and do? How do you publish your policy?

10. Designated Senior Person Governing body should appoint a member of staff who is a member of leadership team. Role should be explicit in their job description. They should have the necessary authority, time, funding, training, resources and support to provide advice and support to other staff; take part in strategy discussions and inter-agency meetings; and to contribute to the assessment of children. There should be cover for this role – do you need a Deputy? DSP should undergo updated Child protection training every two years. Headteacher and other staff – child protection training that is regularly updated. How does this work in your school?

11. Opportunities to teach safeguarding Consider how children may be taught about safeguarding, including on-line, through teaching and learning opportunities. What good practice / initiatives have you used in your school?

12. Inspection Ofsted – part of the judgement on the quality of leadership and management. Includes an assessment of the effectiveness of the safeguarding arrangements to ensure there is safe recruitment and that all children are safe. The Ofsted handbook provides further information on what inspections must do and what school and colleges can expect and provides guidance for inspectors on making their judgements.

13. Safer Recruitment Keeping Children Safe in Education Part 3 covers Safer Recruitment Governing Bodies should prevent people who post a risk of harm from working with children by adhering to statutory responsibilities to check staff who work with children, taking proportionate decisions on whether to ask for any checks beyond what is required and ensuring that volunteers are appropriately supervised. The school should have written recruitment and selection procedures in place. The School Staffing Regulations (England) 2009 require governing bodies to ensure that at least one person on any appointment panel has undertaken safer recruitment training.

14. Allegations of Abuse Made Against Teachers and Other Staff Keeping Children Safe in Education 2015 Part 4 covers dealing with allegations. Governing bodies should have ensure there are procedures to handle allegations against members of staff and volunteers. Allegations should be referred to the Local Authority Designated Officer. There must be procedures in place to make a referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service if a person in regulated employment has been dismissed or removed due to safeguarding concerns, or would have been had they not resigned. (There is a legal duty to refer and failure to do so when the criteria are met is a criminal offence)

15. Allegations of Abuse Made Against Other Children Governing bodies should also ensure that there are procedures in place to handle allegations against other children. www.safeguardingchildren.co.uk

16. The Child’s Wishes Ensure the child’s wishes or feelings are taken in to account when determining what action to take and what services to provide. Ensure there are systems in place for children to express views and give feedback. Staff should not agree confidentiality and must always act in the interest of the child. How does your school fulfil these requirements?

17. Boarding schools, children’s home and host families Need to be particularly alert to children’s safeguarding Alert to pupil relationships and peer abuse. Host families –Private fostering (28 days) –Exchange visits –When might it be Regulated Activity?

18. Looked After Children School should nominate a designated teacher to promote educational achievement of Looked After Children (LAC) and they should receive appropriate training Staff need to have the skills, knowledge and understanding to keep them safe Need to have appropriate understanding of the legal status of the child and the contact arrangements with birth parents / parental responsibility Need to know who is the child’s social worker and the name of the head of the virtual school How does this work in your school?

19. Missing Children Potential indicator of abuse, neglect, Child Sexual Exploitation. Appropriate safeguarding response, particularly for repeat occasions. Do you know what happens in your school?

20. Working Together 2015 Additional statutory duties under section 11 of the Children Act 2004: –A clear line of accountability for commissioning and / or provision of services to safeguard and promote the welfare of children –A senior lead for the organisation's safeguarding arrangements –A culture of listening to children and taking account of their wishes and feelings –Clear whistleblowing procedures which are referenced in staff training and codes of conduct and a culture that enable issues to be addressed –Arrangements for sharing information with other professionals and the LSCB –Designated lead for safeguarding –Safe recruitment practices –Appropriate supervision and support for staff, including safeguarding training. –Mandatory induction including familiarisation with child protection responsibilities and procedures –All professionals should have regular review of their practice

21. Extended Services / Lettings A trust deed or a transfer of control agreement allows a person other than the governing body to control the use of the premises. However: where services or activities are provided on the school premises by another body, the Governing Body should ensure that the body concerned has appropriate policies and procedures in place in regard to safeguarding children and child protection and liaises with the school on these matters where appropriate. How do you manage safeguarding for lettings in your school?

22. Managing Allegations Against Staff Where it is alleged that a teacher or member of staff (including a volunteer) in a school has: Behaved in a way that has harmed a child, or may have harmed a child Possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child, or Behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates he or she would pose a risk of harm to children Distinct from a ‘complaint’ and therefore dealt with under different procedures.

23. Procedures and Guidance North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Board procedures Section 10 www.safeguardingchildren.co.uk School Child Protection Policy Safe Working Practice for the Protection of Children and Staff Guidance for Staff and Volunteers Facing an Allegation http://cyps.northyorks.gov.uk

24. Training HT/DSP, all staff, governors (including volunteers) Induction and regular updates: Basic Awareness on-line https://learningzone.northyorks.gov.ukhttps Whole School training http://cyps.northyorks.gov.ukhttp://cyps.northyorks.gov.uk Need to consider arrangements for temporary staff. HT/Designated Senior Person Induction Pack http://cyps.northyorks.gov.ukhttp://cyps.northyorks.gov.uk 1 day training in inter-agency working - Comprehensive Child Protection Pathway Updated training every 2 years http://smartsolutions.northyorks.gov.uk

25. How can you demonstrate that you have discharged your functions Safeguarding Audit for Schools http://cyps.northyorks.gov.uk/

26. Daniel Pelka

27. What would you expect your school to do …… A Child Protection file is received when a new child arrives in school? A child speaks little English and you have concerns about them – their older sister is also in school? Mother says child has a medical problem and staff report the child is stealing food and losing weight? Child has bruises on their face and other parts of the body on a number of occasions, does not respond when asked about them and looks down? Child’s attendance falls below 64% and no answer when call home? Staff report that mother always appears cross with the child?

28. What this school did not do… Did not look at CP file. Did not challenge mother – disguised compliance. Did not check out reported medical problem. Did not record bruises and other injuries Did not attempt to find ways to communicate – relied on his sister. Did not report concerns to Children’s Social Care. Did not challenge attendance. Daniel died on 3 rd March 2012 aged 4 years and 8 months. He had suffered cardiac arrest and the cause of death was a blow to the head. He was grossly malnourished and dehydrated with bruising over his body. The pathologist reported that for the 6 months prior to his death he was starved, assaulted, neglected and abused,

29. Recommendations from SCR Head teachers should ensure that staff meet twice per term to discuss children with a number of different concerns. Head teachers should ensure that school records are checked and all information is passed to Children’s Social Care when the school is contacted in relation to a child or family assessment. Head teachers should ensure that the views and feelings of children are ascertained where English is an additional language. Head teachers should formally log all contacts with parents and external agencies on child’s confidential file. Head teachers should put in place procedures to ensure that contacts with agencies such as health are formally logged and letters of concern sent directly to them and not via a parent. Additional recommendations: Files from previous schools are read and appropriate staff informed. Medical advice should be sought if parent gives explanation of medical concern. Staff should follow process for concerns about non attendance. Staff follow process if not satisfied that concern has been dealt with appropriately.

30. Jeremy Forrest

31. What would you expect your school to do if they heard the following ….. Following a school trip to America pupils reported to staff that girl had a crush on JF. Teacher heard students say that JF held girl’s hand on the trip. Girl seen on cctv going to JF’s classroom and school thinking she was being taken out of lessons for additional Maths lessons with JF. Students reporting they had seen handwritten notes between JF and girl referring to his marriage falling apart and that he missed her. Ex-pupils spoke to staff about an improper relationship between JF and the girl and that he had picked her up after work experience. Police informed school that there was an improper photo of JF being circulated by pupils,

32. What this school did….. Spoke to JF about maintaining professional boundaries. Spoke to mother about the girl having a crush on JF. Did not know if she was having maths booster lessons and if parent had agreed. JF told to send girl away if she approached and not to be alone with her. Accessed girl’s Twitter account to check messages and found nothing of concern. Advised JF to adjust Twitter account so pupils could not see it. Girl was advised to find a boyfriend of her own age. Support offered to JF. Believed JF when he said girls were lying about arelationship, he was asked to contact the ex students to ask why they had made the allegations. Strategy meeting was called in relation to the photograph reported by the police. Girl was interviewed, denied allegation and her phone seized.

33. Girl said she was going to stay overnight with friend, reported missing the next day by her mother. JF and girl were found in France a week later, she confirmed they had been in a sexual relationship since she was 15. JF was found guilty of child abduction and sexual activity with a child under the age of 16. He was sentenced to 5 ½ years.

34. Lessons Learned from SCR School repeatedly failed to see JFs behaviour as misconduct. Failed to listen to the concerns raised by other children. Did not recognise that JF might be abusing the girl – supported him. Did not attempt to talk to the girl in way that she could have disclosed. Did not involve mother in the concerns- could not assist her daughter. Did not identify, analyse and respond to emerging concerns. Need to maintain accurate and contemporaneous records of concerns, discussions and actions

35. North Yorkshire Contacts Safeguarding Officers (Education / LADO): North Karen Lewis 01609 534200 / 07715 540711 Dave Peat 01609 535646 / 07814 533363 South Rosemary Cannell 01609 534974 / 07715 540723 Susan Crawford 01609 532152 / 07813 005161 Child Protection admin 01609 546210 Julie Hodges 01609 532477 Safeguarding Unit Manager /LSCB rep for Child Protection in Education Alan Critchlow 01609 532320 Heather Pearson