Safeguarding
May 2019 On Line Safety Newsletter
Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy
Link to the Devon safeguarding children organisation
Link to NSPCC
Safeguarding our students
Our Safeguarding Officers:
Introduction
Safeguarding and Child Protection are the most important parts of everyone’s job at Hazeldown School. We ask
everybody who works with our students to follow the guidelines set out in this leaflet.
Whether you are a teacher, member of support staff, visitor or volunteer, we ask that you adhere to our policies and
procedures whilst you are at our school.
Visiting the School
In keeping with our Safeguarding Policy, the school operates a system of restricting unsupervised access to students for those adults who have not been vetted.
All adults who work regularly with our young people must undertake an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service
check which must be completed before you commence working with our young people.
Adults visiting the site for meetings will be accompanied throughout their visit and do not need to be checked. They
must sign in and out at Reception and wear a visitors badge at all times.
Any unidentified adult in the school should be reported to reception immediately.
Keeping Students Safe
We hope that you have an enjoyable visit to Hazeldown. As a visitor please remember the following simple rules:
• You may be working closely with students but always be visible to other people.
• You must not have any physical contact with any student.
• You must never exchange personal contact details with a student or arrange to meet them outside of the school environment.
• The use of cameras and taking photographs is not permitted unless prior permission has been sought.
• You must inform the school immediately if you become the subject the subject of any criminal investigation, caution or conviction. This helps to protect you as well as the young people you are working with.
Types of Harm
Everybody has the responsibility to keep all children under the age of 18 safe and this applies to both the home and school environment. Harm is identified in four ways:
• Physical – This is when a child is deliberately hurt or injured.
• Sexual – This is when a child is influenced or forced to take part in sexual activity. This can be physical or non-physical, eg. being made to look at an inappropriate image.
• Emotional – This is when a child is made to feel frightened, worthless or unloved. It can be by shouting, using threats or making fun of someone. It can also be when children see their parents, or visitors to the home, fighting or using violence.
• Neglect – This is when a child is not being taken care of by their parents. It can be poor hygiene, poor diet, not keeping appointments for additional support, not coming to school or being left at home alone.
• Extremism and Radicalisation – The holding of extreme political or religious views.
What should I do if I am worried about a student?
If whilst working with a student you become concerned about:
• Comments made by a student
• Marks or bruising on a student
• Changes in the student’s behaviour or demeanour
Please report these concerns to the class teacher, who, if they feel it is appropriate will pass the information on to one
of our Designated Child Protection Officers.
What should I do if a student discloses that she or he is being harmed?
Although the likelihood of this is small, it is important to know what to do in such an eventuality as children rarely lie about such matters.
• Listen to what is being said without displaying shock or disbelief; accept what is being said.
• Allow the student to talk freely.
• Reassure the student, but do not make promises that might not be possible to keep.
• Do not promise confidentiality but explain to the student that you may have to tell someone in order that they can provide appropriate help.
• Do not interrogate the student or ask leading questions. Use TED questions (Tell, Explain, Describe).
• Reassure the student that it is not their fault and stress that it was the right thing to tell.
• Do not ask the student to write a statement.
• Do not criticise the alleged perpetrator.
Immediately record details of the disclosure, including wherever possible, the exact words or phrases used by the
student. Forms for the recording of information of this nature are available from Reception, and should be completed and returned to one of our Designated Child Protection Officers to enable the matter to be dealt with in the most appropriate way. Please ensure you have signed and dated the record.
What should I do if I witness worrying behaviour by another adult in the school?
You should always report this to the Headteacher.
What should I do if the alleged abuser is a member of the school staff?
You should always report this to the Headteacher.
What should I do if the alleged abuser is the Headteacher?
You should report such allegations to the Chair of the Governors. Contact details can be obtained from the office.