Safeguarding

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined as:

• Providing help and support to meet the needs of children as soon as problems emerge
• Protecting children from maltreatment, whether that is within or outside the home, including online
• Preventing impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development;
• Ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care;
• Taking Action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

SINGLE CENTRAL RECORD

A Single Central Record (SCR) is a single spreadsheet-style document that holds records of a number of pre-employment checks of all staff and regular volunteers in schools. The record is required by the DfE and will be checked by Ofsted in their section 5 inspections as part of their checks on safer recruitment in schools.

The single central record includes the information of:

• identity (including address and date of birth) of all staff and volunteers
• qualification for all teaching staff and, if applicable, support staff
• prohibition from teaching for all teaching staff
• Children's Barred List (ex List 99) check for all staff and volunteers, subject to assessment of eligibility criteria
• DBS check for all staff and volunteers
• Right to Work in the UK for all staff and volunteers
• Lived Abroad/overseas police checks if a person has lived abroad for a substantial period of time, certificates of conduct may need to be requested from that country of residence

in addition to the above required information, Springwood Federation, also include:

• Childcare Disqualification Staff Declaration of all staff
• Child Protection Training date
• Designated Safeguarding Leader / Deputies training date

Follow the link to the policies page to access all safeguarding policies.

Dealing with allegations against Staff & Safer Working Practice

All schools have procedures for dealing with allegations against staff.

• The procedures  make it clear that all allegations should be reported straight away, normally to the Head Teacher, principal or proprietor if it is an independent school.
• The procedures should also identify the person, often the chair of governors, to whom reports should be made in the absence of the Head Teacher or principal, or in cases where the Head Teacher or principal themselves are the subject of the allegation or concern.
• Procedures should also include contact details for the local authority designated officer (LADO) responsible for providing advice and monitoring cases.

Disclosure and Barring Process

From December 2012 the CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) and The ISA (Independent Safeguarding Authority) merged into a single non-departmental public body, known as The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). It is important to remember that the DBS checking processes are only a small part of the pre-employment checking systems in place to determine the suitability of prospective employees or volunteers to work in schools.

Disclosure and Barring Service checks (previously Criminal Records Bureau or CRB)

Schools must obtain an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Disclosure on any person who will be employed or engaged to work in school or who may have unsupervised access to children in the course of their employment/engagement, or who work on a frequent basis. DBS checks cannot be requested for children under the age of 16. These individuals will not be left unsupervised with pupils.

Overseas Police Checks

The DfE guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education 2015' (paragraph 75) states that 'individuals who have lived or worked outside the UK must undergo the same checks as all other staff in schools or colleges. In addition, schools and colleges must make any further checks they think appropriate so that any relevant events that occurred outside the UK can be considered'.

If someone has resided outside of the UK for a substantial amount of time (more than 3 months within the last 10 years), the school should seek a certificate of good conduct (or equivalent) for them.

Please refer below to linked documents in relation to the disclosure process

Sex and Relationships

We believe the purpose of Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) should be to provide our children with knowledge about: 

• Loving and stable relationships 
• Personal and emotional development 
• Decision making 
• Moral issues 
• The nature of sexuality 
• The processes of human reproduction 
• How to keep safe at every stage and at all times 

 
The above will be taught at appropriate ages and stages of development according to:  

• Statutory documentation  
• National Guidance 
• Local and national contexts 
• Cohort needs 

Please follow the link to the read the policy for further information.

Children Looked After (Children in Care)

The term Children Looked After has a specific legal meaning based on the Children Act. A child is looked after by a local authority if he or she has been provided with accommodation for a continuous period of more than 24 hours, in the circumstances set out in sections 20 and 21 of the Children Act 1989, or is placed in the care of a local authority by virtue of an order made under part IV of the Act.

The majority of children who are looked after by the local authority are placed with foster carers as it is believed to be best for children to live within a family environment. For some children however, residential care may be more appropriate.

Supporting Pupils With Medical Conditions

1. April 2014 (updated September 2014) the DfE provided statutory guidance on "Supporting Pupils at School with Medical Conditions". Most pupils will at some time have a medical condition that may affect their participation in school activities. For many this will be short term; perhaps finishing a course of medication.

Other pupils have medical conditions that, if not properly managed, could limit their access to education. Such pupils are regarded as having medical needs.

Supporting a child with a medical condition during school hours is not the sole

responsibility of one person. Our schools’ ability to provide effective support will depend to an appreciable extent on working cooperatively with other agencies. Partnership working between school staff, healthcare professionals (and where appropriate, social care professionals), local authorities, and parents and pupils will be critical, for e.g. School Nursing Service, Occupational Health Team, Local GP practices and Paediatricians.

For parents or guardians who have prime responsibility for their child’s health are to provide schools with information about their child’s medical condition. This could also include details in conjunction with their child’s GP or paediatrician, school doctor or specialist voluntary bodies who may be able to provide additional background for school staff.

For full details please refer to the DfE document and school policy below

Home Alone Guide

Did you know?

There is no legal age limit for leaving a child on their own, but it’s an offence to do so if it places them at risk. Parents can be prosecuted for neglect if they leave a child unsupervised “in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health”

Check out the useful guidance below.