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St Declans
N.S.
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Child Protection Policy for St
Declans N.S. {Please read carefully} Introductory Statement The
Principal, staff, BOM and representatives of parents of the school drafted
the following policy between April 2010 and November 2010. Rationale The BOM of St Declans N.S. has adopted the Department of Education and
Science Guidelines and Procedures for schools in relation to child protection
and welfare. This policy is an outline of how St Declans
N.S. proposes to implement these guidelines in order to ensure the protection
and welfare of all children attending our school. Relationship to Characteristic
Spirit of the School St. Declan’s School is a Catholic Primary School
under the patronage of Bishop William Lee, the Roman Catholic Bishop of
Waterford and Lismore. The school aims
to teach pupils in accordance with the rites, practices and doctrines of the
Catholic Church while at the same time having regard
and respect for beliefs of others. Education in St. Declan’s is based on a holistic
approach – having regard for the child’s spiritual, moral, cognitive,
emotional, imaginative, aesthetic, social and physical development. These values are reflected in the
methodologies and objectives of the Revised Curriculum (Govt. of Ireland
1999). The pervading atmosphere of the school is one of
harmony – promoting respect and tolerance of difference. Pupils are enabled to learn in an
environment which is safe and secure so that each individual can realise his
full potential and take his place in society with confidence. Aims ·
To raise awareness of child abuse namely, emotional,
physical, sexual abuse and neglect, among all members of our school community
including Board of Management, teachers, pupils, parents, SNAs, secretary,
caretaker and cleaners. ·
To put in place
clear procedures for all school personnel dealing with suspicions and
allegations of child abuse. ·
To identify
other policy areas which need to be amended. ·
To identify
curricular content and resources that contribute to
the prevention of child abuse and to enable children to properly deal with
abuse if it occurs. Guidelines for school personnel 1.0 Appointment of a Designated Liaison Person (DLP) 2.0 Roles, Responsibilities and Guidelines 2.1 Role of
the Board of Management 2.2 Role of the Staff Members (Teachers, SNAs,
Caretaker, Secretary) 2.3 Role of
the Designated Liaison Person 3.0
Child Protection meetings /Case Conferences 4.0
Organisational Implications 5.0 Curriculum Implications 1. 0 Appointment of a
Designated Liaison Person (DLP) ·
The Board of
Management has appointed the Principal Mr Kevin Doran as the Designated
Liaison Person (DLP)
in St Declans N.S. to have specific
responsibility for child protection. ·
The Deputy Principal
Mrs Deirdre O Connor has been appointed as Deputy DLP to take the place of
the DLP if he is unavailable for whatever reason. ·
The position of
DLP will be addressed at the first meeting of each new Board of Management.
The DLP will continue to act as such until such time as he is replaced by the
BOM for whatever reason. 2.0 Roles and Responsibilities ·
The Board of
Management has primary responsibility for the care and welfare of their
pupils. ·
The DLP has
specific responsibility for child protection in the school. ·
All staff have a general duty of care to ensure that arrangements
are in place to protect children from harm. 2.1
Role of the Board of Management
·
To arrange for
the planning, development and implementation of an effective child protection
programme. ·
To monitor and
evaluate its effectiveness. ·
To provide
appropriate staff development and training Specifically they will: ·
Appoint a DLP
and deputy DLP. ·
Have clear procedures
for dealing with allegations or suspicions of child abuse (See below) ·
Monitor the
progress of children at risk. ·
Ensure that
curricular provision is in place for the prevention of child abuse. ·
Investigate and
respond to allegations of child abuse against one of the school’s employees
which have been reported to the Health Service Executive (HSE) or Gardaí. ·
To decide on
teachers’ attendance at child protection meetings/case conferences and to
advise teachers before attending such meetings/conferences. Procedures
for BOM in cases of allegations or suspicions of child abuse by a school
employee:
A.
Reporting
In
the event of receiving a complaint or suspicion re an employee:
B.
Responding
·
the allegations
made and their source ·
the advice given
by relevant authorities ·
the written responses of the employee.
·
the
person/agency who is alleging abuse by the school employee should be offered
an opportunity to present his/her case to the BOM and may be accompanied by
another person ·
Parents/guardians
may act on behalf of child ·
The employee
should also be afforded an opportunity to present his/her case and may also
be accompanied.
2.2 Role of the
Staff Members (Teachers, SNAs, Caretaker, Secretary, Cleaners ) Staff are
provided with copies of the following guidelines and it is the responsibility
of all staff to familiarise themselves with the guidelines.
Guidelines
for teachers and staff members in handling.......
Disclosures
from children
Where a child discloses alleged abuse to a staff
member, the person receiving that information should listen carefully and
supportively. Great care must be taken not to abuse the child’s trust. This
should not be a formal interview. The following advice is offered:
·
Listen to the
child. ·
Do not ask
leading questions or make suggestions to the child. ·
Offer
reassurance but do not make promises. ·
Do not stop a
child recalling significant events. ·
Do not
over-react. ·
Confidentiality
should not be assured - explain that further help may have to be sought. ·
Record the
discussion accurately noting
·
Retain the
record securely. ·
The staff member
should obtain only necessary relevant facts. It is not the responsibility of
school personnel to investigate allegations of abuse. ·
The DLP should
then be informed and given relevant records. ·
If the suspected
abuser is the DLP then the suspicion and any records will be passed on to the
Chairperson who will proceed as per guidelines. Suspicions
of Abuse
·
Staff members
who suspect abuse should refer to Children First National Guidelines for the Protection
and Welfare of Children,1999, especially
·
Staff members
should observe and record over time the dates, signs, symptoms, behaviour
causing them concern. ·
They should
inform the DLP and pass on all records. 2.3 Role of the Designated Liaison Person (DLP) ·
The DLP acts as
a liaison with outside agencies, HSE, Gardaí and other parties with child
protection concerns ·
The DLP will
inform all school personnel of the availability of the Child Protection
Guidelines and Procedures, DES and Children First Guidelines in the school.
S/he will circulate the DES guidelines and photocopy/circulate to all staff
Chapters 3 & 4 & Appendix 1 of the Children First guidelines and
advise on good practice ·
The DLP will be
available to staff for consultation regarding suspicions or disclosures of
abuse. S/he will keep records of these consultations. ·
The DLP will seek
advice from the HSE. ·
The DLP will
report suspicions and allegations of child abuse to the HSE or/and An Garda
Síochána based on this advice. ·
The DLP will
maintain proper records in a secure, confidential manner and in a secure
location. ·
The DLP will
keep up to date on current developments regarding child protection. Guidelines
for the DLP in handling reported concerns and disclosures
·
Where the
DLP/Deputy DLP have concerns about a child, but are not sure whether to report
the matter to the HSE, they should seek appropriate advice. To do this the
DLP/Deputy should make informal contact with the assigned (on duty) Social
Worker. The DLP/Deputy in this case, should be explicit that s/he is
requesting advice and not making a report. If advised to report the matter,
the DLP will act on that advice. ·
A report will
then be made to the HSE by the DLP/Deputy in person, by telephone or in
writing. In the event of an emergency or non-availability of HSE staff, the
report should be made to the Gardaí. The DLP should also report the matter to
the Chairperson of the BOM, who should then follow the procedures as outlined
in Chapter 4 (Section 4.3) of Children First National Guidelines for the
Protection and Welfare of Children, 1999. ·
A standard
reporting form is completed by the DLP/Deputy as comprehensively as possible
(See Appendix 1, Child Protection Guidelines and Procedures, DES). ·
Parents/guardians
will normally be informed that a report is being made. It may be decided that
informing the parent/carer is likely to endanger the child or place the child
at further risk. The decision not to inform the parent/carer should be
briefly recorded together with the reasons for not doing so. ·
When the
allegation is against the DLP, the chairperson then assumes responsibility
for reporting the matter to the HSE and filling in the standard reporting
form. ·
Where there are
allegations or suspicions of Peer Abuse the DLP will follow the same
procedures.
3.0 Child Protection Meetings / Case Conferences ·
A request is
made from the HSE through the DLP who should consult with the Chairperson of
the B.O.M. of the school. The Chairperson may seek clarification through the
DLP as to why the attendance of the school employee is necessary and
ascertain who else will be present. ·
The school
employee may complete a report for the meeting/conference. (See Appendix 3,
Child Protection Guidelines and Procedures, DES). ·
The school
employee will be advised if children/parents/guardians are going to be
present. The school employee may contact the Chairperson of the Child
Protection Meeting for advice. ·
The school
employee may keep a child’s behaviour under closer observation, if requested
to do so. This may include observing the child’s behaviour, peer
interactions, school progress or informal conversations. ·
In all cases,
individuals who refer or discuss their concerns about the care and protection
of children with HSE staff, should be informed of the likely steps to be
taken by the professionals involved. Where appropriate and within the normal
limits of confidentiality, reporting staff will be kept informed about the
outcomes of any enquiry or investigation following on from their report ·
Teachers attending
a child protection meeting/case conference should familiarise themselves with
the protocol outlined on pgs. 149 – 155 of Children First Guidelines, 1999;
pgs. 13-14 Child Protection Guidelines and Procedures, DES. 4.0 Organisational Implications School procedures already in place and new
procedures being put in place will be examined with reference to the Children
First Guidelines and any Child Protection issues that may arise will be
addressed. The following areas have been addressed in this
review: ·
Accidents ·
Attendance ·
Behaviour ·
Bullying ·
Transportation ·
Communication ·
Induction of
staff ·
Induction of
pupils ·
Record
keeping ·
Supervision ·
Swimming ·
Visitors Accidents Under our Health and Safety Statement we try to ensure
the safety of children, but realise that accidents will happen. Accidents
which are considered serious will be noted in our First Aid and or Incident
Books and will be addressed as deemed necessary. Attendance School attendance is governed by the Education
Act 2000. With regards to child protection we will pay particular attention
to trends in non attendance in accordance with the
NEWB procedures.. Behaviour It is the aim of our school to encourage
co-operative learning and play at all times.
Inappropriate behaviour will be addressed under our Code of Behaviour.
Bullying Bullying behaviour will be addressed under our
Anti-Bullying policy. If the behaviour involved is of a sexual nature or regarded
as being abusive then the matter will be referred to the DLP. Transportation No person will be permitted to carry a child in
his/her car at any time in his/her capacity as an employee of St Declans NS. Communication Every effort should be made to facilitate good
pupil/staff and parent/teacher communication. The SPHE/Oral
Language/RE programmes allow for open pupil-teacher communication, which is
hoped will aid the pupil-teacher relationship. Staff communicating with pupils
on a one to one basis should always do so in a safe environment. Parents are
invited to make an appointment if they wish to discuss any issues with a
member of staff. Induction of Staff The DLP will give a copy of the Child Protection
Guidelines and Procedures, Chapters 3 & 4 and Appendix 1 of Children
First and this Child Protection Policy to all staff. All teachers are
expected to teach the designated curricular areas for their class. All new staff members will be provided with the
above information prior to commencement of employment. All temporary and
substitute staff will be provided with a welcome pack containing a summary of
the above procedures. The Deputy DLP is responsible for informing new
teachers of personnel to be contacted regarding record keeping. Induction of Parents
and Pupils The following policies will become available to
parents through our school web site. 1. Child Protection Policy 2. Code of Behaviour Policy 3. Anti Bullying Policy 4. Attendance Policy Parents are
expected to familiarize themselves with the guidelines as stated in these
policies and to comply with them. Hard copies will be available from the
office. Some parents may need to translate these policies into their own
language. Record Keeping The following records are required for each pupil
attending St Declans School 1. Roll
Book – attendance 2. School
Reports 3. Absence
notes 4. Standardized
Test Results It is the
responsibility of the teacher to update these as necessary and to ensure their
safe keeping. Additional educational
files such as psychological reports will be sent directly to the Principal
who will make them available to the class teacher and support teachers as
required. Further information regarding any pupil may be recorded by the
teacher and stored in the class folder. Information which is considered
sensitive will be reported to the DLP or Deputy DLP who will record it for
safe keeping and will be shared on a need to know basis. Storage of records
will be dealt with under our record keeping policy. Supervision The school’s supervision procedures will be
followed by all staff to ensure that there is adequate supervision of
children at all breaks. The class teacher/supervising teacher has primary responsibility for the whereabouts of all
pupils in his/her care. Pupils are to remain in the yard during break times
unless directed otherwise by the teacher. Swimming Children will be brought by bus to the swimming
pool. All adults will act in ‘loco parentis’ and as such will act as prudent
parents in helping children to return to school as comfortably and as safely
as possible. Visitors Every effort will be made to ensure the security
of the school building during school hours. All exit doors should be kept
closed at all times. All reasonable efforts will be made by teachers on
playground duty to be aware of visitors entering the school playground and
may ascertain their intentions. In general, all visitors will be directed to
the front door where access can be gained by ringing the bell. Visitors
{including parents, deliveries etc} are requested
to report to the secretary’s office before proceeding through the building. All visiting
speakers/groups/organisations will be asked to produce their own child
protection guidelines before they begin working with any class. 5.0 Curriculum
Implications Introduction
In St Declans
NS all children will be cherished and in fulfilling the general aims of the
Primary Curriculum we will ·
Enable the child
to live a full life as a child and to realise his or her potential ·
Enable the child
to develop as a social being through living and co-operating with others and
so contribute to the good of society ·
Prepare the
child for further education and lifelong learning. In endeavouring to realise these aims we will
create a positive school climate which is open, inclusive, respectful, fair,
democratic and tolerant and which seeks to support the holistic development
of all children and all adults working with our children. The strategies we
will use to create this environment are detailed in our SPHE Plan and will
involve: ·
Creating a
health-promoting and safe physical environment ·
Enhancing
self-esteem ·
Fostering
respect for diversity ·
Building effective
communication within the school ·
Developing
appropriate home-school communication ·
Catering for
individual needs where possible ·
Developing
democratic process ·
Fostering
inclusive and respectful language. The
Following programmes will be used in our school to enable the aims of the
Child Protection Policy to be fulfilled:
Other
programmes which are available in the school are The Walk Tall programme,
NWHB Materials, Prim Ed Anti Bullying Materials, Be Safe Be Seen and the
First Steps Health Programme. We strive to ensure that our school will be
physically and emotionally safe and we will deliver the curricular content of
our SPHE programme with a view to giving our children the protective skills
of self-esteem and assertiveness. The Circle Time and Bubble Time
methodologies will be used on a whole school basis. Co-operative
interpersonal skills can be developed through working in pairs and working in
groups. Older children can be encouraged to work positively and skills in
negotiation, building consensus and managing conflict can be developed. Success
Criteria We will evaluate the success of this
policy using the following criteria:
Timeframe
for Implementation This policy is currently in practice
and has been ratified by the BOM. Timeframe
for Review At the first staff meeting of
every year the DLP will remind all teachers of the guidelines and copies of
Chapter 3 & 4 & Appendix 1 of The Children First Guidelines and Child
Protection Guidelines and Procedures, DES will be given to those who require
them. A review will be conducted
based on the criteria above, following any and all incidents when the
guidelines are used. Responsibility
for Review ·
DLP in
conjunction with all staff members Ratification
and Communication This policy was ratified by the
Board of Management on Feb 1st 2011. It is our intention to make this
policy available on our school website. Hard copies will also available in
the office. At the beginning of each new year parents will be informed about
the availability of this policy. |
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