What our students can expect at DHLNW.
| The designated lead for safeguarding and child protection is: | Ali Reza (07738298824) |
|---|---|
| The deputy designated lead is: | Nigat Zaman |
| The Proprietor is: | Abdul Musabbir |
| The Nominated Safeguarding and Child Protection Governor(Proprietor)is: | Abdul Musabbir |
| The LA Designated Officer for Oldham is: | Jim Stewart (Jim.Stewart@oldham.gov.uk | 0161 770 8870 / 07583 101 863) |
| Oldham –Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub(MASH): | MASH, Level 9, Civic Centre, West Street, Oldham, OL1 1UT (child.mash@oldham.gov.uk | 0161 770 7777) |
1.1 The Child Protection, health, safety and well-being of all our children are of paramount importance to all the adults who work in our school. Our children have the right to protection, regardless of age, gender, race, culture or disability. They have a right to be safe in our school. This policy is in compliance with Keeping Children safe in education statutory guidance for schools and colleges September 2019.
1.2 In our school we respect our children. The atmosphere within our school is one that encourages all children to do their best. We provide opportunities that enable our children to take and make decisions for themselves.
Darul Hadis Latifiah Northwest fully recognises its responsibilities for child protection. This policy is in line with the procedures agreed through the Oldham Partnership (formerly known as LSCB) and is available to parents upon request.
Our policy applies to all staff and volunteers working in the school. The five main elements to our policy are to:
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:
We will follow the procedures set out by the Oldham Partnership and take account of guidance issued by the DfE to:
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 When at school their behaviour may be challenging and defiant or they may be withdrawn.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 pupil through:
1.3 Our teaching of personal, social and health education and citizenship, as part of the National Curriculum, (British values incorporated into Islamic Studies) helps to develop appropriate attitudes in our children and makes them aware of the impact of their decisions on others. We also teach them how to recognise different risks in different situations, and how to behave in response to them.
1.4 This policy is made available online also to parents upon request.
2.1 This policy ensures that all staff in our school are clear about the actions necessary with regard to a child protection issue. Its aims are:
Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating, or otherwise causing physical harm to a child
Sexual abuse involve forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative (such as rape or buggery) or non-penetrative acts. They may include involving children in looking at, or in the production of, pornographic material, or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways
Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional ill-treatment of a child causing severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development, often by:
Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in serious impairment of the child’s health or development, such as failing to provide adequate food, shelter and clothing; or neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.
All the above definitions were taken from the guidance document What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused (as revised in 2006.) This guidance is current.
4.1 Mr Ali Reza is the Child Protection officer also known as the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), he may delegate this responsibility in some circumstances to e.g.Headteacher/deputy Headteacher, deputy safeguarding lead.
4.2 The procedures for dealing with abuse by pupils against another pupil is that it should be referred immediately to the DSL who will ensure that due procedures are followed and limited to collecting the evidence and then passing this to the MASH for advice on how to proceed.
4.3 If any teacher suspects that a child in his class may be a victim of abuse, they immediately inform the DSL about their concerns. Abuse can be of a sexual, emotional or physical nature. It can also be the result of neglect.
4.3 Any action that the DSL takes when dealing with an issue of child protection must be in line with the procedures outlined in the LA Child Protection guidelines.
4.5 The DSL works closely with the Social Services department and the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) when investigating any allegations of abuse. All parties involved handle such investigations in a sensitive manner, but the interest of the child is of paramount importance.
4.6 If a child alleges abuse, the school usually makes a referral without communicating with parents first. In some circumstances we inform parents first. We make it clear that when interviewing, the interviewer must not ask leading questions. All evidence is carefully documented.
4.7 If a child protection referral is made, a case conference is held in due course. The case conference offers the opportunity to share information and formulate a plan of action. Staff are expected to attend and participate in all case conferences and meetings held under the LA guidelines.
4.8 We regard all information relating to individual child protection issues as confidential, and we treat this accordingly. We only pass information on to appropriate persons. We inform the child at all stages of who is involved, and what information we have given them. It is made clear in interviewing that confidentiality cannot be promised to a pupil giving evidence.
4.9 If there is any abuse or allegation on the school premises, Ofsted will be informed as soon as reasonably practical.
4.10 The local safeguarding board will be informed and provided with written evidence within 24 hours of a disclosure or suspicion of abuse and the school will take no further action until the advice of the local safeguarding board has been obtained.
We use guidance from the ‘Use of reasonable force in school’ July 2013.
(https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/444051/Use_of_reasonable_force_advice_Reviewed_July_2015.pdf)
If attempts to avoid the use of force or avert a difficult situation have failed, then the teacher or staff member may wish to attempt a passive intervention. For example, if two younger pupils are fighting, it may be that simply stepping between them will be enough to bring the situation to a halt.
Similarly, if a child is trying to leave the school premises when s/he ought not to, the teacher may choose as a first step to block the exit until the child calms down and listens to him or her.
If passive intervention does not work then more active physical steps may be required. In all cases the staff member should try to use the minimum amount of force possible, for as short a time as possible.
If a child is refusing to leave a classroom but is not showing signs of violence, the teacher may simply place a hand on the child’s back and steer, or usher him out of the room.
In more extreme cases it may become necessary to use restrictive holds to prevent a pupil from harming him or herself, others or property.
Wherever possible the staff member should seek help from another staff member before attempting this type of physical intervention. This is essential where a teacher is dealing with a large number of disruptive pupils or with an older pupil who may have significant physical strength.
It is important not to lose sight of the fact that the teacher should be mindful of his or her own safety, and of that of other pupils affected by the disruptive conduct.
If the teacher does not feel confident that s/he can safely use force or restraint in an extreme situation, the focus should shift to removing other pupils and the teacher from harm.
The use of physical restraint or force should be a last resort, to be used where there is a very clear risk of a pupil coming to serious harm if the conduct is not stopped. This doesn’t just mean violent situations. If a smaller child on a school trip is misbehaving near a road the teacher would be justified in grabbing the child to prevent him from running in front of a vehicle.
A further factor to take into account is that wherever possible the staff member using force or restraint should try to avoid harming the pupil who is being restrained.
The best way to reduce risk of harm to the pupil is to provide training in safe techniques, and to design strategies for dealing with disruptive children in advance.
In the most extreme situations harming the pupil may be unavoidable, but every effort should be made to keep harm to the minimum.
The Headteacher uses Insets to share guidance and advise all staff (teachers, assistants and volunteers) on how to avoid putting themselves at risk of allegations. We have also used the guidance from ‘Keeping children safe in education’.
It is essential that any allegation of abuse made against a teacher or other member of staff or volunteer in an education setting is dealt with fairly, quickly, and consistently, in a way that provides effective protection for the child, and at the same time supports the person who is the subject of the allegation.
It should be recognised that a child or young person may seek you out to share information about abuse or neglect, or talk spontaneously individually or in group when you are present. In these situations you should:
6.1 Members of staff should be aware that children and young people are vulnerable to physical,sexual and emotional bullying by their peers. Any incidents of abuse by children or young people should be taken as seriously as abuse perpetrated by an adult, and reported to the designated safeguarding lead or other nominated designated safeguarding staff immediately. Staff should be alert to the possibility that a child or young person who has harmed another may also be a victim and therefore have unmet needs themselves. However, the interests of the victim must always be the paramount consideration and staff should be alert to the fact that there is likely to be a risk to children other than the current victim.
6.2 A disclosure or allegation of abuse should always be referred to the local authority MASH team for assessment.
6.3 Handling allegations, particularly serious ones, is a complex and delicate process. All allegations need to be taken seriously. Good record-keeping is essential to the success of child protection practices.
6.4 The role of the headteacher is limited to collecting the evidence and then passing this to the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) for advice on how to proceed.
Procedure and arrangements for dealing with allegations of abuse
We use the guidelines set in ‘keeping children safe in education’.
LADO
Jim Stewart
LSCB
Oldham Council
Level 4 Civic Centre
West Street
Oldham
OL1 1UT
Telephone: 0161 770 8870 / 07583101863
Email: Jim.Stewart@oldham.gov.uk or olscb@oldham.gov.uk
7.1 We ensure that we meet the most recent guidance in implementing the new vetting and barring scheme for all those working with children and young people. A new duty to share information and a set of increased safeguards have been introduced under the Vetting and Barring Scheme, as administered by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
The DCSF advises that the following checks should be made on all people working in an education service:
The school makes it obligatory prior to accepting successful candidates to apply to the Bureau for a enhanced Disclosure, which will contain information about their criminal record.
7.4 We require all persons in regular contact with pupils including volunteers and staff employed by other organisations to have their application vetted through police records in order to ensure that there is no evidence of offences involving children or abuse. The disclosure will be made annually for every person in regular contact with pupils including volunteers and staff employed by other organisations for the safety o our children.
7.5 There may be times when adults in our school, in the course of their duty, use physical intervention to restrain children. The Headteacherr equires the adult involved in any such incident to report this to him immediately.
7.6 All adults in the school receive regular training to raise their awareness of abuse and their knowledge of agreed local child protection procedures; this is done during teacher training days. All staff have been issued with an information pack detailing the procedures and issues pertaining to child protection. The DSL will undertake training in child protection at least once every two years. All other adults in the school will receive training and updates at least once every two years.
7.7 The school also reports to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). within one month of leaving the school any person whose services are no longer used because they are considered unsuitable to work with pupils.
8.1 We recognise that all matters relating to child protection are confidential.
8.2 The Headteacher or Designated Lead will disclose personal information about a pupil to other members of staff on a ‘need to know’ basis only.
8.3 All staff must be aware that they have a professional responsibility to share sensitive information with other agencies in order to safeguard children.
8.4 All staff must be aware that they cannot promise a child to keep secrets which might compromise the child’s safety or well-being, or that of any other.
8.5 We understand that staff should have access to advice on the boundaries of appropriate behaviour. The document “Guidance for Safer Working Practice for Adults who work with Children and Young People” (DCSF 2015http://www.safeguardinginschools.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Guidance-for-Safer-Working-Practices-2015-final1.pdf) provides advice on this and circumstances which should be avoided in order to limit complaints againststaff of abuse, and/or allegations of physical or sexual abuse. These matters are referred to in the staff handbook.
8.6 This school is committed to safer recruitment and the suitability of all staff at the school. The Headteacher and a Governor will undertake approved safer recruitment training in line with statutory requirements.
8.7 School ensures that there is safe practice followed in checking the suitability of staff to work at the school. All school staff have undertaken an enhanced DBS check.
8.8 School ensures that visitors or contractors who visit the school premises are appropriately ‘risk assessed’. The identity of visitors/contractors are checked on arrival. School seeks assurances from employers that visitors/contractors have undergone a DBS check where appropriate, and for those for whom a DBS check has not been undertaken, are supervised at all times if they are likely to come into contact with children or young people.
The Proprietor of the school has in place appropriate safeguarding responses to children who go missing from education, particularly on repeat occasions, to help children identify the risk of abuse and neglect including sexual abuse or exploitation and to help prevent the risks of their going missing in future.
All school staff are aware of the range of potential indicators that a girl may be at risk of FGM. Staff are also aware that from October 2015 teachers (along with social workers and health care professionals) will have a statutory duty under section 5B of the Female Genital mutilation Act 2003 (as inserted sec 74 of the serious crime Act 2015) by to report to statutory services where they discover that FGM appears to have been carried out on a girl under 18.
Protecting children from the risk of radicalisation is seen as part of the school’s wider safeguarding duties. The governing body is aware that from 1st July 2015 are subject to a duty under the Counter –Terrorism Act 2015 to have due regard to the need to prevent people being drawn into terrorism. As with managing other safeguarding risks, staff should be alert to changes in children’s behaviour which could indicate that they are in need of help or protection. Designated safeguarding staff will use their professional judgement in identifying children who may be at risk of radicalisation and act proportionately which may include making a referral to the channel programme.
The sexual exploitation of children and young people takes different forms. It is often difficult for these children to accept that they are being exploited but they are always forced in some way into such a lifestyle by others. For example, it is common for a boy to think that the person who controls every aspect of his life is his friend and he will remain loyal to him even when he forces him into having sex with others and in some cases resorts to violence to ensure compliance. Similarly, girls abused through prostitution rarely see themselves as victims of abusive sexual behaviour. Forfurther information on signs and symptoms see the Oldham Local Safeguarding Children Board website.
Children with disabilities and SEN have an increased risk and vulnerability to abusive situation because they may need intimate care and may have cognitive impairments that prevent an understanding of appropriate adult behavoiur. A lack of effective communication skills to share concerns and reliance on adults can also be important factors. The challenge for schools and care providers is to ensure that the need for privacy and dignity is balanced by protection from harm.
Safeguarding children and young people with SEN requires understanding, foresight and reflection. Keeping children safe from harm in schools relies on all staff being able to recognize the raised risk factors, identify young people with the greatest levels of risk and create focused action plans that sufficiently respond to their needs. Keeping open dialogue between staff and raising the importance of safeguarding across the school is essential.
The headteacher regularly reviews any incidents detailed in the interventions book. This policy is reviewed annually by the proprietor and headteacher. If there are any deficiencies or weaknesses in child protection arrangements recognised by the Headteacher or any other party, they will be remedied immediately.
Headteacher: Salman Ahmed Chowdhury
Last Reviewed: December 2019, Next Review December 2020 | Approved by the Proprietor
