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Foreword
Introduction
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Safeguarding children
Safeguarding principles
Race, ethnicity and culture
Every Child Matters - Change for Children
Kirklees Safeguarding Children Board
Working Together
Safeguarding children on the internet
The Children Act 2004
8 Understanding child abuse
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Definitions of abuse
Bullying
Cyberbullying
9 Domestic violence
10 Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007
10 Female genital mutilation
10 Child abuse linked to ‘possession’, ‘jinn’ and
‘witchcraft’
11 Child trafficking
12 Roles and responsibilities
12 Children’s services
12 Learning Service, including schools
12 Independent schools
13 Health services
13 General Practitioners
13 Midwives, Health Visitors and School Nurses
13 The Police
13 NSPCC
13 Faith and the voluntary sector
14 Recognising signs and symptoms of possible abuse
16 The effects of abuse and neglect
17 What to do if you suspect that a child is at risk of being harmed
20 Children with a disability
22 Managing allegations against people who work with children
22 Local Authority Designated Officer
22 Criminal Records Bureau
23 Independent Safeguarding Authority
23 Charity Commission
23 Recruitment
24 Training
26 Responsibilities of Management Committees
28 Achieving good behaviour in madressahs and supplementary schools
28 Guidance for staff and volunteers
30 Autistic Spectrum Disorder
30 Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
31 Punishment: Discipline or Abuse?
32 Health and safety
32 Health and Safety Policy
33 Fire Safety
34 First Aid
35 Suggested actions for madressahs and supplementary schools
36 Appendices
36 Safeguarding standards for faith communities
37 Sample Behaviour Policy Statement
38 Sample Safeguarding Children Policy and
Procedures
40 Flow chart
42 Appreciation
42 References
43 Child Protection Form 1a
45 Child Protection Form 1b
47 Useful Contact Details
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Safeguarding Children
Guidance for Madressahs and
Supplementary Schools
I am delighted that following the enormous success of Safe Children Sound Learning –
Guidance for Madressahs (Kirklees Council,
2003), this updated publication consolidates work and generates discussion around safeguarding children in madressahs and supplementary schools.
Children and young people have a fundamental right to be protected from harm. Parents also have a right to expect that organisations to which they entrust their children are diligent in making sure that all their activities are carried out in a safe and secure environment.
Madressahs and supplementary schools provide religious, cultural and linguistic education for children from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Like all organisations working with children, it is important for faith and community organisations to develop a strong partnership with the local authority and Local Safeguarding Children
Board to share information and promote good practice.
I am committed to supporting our madressahs and supplementary schools to encourage effective governance, improved links with public sector organisations, better awareness of health and safety issues, stimulated teaching and learning in the classrooms and above all, an enjoyable safe experience for children and young people.
I look forward to ensuring that, in the spirit of partnership, we can build the capacity of staff and volunteers through training programmes and encourage our children and young people to be proud of their heritage, enabling them to make a positive contribution to the wider society.
Alison O’Sullivan
Director for Children and Young People
Kirklees Children and Young People Service
January 2010
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Safeguarding Children
Guidance for Madressahs and
Supplementary Schools
After discussions with community representatives on improving child welfare awareness, in 2002 Kirklees Council set up the ‘Madressahs and Supplementary
Schools Project’. My role involves: engaging madressahs and supplementary schools to raise child welfare awareness; developing child protection policies and good practice; facilitating training for staff and volunteers; encouraging partnership with mainstream schools; and promoting positive parenting.
In 2003 the project won the prestigious
‘Community Care Award’ in the Child
Protection category. The judges commented:
“A very positive and practical example of work with the community and teachers to protect children and promote positive parenting.” The award recognised the work as one of the best new initiatives to lead the way in social care.
There are about 50 madressahs and supplementary schools in Kirklees with approximately 8,000 children in their care.
In 2003 we produced ‘Safe Children Sound
Learning – Guidance for Madressahs’ as part of our efforts to provide information, guidance and practical support for management committees and teachers.
The aim was to enable them to fulfil their legal responsibilities towards the children they teach. The document promotes effective behaviour management of pupils; provides guidance for the protection of children and young people; and talks about methods of ensuring the health and safety of staff and pupils.
Most madressahs have supported this work and many have implemented child protection and health and safety policies.
A significant number of staff and volunteers have attended behaviour management and child protection training. However, there are enormous challenges ahead with many staff and volunteers who cannot communicate in
English and recent arrivals to the UK who are unfamiliar with the law and practice associated with safeguarding children. For example, these include lingering attitudes showing toleration of physical punishment as the ‘price’ of religious and cultural education, even though safeguarding children is not a cultural issue. It is about the rights of the child. It is therefore unacceptable to harm a child, whatever the religious or cultural beliefs.
This updated publication is an attempt to make further inroads info safeguarding children who attend madressahs and supplementary schools. It aims to stimulate discussions in the community and to energise concerted efforts towards resolute actions by faith and community organisations, effectively supported by local authorities and Local
Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs).
‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’
(2006) says that LSCBs should increase understanding of safeguarding children issues in the “wider community, promoting the message that safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility” (page 76). This could happen through “a public campaign to raise awareness in the wider community – including faith and minority communities”
(page 80). Sometimes professionals and their respective agencies might lack knowledge, training and experience.
It is therefore necessary to follow this advice:
• be informed of religious beliefs and understand cultural dynamics
• consider use of suitable content, language and staff to engage local communities
• address complaints of poor or illegal practice with organisations, even if there is no criminal enquiry or prosecution
• statutory authorities to engage community and faith organisations to make sure all children are protected from harm.
The setting up of madressahs and supplementary schools is a huge investment by the relevant communities and is a sign of their determination to complement their children’s education. As we observe new and emerging committees promoting open and inclusive approaches, it is imperative that we continue to provide further support and skills to trustees, committee members, teachers and volunteers
(male and female). This will ensure effective governance, improved links with public sector organisations, better awareness of health and safety issues, stimulated teaching and learning in the classrooms, and an enjoyable safe experience for children and young people.
Shakeel Hafez
Supplementary Schools Coordinator
Kirklees Children and Young People Service
January 2010
Madressahs (Islamic schools): are set up to deliver elementary Islamic education to preserve religious, cultural and linguistic identities of children aged 5 to 15 operate daily in the evenings between 4.30pm - 7.30pm on top of normal school and in some cases at weekends are self-financed, voluntary and independent establishments – no hierarchy or common structure are managed, administered and coordinated by dedicated members of the local Muslim community
Guidance for Madressahs and
Supplementary Schools
Children and young people have a fundamental right to be protected from harm.
Parents have a right to expect that organisations to which they entrust their children are safe.
A person may abuse a child by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm.
Children may be abused in a family, an institution or a community setting, by those known and trusted to them or, more rarely, by a stranger.
Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people is everybody’s responsibility.
Children from all cultures can be subjected to abuse and neglect. All children have a right to grow up safe from harm. It is important that professionals are able to recognise differing family patterns, lifestyles, and child-rearing practices that vary across different racial, ethnic and cultural groups. Whatever their religious or cultural background, all children must receive the same care and safeguards with regard to abuse and neglect.
The focus should be on the needs of the individual child. Consideration must be given to the way religious beliefs and cultural traditions influence people’s values, attitudes and behaviour, and the way in which family life is structured and organised. Cultural and religious factors should not be regarded as acceptable explanations for child abuse or neglect.
Professionals are warned to guard against myths and stereotypes of black and minority ethnic families. Anxiety about being accused of racist practice should not prevent the necessary action being taken to safeguard and promote a child’s welfare.
The government’s Every Child Matters programme is intended to make significant positive changes for children. The programme has identified 5 outcomes for all children:
1. Stay Safe
2. Be Healthy
3. Enjoy and Achieve
4. Make a Positive Contribution
5. Achieve Economic Well Being
The Government has introduced legislation and guidance that requires all agencies and professionals working with children to make sure their working practices improve these outcomes.
The Children Act 1989 is the law which directs what local authorities must do when there is a report that a child or children might be at risk of significant harm. Its guiding principle is that the welfare of the child is paramount and must always come first.
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The Children Act 2004 required all local authorities to set up a Local Safeguarding
Children Board. The Kirklees Safeguarding
Children Board (KSCB) has a legal responsibility to ensure the effectiveness of multi-agency and individual agency work to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. This includes the assessment and monitoring of agencies and how agencies work together in carrying out their duties and obligations.
KSCB is committed to supporting madressahs and supplementary schools to fulfil their legal responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.
‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’
(2006) provides detailed guidance about how individuals and organisations should work to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. It makes specific references to faith communities. The statutory guidance followed the inquiry into the death of
Victoria Climbie, the Every Child Matters policy and the Children Act 2004.
‘Working Together’ includes what should happen if somebody has concerns about the welfare of a child, especially if the child is at risk of suffering significant harm. Further guidance is available in the following government publication: ‘What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused’ www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/ resources-and-practice/IG00182
The internet has clearly become global for information, communication, entertainment and shopping. For most children, the use of internet will be safe and enjoyable. However, there are potential dangers associated with its use and taking sensible precautions will protect children from harm.
The Children Act 2004 creates a duty for the key agencies which work with children to put in place arrangements to make sure that they take account of the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Agencies, including madressahs and supplementary schools, must ensure that:
Grooming is when paedophiles try to start an online relationship with a child.
Internet chat rooms are very popular with children and teenagers. There is a risk that paedophiles might pose as children or teenagers, to try and develop a friendly relationship to eventually persuade children to meet them in the real world.
It is easy to find pornographic images or terrorist-related material that may be unsuitable for children. Violent extremists are using the internet to radicalise children and vulnerable individuals. Huge numbers of videos, speeches, audio statements and chat forums can be found on the internet which encourage children and vulnerable individuals to engage in terrorism.
If you suspect it, report it
Anti-Terrorist Hotline: 0800 789 321
Textphone: 0800 0324539
The confidential Anti-Terrorist Hotline is staffed
24 hours a day by specialist counter-terrorism police officers and staff. If you think you have seen something suspicious or you are unsure about somebody’s activities or behaviour, however insignificant it may seem at the time, call the confidential Anti-Terrorist Hotline.
Management at all levels make a commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
A statement of responsibilities towards children and young people is made available to all staff and volunteers.
There are procedures for staff and volunteers explaining clearly how to respond to concerns for children and young people.
Madressahs and supplementary schools should have a named safeguarding children officer who will have the knowledge and skills to support other staff and volunteers and work closely with statutory agencies.
Training on safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is provided to all staff and volunteers, including identifying and responding to any concerns for children and young people.
Procedures are in place about responding to any allegations against staff and volunteers.
Safe recruitment and selection procedures are in place for all staff and volunteers.
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Physical abuse
Physical abuse 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.
Emotional abuse
Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child, such as, to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to children that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only because they meet the needs of another person. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond the child’s developmental capability, as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child sharing in normal social interaction. It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another. It may involve serious bullying, 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, though it may occur alone.
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, including prostitution, whether the child is aware of what is happening or not.
The activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative (for example, rape, buggery or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts.
They may include non-contact activities, such as, involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual online images, watching sexual activities, or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways.
Neglect
Neglect is 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 because 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 caregivers)
• ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment.
It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.
Bullying
Bullying may be defined as deliberately hurtful behaviour, usually repeated over a period of time, where it is difficult for those who are bullied to defend themselves. The three main types of bullying are:
Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is when a person or a group of people threaten, tease or embarrass someone else by using a mobile phone, the internet or other technologies. Those who take part in this online bullying often target their victims by putting a comment to a photo on a blog, or asking their friends to send it to other people. Some of the ways in which cyberbullying takes place include:
• Email - Sending emails that can be threatening or upsetting. Emails can be sent directly to the victim or to friends, encouraging them to join the bullying.
• Instant messenger and chatrooms-
Sending instant messenger and chatroom messages directly to the victim or to friends. Other people are then invited to join the bullying conversation, who then take part by laughing.
• Social networking sites - Setting up profiles on social networking sites, such as, Facebook or Bebo to make fun of the victim. By visiting these pages or contributing to them, you add to the unhappiness felt by the victim.
• Mobile phone - Sending humiliating and abusive text messages, including photo and video messages. Sometimes anonymous text messages or videos of physical attacks (happy slapping) on victims are sent.
• Interactive gaming - Games consoles allow players to chat online in a multiplayer game. Cyber bullies can abuse other players by using threats or locking victims out of games.
Domestic violence
Prolonged and/or regular exposure to domestic violence can have a serious impact on a child’s development and emotional wellbeing. Domestic violence has an impact in several ways:
• physical (eg, hitting, kicking, theft)
• verbal (eg, racist or homophobic remarks, threats, name-calling)
• emotional (eg, isolating an individual from the activities and social acceptance of their peer group).
Bullying can cause considerable distress to children, to the extent that it affects their health and development or, at the extreme, causes them significant harm (including self-harm).
• the threat to an unborn child from assaults on pregnant women
• children may suffer blows during episodes of violence
• children may be greatly distressed by witnessing the physical and emotional suffering of a parent
• children are drawn into the violence or are pressurised into concealing the assaults
• physical assaults and psychological abuse can impair an adult victim’s ability to look after their children
• effects of domestic violence are made worse when violence is combined with drink or drug misuse.
When a referral is made to Children’s
Social Care, there must be clarity about who in the family is aware that a referral is to be made. Children’s Social Care should make contact with the adult victim in a way that will not further endanger them or their children. Sometimes a child may be in need of immediate protection.
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Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007
A forced marriage is one that is carried out without the full consent and approval of both parties and duress is involved, including physical and psychological. It is different from an arranged marriage where the spouses’ families take a leading role in introducing suitable partners or making marriage arrangements but the final choice of whether to accept the suitor or not remains with the young people.
Forced marriage is a violation of a person’s human rights and cannot be justified on religious or cultural grounds.
There are a number of legal issues related to forced marriage:
• the minimum age at which a person is able to give consent to marriage is 16
• a person aged 16-18 may not marry without consent from those with parental responsibility
• a marriage is voidable if either party to the marriage did not consent to it
• sexual intercourse without consent is rape, whether or not it takes place within a marriage
• perpetrators can be prosecuted for a range of offences (for example, assault, kidnap, and so on)
• civil courts can now make a Forced Marriage
Protection Order to safeguard someone at risk of or already subject to a forced marriage.
Female genital mutilation
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is the removal of part or all of the external female genitalia for cultural or other non-medical reasons. It is medically unnecessary, extremely painful and has serious health consequences, both when the mutilation is carried out and in later life. It is typically performed on girls aged 4-13, but has been performed on newborn infants and young women before marriage or pregnancy.
Since 1985, FGM has been a criminal offence in the UK. In 2003, the law was extended to make it an offence for UK nationals or permanent UK residents to carry out FGM abroad, or to aid, abet, or arrange to carry out FGM abroad, even in countries where it is legal.
Possible indicators that a child is being prepared for FGM:
• knowing the family belongs to a community in which FGM is practised and they are planning to take a long holiday
• the child might talk about having a
‘special procedure’.
Indicators that FGM might have occurred include:
• the child’s behaviour has changed after a prolonged absence from school
• the child has health problems, particularly bladder or menstrual problems.
If a child has already undergone FGM, particular attention should be paid to the potential risk of harm to other female children in the family. Health professionals might also become aware that FGM has been practised on an older woman, and this may prompt concern for female children in the same family.
A local authority has powers to investigate if it has reason to believe that a child has suffered, or is likely to suffer, FGM. However, although there are severe health consequences, parents do not intend FGM as an act of abuse.
They genuinely believe it is in the girl’s best interests to conform to the custom. It may therefore not be appropriate to remove a child from an otherwise loving family. Where a child appears to be in immediate danger of mutilation, a local authority is likely to consider seeking a prohibited steps order or emergency protection order.
Child abuse linked to ‘possession’, ‘jinn’ and ‘witchcraft’
The belief in ‘possession’, ‘jinn’ and ‘witchcraft’ is common. It is not confined to particular countries, religions or cultures, nor is it confined to new immigrant communities in this country.
Child abuse generally occurs when a parent or carer views a child as being ‘different’, attributing this difference to the child being ‘possessed’, say by a ‘jinn’ or involved in ‘witchcraft’, and attempting to exorcise him or her.
The attempt to exorcise or expel may involve severe beating, burning, starvation, cutting or stabbing, and/or isolation, and usually occurs in the same household where the child lives. Any other children in the household may be well cared for with all their needs met by the parents and carers.
Children at risk or most vulnerable children are:
• children with disability including autism, epilepsy, Downs-syndrome, dyslexia, etc
• children living away from home in private fostering situations as well as in domestic servitude situations
• children living with a step parent, with one of the natural parents absent or dead
• children whose parents have been branded as witches
• children who are “naughty” or have challenging behaviour
• child with learning needs or are exceptionally bright
• children living in broken families.
Although the number of known cases of such abuse is small, children involved can suffer serious damage to their physical and mental health.
Child trafficking
Child trafficking is a growing problem in the
UK. Experts have described it as modernday slavery. Children are illegally moved into and through the UK for financial gain, labour exploitation and sexual exploitation.
These children may be used for:
• sexual exploitation
• domestic servitude
• sweatshop, restaurant, and other catering work
• credit card fraud
• begging, pickpocketing, or other forms of petty criminal activity
• agricultural labour, including tending plants in illegal cannabis farms
• benefit fraud
• drug mules, drug dealing, or decoys for adult drug traffickers
• illegal intercountry adoption.
Trafficking has devastating and damaging results for children because they are separated from their family, friends and community. They may be totally isolated by fear, including fear of threats against their families. Trafficked children often end in a vicious cycle of desperation, trafficking, exploitation, dependence and retrafficking.
The standard of living provided to children by their traffickers is poor. Trafficked children are subjected to violence to keep them obedient. Often, they are underfed or even starved to make sure that they do as they are told. Trafficked children are denied access to doctors and health workers because they could report their situation to the authorities.
There are indicators which could reveal a child may have been trafficked to the
UK and is still controlled by the trafficker.
These include situations where the child:
• has a limited freedom of movement
• does not have a passport, or access to a passport
• has unexplained bruises or injuries on different parts of the body
• shows signs of physical or sexual abuse and/or has contracted a sexually transmitted disease
• does not go to school, or if at all, does not attend school regularly
• does too much work in the house and is left alone with children for long periods
• is not taken to hospital when ill
• has to pay off an exorbitant debt or owes a lot of money for someone of her/his age
• is required to earn a minimum of money every day
• has a history with missing links and unexplained moves.
Further information is available at: www.afruca.org/documents/childtrafficking-info.pdf
Agencies should look for these indicators, be able to identify children at risk of this type of abuse, and intervene to prevent it. They should apply basic safeguarding principles, including referring to
Children’s Social Care if necessary, always being child-focused and keeping an open mind when talking to parents and carers.
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The main agencies that are involved in investigating and dealing with child protection cases are Children’s Social
Care (formerly known as ‘social services’), the
Police and the NSPCC.
However, all agencies have a responsibility to safeguard children, including health professionals, education services and faith and voluntary organisations.
Children’s services
One of the main objectives for Children’s
Social Care is to make sure that all children are protected from harm. All local authorities have created unified children’s services departments that combine the work of Children’s Social Care and the Learning
Service, which includes schools. Local authorities have specific legal duties in respect of children under the Children Act
1989, as amended by subsequent legislation.
They also have a general duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in their area who are ‘in need’. They are required to do this in partnership with parents and in a way that is sensitive to the child’s race, religion, culture, language, gender or disability.
Children’s Social Care also has a duty to make enquiries if it has reason to suspect that a child in its area is suffering or likely to suffer ‘significant harm’. Due to its responsibilities, duties and powers in relation to vulnerable children, Children’s
Social Care is the main point of contact regarding children about whom there are child welfare concerns. It can be contacted directly by parents or family members seeking help, concerned friends and neighbours, or by people working with children, including staff and volunteers in madressahs and supplementary schools.
Learning Service, including schools
People who work in schools have a legal responsibility to the safeguarding of children and child protection processes. All schools and colleges have a pastoral responsibility towards their pupils. They play an important role in preventing abuse and neglect, through their own policies and procedures for safeguarding children, and through the curriculum. Children can be helped to understand what is and is not acceptable behaviour towards them, taught about staying safe from harm, and how to speak up if they have worries or concerns. Through their dayto-day contact with pupils and direct work with families, learning staff and schools have a crucial role to play in noticing indicators of possible abuse or neglect, and in referring concerns to Children’s Social Care.
Independent schools
The role of independent schools for safeguarding children and young people is the same as those of any other school and the same pastoral responsibilities apply. It is particularly important for independent schools to set up effective channels of communication with local authority Children’s Social Care, building on existing links with the Learning
Service, so children requiring support can receive prompt attention and any allegations of abuse can be properly investigated.
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Health services
All health professionals, in the NHS, private sector, and other units, play an essential part in ensuring that children and families receive the care, support and services they need to promote children’s health and development.
Because of the universal nature of health provision, health professionals are often the first to be aware that families are experiencing problems in looking after their children.
General Practitioners
General Practitioners (GPs) and other surgery staff are well placed to recognise when a child is in need of extra help or services to promote health and development, or is at risk of harm.
Surgery consultations, home visits, treatment room sessions, child health clinic attendance, and information from health visitors, midwives and practice nurses may all help to build up a picture of the child’s welfare. It can alert the team if something is drastically wrong.
Midwives, Health Visitors and School Nurses
Midwives are involved with parents from pregnancy to some weeks after the baby’s birth. As well as working with mothers to ensure a healthy pregnancy and offering advice on childcare and parenting, the close relationship they develop with parents provides an opportunity to observe attitudes towards the developing baby. They can identify potential problems during pregnancy, at the time of birth, and the child’s early care.
Health visitors are often the starting point for child protection referrals. Like few other professional groups, health visitors provide a universal service. Coupled with their knowledge of children and families and their expertise in assessing and monitoring child health and development, this means they have an important role to play in all stages of family support and safeguarding children.
School nurses have regular contact with children in school. Their skills and knowledge of child health and development means that in their work with children, in promoting, assessing and monitoring health and development, they also have an important role in safeguarding children.
The Police
Protecting life and preventing crime are primary tasks of the Police. Children are also citizens who have the right to be protected by the criminal law. The Police have a duty and responsibility to investigate criminal offences committed against children, and such investigations should be carried out sensitively, thoroughly and professionally.
All police forces have Child and Public
Protection Units who will take primary responsibility for investigating the criminal aspect of child abuse cases.
The decision as to whether criminal proceedings should be started is based on three main factors:
• if there is sufficient evidence to prosecute
• if it is in the public interest that proceedings should be instigated against a particular individual
• if a criminal prosecution is in the best interests of the child.
As well as their duty to investigate criminal offences, the Police have emergency powers to ensure the immediate protection of children believed to be suffering from, or at risk of significant harm, including entering premises if needed.
NSPCC
The main concern of the NSPCC is to identify and prevent cruelty to children.
They run a 24-hour Child Protection
Helpline for children and people who are concerned about children who may be abused or at risk. They also provide an Asian
Child Protection Helpline in South Asian languages Monday–Friday (excluding Bank
Holidays) between 10am and 6pm. They are authorised to initiate proceedings under the
Children Act 1989 and like Children’s Social
Care they can apply for care, supervision and child assessment orders.
Faith and the Voluntary
Sector
Faith and voluntary organisations fulfil a very important role in providing information and resources to the general public about the needs of children and the resources available to help families. Voluntary organisations undertake assessments of need and provide therapeutic and other support services to children who may have been abused.
Such services are often provided within the context of child protection plans for children and young people.
Further information: ‘Working
Together’ (pages 71 – 73).
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• Any injury where a child alleges it has been caused by being hit or assaulted.
• Any injuries not consistent with the explanation given for them.
• Injuries which occur to the body in places which are not normally exposed to falls, rough games, etc.
• Injuries which have not received medical attention.
• Reluctance to change for, or take part in, games or swimming.
• Bruises, bites, burns, fractures, etc which do not have a reasonable explanation.
• Inconsistent accounts of the cause of injuries.
• Child appears hyper-vigilant yet unresponsive (frozen watchfulness).
• Any allegations made by a child about sexual abuse.
• Child with an excessive preoccupation with sexual matters or age-inappropriate knowledge of adult sexual behaviour, or who regularly engages in age-inappropriate sexual play.
• Sexual activity through words, play or drawing.
• Repeated urinary infections or unexplained tummy pains.
• Child who is sexually provocative or seductive with adults.
• Inappropriate bed-sharing arrangements at home.
• Severe sleep disturbances with fears, phobias, vivid dreams or nightmares, sometimes with overt or veiled sexual connotations.
• Eating disorders, such as, anorexia and bulimia.
• Changes or regression in mood or behaviour (particularly where a child withdraws or becomes clingy), depression, aggression or extreme anxiety.
• Obsessions or phobias.
• Sudden underachievement or lack of concentration.
• Seeking adult attention, not mixing well with other children.
• Sleep or speech disorders.
• Negative statements about self.
• Highly aggressive or cruel to others.
• Extreme shyness or passivity.
• Running away, stealing or lying.
• Dirty skin, body smells, uncombed hair, unwashed, untreated lice.
• Clothing that is unclean, too small or too large, or inappropriate for the weather conditions.
• Often left unsupervised or alone for periods of time.
• Frequent diarrhoea.
• Frequent tiredness.
• Untreated illnesses, infected cuts, or physical complaints not responded to by carer.
• Frequently underfed.
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The sustained physical, emotional, sexual abuse or neglect of children can have major long-term effects on all aspects of a child’s health, development and well-being. They can grow up to feel worthless, unlovable, betrayed, powerless, confused, frightened and mistrustful of others. They might feel, wrongly, the abuse is their fault.
Children have a right to be safe.
Children are not to blame for being abused.
Children should not feel they have to deal with abuse on their own.
Children should be enabled to tell a person they can trust if they are being abused in any way.
Physical abuse can lead directly to neurological damage, physical injuries, and disability or – at the extreme – death. Harm may be caused to children both by the abuse itself and by the abuse taking place in a family or institutional context where there is conflict and aggression. Physical abuse has been linked to aggressive behaviour in children, emotional and behavioural problems, and educational problems.
There is increasing evidence of the adverse long-term consequences for children’s development where they have been subjected to sustained emotional abuse. Emotional abuse has a significant impact on a developing child’s mental health, behaviour and selfesteem. It can be especially damaging in infancy and can be as important as the other more visible forms of abuse in terms of its impact on the child. Domestic violence, adult mental health problems and parental substance misuse may be features in families where children are exposed to such abuse.
Disturbed behaviours have been linked to sexual abuse. These include self-harm, inappropriate sexualised behaviour, sadness, depression and a loss of self-esteem. Its adverse effects may endure long into adulthood. The severity of impact on a child is believed to increase the longer the abuse continues, the more serious the abuse, the younger the child at onset of abuse, and the closeness of the relationship to the abuser. A child’s ability to cope with the experience of sexual abuse, once recognised or disclosed, is strengthened by the support of a non-abusive adult carer who believes the child, helps the child understand the abuse, and is able to offer help and protection. A proportion of adults who sexually abuse children have themselves been sexually abused as children.
They may also have been exposed as children to domestic violence and lack of adequate care.
However, it would be wrong to suggest that most children who are abused will inevitably go on to become abusers themselves.
Severe neglect of young children is associated with major impairment of growth and intellectual development. Persistent neglect can lead to serious impairment of health and development, and long-term problems with social functioning, relationships and educational progress. Neglect can also result, in extreme cases, in death.
Because of their day-to-day contact with individual pupils, staff and volunteers in madressahs and supplementary schools are particularly well placed to observe outward signs of abuse, changes in behaviour or failure to develop. Where staff and volunteers see signs which cause them concern, they should seek information from the child with tact and empathy. Any concerns should be discussed with the named safeguarding children officer.
It is not, however, the responsibility of staff and volunteers to investigate suspected abuse.
Other things to try and remember are:
• Staff and volunteers should not give undertakings of absolute confidentiality.
They should not promise not to tell anyone else. They should also be aware that their recording of the ‘episode’ might need to be used in any following court proceedings.
• Do not try to question the child in detail.
If a child says that someone has hurt them, listen carefully, and explain that you will have to tell someone else who will help them stop this happening.
Tell them that you believe them.
The chief task at this stage is to listen to the child, not interrupt if he or she is freely recalling significant events, and to make a detailed note later of the discussion to pass on to the named safeguarding children officer.
Record the time, date, place and people who were present as well as what was said.
• Make a note of what was said as soon as possible, remembering the exact words used if you can. Don’t make judgements but make evidence-based recordings.
• It is important that you do not ‘interview’ the child as there is a risk of you asking leading questions that could undermine any criminal enquiry. For example, if you see a large bruise on a child, it is fine to say, “how did you get that” – but not “did you get that by…” Anything beyond this could compromise other enquiries.
• The child might be frightened about what will happen. Explain that you cannot keep what they say a ‘secret’. People can only help if they know what is happening.
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• Explain that you won’t talk to whoever they are saying has done it, but it will be reported to people who are trained to help children in similar situations, so that they can be kept safe.
• Inform the named safeguarding children officer or the head teacher who should contact Children’s Social Care at once.
Children’s Social Care will need details of the full name and address of the child and also their date of birth if you have this
(see Child Protection Form 1a on page 43).
• The staff and volunteers must not talk about the allegations with any other people.
The child and the family have a right to confidentiality, with information being shared with people who need to know.
• You must contact Children’s Social Care or the Police directly if you think a child is at any immediate risk of harm.
• If the child says their carer has harmed them, at this stage it is important that you do not talk about child protection concerns directly with the carers.
Children’s Social Care will decide how the parents will be approached having considered the information, made other enquiries, and discussed the matter with the Police.
• Sometimes a child or young person will not say that anyone has hurt them, but will show indicators of possible abuse
(see Recognising signs and symptoms of possible abuse on page 14). If you have any concerns, discuss these with the named safeguarding children officer or the madressah or supplementary school head teacher. Children’s Social Care can always be contacted for advice.
Children’s Social Care has a duty to make enquiries into all concerns that a child is at risk of harm. All enquiries have to follow the West Yorkshire Area Local Safeguarding
Children Boards’ Procedures (covering
Bradford, Calderdale, Leeds, Kirklees and
Wakefield). Children’s Social Care has to discuss this information with the Police at the Police Child and Public Protection Unit.
The Police Child and Public Protection Unit is staffed by plain-clothes officers trained to work with children. In particular, they are trained at interviewing children about allegations of mistreatment. Children’s
Social Care and the Police then agree what to do next. For example, a medical examination by a paediatrician might be needed to give an opinion about how an injury might have been caused. The child would be spoken to alone, unless they are too young to understand. Normally this would require the permission of parents, unless asking for their permission would increase the risk of harm to the child or compromise any investigation.
The Police and Children’s Social Care would decide whether the child should be interviewed on video about the allegations.
When this happens, the interview takes place at a special video suite. The child is interviewed only by officers and/or social workers trained in this work. The interview is the start of a criminal investigation, and can be used as evidence in Court. These procedures are in place to make it less difficult and distressing for a child when making a statement and giving evidence to a Court.
If it is believed that it is possible a child is continuing to be at risk of significant harm then a Child Protection Conference may be called. This is a meeting of professionals who decide whether a child is to be made subject of a child protection plan. The meeting could involve parents, teachers, doctors, health visitors, school nurses and social workers. Staff from other organisations, such as, madressahs and supplementary schools, may be invited if they have relevant information or can give advice. In some circumstances the Police may also attend. The child is invited if he or she wants to come and is old enough to understand what is being discussed. The
Police and Crown Prosecution Service might also be deciding whether criminal charges will be brought against the alleged abuser.
It is important that children are listened to if they say a staff member or volunteer within the madressah or supplementary school has hurt them deliberately. Any allegation or concern should be discussed with the Local Authority Designated Officer
(LADO) (see page 22). The LADO will give advice to the madressah or supplementary school about any enquiries that might be required. It may be necessary for Children’s
Social Care and/or the Police to investigate these complaints, and the child might need to be seen by a doctor for an opinion on any injuries. The Police might need to interview the suspected staff member or volunteer and if this happens they will have the right to have a solicitor present. A decision about what to do next is only taken after all the information has been carefully considered.
This means there has to be a plan written to reduce the risks to that child. A group of professionals and the child’s parents or carers work together to put this into practice.
The plan is reviewed regularly until it is agreed that the risks are no longer there or they have been reduced to an acceptable level.
Sometimes it is not possible to work with a family to protect children unless they are removed from their home and/or legal action is taken. There are various court orders available. The effect of a Care Order is to give responsibility to Children’s Social
Care to decide where a child should live
(such as in a foster home) and to make decisions about their day-to-day care. The
Court makes the final decision about such children after assessments and reports are presented to Court.
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The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 makes it unlawful to discriminate against people with a disability.
A person with a disability includes people with:
• physical or mobility impairments
• visual impairments
• hearing impairments
• dyslexia
• medical conditions
• mental health difficulties.
Discrimination against children with a disability can take place in either of two ways:
• by treating them “less favourably” than other people
• by failing to make a “reasonable adjustment” when they are placed at a
“substantial disadvantage” compared to other people.
A reasonable adjustment might include:
• changing standard institutional procedures
• adapting the curriculum or modifying the delivery of teaching
• providing additional services, such as, materials in Braille
• training staff to work with disabled people and to provide appropriate adjustments
• altering the physical environment.
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Disabled children are at increased risk of abuse, and the presence of multiple disabilities appears to increase the risk of abuse and neglect.
Disabled children may be especially vulnerable to abuse for a number of reasons:
• have fewer outside contacts than other children
• receive intimate personal care, possibly from a number of carers
• have an impaired capacity to resist or avoid abuse
• have communication problems making it difficult to tell others what is happening
• be inhibited about complaining because of a fear of losing services
• be especially vulnerable to bullying and intimidation.
As well as the universal indicators of abuse/neglect, the following behaviours must be considered:
• force-feeding
• unjustified or excessive physical restraint
• rough-handling
• invasive procedures against the child’s will
• deliberate failure to follow medically recommended regimes
• failure to address ill-fitting equipment
• misappropriation of a child’s finances.
Particular attention should be paid to promoting high standards of practice and a high level of awareness of the risks of harm, and strengthening the capacity of children and families to help themselves.
Measures should:
• allow disabled children to make their wishes and feelings known about their care and treatment
• make sure that disabled children receive proper personal, health and social education
• make sure that disabled children know how to raise concerns and have access to adults with whom they can communicate
• make sure there is an explicit commitment to and understanding of disabled children’s safety and welfare among all providers of services for disabled children
• develop the safe support services that families want, and a culture of openness and joint working with parents and carers on the part of services
• provide guidelines and training for staff on good practice in: intimate care working with children of the opposite sex managing behaviour that challenges families and services issues around consent to treatment anti-bullying and inclusion strategies sexuality and safe sexual behaviour among young people monitoring placement arrangements for young people living away from home.
As service providers, madressahs and supplementary schools should think about giving extra help for children with a disability or making changes to the way they provide services. Where a disabled child has communication impairments or learning disabilities, special attention should be given to communication needs and finding out the child’s wishes and feelings.
Staff and volunteers should think about how to involve all the children in all the activities. For example:
• if a child has a walking disability, they should make the activity so that the disabled child can move around with everybody
• if a child has a visual impairment, consider using tactile materials or describe clearly what the other children are looking at
• if a child has a hearing impairment, get the other children to speak one at a time or have clear lighting in the room so that the child can see the teacher’s lips.
For further information, please contact the Equality and Human Rights
Commission:
Main Number:
0845 604 6610
Textphone:
0845 604 6620
Website: www.equalityhumanrights.com
Email: info@equalityhumanrights.com
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‘Working Together’ requires all organisations working with children to develop procedures to respond to allegations and concerns about staff and volunteers who routinely work with children. The procedures would identify someone within the organisation who must be informed so that he/she can respond to the allegations. These procedures should be used in all cases where it is alleged that a person who works with children has:
Behaved in a way that has harmed a child or may have harmed a child
Possibly committed an offence against or related to a child
Behaved in a way that suggests he/she is unsuitable to work with children
Every local authority is required to identify a
Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).
All organisations working with children and young people must refer to the LADO any allegation made about a member of staff or volunteer who is involved in working with children. The LADO will record the referral and make sure that enquiries are undertaken as speedily and effectively as possible. The
LADO must make sure that children are safeguarded whilst enquiries are ongoing and that the staff and volunteers’ needs are fully considered during the process.
Madressahs and supplementary schools must make sure that they have clear procedures for the management of any allegations or concerns that someone within the organisation should not be working with children.
The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) is an executive agency of the Home Office. The
CRB’s Disclosure Service aims to help employers make safer recruitment decisions by identifying candidates who may be unsuitable for certain types of employment, especially working with children.
Employers should ask successful candidates to apply to the CRB for a standard or enhanced disclosure, depending on the duties of the particular position or job involved.
In addition to information about a person’s criminal record, disclosures contain details of whether a person is disqualified from or deemed unsuitable to work with children.
Standard disclosures show current and spent convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings. Enhanced disclosures contain the same information as the standard disclosure but with the addition of any relevant and proportionate information held by local police forces.
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The Independent Safeguarding Authority
(ISA) has been created to help prevent unsuitable people from working with children and vulnerable adults. Potential staff and volunteers will need to register with the ISA which will assess their suitability to work with children and young people.
It will also hold the information previously found in:
• the Protection of Vulnerable Adults
(PoVA) list
• the Protection of Children Act (PoCA) list
• List 99 (a list of people considered unsuitable for work with children, held by the Department for Children, Schools and Families).
To join the ISA scheme, applications will be made through the CRB. The CRB will receive applications sent to the ISA and will gather and monitor relevant information.
The ISA will then assess this information and decide whether to give the individual concerned ISA registration or put them on one of the ISA Barred Lists.
ISA registration is mandatory for all new staff and volunteers and those changing jobs from November 2010. Registration of existing staff with the ISA will take place in a phased programme over a period of years. Visit ISA website: www.isa-gov.org.uk
for more details.
The Charity Commission expect all charity organisations to have:
• a Safeguarding Policy
• for those working with children and young people to have undergone a CRB check, including trustees where the organisation is a children’s charity
• that CRB checks should be renewed every three years.
From November 2010, when madressahs and supplementary schools decide to recruit someone to work with children they will need to check with the ISA that the candidates are registered and safe to work with children and young people. The rest of the scheme will be phased in from 2011.
As the scheme becomes extended to all staff, madressahs and supplementary schools will also need to make sure that existing employees are ISA-registered. CRB checks should continue to be used until November 2010.
It will be the responsibility of all staff and volunteers to apply to register with the ISA.
If they have not applied for registration, the madressah or supplementary school can NOT employ them. It will be a criminal offence for someone who is not ISA-registered to work in what is called ‘regulated activity’ (for example, teaching children). It is illegal to knowingly employ someone barred by the ISA, and if you dismiss or cease using someone because they are believed to pose a risk to children, you must report this to the ISA.
It will be the responsibility of the madressah or supplementary school to check the status of a potential staff member or a volunteer.
If an applicant is not ISA-registered, it is because they have either not applied or are on an ISA Barred List. You will not be charged for checking someone’s ISA status.
If a madressah or supplementary school has any concerns that someone they employ should not be working with children, they must refer their concern to ISA and talk to the LADO. See ‘What happens if there is an allegation that a staff member or volunteer has harmed a child?’ on page 19.
Many organisations may feel that their recruitment processes are as robust and effective as they can be. However, there is always room for improvement especially when recruiting people into positions of trust.
All organisations whose staff and volunteers work closely with children should therefore have policies and procedures in place to make sure that all potential employees are subjected to a thorough recruitment and selection process.
The following important features should be considered: asking candidates to confirm their identity through official documents, such as, a birth certificate, driving licence or passport verifying the authenticity of academic and professional qualifications seeking a full employment history from prospective staff and volunteers taking up references directly from the current or the most recent employer checking with former employers the reason why employment ended making appointments only after references are obtained and checked making all appointments to work with children dependant on a probationary period all applicants should be asked to declare any convictions including impending court cases, cautions or bind-overs
CRB checks will need to be continued until the implementation of the ISA scheme
Please note: CRB checks are part of an overall strategy for safeguarding children and young people. They should not be regarded as a substitute for effective supervision and absolute vigilance.
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.
Safeguarding children training courses are targeted at all workers from voluntary, statutory and independent agencies in the Kirklees area who work with children, young people and families. There is no charge for any of the training courses, although some charge may be made if you cancel without notice.
Foundation Course:
Awareness of Child Abuse and Neglect
Advanced Course:
Safeguarding the Disabled Child
Target group: Staff from statutory, voluntary, private or independent agencies who may come into contact with children and their families and need a basic understanding of when to be concerned about a child and the procedures to follow.
Aim: This course aims to develop an understanding of child abuse and a basic awareness of what should be done by those who encounter it.
Target group: Staff from statutory and voluntary organisations who work with disabled children or families where a child is disabled.
Aim: This course aims to reflect on the increased vulnerability of disabled children to abuse. It challenges some myths and stereotypes around disability and abuse and explores how to better protect disabled children.
Foundation Course:
Working Together to Safeguard Children
Advanced Course:
The Impact of Domestic Violence
Target group: This course is for all staff from statutory, voluntary, private and independent agencies who may encounter issues of abuse and neglect and who would be responsible for making a referral to the
Children and Young People Service. Also suitable for those who have designated child protection responsibility and may be required to give advice to others.
Aim: To give participants an opportunity to view their understanding of the nature and impact of child abuse and neglect.
This course also aims to give participants a comprehensive overview of roles and responsibilities within the safeguarding procedures to enable them to deliver effective inter-agency work.
Target group: Staff from statutory or voluntary agencies and services who are likely to encounter parents or children affected by domestic violence issues.
Aim: To raise awareness of the issues of domestic violence and the likely impact on parenting capacity and children’s development.
The following additional courses are also offered:
• Child Protection:
Issues of Sexual Abuse.
• Child Protection:
The Impact of Parental Mental Illness.
• Child Protection:
Working with Parents with Learning
Disabilities.
Further details of all courses are provided on the KSCB website: www.kirkleessafeguardingchildren.com or contact KSCB Learning & Development
Team on tel: 01924 482161
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In all organisations involved in working with children, it has become increasingly important for management committees to make sure that they respond to the requirements and expectations of society and the law.
The management committees of madressahs and supplementary schools now need to make sure that they have policies and procedures in place that look at the roles and responsibilities of people working with children, how to promote children’s welfare and how to protect them from harm.
Some of the ways in which management committees can achieve this are:
• by providing written guidance for staff and volunteers about their responsibilities and the standard of care expected of them
• ensuring that everyone understands their legal duties, through policies and training provided by the organisation.
• to ensure that the safety and welfare of children is paramount. Therefore people working with children should work together effectively to achieve this.
Management committees should work towards:
• providing a good practice guide
• developing a clear framework for behaviour management in the madressah and supplementary school
• providing guidance and training for staff and volunteers on how to establish and maintain orderly and effective classes
• providing information to all staff and volunteers about safeguarding children and the procedures to follow if someone raises a concern or makes an allegation
• ensuring that staff and volunteers are able to recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse, and that they know what to do about these concerns
• having a procedure for checking that staff and volunteers have no recorded incident which would make them unfit to teach
• ensuring that staff and volunteers understand that physical punishment of children must not be used under any circumstances
• ensuring that staff and volunteers understand that verbal chastisement and humiliation of children is unacceptable
• setting down arrangements to make sure that the madressah or supplementary school building is safe
• carrying out appropriate risk assessments regularly
• ensuring there are clear procedures for dealing with accidents
• ensuring there is always at least one qualified first aider in the madressah or supplementary school
• ensuring that emergency contact details are held for all children, including any medical conditions, and kept in a readily accessible place.
Management committees must ensure that staff and volunteers should:
• work in accordance with the madressah’s or supplementary school’s behaviour management strategies
• be familiar with and able to follow the madressah’s or supplementary school’s policies for safeguarding children
• be familiar with the madressah’s or supplementary school’s Health and
Safety Policy and what it means
• report any defects or need for repairs to the management committee for immediate action to be taken
• know where First Aid equipment is kept
• know who in the madressah or supplementary school can give emergency First Aid
• be familiar with and make use of the accident book with a copy for parents/ carers and one to be kept as a record
• know how pupils’ parents are to be contacted in case of an emergency.
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Madressahs and supplementary schools should endeavour at all times to promote good personal development, of which appropriate behaviour is one part. Achieving good behaviour is not just expecting children to be quiet and obedient. It is important to teach children to live alongside others and encourage them to understand individual rights and responsibilities. In order for children to learn good behaviour, adults have to set an example because children learn not only through teaching, but also by seeing how adults behave towards them and other people.
Management committees, staff and volunteers need to agree on what sort of behaviour is acceptable, and have agreed plans so that everyone follows the same system.
What you do as a teacher either promotes or prevents good behaviour in your class.
An example of an agreement you could make with your class:
• Listen to adults and follow instructions.
• Work hard and try your best.
• Be kind to other people.
• Understand that everyone is not the same as you.
• Respect and take care of our school building.
• Be sensible and stay safe.
• Know the rules of the school and stick to them.
The following are good practice guidelines:
Be clear and positive – explain fully to pupils what you want them to do. Tell them what they have to do, not what they don’t have to do. Use positive statements rather than negative ones. For example, saying
‘Come and sit in your place’ is better than saying ‘Stop running around’.
Use ignoring as a technique to reduce low level bad behaviour – your pupils want your attention and some think that bad behaviour will get it. Sometimes they may be right. Give your attention as a reward.
For example, if a pupil is chatting when you are ready to start your class, choose a child who is nearby and say: ‘Well done Aysha, it really helped me when you…’ This often results in other children paying attention.
Be sure to give the first pupil some positive attention at the earliest opportunity.
Avoid putting negative labels on children - children generally believe what their teachers say. If we tell them they are lazy or forgetful, they begin to believe it and act accordingly.
If we tell them they are hardworking and helpful, they will try to live up to our expectations. This is known as self-fulfilling prophecy.
Be calm – if pupils are upset or angry, staying calm is the best way to deal with the situation. Pupils will then learn from you that teachers can keep their temper.
Give pupils the chance to make amends – offer them the opportunity to suggest a way to make things better, for example an apology or a suggestion about how they will do better next time.
Remind pupils regularly of the rules – all pupils need reminders. It can be useful to let children help to decide on rules – they are often much more strict than adults.
A poster on the wall allows you to bring the children’s attention to the rules when necessary.
Be consistent – be the same from day-today in what you allow or don’t allow.
Be polite – we cannot teach children to be polite if we do not show them politeness.
Be fair – children will usually accept rules if they can see that they are fairly applied.
Recognise, praise and reward good behaviour
– the best way to achieve good behaviour is to praise children who are behaving well.
Rewards can be a smile, a good word, a comment written on work, stickers or stamps, a note to parents, certificates, and so on.
Criticise the behaviour, not the child – don’t label children by calling them naughty or stupid. If you have to reprimand a pupil, say, for example: ‘Calling names is not allowed here and is unkind’ rather than
‘you are a very unkind girl’ or ‘That was a dangerous thing to do – a sensible boy like you should have realised that’ rather than
‘You stupid boy – did you want to cause an accident?’
Be a good role model – children learn to speak and behave by how they are spoken to.
It is therefore essential to set a good example.
Be patient – recognise that children learn at different rates. Some children have Special
Educational Needs which may mean that they need extra support or more time to learn.
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Adapted from: Phil Craig
(2009) Positive Behaviour
Management and Pupils with an Autistic Spectrum
Disorder, www.philcraig.
co.uk/publications.html
Autism is a lifelong disability that affects the ways in which an individual communicates with, and relates to, other people. Despite wide-ranging differences, every person with autism has difficulty with social interaction and with imagination. The term
Autistic Spectrum Disorder
(ASD) is now commonly used as the degree of disability varies enormously. The cause of autism is still unclear; although external triggers, such as, diet, infection and exposure to toxins in the home have been investigated, there is also strong evidence to suggest that genetic factors do contribute. It is estimated that autism affects at least
500,000 people in the UK.
Boys are four times more likely than girls to have autism.
The characteristics of ASD include:
• Difficulty relating to people – isolation is preferred.
• Delays in language and cognitive development – limited intellectual ability.
• Impaired social interaction.
• Unconventional use of toys.
• Avoidance of eye contact.
• Insistence on routine and environment remaining unchanged.
• Repetitive movements – rocking, spinning, head banging.
• Unusual sleep patterns – can stay up all night.
The following strategies have proved to be successful:
• Initially using sign language and pictures, rather than verbal language, can help pupils to learn new ways to communicate.
• Using visual cues/cards and then moving on to speech and drama to help develop conversational skills.
• Encouraging pupils to ask for help when they need it.
• Developing their social skills by actually teaching them to play and share.
Reassure and praise for any, and all, small improvements.
• A structured and predictable environment will contribute greatly to effective positive behaviour management.
• It is very important to have clear and simple rules and to insist that they are adhered to.
• Adults need to remain calm at all times
(even if you don’t feel calm, appear as if you are) and really try very hard never to shout.
• Motor coordination can be improved through the development of exercises and games. An inexpensive wobble board
(also effective for pupils with dyslexic tendencies) could be a good idea for some pupils.
• Writing skills can be developed and supported through ICT.
The characteristics of Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) include:
• Hyperactivity.
• Excessive movements not required to complete a task (for example, wriggling feet, tapping things, rocking).
• Excessively fidgety, restless and “always on the go”.
• Difficulty remaining in seat or often leaves seat, without permission, for no good reason.
• Difficulty playing quietly or often talks too loudly or excessively.
• Difficulty settling down to complete a task or getting back to it once distracted.
• Often shifts from one uncompleted activity to another.
• Often interrupts or intrudes on others.
• Often engages in dangerous activities without considering consequences.
• Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly.
• Has difficulty sustaining attention to tasks.
• Is often very forgetful in daily activities.
• Effort becomes much less as work progresses.
• Is usually reluctant to engage in tasks requiring a mental effort.
The following strategies have proved to be successful:
Seat the child close to you in the classroom
– and away from physical distractions, such as, windows, doors, passages and so on.
Create a structured, predictable environment - with immediate consequences for behaviour – praise, merits, etc, for positive behaviours, sanctions for negative behaviours.
Establish and implement rules - about movement around the classroom and stress things like “six feet firmly on the floor” (two human, four chair).
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Establish a “getting started” routine - many children with ADHD don’t handle transitions, such as, coming into class after a break very well. Give them something to do as soon as they enter the classroom
(mini-quiz, drawing, time on computer).
“Chunk down” tasks - into manageable pieces and only give instructions for one chunk at a time.
Have the child repeat rules or directions back to you - you’ll be surprised what they haven’t heard or understood!
Give clear, unambiguous instructions - starting with the student’s name and ensuring eye contact.
Talk to parents - about diet and things like omega fatty acids.
1. One of the risk factors identified for abuse is the belief in and use of physical punishment as a form of discipline.
2. Forms of ‘punishment’ occur in family, community and educational settings.
Learning from punishments and sanctions is an important part of development as it teaches us not to do the things that threaten our wellbeing or disrupt the balance of society, such as, having a detention for not completing homework. Systems of rewards and punishments are often used by many to effectively teach and strengthen acceptable behaviour. However, in some cases the punishment can be taken a step further and may become abusive.
3. The danger often arises when the punishment is physical. Physical punishment includes:
• spanking, slapping, smacking with the hand
• striking with an object (for example, belt, shoe, ruler, stick)
• forcing a child to kneel on hard objects (for example, floor, pencils)
• forcing a child to hold an uncomfortable position (for example, standing motionless).
4. Research has found that physical punishment can lead to child aggression, delinquency and poor mental health.
Physical punishment does not effectively deter the repetition of the undesirable behaviour; rather, it teaches children that violence pays, and may lead to aggressive, anti-social behaviour in later child/adulthood. Therefore, it is suggested that positive, non-violent discipline is the key to better-behaved children and as a consequence, a better-behaved society.
5. Frequently, physical abuse has been identified as a consequence of action taken by parents/carers to discipline a child. Thus, once adults give in to the use of physical punishment in their attempts to discipline a child, the likelihood of physical abuse occurring becomes very real.
6. Alongside physical punishment is the use of emotional punishment to ‘teach them a lesson’. For example, threatening language, belittling, ridiculing, insulting and humiliating a child for getting something wrong. Verbal abuse and other such forms of emotional cruelty can be equally harmful for the development of the child, and developing emotional stability, by hindering mental, spiritual, moral and social development. Physical punishment has the same damaging, negative impact as physical abuse. The use of excessive physical/emotional punishment in an educational setting in particular causes the child to become disaffected with the system and anything related to it. The child does not gain any positives from the experience, and abandons any actions and behaviour associated with the experience as soon as the possibility arises. This disaffection can last into adulthood.
7. Studies have also found the consequences of abusive punishment have wider ramifications. Parents who have experienced physical/emotional methods of punishment are more likely to deal with their own children in the same way. Using excessive punishment as a disciplinary tool leads to the same psychological and behavioural maladjustment, and overt physical harm as abuse itself.
8. One way to avoid the danger of physical/ emotional punishment turning into abuse is to explore more constructive, alternative approaches to discipline. Studies have found that punishment does not effectively deter undesirable behaviour; rather, alternative reinforcement methods are more effective. In other words, it works better to reward good behaviour and thus encourage its repetition than to punish wrong behaviour.
Reproduced by permission of
Oak Community Development
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Safeguarding Children
Guidance for Madressahs and
Supplementary Schools
The Organisation Section will show how health and safety duties have been delegated starting with the most senior manager through to all employees. This section will show the standards expected to achieve good health and safety performance. These will cover who does what, how often and with what results
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 states that employers who have more than five employees must have a written Health and
Safety Policy. A policy consists of three sections:
The Policy Statement will state your intent to ensure so far as is reasonably practicable the health, safety and welfare of employees and children.
Specific duties under the Act are as follows:
• Provision of safe plant, equipment and systems of work, without risks to health.
• Arrangements for safe use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances and adequate information on precautions to reduce risk to health.
• Provide all necessary information, instruction, training and supervision to secure the health, safety and welfare of all employees.
• Maintenance of all plant, machinery and equipment to make sure the safety of not only employees and sub-contractors, but also any person who may be affected.
• A safe working environment without risks to health.
The Arrangements Section will show all the arrangements that have been made to implement the policy.
Here are some of the headings you would expect to see in a good policy:
• Accident reporting procedures.
• Communicable diseases, infections and medical conditions.
• Consultation with employees.
• Contractors.
• Control of Substances Hazardous to
Health [COSHH].
• Maintenance programme for electrical equipment.
• Emergency procedures to include fire and bomb threats.
• First Aid arrangements.
• Fire safety management.
• Gas safety.
• Risk assessments.
• Safety rules.
• Security provisions.
• Training provision to include induction and specific and refresher training.
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Fire safety now is enforced under the
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
A copy of the fire risk assessment, fire evacuation strategy and all fire related documents has to be made available on enforcement visits by the Fire Service.
Records of testing fire alarm on a weekly basis, and emergency lighting on a monthly basis must be recorded in the fire safety logbook.
One of the fundamental requirements of fire safety is to make sure that all personnel within a building can evacuate safely in the event of fire. Every madressah and supplementary school should therefore have an emergency plan which management committees, staff and volunteers must be made aware of.
The emergency plan should include:
• the action to be taken by staff and volunteers in the event of discovering a fire
• the evacuation procedure to include an assembly point where a roll call would be taken
• arrangements for calling the fire service.
Principles and procedures
It is not possible to construct a model procedure for action which is suitable for all premises in the event of discovering a fire.
However, the following plan of action shows the points that should normally be covered.
Raising the alarm
All staff and volunteers should be familiar with the procedures for activating the fire alarm.
The alarm should be activated immediately a fire is discovered. The alarm may be raised automatically through a fire detector system or by operation of a manual call point or by any other means. The emergency plan should explain how the alarm is supposed to be raised and the subsequent actions to be taken.
Every staff member and volunteer must make sure that all pupils are guided to a place of safety. Those in charge of children with special needs, such as, wheelchair users, must take extra care and safely assist these users off the madressah or supplementary school premises to the assembly point.
Calling the Fire Service
The duty of informing the Fire Service immediately when an alarm is activated must be specifically allocated to a designated person or persons. This facility must always be made available when madressah and supplementary school premises are occupied.
Evacuating premises
On hearing the alarm everyone must immediately leave the building, calmly and quickly, by the most direct route. They should not be delayed by stopping to collect belongings. Depending on the layout of the building, nominated fire marshals should make sure that each area is evacuated, including toilets and ablution areas.
Assembly points
Assembly points should be predetermined and everyone should be made aware of their locations. These points should be in a safe place and equal to at least twice the building’s height as a minimum distance and preferably be under cover. It may be necessary to assemble in groups according to work or class settings.
Roll/Register call
One person in each section of the building should have the duty of taking a roll call at the assembly point so a quick check can be made. The Fire Service should be informed on arrival if anyone is not accounted for.
Attacking the fire
A sufficient number of staff throughout the madressah and supplementary school should be trained in the use of fire extinguishers. Staff should only attempt to tackle a fire if they feel confident of not endangering themselves.
An emergency plan for fire evacuation is considerably different from an evacuation for a bomb threat. There are distinct differences in procedure to observe, and you should therefore seek further advice from
West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service.
“Firefighting should only be carried out bearing in mind personal safety. If there is any doubt about the ability to extinguish the fire safely, it should be left for the Fire
Service to deal with.“
For further information on
Fire Safety Management, please visit: www.kirklees-ednet.org.
uk/subjects/health/docs/ policy/new/8Fire.doc
West Yorkshire Fire &
Rescue Service
Community Safety Dept.
Network House
Stubs Beck Lane
West 26
Cleckheaton
West Yorkshire
BD19 4TT
Tel: 01274 866240
Madressahs and supplementary schools should hold fire practices regularly.
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Children, staff and volunteers in madressahs and supplementary schools can suffer injuries or fall ill. It does not matter whether the injury or the illness is caused by the work they do or not. What is important is that they receive immediate attention and that an ambulance is called in serious cases.
The Health and Safety (First Aid)
Regulations 1981 require you to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to allow First Aid to be given if anyone is injured or becomes ill.
The minimum First Aid provision on any work site is:
• a suitably stocked First Aid box
• an appointed person to take charge of
First Aid arrangements.
It is also important to remember that accidents can happen at any time.
Therefore First Aid provision needs to be available at all times.
What should I put in the First Aid box?
• a guidance leaflet
• plasters
• sterile eye pad
• triangular bandages
• safety pins
• large/medium individually wrapped unmedicated wound dressings
• individually wrapped moist clean wipes
• disposable gloves.
You should not keep tablets or medicines in the First Aid box.
For further information on First Aid, please visit: www.kirklees-ednet.org.uk/subjects/ health/docs/policy/new/9FirstAid.doc
• Madressahs and supplementary schools should develop a safeguarding children policy. This should clearly state the procedures for handling suspected cases of abuse, including procedures to be followed if a staff member or volunteer is accused of abuse.
• Madressahs and supplementary schools should make sure a named safeguarding children officer is appointed for managing child protection issues.
• Madressahs and supplementary schools should make sure all staff and volunteers receive training in behaviour management, disability awareness, and safeguarding children procedures. This includes skills to recognise the signs of abuse and neglect, and to whom they should report concerns or suspicions.
• Madressahs and supplementary schools should have a robust selection and appointment process in place.
• Madressahs and supplementary schools should promote Criminal Records
Bureau checks for current staff and volunteers and potential recruits.
• Madressahs and supplementary schools should develop a behaviour policy, stating clearly the agreed methods of discipline.
This should be displayed prominently in key strategic locations, such as, the reception area and in the classrooms.
• Madressahs and supplementary schools should promote inclusive strategies for children with Special Educational Needs, including physical, sensory and learning disabilities.
• Madressahs and supplementary schools should develop a health and safety policy. This should include arrangements for fire safety, First Aid, and procedures for operating the fire alarm system, fire extinguishers and accident reporting.
• Madressahs and supplementary schools should have a named person to administer First Aid.
• Madressahs and supplementary schools should develop a rigorously enforced anti-bullying policy, which includes verbal abuse and extends to racial abuse.
• Madressahs and supplementary schools should develop an effective complaints procedure and make it available within the communities they serve in the relevant community languages.
• Madressahs and supplementary schools should hold incident records and discuss them annually in order to continue improving their systems and practices.
• Madressahs and supplementary schools should allow parents to have access to all their policies and procedures, including providing copies to take home.
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Standard 1: Safeguarding Policy
Every organisation open to, or likely to have contact with, children, young people and vulnerable adults should adopt a formal, working safeguarding policy.
Standard 2: Developing Safeguarding
Awareness and Training
Every organisation in contact with children, young people and vulnerable adults must develop awareness of safeguarding issues and provide appropriate training.
Standard 3: Safe Recruitment
Every organisation open to children, young people and vulnerable adults should adopt a formal recruitment policy for all workers, both paid and voluntary.
Standard 4: Management of Workers
In every organisation that is open to, or where services are provided for, children, young people and vulnerable adults, all workers, paid and voluntary, should be appropriately managed, supervised and supported.
Standard 5: Working Safely
All organisations involved with children, young people or vulnerable adults must ensure they adopt safe working practice in every area.
Standard 6: Communicating Effectively
The organisation should ensure that all those involved with children, young people and vulnerable adults know how to communicate effectively with those with whom they come in contact.
Standard 7: Responding to Concerns
Every organisation that is in contact with, or provides services for children, young people or vulnerable adults must be able to respond appropriately to concerns or allegations of abuse.
Standard 8: Pastoral Care
Every organisation that is open to, or provides activities for, children, young people and adults, should ensure pastoral care and support is available to all those affected by abuse.
Standard 9: Managing those who pose a risk to children, young people and vulnerable adults
Organisations must have strategies in place to supervise and manage individuals who pose a risk to, have committed or been accused of sexual or other crimes against children, young people and adults.
Standard 10: Working in Partnership
Organisations working with or through partner organisations or agencies involving children, young people and vulnerable adults must ensure appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures are in place.
Reproduced by permission of CCPAS
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Guidance for Madressahs and
Supplementary Schools
“Name of Madressah/Supplementary School”
Working on good behaviour
We believe that good behaviour is important for children and young people to learn effectively. To help achieve this, we will:
• Set out clearly what behaviour we expect in our madressah or supplementary school.
• Explain this to children and give them regular reminders about good behaviour.
• Act as models of good behaviour for the children to follow.
• Praise and reward children whose behaviour is good.
• Be consistent and fair in the way we apply the rules.
• Use a range of systems to deal with incidents of bad behaviour.
• Let parents know what we expect and how we will deal with incidents of bad behaviour.
• Remember that it is normal for children, especially the younger ones, to need regular reminders.
Children’s behaviour is affected by what happens in the madressah or the supplementary school. To achieve good behaviour, teachers should consider:
• Do children understand what they have to do?
• Is the work at the right level – not too easy or too difficult?
• Do the children have enough space to work in?
• Do the children have a change of activity (especially younger pupils)?
• Are children’s efforts recognised and praised?
Praise and encouragement are more effective in achieving good behaviour than criticism and punishment
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Supplementary Schools
“Name of Madressah/Supplementary School”
Safeguarding Children Policy
1. All staff and volunteers of ‘Name of Madressah/Supplementary School’ have a duty to prevent the physical, emotional and sexual abuse and neglect of children taking part in any activities organised by the ‘Name of Madressah/Supplementary School’.
2. All staff and volunteers of ‘Name of Madressah/Supplementary School’ have a duty to report any abuse discovered or suspected. This must immediately be brought to the attention of the named safeguarding children officer.
3. All staff and volunteers have a responsibility to share information about the protection of children with the appropriate agencies, such as, Children’s Social Care and the Police.
4. If a child makes an allegation about abuse by their parent or carer, the named safeguarding children officer will need to contact Children’s Social Care before a decision is made about who will speak to the parents or carers and when.
5. If a child makes an allegation about abuse by a staff member or a volunteer, the named safeguarding children officer will need to contact the Local Authority
Designated Officer before a decision is made about who will speak to him and when.
6. The named safeguarding children officer will make sure that written records of the allegation and the outcome are kept securely for 3 years.
7. All parents and carers of children attending the ‘Name of Madressah/Supplementary
School’ will be given a copy of this policy.
8. All staff and volunteers will be appointed subject to a suitable reference, Criminal
Records Bureau check, and will be registered with the Independent Safeguarding
Authority when this becomes a requirement.
9. The ‘Name of Madressah/Supplementary School’ will review this policy annually.
Safeguarding Children Procedures
The Children Act 1989 gives every child the right to protection from abuse and exploitation. The
‘Name of Madressah/Supplementary School’ has developed a safeguarding children policy and procedures. It also has a named safeguarding children officer responsible for the coordination of safeguarding children procedures and for working closely with the appropriate agencies.
1. Any concern about abuse brought to the attention of a staff member or volunteer must be reported to the named safeguarding children officer.
2. Staff and volunteers must complete Child Protection Form 1a (page43) as soon as possible and practicable.
3. The named safeguarding children officer will discuss the matter with the staff member or volunteer and read and countersign Child Protection Form 1a .
4. The named safeguarding children officer will immediately contact Children’s Social Care to discuss the information and send them Child Protection Form 1a and any other documents.
5. The named safeguarding children officer will also complete, sign and keep on file Child
Protection Form 1b (page45).
6. The named safeguarding children officer will inform the Chair or Secretary of ‘Name of
Madressah/Supplementary School’.
7. The named safeguarding children officer will make sure that written records, which include the date, event and action taken, are kept in a secure location.
8. If a member of staff is the subject of the allegation, the head must be informed and
Children’s Social Care must be notified immediately.
9. If the named safeguarding children officer or the head is the person against whom the allegation is made, either the Chair or Secretary of ‘Name of Madressah/Supplementary School’ must be notified immediately. The Chair or Secretary must then notify Children’s Social Care.
10. Any allegation against management committee members or senior office bearers should be reported to the Trustees.
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Safeguarding Children
Guidance for Madressahs and
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Safeguarding Children
Guidance for Madressahs and
Supplementary Schools
Make written record of concern.
Discuss concern with line manager/ senior practitioner/designated child protection co-ordinator. Advice can be sought from child protection and review unit/safeguarding assessment service. Consider check of list of children with child protection plan.
Referral to local authority children’s social care or police.
Confirm telephone referrals in writing.
Is the concern such that the child may be at immediate risk of harm or has been a victim of a criminal offence?
YES
NO Will discussing with parent increase risk to child or impede a possible criminal investigation?
Advice can be taken from child protection and review unit/ safeguarding assessment service and/or check list of children with child protection plan.
YES
Referral to local authority children’s social care.
Use referral form, or if referral made by telephone, confirm in writing.
NO
Professional discusses concerns with parent and explains reasons for wishing to refer to local authority children’s social care.
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Referral to local authority children’s social care. Use referral form.
Parent agrees referral is appropriate.
Parents does not agree to referral.
Professional must consider if concerns are such that need to refer in order to ensure child is protected.
May wish to discuss with child protection and review unit/ safeguarding assessment service or check of list of children with child protection plan.
Decision made to refer to local authority children’s social care.
Use referral form, or if referral made by telephone, confirm in writing.
Decision made not to refer at this stage.
Continue to work with family and monitor. If concerns increase return to:
Discuss concerns with line manager/ senior practitioner/designated child protection co-ordinator
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Safeguarding Children
Guidance for Madressahs and
Supplementary Schools
Sincere thanks to the following individuals for their sound advice and invaluable suggestions.
Phil Holmes Unit Manager, Kirklees Child Protection & Review Unit
Paul Hodgkinson Independent Reviewing Officer, Kirklees Child Protection & Review Unit
Dr Mike Freel
Simon Bass
Independent Reviewing Officer, Kirklees Child Protection & Review Unit
Policy Manager, CCPAS
Khazeema Beg Chair of School Governors, Ashton under Lyne
Kashaff Feroze Director, OAK Community Development, Oldham
Anne Pluska Interagency Trainer, Coventry Safeguarding Children Board
Fakhara Rehman Community Faiths Co-ordinator, Kirklees Faiths Forum
Paul Thomson School Improvement Officer, Rochdale Council
These guidelines are produced in accordance with:
• Kirklees Council (2003), Safe Children Sound Learning – Guidance for Madressahs,
Kirklees Council
• HM Government (2006), Working Together to Safeguard Children - A guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, London: The Stationery Office
Name of child:
Child’s address:
Child’s telephone number:
Name of parent/carer:
Names of other children in the household:
Names of other adults in the household:
What has happened, or what was seen, or details of the concern? (use the child’s own words)
When did it take place?
Who else, if anyone, was there?
What was said by those involved?
What, if any, evidence of possible harm can be recorded (e.g. bruises, bleeding, changed behaviour)
Who else has been told about this incident?
Who was involved in the incident?
(if possible, record in what way)
Name of person completing this form (please print) : Signature:
Date and time:
Signature of madressah/supplementary school safeguarding children officer:
Name of person at the Duty and Assessment
Team, Emergency Duty Service, or
Local Authority Designated Officer, case discussed with:
Date:
Time:
How was the agency notified?
Telephone Email Fax Other
What advice was given by the agency?
What action has been taken?
Has the Chair or Secretary of madressah/supplementary school been informed?
Yes
Name of safeguarding children officer
Signature of safeguarding children officer
Date and time
No
Child Protection and Review Unit/
Local Authority Designated Officer
Tel: 01924 483749
Duty and Assessment Team
Tel: 01924 326093 or 01924 483792
Emergency Duty Service
Tel: 01924 326489
(Out of hours, evenings, weekends and
Bank Holidays)
Website: www.kirkleessafeguardingchildren.com
ChildLine
Freephone: 0800 1111
(Calls are free and confidential )
ChildLine is the UK’s free and confidential, 24-hour helpline for children in distress or danger. Trained volunteer counsellors comfort, advise and protect children and young people who may feel they have nowhere else to turn.
NSPCC 24 hour Helpline
Freephone: 0808 800 5000
(Calls to the Helpline are free from landlines and some mobile phone networks)
Email: help@nspcc.org.uk
AFRUCA
(Africans Unite Against Child Abuse)
Head Office
AFRUCA
Unit 3D/F Leroy House
436 Essex Road
London N1 3QP
Northern Office
AFRUCA
Unit 98-100
23 New Mount Street
Manchester M4 4DE
Tel: 0844 660 8607
Email: info@afruca.org
AFRUCA is an organisation concerned about cruelty against the African child.
With offices in London and Manchester, they are the premier charity promoting the welfare of African children in the UK.
They also work in partnership with other organisations in Africa and across Europe.
CCPAS
P O Box 133
Swanley
Kent BR8 7UQ
Tel: 0845 120 4550
Email: info@ccpas.co.uk
CCPAS is an independent charity which provides safeguarding advice to faith communities and places of worship.
NSPCC Asian Helpline
Freephone: 0808 800 5000
(Calls to the Helpline are free from landlines and some mobile phone networks)
Email: help@nspcc.org.uk
By post: NSPCC Asian Helpline, 42
Curtain Road, London, EC2A 3NH.
Internet Watch Foundation
Web: www.iwf.org.uk
The UK Hotline for reporting illegal content, specifically, child sexual abuse content hosted worldwide, and criminally obscene and incitement to racial hatred content hosted in the UK. They aim to have illegal material removed from the internet and will refer it to the police.
ContinYou - National Resource Centre for Supplementary Education
London Office
31-33 Bondway
Vauxhall
London SW8 1SJ
Tel: 020 7587 5080
Email: nrc@continyou.org.uk
The NRC is a national programme based within ContinYou. It has grown out of the Resource Unit for supplementary and mother tongue schools, which had already developed nearly ten years’ experience of supporting supplementary schools across London before its merger with ContinYou in 2006.
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Oak Community Development
The Malvern Suite
1st Floor, Borough Mill
Neild Street
Oldham OL8 1QG
Tel: 0161 622 2930
Email: info@oakcd.org.uk
OAK Community Development is a notfor-profit organisation. Its roots are from a local grass roots community organisation, the Oak Project which was first established in 1998 and then reconstituted after the racial troubles of 2001. They have since developed into a specialist agency working on initiatives that impact particularly on the Muslim, BME and faith sector.
The Safe Network
NSPCC National Training Centre
3 Gilmour Close
Beaumont Leys
Leicester LE4 1EZ
Tel: 0116 234 7217
Email: info@safenetwork.org.uk
The Safe Network is jointly managed by the NSPCC and Children England. It was created as a result of the government’s
Staying Safe action plan. One of the things that they are working towards is to build common standards for third sector
(voluntary/non-profit) organisations.