1. Child Protection - Introduction
The module will outline:
the statutory duties placed upon school governors in relation to keeping children safe;
what child protection and safeguarding policies your school must have in place;
who is who in the schools safeguarding team;
how to tell if your schools child protection and safeguarding arrangements are satisfactory;
what child protection/safeguarding training is available for school governors;
useful resources/links.
PRESENTERS – NOTE THAT THE CHILD PROTECTION SECTION WILL TAKE APPROXIMATELY 15 – 20 MINUTES. THIS SECTION HAS BEEN WRITTEN BY THE REGIONAL CHILD PROTECTION GROUP.
The following part of this presentation focuses on the role that governors play in relation to Child Protection and safeguarding by ensuring that all the necessary procedures and policies are put in place.
As part of the Induction training for governors we are required to provide this aspect of Child Protection training which is referred to as Strand 1.
Strand 1 training provides a basic awareness of the child protection/safeguarding responsibilities of school governors.
Every school has a Child Protection policy and it is the duty of the BOG to ensure that the Child Protection policy is implemented (ESAGS, 13:18)
The module will outline:
the statutory duties placed upon School Governors in relation to keeping children safe;
what child protection and safeguarding policies your school must have in place;
who is who in the schools Safeguarding team;
how to tell if your schools child protection and safeguarding arrangements are satisfactory;
what child protection/safeguarding training is available for School Governors.
useful resources/links.

2. The Child Protection/Safeguarding Duties of School Governors
Education and Libraries (NI) Order 2003
(Part IV - Welfare and Protection of Pupils)
A duty on the Board of Governors to at all times safeguard and promote the welfare of registered pupils (Article 17)
A duty on the Board of Governors to ensure there is a child protection policy at their school and that it is implemented (Article 18)
A duty on all schools to address the issue of bullying through their discipline/positive behaviour policy (Article 19) and:
A duty to consult with pupils and parents in the development of their discipline/positive behaviour policy (Article 19)
The Education and Libraries (NI) Order 2003 places a number of legal duties upon Boards of Governors in relation to keeping pupils safe. These mean that the Board of Governors must ensure that the school’s pastoral care arrangements protect pupils from harm, safeguard their health and welfare and support their learning and development.
Governors have a specific legal duty to ensure there is a child protection policy in the school. It is a Departmental requirement that this policy is reviewed annually and issued to parents every 2 years. ETI are also advising that the policy is in a language that parents understand. The parents of children commencing school for the first time or transferring from another school will receive a copy of this policy at the admission stage. The Board of Governors should ratify this policy prior to its issue to parents.
All schools must have a discipline/ positive behaviour policy and it is important that it addresses the prevention of bullying. Most schools have however developed specific anti-bullying policies and strategies which are linked to this policy. Schools have a duty to consult with parents and pupils in the development and review of their discipline/positive behaviour policy.
Chapter 13 of the Department of Education’s guide “Every School a Good School - The Governors' Role” details the role and responsibilities of school Governors in relation to pastoral care and child protection and it is recommended that you take time to read this chapter.
Another useful resource is the “School Governors Handbook – Safeguarding and Child Protection” which has been specifically developed by the Child Protection Support Service for Schools and the Department of Education to help Governors understand and fulfil their safeguarding duties and responsibilities. Links to these resources are provided at the end of this module.
With regard to the Child Protection training for the designated CP governor, it is recommended as a matter of good practice that the parent or teacher governor do not act as the designated governor for CP, as there is a potential conflict of interest.

3. Safeguarding Child Protection E-Safety Safe Handling Intimate Care
Anti Bullying Policies
Curriculum
Safeguarding
Attendance
Managing Allegations Against Staff
Behaviour Management
Collectively, all the policies and arrangements which schools have in place to keep pupils safe, promote physical and mental health and general welfare, are described as the pastoral care system.
Child protection is one part of this system and a very important element of a school’s broader safeguarding responsibilities. It involves protecting children from various forms of abuse including physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse and neglect whether at school at home or elsewhere. The schools child protection policy approved by the Board of Governors will describe how school staff exercise their safeguarding responsibilities including how concerns or complaints of child abuse can be raised by pupils, parents and staff and how such concerns will be addressed.
 Safeguarding children is not just about child protection however. Safeguarding children includes a number of other elements such Safe Recruitment & Selection, Staff Code of Conduct, E-safety, Attendance, Health & Safety and other elements as shown in the accompanying slide. As a school Governor you have a responsibility to ensure that all such elements are addressed by way of policies and practices in your school. These safeguarding policies should be brought to the Board of Governors for approval and reviewed on a regular basis.
It is important that School Principals bring Departmental Circulars and guidance related to child protection/safeguarding to the attention of Boards of Governors for appropriate action. In order to address these issues child protection/safeguarding could be placed on the agenda as a standing item.
Safe Built Environment
Whistle
blowing
Health & Safety
Safe Recruitment and Selection
*See link to the Department of Education web-site for access to relevant Circulars and Guidance

4. Who Is Who In The School Safeguarding Team
Chair of Governors
Designated Governor for Child Protection
Principal (Chair)
Designated Teacher for Child Protection
Deputy Designated Teacher(s) for Child Protection
It is useful if all schools have a “Safeguarding Team”. The Chair of Governors is a member of this team as is the Designated Governor for Child Protection. The Designated Governor is someone appointed by the Board of Governors to take the lead in providing advice to the Governors on child protection matters. It is recommended in the ESAGS policy that this person should not be a Parent or Teacher Governor.
To help the Chair and Designated Governor fulfil their safeguarding roles specific training (known as Strand 2 training) is provided by officers from the Child Protection Support Service for Schools.  
Core members of the schools “Safeguarding Team” will include the School Principal, Designated Teacher for Child Protection and Deputy Designated Teacher for Child Protection. Other school staff such as the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) or Information & Communication Technology (ICT) Co-ordinator may also be part of the team.
Members of the school Safeguarding team all have specific safeguarding roles and responsibilities. For example the Designated Teacher for Child Protection must be available to discuss any child protection concerns with staff, consult with Education Authority Designated Officers for Child Protection and where necessary make referrals to Social Services. He/she must also provide regular child protection awareness training for staff in school, review the schools child protection policy and provide an annual child protection report for the Board of Governors.
Collectively the team must ensure that there is an ethos in your school in which children and adults feel safe, are valued, respected and listened to.

5. How to tell if your Schools Child Protection and Safeguarding Arrangements are Satisfactory
Self evaluation/audit of child protection and safeguarding arrangements undertaken by members of the School Safeguarding team and shared with the Board of Governors
Education & Training Inspectorate (ETI) evaluation of Child Protection/Safeguarding as part of planned school inspection
Annual Child Protection Report and termly updates presented to the Board of Governors by the Designated Teacher for Child Protection
The Record of Child Abuse Complaints (allegations/complaints against staff) presented annually by the School Principal
Significant Events/Incidents reported by the Principal or Complaints from pupils, parents or others to the Chair of Governors
How will you know if your school’s child protection and safeguarding arrangements are satisfactory?
One way in which school managers and Boards of Governors can evaluate their schools’ child protection and safeguarding arrangements is for members of the schools Safeguarding Team to periodically audit these arrangements and report back to the Board of Governors.
Every inspection carried out in a school by ETI will include a detailed assessment of the pastoral care and child protection arrangements. A report of the inspection will be made available to Governors and where arrangements are regarded as unsatisfactory the Department of Education will expect schools to take prompt action to address any deficiencies.
Opportunities are also available to Governors to evaluate their child protection and safeguarding arrangements when the annual child protection report is presented at a Board of Governors meeting. Some schools also provide termly updates to Governors. These reports will detail what child protection and safeguarding activity has taken place in the school and include for example the number of referrals made to Social Services and the number of staff who have received child protection training etc.
On an annual basis the Principal must also bring to the Board of Governors the “Record of Child Abuse Complaints” which is a record of any allegations or complaints of abuse against school staff. The Chair needs to sign this record off each year. It should be emphasised that it is not necessary for all Governors to have a detailed account of this record. The Principal in liaison with the Chair of Governors should also bring to the attention of Governors any significant events or incidents of a child protection or safeguarding nature.

6. Child Protection Support Service for Schools – Education Authority
Single Contact Number:
Legislation
Education and Libraries (NI) Order
Education and Libraries (NI) Order
The Children (NI) Order
 DE Circulars & Guidance re: Child Protection/Safeguarding
‘Every School a Good School - The Governors' Role’ (Chapter 13 Pastoral Care and Child Protection - Guide for School Governors)
CPSSS School Governors Handbook – Safeguarding and Child Protection
DE Circular 2017/04: Safeguarding and Child Protection in Schools - A Guide for Schools
A range of relevant DE Circulars and guidance can be accessed at: protection-safeguarding.htm 
There is a Child Protection Support Service for Schools in each ELB area. The service provides a daily telephone helpline offering advice and support to schools and to other ELB services on child protection/safeguarding issues.
This service also provides child protection training tailored to the safeguarding roles and responsibilities of staff within schools including Designated and Deputy Designated Teachers for Child Protection, Principals, the Chair of Governors and Designated Governor for Child Protection. In the SEELB this is not specific to the Chair/Designated Governor just Governors.
There is a range of child protection and safeguarding material including Circulars and Guidance which is available to download from the Department of Education’s web-site
Presenter’s Note: This slide may be given as a hand out in the BOG pack as there is quite a lot of information on it.

7. Recommended Training for
School Governors
Who
Strand 1
Strand 2
Strand 3
All school governors 
Chair of Governors
Governors who will be sitting on interview/teaching appointments panels
Governors who are delegated to take the lead in child protection governance
There are presently 3 strands of child protection/safeguarding training provided for school Governors.
Strand 1 training is basic awareness of the child protection/safeguarding responsibilities of School Governors. This training is provided for all new Governors as part of their Induction programme and is delivered by the Education Authority Governor Support Services.
Where Governors have been unable to attend Strand 1 training or may have attended such training in a previous term of office there is also provision for the schools Designated Teacher for Child Protection to deliver a short child protection/safeguarding awareness training session to School Governors using resources provided by the Child Protection Support Service for Schools.
Strand 2 is more specialised training aimed at the Chair of Governors and the Designated Governor for Child Protection - one evening session delivered by Designated Officers from the Child Protection Support Service for Schools, delivered annually as part of the training programme for governors.
Strand 3 is specific training for those Governors who will be sitting on interview or teacher appointment panels. Whilst the aims of this training are primarily to provide Governors with knowledge and skills in relation to the recruitment and selection process as a whole it includes reference to relevant safeguarding practices such as the vetting of staff. This training is delivered by Human Resources officers, as part of Recruitment and Selection training.
It is recommended that Governors attend whichever strands of training are relevant to their role on the Board of Governors and attendance at Strands 2 & 3 should take place at least once in each term of office.
The Education & Training Inspectorate (ETI) during any school inspection of pastoral care and child protection arrangements will evaluate the extent to which Governors have attended such training.