Safeguarding Policy

Part 1: Policy

Definitions

• Protecting children from maltreatment;
• Preventing impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development;
• Ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care;
• And taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

Introduction

• In order to fulfil this responsibility effectively, all professionals should make sure their approach is child-centred. This means that they should always consider what is in the best interests of the child.
• We take an ‘it can happen here’ approach where safeguarding is concerned.
• Everyone who comes into contact with children has a role to play in identifying concerns, sharing information and taking prompt action.
• Victims of harm should never be given the impression that they are creating a problem by reporting abuse, sexual violence, or sexual harassment. Nor should a victim ever be made to feel ashamed for making a report.

• The provision of a safe environment in which children and young people can learn.
• Acting on concerns about a child’s welfare immediately.
• Fulfilling our legal responsibilities to identify children who may need early help or who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm.

• Current legislation (these are summarised within Working Together to Safeguard Children: statutory framework)
• Statutory, national, and local guidance – this includes:
• Working Together to Safeguard Children, which sets out the multiagency working arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people and protect them from harm; in addition, it sets out the statutory roles and responsibilities of schools.
• Keeping Children Safe in Education  is statutory guidance issued by the Department for Education which all schools and colleges must have regard to when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
• Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework (2021) is statutory guidance which sets standards that school and childcare providers must meet for the learning, development, and care of children from birth to 5.
• Local Guidance from the Local Safeguarding Partnership: around particular safeguarding topics are available on the Keeping Bristol Safe Partnership Website.
• Government guidance in relation to:
  • COVID19: The full collection is available on the government website. Waycroft Academy will work with Delegated Services risk assessments in the event of further lockdown.
  • Specific topical safeguarding issues – a collection of up-to-date guidance can be found on the Safeguarding in Education Team’s guidance page. https://www.bristolsafeguardingineducation.org/guidance/

• Recruitment and Selection
• Whistleblowing
• Code of Conduct for Staff/ Staff Behaviour Policy
• Behaviour (which includes measures to prevent bullying, including cyberbullying, prejudice-based and discriminatory bullying, and Exclusions Policy of a separate document)
• E-Safety
• Policy on Supporting Children in Care
• Attendance (including the safeguarding response to children who go missing from education)
• Health and Safety
• Headteachers should ensure that the above policies and procedures, adopted by The Trust Board, are accessible, understood and followed by all staff.

Equalities Statement

1. Eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation, and other conduct that is prohibited by the Equality Act 2010.
2. Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it.
3. Foster good relations across all protected characteristics between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it.

Overall Aims

• Clarifying safeguarding expectations for members of the education setting’s community, staff, Trust Board, Local Academy Council, learners, and their families.
• Contributing to the establishment of a safe, resilient, and robust safeguarding culture in the setting built on shared values; that learners are treated with respect and dignity, taught to treat each other and staff with respect, feel safe, have a voice and are listened to.
• Supporting contextual safeguarding approaches to practice recognising that the setting’s site can be a location where harm can occur.
• Setting expectations for developing knowledge and skills within the setting’s community (staff, learners, parents/carers) to the signs and indicators of safeguarding issues and how to respond to them.
• Early identification of need for vulnerable learners and provision of proportionate interventions to promote their welfare and safety.
• Working in partnership with learners, parents, and other agencies in the Local Safeguarding Partnership.

Professional expectations, roles, and responsibilities

• All staff will read and understand Part 1 of statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education. Those working directly with children will also read Annex B.
• In addition to this all staff will be aware of the systems in place which support safeguarding including reading this Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy; the Behaviour Policy; the Staff Behaviour Policy (code of conduct); safeguarding response to children who go missing from education; and the role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).
• Know who and how to contact the DSL and any deputies, the Chair of Trustees, and the Trustee and Local Academy Councillor, responsible for safeguarding.
• All staff will be able to identify vulnerable learners and take action to keep them safe. Information or concerns about learners will be shared with the DSL where it includes those:
  • who may need a social worker and may be experiencing abuse or neglect;
  • requiring mental health support;
  • may benefit from early help;
  • where there is a radicalisation concern;
  • where a crime may have been committed.
• Be clear as to the setting’s policy and procedures about child on child abuse, children missing from education and those requiring mental health support, and the impact of technology in relation to online safety.
• Be involved where appropriate, in the implementation of individual plans to further safeguard vulnerable learners and understand their academic progress and attainment and maintain a culture of high aspirations for this cohort.
• Record concerns appropriately and in a timely manner by using the setting’s safeguarding systems.
• To be aware of the need to raise to the senior leadership team any concerns they have about safeguarding practices within the school.

Role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

Details of our DSL and Deputy DSL are available on the website, our newsletters, or the notice board in reception.

• The DSL is a senior member of staff who undertakes lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection within the setting.
• The DSL works with the Executive Headteacher, and relevant strategic leads, taking lead responsibility for promoting educational outcomes by knowing the welfare, safeguarding and child protection issues that learners in need are experiencing or have experienced, and identifying the impact that these issues might be having on learner’s attendance, engagement and achievement at school or college.
• Activities include the management of work undertaken by any Deputy DSLs.
• Manages early identification of vulnerability of learners and their families from staff through cause for concerns or notifications. This will ensure detailed, accurate, secure written records of concerns and referrals.
• Manages referrals to local safeguarding partners where learners with additional needs have been identified. These can include those –
  • who need a social worker and may be experiencing abuse or neglect;
  • requiring mental health support;
  • who may benefit from early help;
  • where there is a radicalisation concern;
  • where a crime may have been committed.

• Work with others – acting as a point of contact for outside agencies about safeguarding.
• Support and advise other staff in making referrals to other agencies.
• When required, liaise with the case manager and the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) in relation to child protection cases which concern a staff member.
• Coordinate safeguarding training and raise awareness and understanding to the school community around policies and practice in relation to safeguarding.
• Help promote educational outcomes by sharing information about vulnerable learners with relevant staff. This includes ensuring that staff:
  • know who these children are,
  • understand their academic progress and attainment and maintain a culture of high aspirations for this cohort.
  • Are supported to identify the challenges that children in this group might face.
  • Provide additional academic support or make reasonable adjustments to help children who have or have had a social worker to reach their potential.
• Ensure the successful transfer of the Safeguarding/Child Protection File when a learner moves on to a new setting within 5 days for in year transfer or the first 5 days of the start of a new term.
• Ensure appropriate safeguarding cover and availability during term time/ any out of hours/out of term activities managed by the school.

Role of the Trust Board

• The appointed Safeguarding Trustee will liaise with the Executive Headteacher the Headteachers and the DSLs to produce an annual report for Trustees and complete the S. 175 (annual safeguarding) audit for the Keeping Bristol Safe Partnership;
• Ensure that the school remedies any deficiencies or weaknesses brought to its attention without delay;
• Ensure that this document is updated annually (or when there are significant updates)
• Ensure that the DSL is an appropriate senior member of setting’s senior leadership team and ensure that they have adequate time, funding, training, resources, and support to carry out their role effectively.
• Ensure that the training and learning for the school community is robust and effective.
• Ensure that learners are taught about safeguarding on the curriculum including online safety in compliance with statutory guidance Relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• Ensure they review the Department for Education filtering and monitoring standards and make sure the setting is compliant with the requirements to meet these duties through discussions with IT staff and service providers.
• To ensure that teachers, including supply teachers, other staff, volunteers, and contractors have appropriate checks carried out in line with statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education (Part 3).
• Ensure that there are procedures in place to manage safeguarding concerns or allegations against teachers, including supply teachers, other staff, volunteers, and contractors who may not be suitable to work with or pose a risk to learners, this includes having a process to manage low level concerns.
• Ensure that systems are in place for learners to effectively share a concern about a safeguarding issue they are experiencing, express their views and give feedback.
• Ensure that the setting has systems in place to prevent, identify and respond to child- on-child harm (including sexual abuse and sexual harassment) and mental health concerns, and review the effectiveness of the setting’s online safety practices.
• Appoint a Designated Teacher to promote the educational achievement for children in care and other care arrangements.

Safeguarding training for staff

• Trustees and proprietors will ensure that all staff members undergo safeguarding and child protection training (including online safety, which, amongst other things, includes an understanding of the expectations, applicable roles, and responsibilities in relation to filtering and monitoring) at induction.
• Will receive appropriate safeguarding and child protection refresher training (including online safety incorporating staff responsibilities in relation to filtering and monitoring) at least annually (via formal training, email e-bulletins and staff meetings).
• All staff must complete FGM awareness training and will understand their legal duty under the Mandatory Reporting Duty.
• All staff must complete PREVENT awareness training. This is to ensure that they can comply with the legal expectations under the PREVENT duty.
• Staff training includes clear reference to internal whistleblowing policy, the role of the Local Authority Designated Officer and guidance for escalating concerns.

Designated Safeguarding Lead and deputies:

• Will undergo formal training to provide them with the knowledge and skills (including online safety, which, amongst other things, includes an understanding of the expectations, applicable roles and responsibilities in relation to filtering and monitoring) training required to carry out the role. The training will be updated at least every two years.
• Deputies will be trained to the same level as the DSL.
• The DSL and any deputies will liaise with the Local Safeguarding Partnership to ensure that their knowledge and skills are updated via e-bulletins, attend DSL network meetings, and take time to read and digest safeguarding bulletins.

Other training considerations:

• The Trustees will ensure that at least one person on any appointment panel will have undertaken safer recruitment training, in line with School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009.
• Members of the Senior Leadership Team will make themselves aware of and understand their role within the local safeguarding arrangements. This will ensure that those who have responsibility for the management of behaviour, inclusion, Special Educational Needs, attendance, and exclusions will carry out their duties with a safeguarding consideration.
• The Designated Teacher for Children in Care will undergo appropriate training to fulfil their role to promote the educational achievement of registered pupils who are in care.
• The mental health lead has access to appropriate training.
• Training around safeguarding topics in Annex B (including online safety which, amongst other things, includes an understanding of the expectations, applicable roles and responsibilities in relation to filtering and monitoring) will be integrated, aligned, and considered as part of a whole school safeguarding approach.
• Appropriate colleagues have received appropriate training in relation to use of reasonable force and positive handling.

Safeguarding in the curriculum

This includes:

• Working within statutory guidance in respect to Relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk); and Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education, to explore key areas such as self-esteem, emotional literacy, assertiveness, power, building resilience to radicalisation, e-safety and bullying.
• Appropriate filters and monitoring systems are in place to ensure that ‘over- blocking’ does not lead to unreasonable restrictions as to what learners can be taught about online teaching and safeguarding.
• The curriculum will be shaped to respond to safeguarding incident patterns in the setting identified by the Designated Safeguarding Lead and safeguarding team (e.g., to respond to an increase in bullying incidents).
• Providing engagement opportunities with parents and carers to consult on key aspects of the curriculum.
• Learners can inform the curriculum via discussions with the school councils in each academy.

Safer recruitment and safer working practice

Safer recruitment

• This includes scrutinising applicants, verifying identity and academic or vocational qualifications, obtaining professional and character references, checking previous employment history, and ensuring that a candidate has the health and physical capacity for the job. References are always obtained, scrutinised and concerns resolved satisfactorily before appointment is confirmed.
• Also including undertaking online safety checks on shortlisted candidates. Undertaking appropriate checks through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), the barred list checks and prohibition checks (and overseas checks if appropriate), dependent on the role and duties performed, including regulated and non-regulated activity.
• All recruitment materials will include reference to the Trust’s commitment to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of learners.

Use of reasonable force

• The use of reasonable force will be minimised through positive and proactive behaviour support and de-escalation and will follow government guidance (Use of Reasonable Force in Schools 2013; Reducing the need for restraint and restrictive intervention, 2019).
• There is robust recording of any incident where positive handling or restraint has been used. Further review of the incident is carried out to reflect on how the incident could be avoided, this will involve the child and their family.

Whistleblowing procedures

• General guidance can be found at: Advice on whistleblowing https://www.gov.uk/whistleblowing.
• The NSPCC whistleblowing helpline is available here for staff who do not feel able to raise concerns regarding child protection failures internally. Staff can call: 0800 028 0285 – line is available from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Monday to Friday and Email: [email protected].
• The above channels are clearly accessible to all staff (in the staff handbook, code of conduct and on staff notice boards).

Key safeguarding areas

• Children in the court system
• Children affected by parental offending/imprisonment.
• Children missing from education – including persistent absence.
• Child Exploitation (including both Child Sexual Exploitation and Child Criminal Exploitation and county lines, modern day slavery and trafficking)
• Cybercrime
• Domestic Abuse
• Homelessness
• So-called Honour based Abuse (including Female Genital Mutilation and Forced Marriage),
• Online Safety
• Mental health
• Child on child abuse:
  • Bullying (including cyberbullying, prejudice-based and discriminatory bullying).
  • Abuse in intimate personal relationships between children (also known as teenage relationship abuse).
  • Physical abuse such as hitting, kicking, shaking, biting, hair pulling, or otherwise causing physical harm (this may include an online element which facilitates, threatens and/or encourages physical abuse).
  • Sexual violence, such as rape, assault by penetration and sexual assault;(this may include an online element which facilitates, threatens and/or encourages sexual violence).
  • Sexual harassment, such as sexual comments, remarks, jokes and online sexual harassment, which may be standalone or part of a broader pattern of abuse.
  • Causing someone to engage in sexual activity without consent, such as forcing someone to strip, touch themselves sexually, or to engage in sexual activity with a third party.
  • Consensual and non-consensual sharing of nudes and semi-nude images and or videos (also known as sexting or youth produced sexual imagery).
  • Upskirting, which typically involves taking a picture under a person’s clothing without their permission, with the intention of viewing their genitals or buttocks to obtain sexual gratification, or cause the victim humiliation, distress, or alarm; and
  • Initiation/hazing type violence and rituals (this could include activities involving harassment, abuse or humiliation used as a way of initiating a person into a group and may also include an online element).
• Preventing Radicalisation (The Prevent Duty)
• Serious Youth Violence
• Substance Misuse
• Private Fostering
• Young Carers

Part 2: Procedures

Reporting concerns

Information Sharing

• ‘Safeguarding’ and ‘individuals at risk’ is a processing condition that allows practitioners to share special category personal data.
• Practitioners will seek consent to share data where possible in line with Information Sharing for Safeguarding Practitioners 2018.

• To gain consent would place the child at risk,
• by doing so will compromise a criminal investigation,
• It cannot be reasonably expected that a practitioner gains consent,
• or, if by sharing information it will enhance the safeguarding of a child in a timely manner, but it is not possible to gain consent.

Identifying and monitoring the needs of vulnerable learners.

• Proportionate and early interventions can be taken to promote the safety and welfare of the child and prevent escalation of harm.
• Information about vulnerable learners is shared with teachers and school and college leadership staff to promote educational outcomes.
• Learners who currently have, or have had, a social worker will have their academic progress and attainment reviewed and additional academic support will be provided to help them reach their full potential.
• Reasonable adjustments are made in relation to school-based interventions – for example responding to behaviour.

Multi-agency working

Occasions that warrant a statutory assessment under the Children Act 1989:

• If the child is in need under s.17 of the Children Act 1989 (including when a child is a young carer and or subject to a private fostering arrangement).
• Or if the child needs protection under s.47 of the Children Act 1989 where they are experiencing significant harm, or likely to experience significant harm.

Referrals in these cases should be made by the DSL (or Deputy DSLs) to Children’s Social Care in the local authority in which that child resides. The list of safeguarding contact and other key agencies are listed in Appendix B.

Where the child already has a social worker, the request for service should go immediately to the social worker involved or, in their absence, to their team manager. If the child is a child in care, notification should also be made to the Hope Virtual School.

Waycroft Academy will co-operate with any statutory safeguarding assessments conducted by children’s social care: this includes ensuring representation at appropriate inter-agency meetings such as integrated support plan meetings initial and review child protection conferences and core group meetings.

Additional considerations:

• Where a learner and/or their family is subject to an inter-agency child protection plan or a multiagency risk assessment conference (MARAC) meeting, the setting will contribute to the preparation, implementation, and review of the plan as appropriate.
• In situations where a child in care may be put on to a reduced timetable, the school will consult with the Hope Virtual School following local procedures.
• If a crime has been suspected or committed that involved the bringing of an offensive weapon on to the school site, the setting will liaise with the Local Authority Violence Reduction Unit (Safer Options) who will consider a proportionate response.
• If there is a risk of harm, the police should be called via 999. For other concerns of criminality, the non-statutory guidance ‘When to Call the Police’ from the NCPCC can be helpful or contact the local PCSO/School Police Beat Officer/School Officer.
• In the rare event that a child death occurs, or a child is seriously harmed, the Trust will notify the Keeping Bristol Safe Partnership as soon as is reasonably possible.

Suspensions, permanent exclusions, and commissioning of Alternative Provisions – (To be read in conjunction with the Behaviour Policy)

• whether a statutory assessment should be considered in line with the principles of Children Act 1989,
• that decisions are made in an anti-discriminatory manner in line with the Equality Act 2010 (including having regard to the SEND Code of Practice)
• and takes into consideration the learner’s rights under the Human Rights Act 1998.
• Interventions will be consistent with statutory guidance School suspensions and permanent exclusions – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Actions to take

• An assessment of need should be undertaken with multi-agency partners with a view to mitigate any identified risk of harm this in line with 2.3 Identifying and monitoring the needs of vulnerable learners.
• If the child is subject to a child protection plan or where there is an existing child protection file, we will call a multiagency risk-assessment meeting prior to making the decision to exclude.
• In the event of a one-off serious incident resulting in an immediate decision to exclude, the risk assessment must be completed prior to convening a meeting with the Trust Board.

Commissioning Alternative Provisions

Children Missing from Education

• of any pupil who fails to attend school regularly,
• or has been absent without the school’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.

Elective Home Education

Respond to incidents of child on child harm

All staff should recognise that children can abuse other children (including online). It is important that incidents of abuse and harm are treated under safeguarding policy in conjunction with the behaviour policy. However, concerns regarding the welfare of children requires process and records to be kept on the child’s safeguarding/child protection file.

• We have a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to abuse. Incidents are taken seriously. These will never be tolerated or passed off as ‘banter,’ just having a laugh’ or ‘part of growing up.’ Banter and teasing can and should be acknowledged and recognised as bullying behaviour and may require proportionate intervention.
• Even with a zero-tolerance approach, we take steps to educate and take action ensure to mitigate the risk of contributing to a culture of unacceptable behaviours or a culture that normalises abuse.
• It is understood that child on child harm may reflect equality issues in terms of those who may be targeted are more likely to have protected characteristics.
• Early identification of vulnerability to child on child harm is made by reviewing attendance, behaviour, attainment and safeguarding records at least on a termly basis.
• There are clear systems in place (which are well promoted, easily understood and easily accessible) for learners to confidently report abuse knowing their concerns will be treated easily as reflected in section 2.1 Reporting a concern of this policy. Individual academies will handle initial reports of harm by:
• Securing the immediate safety of learners involved in an incident and sourcing support for other young people affected.
• Listening carefully to the child, being non-judgmental, being clear about boundaries and how the report will be progressed, not asking leading questions and only prompting the child where necessary with open questions – where, when, what, etc;
• ensuring that victims will never be given the impression that they are creating a problem by reporting any form of abuse and/or neglect. They will never be made to feel ashamed for making a report.
• Ensuring the child’s wishes are taken into consideration in any intervention and any action is taken to ensure safety of the target and other members of the wider setting cohort.
• All staff should be aware that children may not feel ready or know how to tell someone that they are being abused, exploited, or neglected, and/or they may not recognise their experiences as harmful.
• Not promising confidentiality as it is highly likely that information will need to be shared with others.

Waycroft Academy will take the following actions when responding to incidents of sexual violence and sexual harassment:

• Incidents will be reported immediately to the DSL/ Deputy DSL who will undertake further assessment of what action should be taken proportionate to the factors that have been identified. The Brook – Sexual Behaviours Traffic Light Assessment Tool should be utilised to inform assessment of risk and what actions to subsequently take.
• DSLs/Deputies will take proportionate action and consider whether a case can be managed internally, through early help, or should involve other agencies as required in line with the section 2.4 – Multi-Agency Working section.
• When an incident involves an act of sexual violence (rape, assault by penetration, or sexual assault) the starting point is that this should be passed on to police immediately regardless of the age of criminal responsibility (10 years old). This must be reported directly via 101 for recording purposes and accountability. This is on the understanding that the police will take a welfarist approach rather than a criminal justice one. A concurrent referral to social care must also be made. A strategy can be requested where education can voice explicitly concerns of criminalisation in a multi- agency context.
• When the children involved require a statutory assessment either under s.17 or s.47 of the Children Act 1989 a referral to social care should be undertaken.
• Where the report includes an online element, the setting will follow Searching, screening and confiscation at school – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and Sharing nudes and semi-nudes: advice for education settings working with children and young people – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). The key consideration is for staff not to view or forward illegal images of a child. The highlighted advice provides more details on what to do when viewing an image is unavoidable.
• Risk assessments and or safety plans will be developed for individual children who have been involved in an incident including any bystanders. This should be reviewed at least every 3 months or every time there is an occurrence of an incident. These should involve the child and parents/carers and address contextual risks.

Contextual safeguarding approach to child-on-child harm:

Waycroft Academy will minimise the risk of child-on-child abuse by taking a contextual approach to safeguarding by increasing safety in the contexts of which harm can occur – this can include the school environment itself, peer groups and the neighbourhood.

Responding to allegations of abuse made against professionals.

• 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.
• behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates they may pose a risk of harm to children; or
• behaved or may have behaved in a way that indicates they may not be suitable to work with children.

Immediate action must be taken:

• Do not speak to the individual it concerns.
• Allegations or concerns about colleagues visitors, volunteers and contractors must be reported directly to the Executive Headteacher who will follow guidance in Keeping Children Safe in Education ( Part four: Safeguarding concerns and allegations made about staff, including supply teachers, volunteers and contractors).
• If the concern relates to Executive Headteacher it should be reported to the Chair of Trustees, who will liaise with the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) and they will decide on any action required.
• If the concern relates to a Headteacher it should be reported to the Executive Headteacher
• If there is a conflict of interest which inhibits this process of reporting, staff can report directly to the LADO.
• If allegations are regarding a member of supply staff, the school will take the lead and progress enquiries with the LADO, whilst continuing to engage and work with the employment agency.
• Allegations regarding foster carers or anyone in a position of trust working or volunteering with children should be referred to the LADO on the day that the allegation is reported. The allocated social worker should also be informed on the day. The Academy should not undertake any investigation unless the LADO advises this.

2.8.2 – Low level concerns

This should be read in conjunction with the staff code of conduct and Keeping children Safe in Education (Part 4). A low-level concern is not insignificant. This process should be used in events where a concern about professional conduct does not meet the threshold set out at the beginning of this section.

• Reports should be made in accordance with Waycroft Multi Academy Trusts Code of Conduct.
• Waycroft Academy creates an environment where staff are encouraged and feel confident to self-refer where they have found themselves in a situation.
• The DSL will address unprofessional behaviour and support the individual to correct it at an early stage providing a responsive, sensitive, and proportionate handling of such concerns when they are raised.
• Review and correct any deficits in the setting’s safeguarding system.

Mental health and wellbeing. (A flow diagram is available in Appendix B to illustrate this section)

Schools and colleges have an important role to play in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of their learners. Mental health problems can, in some cases, be an indicator that a child has suffered or is at risk of suffering abuse, neglect or exploitation, and or may require early help support.

Waycroft Academy will commit to undertake the following.

• The appointment of a senior mental health lead, who can support the development of knowledge and act as a point of expertise to promote the wellbeing and mental health of learners. Thess colleagues will have sufficient training in mental health and safeguarding for them to carry out their role effectively.
• Early identification of vulnerability to mental health problems by reviewing attendance, behaviour, attainment, and safeguarding records at least on a termly basis.
• Ensure that learners can report and share concerns in line with section 2.1 Reporting a concern of this policy.
• Staff will follow a safeguarding process in terms of reporting concerns outlined in Appendix B so the DSL/Deputy DSLs (and wider members of the safeguarding team such as the SENDCo) can assess whether there are any other vulnerabilities can be identified and proportionate support considered.
• Staff will ensure the immediate health and safety of a learner who is displaying acute mental health distress. This may require support from emergency services via 999 if the leaner is at risk of immediate harm.
• DSLs/Deputies will consider whether a case can be managed internally, through early help, or should involve other agencies as required in line with section 2.4 – Multi-Agency Working.
• The setting will communicate and work with the learner and parents/carers to ensure that interventions are in the best interests of the child.
• DSLs will liaise with staff to ensure reasonable adjustments are made and develop ways to support achieving positive educational outcomes.
• Only appropriately trained professionals should attempt to make a diagnosis of a mental health problem – DSLs and the senior leadership team should be able to access specialist advice through targeted services or through their locality Primary Mental Health Specialists from Child and Family Consultation Services.

Contextual safeguarding approach to mental health

Waycroft Academy will ensure that preventative measures in terms of providing safeguarding on the curriculum will provide opportunities for learners to identify when they may need help, and to develop resilience.

The setting will take a ‘whole school approach’ to:

• deliver high quality teaching around mental health and wellbeing on the curriculum
• having a culture that promotes mental health and wellbeing;
• having an environment that promotes mental health and wellbeing;
• making sure pupils and staff are aware of and able to access a range of mental health services;
• supporting staff wellbeing;
• And being committed to pupil and parent participation.

Online Safety

Waycroft Academy is committed to addressing online safety issues around content, contact, conduct and commerce. This includes:

• Ensuring that online safety is concerned in relevant policies and procedures.
• Online safety is interwoven in safeguarding training for staff and safeguarding on the curriculum for learners.
• Acknowledging that child on child abuse can happen via mobile and smart technology between individuals and groups. This should be approached in the same process outlined in section 2.7 Responding to incidents of child on child harm and read in conjunction with the Trust policy on the ICT Acceptable use which is available on request at the individual academies.
• Provision of education via remote learning will comply with current governmental advice Safeguarding and remote education during coronavirus (COVID-19) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and Providing remote education: guidance for schools – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
• The effectiveness of the setting’s ability to safeguard learners in respect to filtering and monitoring, information security and access management alongside the above will be reviewed annually in line with the digital and technology standards in schools and colleges Meeting digital and technology standards in schools and colleges – Filtering and monitoring standards for schools and colleges – Guidance – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Appendix A – Key Guidance for safeguarding issues.

• For Bristol – Bristol safeguarding children
• For South Glos -South Glos safeguarding children

Appendix B – Reporting concerns

• Reporting Concerns Flow Chart (Bristol)
• Process flow chart for responding to incidents of child on child incidents and Mental Health concerns
• Multiagency safeguarding contacts poster (Bristol)
• For wider local contacts use the following page – Bristol Safeguarding in Education Local Contacts List
• Neighbouring Local Authority Contacts

Reporting Concerns Flow Chart – Bristol

Multi-agency contacts

If you have concerns about a professional working with a child…

For information, advice and guidance in relation to safeguarding policy and procedures.

Appendix C – Dealing with a disclosure of abuse

• Stay calm.
• Do not communicate shock, anger or embarrassment.
• Reassure the child. Tell them you are pleased that they are speaking to you.
• Never promise confidentiality. Assure them that you will try to help but let the child know that you may have to tell other people in order to do this. State who this will be and why.
• Encourage the child to talk but do not ask “leading questions” or press for information. Use ‘Tell Me, Explain to me, Describe to me’ (TED) questioning.
• Listen and remember.
• Check that you have understood correctly what the child is trying to tell you.
• Praise the child for telling you. Communicate that they have a right to be safe and protected.
• It is inappropriate to make any comments about the alleged perpetrator .
• Be aware that the child may retract what they have told you. It is essential to record all you have heard.
• At the end of the conversation, tell the child again who you are going to tell and why that person or those people need to know.
• As soon as you can afterwards, make a detailed record of the conversation using the child’s own language. Include any questions you may have asked. Do not add any opinions or interpretations.

NB It is not education staff’s role to seek disclosures. Their role is to observe that something may be wrong, ask about it, listen, be available and try to make time to talk.

• The 5 ‘R’s are helpful in understanding what professional’s duties are in relation to responding to an incident.

Appendix D – Types of abuse and neglect

The Department for Education’s Tackle Child Abuse campaign has accessible videos to watch https://tacklechildabuse.campaign.gov.uk/

Abuse and neglect are defined as the maltreatment of a child or young person whereby someone may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm, or by failing to prevent harm. They may be abused by an adult or adults or by another child or children.

All school and college staff should be aware that abuse, neglect and safeguarding issues are rarely standalone events that can be covered by one definition or label. In most cases multiple issues will overlap with one another. For children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) additional barriers can exist when identifying abuse and neglect, these include:

• assumptions that indicators of possible abuse such as behaviour, mood and injury relate to the child’s disability without further exploration;
• being more prone to peer group isolation than other children;
• the potential for children with SEN and disabilities being disproportionally impacted by behaviours such as bullying, without outwardly showing any signs; and
• communication barriers and difficulties in overcoming these barriers.

To address these additional challenges, schools and colleges should consider extra pastoral support for children with SEND.

The following are the definition of abuse and neglect as set out in Working Together to Safeguard Children however, the ultimate responsibility to assess and define the type of abuse a child or young person may be subject to is that of the Police and Children’s Services – our responsibility is to understand what each category of abuse is and how this can impact on the welfare and development of our children and where we have concerns that a child or young person may be at risk of abuse and neglect (one or more categories can apply) to take appropriate action as early as possible.

Neglect: 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.

Emotional abuse: 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. 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. It 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. 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.

Sexual abuse: 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.

Appendix E Specific actions to take on topical safeguarding issues

General or national guidance will not be included here. A summary of specific duties are in Keeping Children Safe in Education Annex B and access to local guidance can be found in Appendix A of this document.

In recognition that the threshold of child protection is ‘likely to suffer’ significant harm, Waycroft Academy may need to make a referral to children’s social care. Where possible, this will involve notifying the parent/carer if it does not place the learner at further risk of harm. In all other circumstances information will be shared in line with section 2.2 Information Sharing.

It is also important to recognise the importance of liaising with other education settings who may have siblings attending. It is likely that they may hold additional information which will support early identification of harm and in turn develop your assessment of need.

Child Exploitation – both Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) and Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE)

Waycroft Academy will ensure that early help intervention is provided as soon as a concern of exploitation is identified. Discussion and advice will be sought from targeted services to consider what support may be available. The learner and their families will be part of any planning and interventions.

• If the learner is at risk of CSE or there is intelligence which indicates that the child or peer group are at risk of CSE, the individual Academy will share information with Operation Topaz (the police). This information will support proactive activity to disrupt criminal activity in relation to sexual exploitation.
• If the learner is at risk of CCE information should be shared with Bristol’s Violence Reduction Unit – Safer Options. The Safer Options Education Inclusion Managers can advise and support settings to manage risk. Targeted support maybe available to disrupt learners from getting involved with criminality.
• Avon and Somerset Police share ‘Missing persons’ notifications (which a learner is reported missing from home or care) with education settings with a view to support them to take proactive action and reasonable adjustments in relation to behaviour management and achieving positive educational outcomes. These should be stored securely on the learner’s Safeguarding/Child Protection file.

Domestic Abuse

Operation Encompass is a national operation where local police forces notify when the police are called to an incident to domestic abuse. Avon and Somerset have their own version of this and will notify education settings whenever they have responded to a domestic abuse incident. This will enable the education setting to take proactive action and reasonable adjustments in relation to behaviour management and achieving positive educational outcomes.

Under the current information sharing protocol, the education setting is not permitted to share information without seeking consent from Avon and Somerset police in case this can put a victim and learners at further risk of harm. The only exception to this when information is shared with new education setting (part of statutory duties in relation to transfer of the Safeguarding/ Child Protection file, Keeping Children Safe in Education). Additional instructions around this are sent out with every single notification.

• Education settings must have signed up to a Police Safeguarding Notification Briefing to receive these.
• Each setting should have at least 2 members of trained staff able to receive and act upon these notifications.
• Each setting should promote an open culture of safeguarding to enable learners and families to disclose and feel safe to talk about their experiences and what support may be required.

Female Genital Mutilation

Mandatory reporting duty: Click here for government guidance

This is a legal duty for all professionals undertaking teaching work to report known cases of FGM to the police via 101. This is when they:

1. are informed by a girl under 18 that an act of FGM has been carried out on her; or
2. observe physical signs which appear to show that an act of FGM has been carried out

These cases must be referred to the DSL who will support them to carry out their duty. It is also advised any referrals made to the police under the mandatory reporting duty is followed up with children’s social care so an assessment of need and support is concurrently considered.

National guidance has highlighted going on holiday to a risk affected country is cause for concern, local guidance has been developed to prevent discriminatory action against families from risk affected communities.

• Families are encouraged to notify the education setting when they are looking to travel during term time dates.
• This will prompt a conversation with the DSL/ specialist trained member of staff to discuss and explain what FGM is in that; it is significantly harmful and illegal to practice this.
• The setting will complete an FGM Referral Risk assessment (available on the Keeping Bristol Safe Partnership website) with the family to identify any support that the family may require in relation to FGM.
• Proportionate action is taken. Referrals to social care should NOT be automatically made – however should be made if there are high risk concerns identified from the FGM Referral Risk Assessment.
• These assessments should be saved onto the child’s Safeguarding/Child Protection file to avoid duplication with new incidents of travel.

• Annex D of Keeping Children Safe in Education highlights additional actions schools should take to keep learners safe online.
• For concerns around individual cases where a child has been harmed through online mediums, advice and guidance can be made through the Professional Online Safeguarding Helpline, T: 0344 381 4772, E: [email protected]
• Where there have been established cases of online abuse or grooming, the school settings should alert – Child Exploitation and Online Protection command (CEOP)

Mental health – linked to section within main body of this policy

Child on Child Abuse A.

Serious Youth Violence

To be read in conjunction with the above section around Child Criminal Exploitation. There has been local guidance issued on the issue of ‘Offensive Weapons in Education Settings’.

It is important to note that should a weapon be used or there is threat of use, the police should be called immediately.

• The same day a weapon is found Safer Options should be called for a multi- disciplinary assessment of risk.
• Whilst it is acknowledged that the decision to exclude remains with the Headteacher it is recommended that consultation with the Safer Options Education Inclusion Manger is made so as not to further put the child at further risk of harm if they are excluded.
• Alternatives to exclusions should be considered first in recognition that by doing so a learner it may be at further risk of harm out in the community.
• Police will be notified through the multi-agency discussion held at the ‘Out of Court Disposals Panel’ to prevent students unnecessarily getting a criminal record.

Preventing Radicalisation – The Prevent duty

All schools and colleges are subject to a duty under section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 (the CTSA 2015), in the exercise of their functions, to have “due regard109 to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”.110 This duty is known as the Prevent duty.

The Prevent duty should be seen as part of schools’ and colleges’ wider safeguarding obligations. Designated safeguarding leads and other senior leaders should familiarise themselves with the revised Prevent duty guidance: for England and Wales, especially paragraphs 57-76, which are specifically concerned with schools (and also covers childcare).

The guidance is set out in terms of four general themes:

• risk assessment,
• working in partnership,
• staff training, and
• IT policies.

Private Fostering

A private fostering arrangement is one that is made privately (without the involvement of a local authority) for the care of a child:

• under the age of 16 years (under 18, if disabled)
• by someone other than a parent or close relative (*Close family relative is defined as a ‘grandparent, brother, sister, uncle or aunt’ and includes half-siblings and step- parents; it does not include great-aunts or uncles, great grandparents or cousins.)
• with the intention that it should last for 28 days or more.

Cases of private fostering arrangements must be reported to children’s social care to ensure that needs are adequately made.

Statutory guidance states that this should be done at least 6 weeks before the arrangement is due to start or as soon as you are made aware of the arrangements. Not to do so is a criminal offence.

Further support and reasonable adjustments should be made by the education setting to promote achievement of positive educational outcomes.

Young Carers

A young carer is a person under 18 who regularly provides emotional and/or practical support and assistance for a family member who is disabled, physically or mentally unwell or who misuses substances.

The setting will support learners who are young carers to appropriate support. To find out what is available locally visit the Bristol City Council Website

The Carers Support Centre can undertake an assessment of need and provide bespoke support. For further information and to make a referral visit the Carers Support Centre website.