1. Safeguarding Training Induction for new staff / Whole school refresher
(Updated April 2014)

2. What is safeguarding?

3. Safeguarding Safeguarding
Child Protection
Anti Bullying Policies
Staff Conduct
Curriculum
Safeguarding
Safeguarding
Attendance
Managing Allegations Against Staff
Behaviour Management
Safeguarding is wider than child protection.
Ask for examples from the participants of how each area helps to safeguard children e.g:
staff conduct; safe practice for the safety of staff and pupils (refer to Code of Conduct)
curriculum; providing opportunities for pupils to learn about keeping safe
managing allegations against staff; following procedures which protect staff and children
building design; keeping any unwanted visitors out of school
safe recruitment and selection;
whistleblowing; to raise concerns about a colleague’s conduct (refer to Whistleblowing policy)
health and safety; a safe environment
behaviour management; having clear strategies and consistent responses for managing behaviour
attendance; so we know that our pupils are safe when they are absent
anti-bullying policies; help to promote positive behaviour in staff and pupils
Work experience placements; are there adequate arrangements in place to monitor attendance, supervision – is DBS check required
A “Listening” School
Health and Safety
Building Design
Safe Recruitment and Selection

4. government introduced the concept of ‘safeguarding children’ in 2004/05
Safeguarding’ much broader concept (than child protection) based around preventing children / young people from being harmed – focus upon promoting the child / young person’s welfare
Child Protection is part of safeguarding and promoting welfare. It refers to activity undertaken to protect specific children identified as either suffering or at risk of suffering significant harm as a result of abuse or neglect.
It is only multi-agency working which effectively safeguards children

5. The Essex Safeguarding Children Board (ESCB):
Statutory multi-agency organisation - Children Act 2004 required every local authority to set up a Local Safeguarding Children Board
Aim is to improve outcomes for children by co-ordinating the work of local agencies to safeguard and promote the welfare of children
Links with Southend and Thurrock (SET procedures – 2011, currently being updated)
Statutory duty to publish annual report on effectiveness of child safeguarding within the locality
In Essex, the ‘Local Safeguarding Childrens Board’ (LSCB) is known as the ‘Essex Safeguarding Childrens’ Board’ (ESCB)

6. Keeping Children Safe in Education (DfE, April 2014)
New document - replaces ‘Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education (DfES, 2006)
Should be read in conjunction with ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ (DfE, 2013)
Annex B (p.42) – ‘Role of the designated safeguarding lead’

7. All staff have a responsibility to provide a safe environment in which children can learn
All staff have a responsibility to identify children who may be in need of extra help or who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm. All staff then have a responsibility to take appropriate action, working with other services as needed
Staff working with children are advised to maintain an attitude of ‘it could happen here’ where safeguarding is concerned. When concerned about the welfare of a child, they should always act in the interests of the child.
(Keeping Children Safe in Education – DfE, 2014)

8. Staff behaviour policy (sometimes called a code of conduct)
All staff should be aware of systems within their school which support safeguarding and these should be explained to them as part of staff induction. This includes:
Safeguarding Policy
Staff behaviour policy (sometimes called a code of conduct)
The name of the designated safeguarding lead and how to access them
All staff should also receive appropriate child protection training which is regularly updated (At least every two years for Designated Lead)
All staff should be aware of the signs of abuse and neglect so that they are able to identify cases of children who may be in need of help or protection.
(Keeping Children Safe in Education – DfE, 2014)

9. failure to act on and refer the early signs of abuse and neglect
It is important for children to receive the right help at the right time to address risks and prevent issues escalating. Research and Serious Case Reviews have repeatedly shown the dangers of failing to take effective action. Poor practice includes:
failure to act on and refer the early signs of abuse and neglect
poor record keeping
failure to listen to the views of the child
failure to re-assess concerns when situations do not improve
sharing information too slowly
a lack of challenge to those who appear not to be taking action
(Keeping Children Safe in Education – DfE, 2014)
Refer to ‘Effective Support for Children and Families in Essex’ (ESCB, 2013)

10. Essex Effective Support Windscreen
From ‘Effective Support for Children and Families in Essex’ (ESCB, 2013)

11. Effective Support for Children and Families in Essex – Universal (Level 1)
All children who live in the area have core needs such as parenting, health and education – children are supported by their family and in universal services to meet all their needs
Indicators of possible need (‘Effective Support for Children and Families in Essex’, ESCB, 2013 – Section 10, p.16)

12. Effective Support for Children and Families in Essex – Additional (Level 2)
Children and families with additional needs who would benefit from or who require extra help to improve education, parenting and / or behaviour, or to meet specific health or emotional needs or to improve material situation
Indicators of possible need (‘Effective Support for Children and Families in Essex’, ESCB, 2013 – Section 10, p.16)

13. Effective Support for Children and Families in Essex – Intensive (Level 3)
Vulnerable children and their families with multiple needs or whose needs are more complex, such as children and families who:
Have a disability resulting in complex needs
Exhibit anti-social or challenging behaviour
Suffer neglect or poor family relationships
Have poor engagement with key services such
as school and health
Are not in education or work long term
Indicators of possible need (‘Effective Support for Children and Families in Essex’, ESCB, 2013 – Section 10, p.16)

14. Effective Support for Children and Families in Essex – Specialist (Level 4)
Children or young people who have suffered or are likely to suffer significant harm as a result of abuse or neglect
Children with significant impairment of function / learning and / or life limiting illness
Children whose parents and wider family are unable to care for them
Families involved in crime / misuse of drugs at a significant level
Families with significant mental or physical health needs
Indicators of possible need (‘Effective Support for Children and Families in Essex’, ESCB, 2013 – Section 10, p.16)

15. Abuse is…
…a form of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm. A child may be abused by an adult or adults or another child or children.
Categories:
Physical
Emotional
Sexual
Neglect

16. Physical:
May involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child.

17. Emotional:
The persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve:
conveying to a child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person.
seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another. It may involve serious bullying (including cyberbullying), causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, although it may occur alone.

18. Emotional:
not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate.
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

19. Sexual:
Involves forcing or enticing a child or young person 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 looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, 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.

20. Neglect:
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.

21. What to do if a child discloses to you:
DO NOT
Listen carefully
Make accurate notes (using the child’s words) - date and sign these
Reassure the child they have done the correct thing by telling you
INFORM THE DESIGNATED LEAD
Promise confidentiality
Ask leading questions
Use your own words to describe something
Investigate

22. Whistleblowing Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998
Must concern one of the 6 types of ‘qualifying disclosure’
Must reasonably believe it is in the public interest
Must be raised initially with own line manager (or to more senior manager if concerns line manager)
Any staff member can press for re-consideration of a case if they feel the child’s situation does not appear to be improving. They may refer their concerns to Social Care directly if they have concerns for the safety of a child*
Refer to own Whistleblowing policy
* From Keeping Children Safe in Edcuation (DfE, 2014)
Qualifying Disclosure:
Breach of any legal obligation
Miscarriage of justice
Criminal offence
Danger to Health and Safety of any individual
Damage to the environment
Deliberate concealment of information about any of the above

23. Ofsted:
Ofsted adopts the definition of safeguarding used in the Children Act 2004 and in the DfE guidance document ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’, which focuses on safeguarding and promoting children’s and learners’ welfare. This can be summarised as:
protecting children and learners from maltreatment
preventing impairment of children’s and learners’ health or development
ensuring that children and learners are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
undertaking that role so as to enable those children and learners to have optimum life chances and to enter adulthood successfully.
In evaluating the effectiveness of safeguarding in schools, inspectors focus on a broad range of issues including:
the impact of safeguarding arrangements on outcomes for pupils, including staying safe, being healthy, making a positive contribution, enjoying and achieving, and developing skills for economic well-being
how well pupils are taught to keep themselves safe
how well the school protects pupils from bullying, racist abuse, harassment or discrimination, and promotes good behaviour
the effectiveness of health and safety policies and procedures, including conducting necessary risk assessments as well as regular checks on equipment and premises
the effectiveness of arrangements to provide a safe environment and secure school site
how well the school meets the needs of pupils with medical conditions
how appropriately child welfare and child protection concerns are identified and responded to by the school
how effectively the school works with key agencies to safeguard and promote the welfare of children
how well the school prioritises safeguarding, and monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of its policies and practices
the extent to which the school ensures that adults working with children are appropriately recruited and vetted, and receive appropriate training, guidance, support and supervision to undertake the effective safeguarding of pupils.
(Safeguarding in Schools, Ofsted, 2011)

24. Ofsted: The behaviour and safety of pupils at the school:
An ‘outstanding’ school is where “all groups of pupils are safe and feel safe at school and at alternative provision placements at all times. They understand very clearly what constitutes unsafe situations and are highly aware of how to keep themselves and others safe in different situations, including in relation to e-safety”
(School Inspection Handbook’ - Ofsted, 2013)

25. Ofsted: Quality of leadership in and management of the school:
In an ‘outstanding’ school
“arrangements for safeguarding meet the statutory requirements”
“the curriculum has a very positive impact on all pupils’ behaviour and safety and contributes very well to ….their physical well-being and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development”
(School Inspection Handbook’ - Ofsted, 2013)

26. Ofsted: Quality of leadership in and management of the school:
Safeguarding arrangements ensure there is safe recruitment and that all pupils are safe. This includes the:
maintenance of the single central record and appropriate arrangements for child protection
rigour with which absence is followed up
decision-making process in taking pupils off roll
care taken to ensure that pupils placed in alternative provision are safe at all time
action taken following any serious incident
promotion of safe practices and a culture of safety, including e-safety
(School Inspection Handbook’ - Ofsted, 2013)

27. Ofsted:
In the small number of schools where safeguarding was judged to be inadequate, common weaknesses included:
the failure to maintain a single central record of recruitment and vetting checks covering all adults who had regular contact with children
insufficient child protection training
key risk assessments not completed
a failure by the governing body to monitor and review the policies to protect children.
(Safeguarding in Schools, Ofsted, 2011)

28. Ofsted: guidance for inspectors
Check single central record
Hold discussions with headteacher, governors and other staff to explore management responsibilities, training and support for safeguarding
Observe pupils around the school and discuss with them how school helps to keep them safe and deal sensibly with risk (should include discussion about e-safety)
From ‘Subsidiary Guidance’ (Ofsted, 2013)

29. Priorities for Schools:
Effective Safeguarding policy in place
all staff aware of this
Annually reviewed and updated
Named Designated Teacher and Deputy for Safeguarding (and CSE )
Promote a culture of listening to and engaging in dialogue with children*
Adherence to SET procedures
Section 11 Audit
E-safety
*Children have said they need:
Vigilance
Understanding and action
Stability
Respect
Information and engagement
Explanation
Support
Advocacy
From ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children (DfE, 2013)
The Section Audit is currently being revised – new version for schools will be an on-line tool and available in Summer Term 2014

30. Priorities for Schools:
Awareness of all staff to signs and symptoms of abuse (and regular training)
Anti-bullying procedures (and recording)
Emotional well-being (mental health) of students
Safe recruitment procedures
Response to work around Domestic Abuse
Record keeping and sharing / transfer of information to a new school
Monitoring procedures for alternative / off-site provision
how safe when not in school on part-time or exclusion
Whether pupils feel safe and their ability to assess and manage risk and to keep themselves safe
Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education (WEF: 1 January 2007)

31. Update – Child Sexual Exploitation
Essex along with Southend and Thurrock has developed a ‘CSE Champions’ approach – each school has a lead person (Designated Teacher for Child Protection)
CSE Champions Training for Designated Teacher provided by ESCB
House of Commons, Select Committee report ‘Child Sexual Exploitation and the Response to Localised Grooming’.
There is a separate presentation on School Infolink for CSE
Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) is an issue that is prominent in the news. It is not solely an issue for secondary schools and not all young people subject to CSE are children living in children’s homes. Research has shown that whilst most young people were described as ‘vulnerable’ it is not just children in care, or girls and not only young people of white British ethnicity.
Essex along with Southend and Thurrock through the Essex Safeguarding Children Board (ESCB) is developing a CSE Champions approach. In consultation with the headteacher associations it has been agreed that the Designated Teacher is best placed to fulfil that role. CSE training for the Designated Lead can be accessed through the ESCB website.
If you would like to know and understand more about CSE The House of Commons Select Committee Report ‘Child Sexual Exploitation and the Response to Localised Grooming’ provides a good understanding of this difficult topic.

32. Update – Domestic Abuse Notifications:
Specialist team within Essex Police – JDAT – Joint Domestic Abuse Triage
Each school now has a named person for DV notifications
Essex sharing domestic abuse notifications
High or medium risk case
Open to Childrens Social Care
58 notifications to schools (November 2013 – March 2014)
The Serious Case Review (Olivia) was published by the Essex Safeguarding Children Board. It was carried out following the murder of a mother and small child following a long history of domestic abuse. The full report is available on the Essex Safeguarding Children Board website. Whilst there are no specific recommendations for schools, there was a recommendation to share domestic abuse incidents with schools. Domestic abuse is a key theme that flows through both the Olivia and Daniel Pelka Serious Case Reviews along with the need to share information and consider the impact on children in the household.
Essex is piloting a new approach to sharing domestic abuse incident information. Those incidents assessed only as either ‘high’ or ‘medium’ risk on cases open and current to Children’s Social Care will be forwarded to the appropriate school. The information will be sent to a named contact in the school and will include the name and contact details of the allocated social worker. This will enable the named contact to speak directly with the social worker to discuss any concerns.
It is important that if there are concerns about the welfare of a child and it is believed that domestic abuse is a feature of the child’s home life, it should not be assumed that all is well if there has been no notification but to act on those concerns within normal procedures

33. Responsibilities of Governing Bodies:
S.175 (2) and (3) of the Education Act obligation on school governors to ensure that they make arrangements for ensuring functions relating to the conduct of the school are exercised with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children / young people receiving education
Safeguarding Policy
Recruitment Policy
Ensure regular training takes place
Have member of the governing body nominated to be responsible for liaising with the CSA and/or partner agencies in the event of allegations of abuse being made against the head teacher
SET Procedures (2011)

34. ‘Working Together’ (March 2013)
“Safeguarding children - the action we take to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm - is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and families has a role to play”
Reinforce procedures in your school – what a member of staff should do if they have concerns

35. Additional useful documents:
SET Procedures (September 2011 but in process of being updated)
Working Together to Safeguard Children (DfE, 2013)
You Have Someone to Trust – Outstanding Safeguarding Practice in Primary Schools (September 2012)
Feeling Safe, Keeping Safe: Good Practice in Safeguarding and Child Protection in Secondary Schools (September 2013)

36. Contact for Safeguarding Adviser to Schools: