Policy Document Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy - (reviewed by Safeguarding leads - Mark Bishop & Jamie Plunkett) - Greenfield ...

Policy Document

Safeguarding & Child
Protection Policy

(reviewed by Safeguarding leads – Mark Bishop & Jamie Plunkett)

 Date finalized:                     To Be Reviewed:

 1 September 2020                    1 September 2021

Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy

Vision
Every student in GIS has the right to grow up and develop to their full potential in a
secure, safe, family and school environment, free from any kind of exploitation.

Mission
Empower staff, students, families and communities to provide the best environment
for children to thrive and develop.

GIS fully recognises its responsibilities to safeguarding & child protection.

This document should be read in conjunction with the Emergency Procedures Policy
and The International Child Protection Advisors (IPCP) best practice check list.

Our Safeguarding Policy applies to all staff working in the school. There four main
elements to our policy which are to:
   •     Ensure we practice safe recruitment in checking the suitability of staff to work
         with children.
   •     Raise awareness of child protection issues and equip children with the skills
         needed to keep them safe and implement procedures for identifying and
         reporting cases, or suspected cases, of abuse support students who have
         been abused in accordance with his/her agreed child protection plan.
   •     Ensure there are rigorous health and safety provision across the school to
         safeguard to the whole community. This establishes a safe environment in
         which children can learn and develop.
   •     To provide a safe and secure curriculum that supports the needs of all
         students.

Policy Links

To support and supplement our safeguarding routines, please find below links to

different policies which can be found on the school website:

Inclusion, SEND and Persons of Determination Policy

GIS Anti Bullying Policy

GIS Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy

WhatsApp Policy

Parent & Student Handbook

We recognise that because of the day-to-day contact with children, school staff

are well placed to observe the outward signs of abuse. The school will therefore:

   •   establish and maintain an environment where children feel secure, are

       encouraged to talk, and are listened to

   •   ensure children know that there are adults in the school whom they can

       approach if they are worried

   •   include opportunities for children to develop the skills they need to recognise

       and stay safe from abuse, in keeping with the acceptable local culture and

       sensitivities.

We take account of guidance issued by the KHDA to:

   •   Have two designated Child Protection Leads for child protection – Jamie

       Plunkett (Primary School) & Mark Bishop (Secondary School) with backs up

       which can be found on the safeguarding flowchart.

   •   Ensure we communicate concerns with Taaleem head office and, when

       appropriate, the KHDA & the Child Protection Centre, Al Barsha.

   •   Ensure every member of staff knows the name of the designated Child

•   Protection Leads responsible for child protection and their role.

•   Ensure all staff members understand the difference between Safeguarding &

    Child Protection and their responsibilities in being alert to the signs of abuse

    and responsibility and follow the correct chain of communication in terms of

    a referral.

•   Ensure that parents have an understanding of the responsibility placed on

    the school and staff for safeguarding & child protection. At various points in

    the year offer training to parents so they can understand how the school

    protects their children and handles cases of significant harm.

•   Develop effective links with Child Protection Centre, MOI and co-operate as

    required with their enquiries regarding child protection matters including

    attendance at case conferences or court hearings.

•   Keep written records of concerns about children, even where there is no

    need to refer the matter immediately.

•   Ensure all records are kept securely, separate from the main student file, and

    in locked locations.

•   Develop and then follow procedures where an allegation is made against a

    member of staff or volunteer.

•   Ensure safe recruitment practices are always followed, which includes police

    clearance checks for all teaching and support staff at GIS.

We recognise that children who are abused or witness violence may find it

difficult to develop a sense of self-worth. They may feel helplessness,

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 student through:

       •   The school ethos which promotes a positive, supportive and secure

           environment and gives students a sense of being valued.

       •   The school behaviour policy which is aimed at supporting students in the

           school. The school will ensure that the student knows that some

           behaviour is unacceptable, but they are valued and not to be blamed for

           any abuse which has occurred.

       •   Liaising with other agencies that support the student such KHDA, Child

           Protection

       •   Centre, MOI, KidsFirst, the visiting school doctor and the police.

       •   Ensuring that, where a student on our child protection register leaves,

           their information is transferred to the new school immediately. This is also

           relevant for students who move from Primary to Secondary School.

Significant members of staff for child protection 2020-21

Child Protection Lead Secondary: Mark Bishop                     Deputy – Tiffany Blake

Child Protection Lead Primary: Jamie Plunkett                 Deputy – Gemma Healey

School Nurses: Liya Sivin – Primary and Shejina Lijihas – Secondary

School Counsellor: Maria Margossian

Useful Contacts (Only to be used by designated Child Protection Leads):

New Hotline Number from MOI. 116111

   •   999 Police hotline

   •   800 - 988 Child Protection Centre hotline

•   800 - 700 Sharjah Social Services Dept

Websites:

   •   www.safechild.ae

   •   www.moi-cpc.ae/en/information

Incident Report Form (Appendix 2)

Student Name:                                   Class:

Nationality:                                    Gender:

Date of Birth:                                  Age:

Date Case Opened:                               Date Case Closed:

Risk

Comments:

                                                         1/2

Child Protection Record Form (to be completed by a member of staff/other adult)

This form should be completed by hand within 24 hours of the incident/concern/

disclosure and given to the Child Protection Lead or Principal. It is important that

only factual/neutral information is recorded. Please avoid opinion, suspicion and

subjective statements.

     Details of anyone else involved; conversations held with anyone else;
     witnesses’ e.g., parent, teacher or support staff member or other
     children/young people. Times, dates and factual information only please.

     Referral to designated person. Was this concern passed to the GLC, Principal,
     CPL? Was there any discussion or advice given that should be recorded?
     Times, dates and factual information only please.

Completed by member of staff or other person who has raised the child protection

concerns.

Name:                                                    Position:

Signature:                                               Date:

                                                                                       2/2

Transition to CPOMS

What is CPOMS?

As you may be aware Taaleem are investing
in CPOMS for all schools. CPOMS is the market
leading software application used for
monitoring child protection, safeguarding and a range of pastoral and welfare
issues. Working alongside the existing GIS safeguarding processes, CPOMS is an
intuitive system which assists with the management and recording of child
protection, behavioural, Bullying, SEN and domestic issues.

CPOMS allows all staff to record information online and ensure the relevant people
are alerted immediately. Senior leaders will be able to build a chronology around a
student and have the ability to produce reports on vulnerable pupil groups for Case
Conference Meetings, Governors and inspections. The major benefit of CPOMS
however is how it brings together all safeguarding and pastoral care concerns to
one place, alongside the necessary tools to analyse each child’s situation simply
and thoroughly. A common challenge in safeguarding practice is information or
communication ‘falling through the gaps’ as staff often have a raft of information
relating to a huge number of children, spread between a range of places.

The flexibility of CPOMS means the school can choose to monitor SEN, Behaviour,
medical issues or even reward systems alongside safeguarding, allowing the
academy to see how all the above and more can affect each other.

During the academic year 2020/2021 the school will be transitioning to the new
system and training staff along the way. As mentioned, this will work alongside our
current systems until fully operational.