ALDE VALLEY SCHOOL
SAFEGUARDING & CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY
COMMITTEE: Curriculum and Welfare
SIGNED (CHAIR OF COMMITTEE):
DATE MINUTED:
12th March 2013
SIGNED (CHAIR OF GOVERNORS):
DATE MINUTED:-
DATE OF REVIEW:- March 2015
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SAFEGUARDING and CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY
Introduction
Alde Valley School recognises its legal duty under s175 Education Act 2002 and the 1989 Children Act
and takes seriously its responsibilities to protect and safeguard the interests of all children. The school
recognises that effective child protection work requires sound procedures, good inter-agency co-operation
and a workforce that is competent and confident in responding to child protection situations
This procedures document provides the basis for good practice within the school for Child Protection
work. It should be read in conjunction with Suffolk Safeguarding Children Board Inter-Agency Child
Protection Policies and Procedures. These are in keeping with relevant national procedures and reflect
what the Directorate considers to be safe and professional practice in this context. Child Protection has to
be considered within professionals’ wider “safeguarding” responsibilities that include a duty to co-operate
under the Children Act 2004. Within the context of Every Child Matters, this takes account of the need for
children “being healthy and staying safe”.
These procedures aim to provide a framework which ensures that all practice in the area of child
protection is consistent with stated values and procedures that underpin all work with children and young
people.
This document also seeks to make the professional responsibilities clear to all staff to ensure that
statutory and other duties are met in accordance with Suffolk Safeguarding Children Board requirements
and procedures.
Ethos
Safeguarding in Alde Valley School is considered everyone’s responsibility and as such our school aims
to create the safest environment within which every pupil has the opportunity to achieve their Five
Outcomes. Alde Valley School recognizes the contribution it can make in ensuring that all pupils
registered or who use our school, feel that they will be listened to and have appropriate action taken to
any concerns they may raise. We will do this by endeavouring to work in partnership with other agencies
and seek to establish effective working relationships with parents, carers to develop and provide activities
and opportunities throughout our curriculum that will help to equip our children with the skills they need.
This will include materials and learning experiences that will encourage our children to develop essential
life skills and protective behaviours.
Responsibilities and expectations
Alde Valley School has a Governing body whose legal responsibility it is to make sure that the school has
an effective safeguarding policy and procedures in place and to monitor that the school complies with
them. The Governing body should also ensure that the policy is made available to parents and carers if
requested. It is also the responsibility of the Governing body to ensure that all staff and volunteers are
properly vetted to make sure they are safe to work with the pupils who attend our school and that the
school has procedures for handling allegations of abuse made against members of staff (including the
Head Teacher and volunteer helpers). The Governing body will ensure that there is a Named Governor
and a Senior Designated Person (SDP) who has lead responsibility for dealing with all safeguarding
issues in our school.
It is the responsibility of the SDP to ensure that all safeguarding issues raised in school are effectively
responded to, recorded and referred to the appropriate agency. They are also responsible for arranging
whole school safeguarding training for all staff and volunteers who work with children and young people in
our school and that this training takes place at least every three years.
The SDP can deliver safeguarding within schools provided they are linked in to the support and quality
assurance process offered by the Local Authority. This includes mandatory attendance at an annual
‘Training for Trainers’ programme and receiving monitoring visits from the Professional Advisor or Local
Authority delegated staff. The SDP is required to attend or ensure that a senior member of staff who has
the relevant training and access to appropriate supervision, attends where appropriate, all conferences,
core groups or meetings where it concerns a child at our school and to contribute to multi-agency
discussions to safeguard and promote the child’s welfare.
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The SDP is also required to complete a Self-Review Assessment Report annually which demonstrates
that the safeguarding arrangements in the school are being met. If the self-assessment highlights any
areas for improvement, this will be detailed in the action plan which will be signed off and monitored by
the Named Governor for Safeguarding to ensure these improvements are implemented. The self-review
assessment is to be shared annually with the Local Authority, who will have an auditing role in ensuring
the school is meeting its safeguarding requirements under sec 175/157 of the Education Act 2002 for
both maintained and independent schools.
All Child Protection concerns need to be acted on immediately. If school staff are concerned that a child
may be at risk or is actually suffering abuse, they should tell the Senior Designated Person immediately.
All Adults, including the SDP, have a duty to refer all known or suspected cases of abuse to
Children’s social care or the police.
Where a disclosure is made to a visiting staff member from a different agency, e.g. School Nurse, it is the
responsibility of that agency staff to formally report the referral to the School’s Designated Person in the
first instance. Where the disclosure is made by a child attending a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) or alternative
provision, the referral should be recorded and referred to the on-site Senior Designated Person and a
formal notification made to the school’s SDP where the child is on role for information or to agree the
appropriate action to be taken. Any records made should be kept securely on the Child’s main
school/child Protection file. A referral should not be delayed in order to discuss with the schools SDP if it
is felt/identified that a child is at immediate risk.
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“Safeguarding in Education is everybody’s
business”.
Anti-bullying
Attendance,
exclusions
Behaviour
management
& children missing
education
E-safety
SEN and
inclusion
A ‘listening’
school
PHSE/
Curriculum
Governance
Formal/
informal
Whistle
blowing
Extended
services
Health and
Safety
Transition
arrangements
Safe recruitment and
selection
Staff conduct
School
environment
Buildings and
security
Safe practice
1
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Underpinning values
Where there is a safeguarding issue, Alde Valley School will work in accordance with the principles
outlined in the Suffolk Safeguarding Children Board Inter-agency Child Protection procedures:
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A child’s welfare is paramount. Each child has a right to be protected from harm and
exploitation and to have their welfare safeguarded.
Each child is unique. Action taken by child welfare organisations should be child-centred,
taking account of a child’s cultural, ethnic and religious background, their gender, their sexual
orientation, their individual ability and any special needs.
Children, parents and other carers should be made aware of their responsibilities and their
rights, together with advice about the power of professionals to intervene in their family
circumstances.
Each child has a right to be consulted about actions taken by others on his/her behalf. The
concerns of children and their families should be listened to and due consideration given to
their understanding, wishes and feelings.
Individual family members must be involved in decisions affecting them. They must be treated
with courtesy and respect and with due regard given to working with them in a spirit of
partnership in safeguarding children’s welfare.
Open-mindedness and honesty must guide each stage of assessment and of operational
practice. The strengths of individual family members, as well as their needs, should be given
due consideration.
Personal information is usually confidential. It should only be shared with the permission of the
individual concerned, or unless the disclosure of confidential personal information is
necessary in order to protect a child. In all circumstances, information must be confined to
those people directly involved in the professional network of each individual child and on a
strict “need to know” basis.
Professionals should be aware of the effects of outside intervention upon children, upon family
life and the impact and implications of what they say and do.
Explanations by professionals to children, their families and other carers should be plainly
stated and jargon-free. Unavoidable technical and professional terminology should be
explained in simple terms.
Sound professional practice is based upon positive inter-agency collaboration, evidencebased research and effective supervision and evaluation.
Early intervention in providing support services under Section 17 of the Children Act (1989) is
an important principle of practice in inter-agency arrangements for safeguarding the welfare of
children.
Guidance on ‘Whether this is a Child Protection Matter’
If the staff have significant concerns about any child they should make them known to the
school’s Senior Designated Professional, Danny Mayhew, or the alternate Designated Persons,
Emma Laflin or Laura Humphrey.
These concerns may include:
Physical Abuse:
This 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:
This 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 insofar as 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 over protection and limitation
of exploration and learning, or preventing the child from participating 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
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emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, though it may occur alone. Symptoms
that indicate emotional abuse include:
 Excessively clingy or attention seeking.
 Very low self-esteem or excessive self-criticism.
 Withdrawn behaviour or fearfulness.
 Lack of appropriate boundaries with strangers; too eager to please.
 Eating disorders or self-harm
Neglect:
This 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 as a
result of maternal substance abuse.
Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to:
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Provide adequate food, clothing and shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment)
Protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger
Ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate care-givers)
Ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment.
It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.
Sexual Abuse
Involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, including prostitution,
whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact,
including penetrative (e.g. rape, buggery or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts. They may include noncontact 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.
There are three thresholds for and types of referral that need to be considered:
1.
Is this a child with additional needs where their health, development or achievement may
be adversely affected? Suffolk Children and Young People’s Framework says practitioners
should complete a Common Assessment Framework (CAF) when:
 Age appropriate progress is not being made and the causes are unclear or
 The support of more than one agency is needed to meet the child or young person’s
needs.
If this is a child with additional needs, discuss the issues with the Year Manager, Pastoral
Support Team, the child and parents. You will need to obtain the child’s or parents’ consent for
a CAF to be completed.
2.
Is this a child in need? s17 of the Children Act 1989 states:
 They are unlikely to achieve or maintain, or to have opportunity to achieve or
maintain a reasonable standard of health or development, without the provision of
services by a local authority.
 Their health or development is likely to be impaired, or further impaired without the
provision of such services.
 They are disabled.
3.
Is this a child protection matter? s47 of the Children Act 1989 states:
 Children at risk or who are suffering significant harm.
 Children suffering the effects of significant harm
 Serious health problems.
If this is a child in need, discuss the issues with the Year Manager, senior designated professional and
parents. Obtain their consent for referral to Customer First (see below) or any other agency.
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If this is a child protection matter, this should be discussed with the senior designated professional and
will need to be referred to Customer First by the school as soon as possible.
It is the ‘significant harm’ threshold that justifies statutory intervention into family life. A professional
making a child protection referral under S.47 must therefore provide information which clearly outlines
that a child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm.
It is not possible to rely on one absolute criterion when judging what constitutes significant harm.
Consideration of the severity of ill-treatment may include the extent of the harm suffered, the context
within which it occurred and its duration.
Significant harm may also arise from a combination of significant events which are both acute and long
standing and which may impair the child’s physical, psychological and social development.
In order to both understand and establish significant harm, it is necessary to consider the family context,
together with the child’s development within their wider social and cultural environment. It is also
necessary to consider any special needs, e.g. medical condition, communication difficulties or disability
that may affect the child’s development and care within the family. The nature of harm, in terms of illtreatment or failure to provide adequate care also needs consideration alongside the impact on the child’s
health and development and the adequacy of care provided.
Making Referrals
Where a child is registered at school, consultation must take place with the school’s senior designated
person (Dan Mayhew) who will often be the most appropriate person to initiate any referral. A written
record of your concerns should be made using the schools internal recording form (‘Logging a concern’)
which can be accessed in paper version held in the staff room. This should then be given to the SDP who
will then make the decision if a referral is needed to be made to the Customer First team. Contact details
for Customer First are held by the designated professionals.
What to do if you are concerned.
If a child makes an allegation or disclosure of abuse against an adult or other child or young person, it
is important that you:
 Do stay calm and listen carefully.
 Do reassure them that they have done the right thing in telling you.
 Do not investigate or ask leading questions.
 Do let them know that you will need to tell someone else.
 Do not promise to keep what they have told you a secret.
 Do inform your Senior Designated Person as soon as possible.
 Do make a written record of the allegation, disclosure or incident which you must
sign, date and record your position.
 Do not include your opinion without stating it is your opinion.
 Do refer without delay.
If you are concerned that a member of staff or adult in a position of trust poses a danger to a child or
young person or that they might be abusing a child or young, person you should report your concerns
to the Head teacher. Where those concerns relates to the Headteacher however, this should be
reported to the Chair of Governors using the schools’ Whistle blowing policy.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality is an issue that needs to be understood by all those working with children, particularly in
the context of child protection. This is a complex area and involves consideration of a number of pieces of
legislation.
You can never guarantee confidentiality to a child as some kinds of information may need to be shared
with others. A suggested form of words that may help when talking to children is as follows:
“I will keep our conversation confidential and agree with you what information I
can share, unless you tell me something that will affect your personal safety or
that is illegal, but I will tell you if I am going to pass information on and who to.”
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Professionals can only work together to safeguard children if there is an exchange of relevant information
between them. This has been recognised in principle by the courts. However, any disclosure of personal
information to others, included social service departments, must always have regard to both common and
statute law.
Normally, personal information should only be disclosed to third parties (including other agencies) with
the consent of the subject of that information (Data Protection Act 1998 European Convention on Human
Rights, Article 8). Wherever possible, consent should be obtained before sharing personal information
with third parties. In some circumstances, however, consent may not be possible or desirable but the
safety and welfare of the child dictate that the information should be shared.
The law requires the disclosure of confidential information necessary to safeguard a child or children.
Under Section 47 of the Children Act 1989 statutory agencies have a duty to co-operate. Therefore, if the
Police or Social Care/Services are conducting a Section 47 investigation under the 1989 Children Act,
staff must share requested information relevant to the investigation. Legal advice should be sought if in
doubt from the County Legal Services Department.
Different levels of confidentiality are appropriate for different circumstances:
1. In the classroom during the course of a lesson given by a member of teaching staff or an
outside visitor, including health professionals.
Careful thought needs to be given to the content of the lesson, setting the climate and establishing
ground-rules to ensure confidential disclosures are not made. It should be made clear to pupils that
this is not the time or place to disclose confidential, personal information. (See setting ground-rules
and working agreements).
This is an example of the ground-rules for a Year 10 class:
 We won't ask each other or the teacher any personal questions
 We will respect each other and not laugh, tease or hurt others
 We won't say things we want to keep confidential
 We can pass or opt out of something if it makes us feel uncomfortable
 If we do find out things about other pupils, which are personal and private, we won’t talk about it
outside the lesson, but
 If we are worried about someone else’s safety we tell a teacher
When a health professional is contributing to a school health education programme in a classroom
setting, s/he is working with the same boundaries of confidentiality as a teacher.
2. One to one disclosures to members of school staff (including voluntary staff).
It is essential all members of staff know the limits of the confidentiality they can offer to both pupils and
parents/carers (see note below) and any required actions and sources of further support or help
available both for the pupil or parent/carer and for the staff member within the school and from other
agencies, where appropriate. All staff at this school encourage pupils to discuss difficult issues with
their parents or carers, and vice versa. However, the needs of the pupil are paramount and school
staff will not automatically share information about the pupil with his/her parents/carers unless it is
considered to be in the child’s best interests.
(Note: This means that when concerns for a child, or young person, come to the attention of staff, for
example, through observation of behaviour, injuries or disclosure, the member of staff should discuss
this with the Senior Designated Professionals - Eric Wareham, Danny Mayhew or Laura Humphrey –
as soon as is practically possible (however insignificant this might appear to be). More serious
concerns must be reported immediately to ensure that any intervention necessary to protect the child
is accessed as early as possible.
3. Disclosures to a counsellor, school nurse or health professional operating a confidential
service in the school.
We offer pupils the support of a school counsellor with appointments accessed discreetly through the
year/pastoral head, and the school nursing service operate drop in service for pupils. These services
are confidential between the counsellor or health professional and the individual pupil. No information
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is shared with school staff except as defined in the school's child protection policy, and guidance from
the * Child Protection Committee and Child Protection law. This is essential to maintain the trust
needed for these services to meet the needs of our pupils.
Health professionals such as school nurses can give confidential medical advice to pupils provided
they are competent to do so and follow the Fraser Guidelines (guidelines for doctors and other health
professionals on giving medical advice to under 16s). School nurses are skilled in discussing issues
and possible actions with young people and always have in mind the need to encourage pupils to
discuss issues with their parents or carers. However, the needs of the pupil are paramount and the
school nurse will not insist that a pupil's parents or carers are informed about any advice or treatment
they give.
(The school has a school-based health service through which it has an agreement with the local health
trust and is appended to this policy).
4. Contraceptive advice and pregnancy:
The DoH has issued guidance (July 2004) which clarifies and confirms that health professionals owe
young people under 16 the same duty of care and confidentiality as older patients. It sets out
principles of good practice in providing contraception and sexual health advice to under-16s. The duty
of care and confidentiality applies to all under-16s. Whether a young person is competent to consent
to treatment or is in serious danger is judged by the health professional on the circumstances of each
individual case, not solely on the age of the patient. However, the younger the patient, the greater the
concern that they may be being abused or exploited. The Guidance makes it clear that health
professionals must make time to explore whether there may be coercion or abuse. Cases of grave
concern would be referred through child protection procedures.
5. Visitors and non-teaching staff:
We expect all non-teaching staff, including voluntary staff, except those identified in paragraph 3
above, to report any disclosures by pupils or parents/carers, of a concerning personal nature to the
designated child protection co-ordinator as soon as possible after the disclosure and in an appropriate
setting, so others cannot overhear. This is to ensure the safety, protection and well being of all our
pupils and staff. The designated child protection co-ordinator will decide what, if any, further action
needs to be taken, both to ensure the pupil gets the help and support they need and that the member
of staff also gets the support and supervision they need.
6. Parents/carers:
We believe that it is essential to work in partnership with parents and carers. The school endeavours
to keep parents/carers up to date with their child's progress at school, including any concerns about
their progress or behaviour. However, we also need to maintain a balance so that our pupils can share
any concerns and ask for help when they need it. Where a pupil does discuss a difficult personal
matter with staff, they will also be encouraged to discuss the matter with their parent or carer.
The safety, well-being and protection of our pupils is the paramount consideration in all decisions staff
at this school make about confidentiality.
Talking to and Listening to Children
If a child chooses to disclose, you SHOULD:
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be accessible and receptive;
listen carefully and uncritically at the child’s pace;
take what is said seriously;
reassure the child that they are right to tell;
tell the child that you must pass this information on;
make a careful record of what was said.
You should NEVER:
1. take photographs or examine an injury;
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2. investigate or probe aiming to prove or disprove possible abuse – never ask leading
questions;
3. make promises to children about confidentiality or keeping ‘secrets’;
4. assume that someone else will take the necessary action;
5. jump to conclusions or react with shock, anger or horror;
6. speculate or accuse anybody;
confront another person (adult or child) allegedly involved;
7. offer opinions about what is being said or about the persons allegedly involved;
8. forget to record what you have been told;
9. fail to pass the information on to the correct person;
10. ask a child to sign a written copy of the disclosure.
For children with communication difficulties or who use alternative/augmented communication systems,
you may need to take extra care to ensure that signs of abuse and neglect are identified and interpreted
correctly, but concerns should be reported in exactly the same manner as for other children.
Record keeping
Well kept records are essential in situations where it is suspected or believed that a child may be at risk
from harm.
Records should:
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state who was present, time, date and place;
use the child’s words wherever possible;
be factual/state exactly what was said;
differentiate clearly between fact, opinion, interpretation, observation and/or allegation;
be written in ink and signed by the recorder with original notes attached
be held centrally in a locked cabinet in Senior Designated Professional’s office
Attendance at Child Protection Conferences
The Senior Designated Person and/or alternates will be expected to attend the initial CAF Conference
and/or CP meetings.
If a child is made subject to a Child Protection Plan it may be relevant for additional members of staff to
attend the subsequent core group meetings.
Protecting yourself against allegations of abuse
You should seek to keep your personal contact with children under review and seek to minimise the risk
of any situation arising in which misunderstandings can occur. The following sensible precautions can be
taken when working alone with children:
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work in a room where there is a glass panel in the door or leave the door open
make sure that other adults visit the room occasionally.
avoid working in isolation with children unless thought has been given to safeguards.
must not give out personal mobile phone numbers or private e-mail addresses
must not give pupils lifts home in your cars
must not arrange to meet them outside of school hours
must not chat to pupils on the social websites
Under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 it is a criminal offence for anyone working in an education setting to
have a sexual relationship with a pupil even when the pupil is over the age of consent.
Any use of physical force or restraint against pupils will be carried out and documented in accordance
with the relevant Alde Valley School Behaviour Policy. If it is necessary to use physical action to prevent a
child from injury to themselves or others parents will be informed.
Children will not be punished by any form of hitting, slapping, shaking or other degrading treatment.
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Managing Allegations
We are aware of the possibility of allegations being made against members of staff or volunteers that are
working or may come into contact with children and young people whilst in our school. Allegations can be
made by children and young people or other concerned adults and are made for a variety of reasons.
If an allegation is made against an adult in a position of trust whether they be members of staff or
volunteers this should be brought to the immediate attention of the SDP who will advise the Headteacher.
In the case of the allegation being made against the Headteacher this will be brought to the immediate
attention of the Chair of Governors and the Area Education Manager. The Headteacher/Chair of
Governors must discuss with the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) the nature of the allegations
in order for the appropriate action to be taken. In Suffolk this role is undertaken by the Area
Safeguarding Manager. This will constitute an initial evaluation meeting or strategy discussion involving
the LADO. Dependant on the allegation being made, Head teachers will need to:
 Refer to the LADO immediately and follow up in writing within 48 hours. In Suffolk
schools should refer in the first instance to the Area Education Manager.
 Consider safeguarding arrangements of the child or young person to ensure they are
away from the alleged abuser.
 Contact the parents or carers of the child/young person if advised to do so by the
LADO.
 Consider the rights of the staff member for a fair and equal process of investigation.
 Ensure that the appropriate disciplinary procedures are followed including whether
suspending a member of staff from work until the outcome of any investigation is
deemed necessary.
 Act on any decision made in any strategy meeting or evaluation meeting.
 Advise the Independent Safeguarding Authority where a member of staff has been
disciplined or dismissed as a result of the allegations being founded.
Reference:
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/consultations/downloadableDocs/Handling%20Allegations%20Practice
%20Guidance%20Consultation%20Version%2013%2005%2009%20FINAL.doc
Recruitment, supervision and training for staff
Training
All members of staff and volunteers will have access to whole school safeguarding training at least every
three years. We will also, as part of our induction, issue information in relation to our Safeguarding policy
and any policy related to safeguarding and promoting our children/young people’s welfare to all newly
appointed staff and volunteers.
Our Senior Designated Person and Alternates will undertake further safeguarding training in addition to
the whole school training. This will be undertaken at least every two years which updates their
awareness and understanding of the impact of the wide agenda of safeguarding issues. This will support
both the SDP/Alternate to be able to better undertake their role and support the school in ensuring our
safeguarding arrangements are robust and achieve better outcomes for the pupils in our school. This
includes taking part in multi-agency training in addition to safeguarding training.
Our Governing body will have access to safeguarding training and our Named Governor for Safeguarding
will also undertake additional training at least every two years to support their employers’ role in Handling
Allegations against adults who work with children and young people, including our staff and volunteers.
Our safeguarding arrangements are reported on a termly basis to our Governing body and our
Safeguarding policy is reviewed annually, in order to keep it updated in line with local and national
guidance/legislation.
We will include a summary of our Safeguarding Policy to parents in our school prospectus/website and
will post copies of our policy throughout the school. We are also able to arrange for our policy to be made
available to parents whose first language is not English on request.
Useful Contacts:
Suffolk Safeguarding Children Board www.suffolkscb.org.uk
Customer First: 0845 023023
Police: 999
Child Exploitation and Online Protection Agency www.ceop.org.uk
http://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/
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Recruitment
When recruiting new members of staff the school follows the guidance given in the Safeguarding
Children: Safer Recruitment in Education, and the Suffolk guidelines. The school ensures that CRB
checks are undertaken in line with County Council HR policy and that references are taken up and
obtained and that qualifications are verified. At all times the Headteacher and governing body will ensure
that safe recruitment practices are followed. We will ensure that our Head teacher and at least one
governor has completed appropriate safer recruitment training and is accredited by the National College
of School Leadership. At Alde Valley School we require evidence of original academic certificates. We do
not accept testimonials and insist on taking up references prior to interview. We will question the contents
of application forms if we are unclear about them, we will undertake enhanced Criminal Records Bureau
checks and use any other means of ensuring we are recruiting and selecting the most suitable people to
work with our children. We will use the recruitment and selection process to deter and reject unsuitable
candidates and will adhere to the requirements of Safeguarding Children in Education and Safer
Recruitment 2007.
Newly appointed staff will have initial training in Child Protection as part of their induction programme.
They should be aware of the Suffolk Safeguarding Children Board procedures as part of that induction
programme, and be given a copy of the schools Safeguarding Policy and “What to do if you are worried a
child is being abused”.
Every current member of staff will undertake appropriate safeguarding training every three years. The
senior designated professional, the alternate designated member of staff and any other senior member of
staff who may be in a position of making referrals or attending child protection conferences or core groups
will attend Suffolk Safeguarding Children’s Board multi agency training – working together to safeguard
children. Children in Education, every two years.
They should also attend the Level 1 Safeguarding and Promoting the Welfare of Children and Young
People training provided by Education Inclusion, Education Welfare Officer’s Senior Practitioner’s in the
Northern Area. The initial Child Protection training given to each member of the service should be
updated every three years and recorded.
Level Two courses are also available for the Senior Designated and Deputy Designated Safeguarduing
Professionals through the Suffolk Safeguarding Children Board Training Programme. Application forms
must be signed by the SDP.
Our governing body will also undertake appropriate training to ensure they are able to carry out their duty
to safeguard all of the children at our school. We will do this in a number of ways. The named governor
for safeguarding may attend updated training with other named governors in our area, we might also
consider safeguarding training for our whole governing body and our named governor will also be
encouraged to attend the Safeguarding Children in Education training with our senior designated
professional
Further advice on Safeguarding matters can also be obtained from the Suffolk Safeguarding Board
website and Continuing Professional Development Coordinator (Anne Marie Oaten)
We actively encourage all of our staff to keep up to date with the most recent local and national
safeguarding advice and guidance. This can be accessed on www.onesuffolk.co.uk/scb/.
Staff can find the most up to date national safeguarding information on www.teachernet.gov.uk
The Head teacher and the Senior Designated Person should be used as a first point of contact for
concerns and queries regarding any safeguarding concern in our school.
E-Safety
The growth of different electronic media in everyday life and an ever developing variety of devices
including PC’s, laptops, mobile phones, webcams etc place an additional risk on our children.
Internet chat rooms, discussion forums or social networks can all be used as a means of contacting
children and young people with a view to grooming them for inappropriate or abusive relationships. The
anonymity of the internet allows adults, often pretending to be children, to have conversations with
children and in some cases arrange to meet them.
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Access to abusive images is not a ‘victimless’ act as it has already involved the abuse of children. The
internet has become a significant tool in the distribution of indecent photographs of children and should
be a concern to all those working with pupils at this school.
Pupils can engage in or be a target of bullying using a range of methods including text and instant
messaging to reach their target. Mobile phones are also used to capture violent assaults of other children
for circulation (happy slapping).
The best protection is to make pupils aware of the dangers through curriculum teaching particularly PSHE
and sex education.
Protection is Prevention
 Software is in place to minimise access and to highlight any person accessing inappropriate
sites or information.
 Pupils will be encouraged to discuss openly their use of technology and anything which makes
them feel uncomfortable. (If this results in child protection concerns the schools designated
child protection teacher should be informed immediately)
 Pupils should not give out their personal details, phone numbers, schools, home address,
computer passwords etc
 Pupils should adhere to the school policy on mobile phones.
The police will be involved if there is any criminal element to misuse of the internet, phones or any other
form of electronic media.
Links with other policies
a. This procedures document should also be considered within the context of other policies and
documents relating to our work with children and young people. These might include, for example,
documents concerning drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence, neglect and families where there
are mental health concerns.
b. Key documents are:
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Suffolk County Council Safeguarding Children Policy
Suffolk County Council Whole School Policy for Safeguarding Children
Safeguarding and Safer Recruitment in Education
Tools for Safer Recruitment and Selection
Arrangements for Managing Allegations of Abuse Against People Who Work With Children or
Those Who are in Positions of Trust
Alde Valley School Information and Guidance for Staff - Handbook
Suffolk County Council - The Use of Restraint in Schools policy
Suffolk Safeguarding Children in Education for Senior Designated Professionals in Schools,
Further Education Colleges and Training Providers
Every Child Matters
Suffolk Children & Young People’s Assessment Framework
Alde Valley School Behaviour Policy
Alde Valley School Attendance Policy
Suffolk Safeguarding Children Board Protocol: Working with Sexually Active Young People
Under the Age of 18
What to do it you’re worried a child is being abused?
Guidance for Safe Working Practice for the Protection of Children and Staff in Education
Settings 2009
Every Child Matters: Change for Children in Schools
Reporting
The governing body of Alde Valley School will ensure that our safeguarding policy is in place and is
reviewed annually. This policy will be referred to in our school prospectus. The content of our policy has
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been written following consultation with the Local Authority and the requirements of the Safeguarding
Children’s Board Policies and Procedures.
The governing body will receive a safeguarding report that will record training that has taken place, the
number of staff attending and any outstanding training requirements for the school. It will also record all
safeguarding activity that has taken place, for example, meetings attended, reports written, training or
induction given. It will not identify any individual pupil.
Should an allegation be made against the Headteacher of Alde Valley School, the Chair of Governors will
be responsible for liaising with the Local Authority.
Resources
Safeguarding is important to all members of staff.
The governing body have to ensure that sufficient resources are made available to enable the necessary
tasks to be carried out properly under Suffolk Safeguarding Children Board procedures including
attending meetings, collating and writing assessment reports, and staff training. The Governing Body will
also ensure that all Governors have an understanding of safeguarding issues and that policies and
procedures are in place in school to safeguard and promote the welfare of all pupils in the school.
Safeguarding awareness will be addressed through the curriculum as appropriate to ensure all the pupils
understand what is meant by safeguarding and how they can be safe.
The Senior Designated Person for Safeguarding Children in this school is:
Mr Dan Mayhew
The alternate Senior Designated Persons for Safeguarding Children in this school are:
Miss Emma Laflin and Mrs Laura Humphrey
The nominated Governor for Safeguarding is:
Mrs E Rushbrook
For Advice and Consultancy in relation to Safeguarding, please contact:
Lorna Jackson
Professional Advisor – Safeguarding in Education
Lorna.Jackson@suffolk.gov.uk
For Safeguarding Training in schools please email:
Sieteam@suffolk.gov.uk
Customer First – 08456 023023
Signed:_________________
Chair of Governors
REVIEW
January 2015
(date)
(date)
Any of these people can be contacted if you have a safeguarding concern in the school
All documents relating to Safeguarding are available from the Designated Persons
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APPENDIX: Current Safeguarding Issues
(The following safeguarding concerns actual or suspected should be referred
immediately to Children’s’ Social Care. The concerns featured below are
linked to guidance and local procedures which where available can be found
on the Suffolk Safeguarding Children Board website at: www.suffolkscb.org.uk.
Some members of our communities hold beliefs that may be common within particular cultures but
which are against the law of England. Alde Valley School does not condone practices that are illegal
and which are harmful to children. Examples of particular practices are:
Forced Marriage
Alde Valley School does not support the idea of forcing someone to marry without their consent and
will follow SCB procedures to refer any child and young person immediately to Children’s social care.
http://extranet.onesuffolk.co.uk/scb/Shared%20Documents/2009-06-16%20SG%20chd%20Forced%20Marriage%20Guidance1.doc
Honour Based Violence
Honour based violence’ is a crime or incident, which has or may have been committed to protect or
defend the honour of the family and/or community’. It is important to be alert to signs of distress and
indications such as self-harm, absence from school and truancy, infections resulting from female
genital mutilation, isolation from peers, being monitored by family, not participating in school activities,
unreasonable restrictions at home or forced marriage. Where it is suspected that a child/young person
is at risk form Honour based violence, Alde Valley School will report those concerns to the appropriate
agency in order to prevent this form of abuse taking place.
Trafficked Children
Child trafficking involves moving children across or within national or international borders for the
purposes of exploitation. Exploitation includes children being used for sex work, domestic work,
restaurant/ sweatshop, drug dealing, shoplifting and benefit fraud. Where Alde Valley School is made
aware of a child is suspected of or actually being trafficked/exploited we will report our concerns to the
appropriate agency.
http://extranet.onesuffolk.co.uk/scb/Shared%20Documents/2009-03-12%202009-0304%20Dec%20SCB%20Children%20Who%20May%20have%20been%20trafficked%20%20(2)%20(2
).doc
Female Genital Mutilation
This is against the law yet for some communities it is considered a religious act and cultural
requirement. It is illegal for someone to arrange for a child to go abroad with the intention of having
her circumcised. If any of the above areas of concern is brought to the attention of Alde Valley School,
we will report those concerns to the appropriate agency in order to prevent this form of abuse taking
place.
Ritualistic Abuse linked to spirit possession
Some faiths believe that spirits and demons can possess people (including children). What should
never be considered is the use of any physical or psychological violence to get rid of the possessing
spirit. This is abusive and will result in a criminal conviction of those using this form of abuse even if
the intention is to help the child.
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/_download/?id=661
Children Missing Education
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“Basic to safeguarding children is to ensure their attendance at school.” (OFSTED 2002). Children are
best protected by regularly attending school where they will be safe from harm and where there are
professionals to monitor their well-being. At Alde Valley School, we will encourage the full attendance
of all of our children at school. Where we have concerns that a child is missing education and/ or
because of suspected abuse, we will report to Children Social Care and the Education Attendance
Service to effectively manage the risks and to prevent abuse from taking place.
http://www.suffolk.gov.uk/EducationAndLearning/CaringForChildrenAndYoungPeople/ChildrenMissing
Education.htm
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/_download/?id=720
Sexually Active under Eighteen years old
It is acknowledged by those working with young people, that some young people under the age of 18
will have an interest in sex and sexual relationships. The Protocol for Sexually Active Young People
under 18 years old has been designed to assist those working with children and young people to
identify where these relationships may be abusive, and the children and young people may need the
provision or protection of additional services. At Alde Valley School, we will ensure our policy for
managing this issue links to the available protocol.
http://extranet.onesuffolk.co.uk/scb/Shared%20Documents/SSCB%20Working%20with%20sexually%
20active%20young%20people%20protocol%20Final%20Version%2001%2002%2008.doc
Safeguarding Disabled Children
Disabled children have exactly the same human rights to be safe from abuse and neglect, to be
protected from harm and achieve the Every Child Matters outcomes as non-disabled children.
Disabled children do however require additional action. This is because they experience greater risks
as a result of negative attitudes and ‘created vulnerability’. This may lead to disabled children having
unequal access to services and resources, and because they may have additional needs relating to
physical, sensory, cognitive and/ or communication impairment (Safeguarding Children, DCSF, July
2009).
At Alde Valley School, we will ensure that our disabled children are listened too and responded to
appropriately where they have concerns regarding abuse. In order to do this we will ensure that our
staff and volunteers receive the relevant training to raise awareness and have access to specialist
staff in the event they have concerns regarding the abuse of a disabled child.
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/_download/?id=6195
Safer Recruitment and Selection
It is a requirement for all agencies to ensure that all staff recruited to work with children and young
people are properly selected and checked.
At Alde Valley School, we will ensure that we have a member on every recruitment panel who has
received the appropriate recruitment and selection training. That all of our staff are appropriately
qualified and have the relevant employment history and checks to ensure they are safe to work with
children in compliance with the Key Safeguarding Employment Standards.
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/_download/?id=801
Domestic Abuse
The Government defines domestic abuse as” Any incident of threatening behaviour, violence or abuse
(psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional) between adults who are or have been intimate
partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality”
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Children may suffer both directly and indirectly if they live in households where there is domestic
violence. Domestic abuse is likely to have a damaging effect on the health, development and welfare
of children, and it will often be appropriate for such children to be regarded as Children in Need under
the Children Act 1989.
Where there is evidence of domestic violence, Alde Valley School will report our concerns to the
appropriate agency including children’s social care and the police in order to prevent the likelihood of
any further abuse taking place.
http://www.onesuffolk.co.uk/scb/procedures/Significant_Harm#2:domestic
Private Fostering
Private fostering is an arrangement made between the parent and the private foster carer, who then
becomes responsible for caring for the child in such a way as to safeguard and promote his/her
welfare.
A privately fostered child means a child under the age of 16 (18 if a disabled child) who is cared for
and provided with accommodation by someone other than:
 A parent.
 A person who is not a parent but has parental responsibility.
 A close relative.
 A Local Authority.
for more than 28 days and where the care is intended to continue. It is a statutory duty for us at
Alde Valley School.to inform the Local Authority where we are made aware of a child or young
person who may be subject to private fostering arrangements.
http://www.onesuffolk.co.uk/scb/procedures
Child Exploitation and e-Safety
Children and young people can be exploited and suffer bullying through their use of modern
technology such as the internet, mobile phones and social networking sites. In order to minimize the
risks to our children and young people, Alde Valley School will ensure that we have in place
appropriate measures such as security filtering, and an acceptable use policy linked to our e-Safety
policy. We will ensure that staff are aware of how not to compromise their position of trust in or
outside of the school and are aware of the dangers associated with the internet and other mobile
technology.
Our e-Safety policy will clearly state that mobile phone or electronic communications with a student at
our school is not acceptable other than for approved school business e.g. coursework, mentoring.
Where it is suspected that a child is at risk from internet abuse or cyber bullying we will report our
concerns to the appropriate agency.
http://www.onesuffolk.co.uk/scb/procedures
http://extranet.onesuffolk.co.uk/scb/Shared%20Documents/Procedures/e-safety%20strategy.pdf
The above list is not exhaustive and as new policy guidance and legislation develops within the remit
of Safeguarding we will review and update our policy as appropriate and in line with the Local
Safeguarding Children Board and Local Authority to ensure Alde Valley School is a safe place to learn
and work.
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