Lubavitch Ruth Lunzer Girls Primary School fully recognises its responsibilities for safeguarding and child protection. Our policy applies to all staff, governors and volunteers working in the school. There are five main points to our policy: 

  1. Ensuring that we practice safe recruitment in checking the suitability of staff and volunteers who will work with children.
  2. Raising awareness of safeguarding and child protection issues and equipping children with the skills to keep them safe.
  3. Developing and implementing procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases, of abuse.
  4. Supporting children who have been abused in accordance with his/her child protection plan.
  5. Establishing a learning environment where children’s welfare is paramount and where they feel safe and can maximise their capacity to learn.

We recognise that because of day to day contact with children, staff in school are well placed to observe the outward signs of abuse. The school will therefore:

 ·       Establish and maintain an environment where children feel secure, and are encouraged to talk, express their opinions and are listened to.

·       Ensure children know that there are adults in the school whom they can approach if they are worried or concerned.

·       Include opportunities in the PSHE/SEAL curriculum for children to develop the skills they need to recognise and stay safe from abuse.

 We will follow guidance issued by The Department for Education and all local  procedures as set out by the City and Hackney Safeguarding Children Board (CHSCB). We will also take account of guidance issued by the CHSCB as well as by the London Safeguarding Children Board, as adopted by CHSCB. We will ensure that:

 

  • We have a designated person for child protection, referred to as the Nominated Safeguarding Children Adviser (NSCA), who is a member of the senior management team.
  • The NSCA has received the appropriate training in relation to the role, that they have sufficient time, resources and support to undertake this role.  
  • There is a named deputy NSCA, who is also appropriately trained, who can undertake the role when the NSCA is not available.
  • We have a nominated Governor responsible for child protection, and that they have attended the relevant training for the role.
  • All staff and volunteers have undertaken relevant training and understand their responsibilities in being alert to the signs and indicators of abuse. That they understand their responsibilities for referring any concerns to the NSCA, Deputy NSCA or other senior member of staff if they are not available.
  • That all staff are aware of the need to pass on concerns to appropriate members of staff and the procedures for doing this.
  • That all staff are also aware of the need for, and the rights of the child and family, to confidentiality. Information will be disseminated on a ‘need to know’ basis.
  • Parents have an understanding of the responsibility placed on the school and staff for safeguarding and child protection by setting out its obligations in the school prospectus.
  • We develop productive and supportive relationships with parents and carers and we will discuss concerns with them, unless to do so would put the child at risk.
  • Where a child is subject to a child protection plan, unless the child protection plan recommends earlier notification, we will contact Children Social Care to alert them to unexplained absences from school of two days.
  • We develop effective links with relevant agencies and cooperate as required with their enquiries regarding child protection matters including attendance at case conferences and core groups, providing written reports if required.
  • We will vigilantly monitor children’s welfare, keep written records of concerns about children, notifying Children’s Social Care where appropriate or maintaining records even where there is no need to refer the matter immediately.
  • All records are kept securely; separately from the main pupil file, and in locked locations.
  • All safe recruitment procedures are in place and that they are always followed. This will include having senior members of staff, as well as the Chair of Governors, who have been trained appropriately in safer recruitment practices.
  • At least one member of every panel convened to appoint staff to work in the school will have completed the required training, either by attending face to face training, or by the on-line training available through the Children Workforce Development Council, (CWDC).
  • We have procedures in place to deal with situations where an allegation is made against a member of staff or volunteer and we will ensure that those procedures are implemented where necessary.
  • We maintain good links with other professionals including The Safeguarding in Education Team at The Learning Trust. The NSCA will also attend organised relevant training offered by the CHSCB or through TLT, as well as attend the Child Protection forums organised for NSCAs each school term.   

 

We recognise that children who are abused or witness violence may find it difficult to develop a sense of worth. They may feel helpless, humiliation and some sense of blame. The school may be the only stable, secure and predictable element in the lives of children at risk. When at school their behaviour may be challenging and defiant, or they may be withdrawn. The school will endeavour to support the pupil through:

 

  • The content of the curriculum.
  • The school ethos which promotes a positive, supportive and secure environment and gives pupils a sense of being valued.
  • The school behaviour policy which is aimed at supporting vulnerable pupils in the school. The school will ensure that the pupils know that some behaviour is unacceptable but they are valued and not to be blamed for any abuse that has occurred.
  • Liaison with other agencies that support the pupil such as Children Social Care, Child and Adult Mental Health Services, Education Attendance Service, the Educational Psychology Service and where appropriate voluntary agencies.
  • Ensuring that, where a pupil subject to a child protection plan leaves the school, that their information is transferred, under separate cover to the general education file, to the named NSCA in the new school and that the child’s social worker is informed immediately. 
  • Where a child leaves the school and there is no information regarding their location and initial attempts to contact those with parental responsibility have been unsuccessful the NSCA will contact the Education Attendance Service for advice and alert the designated person for Children Missing from Education at TLT.

 The Nominated Safeguarding Children Adviser is Mrs F Sudak.

 The Deputy Nominated Children Safeguarding Adviser is Mrs E Kesselman.

 The Nominated governor for Safeguarding and child Protection is Kate Loewenthal.

 

 Date adopted by the Governing Body   September 2014

  

Signed by Chair of Governors 

This policy will be reviewed in 12 months unless there are reasons to review it at an earlier date for example if there are changes to legislation or guidance.