The school will safeguard and promote the welfare of children who are pupils at the school in compliance with DCSF Guidance 'Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education'.
The safety and well being of all our pupils at Chafyn Grove School is our highest priority. Our business is to know everyone as an individual and to provide a secure and caring environment, so that every pupil can learn in safety. We expect respect, good manners and fair play to be shown by everyone so that every pupil can develop his/her full potential and feel positive about him/herself as an individual. All pupils should care for and support each other. We recognise the contribution the school can make to safeguard and support the pupils in our care through: prevention: positive school atmosphere, careful and vigilant teaching, pastoral care, support to pupils, providing good adult role models; protection: following agreed procedures, ensuring staff are trained and supported to respond appropriately and sensitively to child protection concerns support to pupils and staff and to children who may have been abused.
Transparency
Chafyn Grove School prides itself on its respect and mutual tolerance. Parents/guardians have an important role in supporting our school. Copies of this policy, together with our other policies relating to issues of child protection are on our web site, and we hope that parents and guardians will always feel able to take up any issues or worries that they may have with the school. We will never ignore an allegation of child abuse and will always investigate any concerns thoroughly. Open communications are essential.
See below for links to all our safeguarding policy documents
Safer Employment Practices
Chafyn Grove School follows the Government's recommendations for the safer recruitment and employment of staff who work with children. All members of the teaching and non-teaching staff at the school, including part-time staff, temporary and supply staff, and visiting staff, such as musicians and sports coaches, are checked with the Criminal Records Bureau before starting work. All Governors, volunteer helpers, contractors working regularly during term-time, such as contract catering staff, are also vetted. Our policies are reviewed by Governors annually. The Bursar holds a Central Record of the checks made for all staff. The Bursar also holds a single central record for every individual member of staff.
See our policy on Safer Recruitment (which is on our web site).
Raising Awareness
Helen Birchenough, is the Liaison Governor for Child Protection issues. She has had BSA Day Seminar Programme training (sponsored and supported by the DSEF) and Wiltshire LSCB Safeguarding Children Training (Level 2). She supports the Child Protection Officer through meetings to discuss the responsibilities involved in the role of CPO, the organisation of Child Protection matters and training and through finding out about best practice in other schools. The Governors formally consider child protection issues once a year, with day to day issues being delegated to its Education Sub-Committee. That Committee is responsible for:
Reviewing the procedures for and the efficiency with which the child protection duties have been discharged.
Ensuring that any deficiencies or weaknesses in child protection arrangements are remedied without delay.
Approving amendments to child protection arrangements in the light of changing Regulations or recommended best practice.
Child Protection Officer
Lynsey Hearsey, our Housemistress is our Child Protection Officer. She has been fully trained for the demands of this role in child protection and inter-Agency working. She regularly attends courses with other child support agencies to ensure that she remains conversant with best practice. She and her assistant, Carol Penfound, undergo refresher training every two years. She maintains links with the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) for Wiltshire and liaises closely with the CP Governor who then reports at least once a year to the Governors' Full Board meeting on child protection issues.
Lynsey Hearsey is responsible for:
Holding the school's copy of the current Wiltshire's Area Child Protection Procedures and being fully conversant with these procedures
Holding and being fully conversant with the school's copy of the inter-agency document for the protection of children from abuse.
Briefing the school staff (boarding and teaching) on the relevant contents of the guidance and procedures the school should follow as specified in this document - including the briefing of new staff as part of their induction at the school.
Ensuring the procedures are followed at the school
Ensuring that appropriate training and support are given to all staff
Ensuring that the Headmaster is kept informed of any concerns
Developing effective working relationships with other agencies and services
Receiving reports of alleged or suspected abuse within the school, or reported by a pupil relating to incidents at home or outside the school
Decide whether to take further action about specific concerns (eg refer to Social Services)
Liasing with Social Services department
Ensuring that accurate records relating to individuals are kept in a secure place and marked "Strictly Confidential"
Submitting reports to and attending Child Protection conferences
Ensuring the school effectively monitors children who have been identified as "at risk"
Providing guidance to parents, children and staff about obtaining suitable help
The school's records on child protection are kept locked in the Headmaster's office, and are separated from routine pupil records. Current cases are kept locked in the CPO's office. Access is restricted to the CPO and the Headmaster.
Induction and Training
Every new member of staff, including part-timers, temporary, visiting and contract staff working in school, receives basic training on their responsibilities in being alert to the signs of abuse and bullying and on the procedures for recording and referring any concerns to the Child Protection Officer or the Headmaster. Child protection training is also given to new Governors and volunteers. Everyone attends refresher training at least every three years. Training in child protection is an important part of the induction process. More detail is set out in our policy on Induction of New Staff, Governors and Volunteers in Child Protection.
Interaction with Pupils: Code of Conduct for Staff
New members of staff, Governors and volunteers are given copies of the school's policy on Interaction with Pupils: Code of Conduct for Staff. Discussion of the procedures set out in that document and in our staff handbook forms a vital part of our induction procedures. The code of conduct provides guidance for teachers and other members of staff, to ensure that their behaviour and actions do not place pupils or themselves at risk of harm or of allegations of harm to a pupil. It also provides guidance for staff when faced with handling any issue relating to child abuse. It is not intended to be a substitute for proper training.
The Code of Conduct is placed on the agenda of a staff meeting once a year, so that it can be reviewed and updated by the staff themselves, before being sent to Governors for approval. This code also contains guidance in the event that a child, a member of staff or a parent has reason for concern about a member of staff. This guidance is available for staff in the shared area.
See the following policies: Code of Conduct for staff Policy for Physical Restraint Whistleblowing Policy Flow chart 'Allegations against school staff' (below)
Raising Awareness with Pupils
Chafyn Grove School prides itself on its culture of open and effective communication between staff and pupils, and on its excellent pastoral support structures. We prepare all of our pupils to make reasoned, informed choices, judgments and decisions. Time is allocated in PSHE and tutor time for discussion of child abuse and in developing in pupils the confidence which they require to recognise abuse and to stay safe. This includes advice on how to deal with abuse by one or more pupils against another pupil.
All pupils know that there are adults or older pupils to whom they can turn to if they are worried.
All pupils have access to a telephone helpline, enabling them to call for support in private.
Every child has a homework diary which, from September 2010, will contain guidance on where to turn for advice, including confidential help lines and web addresses for external specialists such as ChildLine, Kidscape, Get Connected and the Samaritans. This information is also in every classroom.
Our Matrons' department and our boarding house display advice on where pupils can seek help.
We operate a peer counselling scheme, whereby trained older pupils are encouraged to offer advice and support to younger pupils.
We provide leadership training to our Eights Leaders which specifically covers the importance of offering support and assistance to younger and to vulnerable pupils.
Our Confidentiality Policy for pupils, which deals with the issue in more depth, has been discussed in PSHE.
See our Confidentiality for Pupils policy and Anti-Bullying Policy
Promotion of Welfare
The ethos of Chafyn Grove School is to promote social and moral well-being, to teach pupils to take care of and to value themselves, and to think in terms of making a positive contribution to society as adults. All our pupils take part in charitable activities. We see this as making an important contribution towards the development of the whole person, who grows up to value society and to expect to make a personal contribution towards the general.
Equal Treatment
Chafyn Grove School is committed to equal treatment for all, regardless of an individual's race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or social background.
We aim to create a friendly, caring and perceptive environment in which every individual is valued. We endeavour to contribute positively towards the growing autonomy, self-esteem and safety of each student.
Bullying
Bullying, harassment and victimisation and discrimination will not be tolerated. We treat all our pupils and their parents fairly and with consideration and we expect them to reciprocate towards each other, the staff and the school. Any kind of bullying is unacceptable.
See our Anti Bullying Policy
WHAT IS CHILD ABUSE?
The NSPCC defines child abuse as: "Child abuse is the term used when an adult harms a child or a young person under the age of 18 .Child abuse can take four forms, all of which can cause long term damage to a child: physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect and child sexual abuse. Bullying and domestic violence are also forms of child abuse.
"A child may be experiencing abuse if he or she is:
Frequently dirty, hungry or inadequately dressed
Left in unsafe situations, or without medical attention
Constantly "put down," insulted, sworn at or humiliated
Seems afraid of parents or carers
Severely bruised or injured
Displays sexual behaviour which doesn't seem appropriate for their age
Growing up in a home where there is domestic violence
Living with parents or carers involved in serious drug or alcohol abuse
"Remember, this list does not cover every child abuse possibility. You may have seen other things in the child's behaviour or circumstances that worry you.
"Abuse is always wrong and it is never the young person's fault."
Symptoms
The NSPCC lists some of the signs and behaviours which may indicate that a child is being abused:
repeated minor injuries
children who are dirty, smelly, poorly clothed or who appear underfed
children who have lingering illnesses which are not attended to, deterioration in school work, or significant changes in behaviour, aggressive behaviour, severe tantrums
an air of 'detachment' or 'don't care' attitude
overly compliant behaviour
a 'watchful attitude'
sexually explicit behaviour (e.g. playing games and showing awareness which is inappropriate for the child's age), continual open masturbation, aggressive and inappropriate sex play
a child who is reluctant to go home, or is kept away from school for no apparent reason
does not trust adults, particularly those who are close
'tummy pains' with no medical reason
eating problems, including over-eating, loss of appetite
disturbed sleep, nightmares, bed wetting
running away from home, suicide attempts
self inflicted wounds
reverting to younger behaviour
depression, withdrawal
relationships between child and adults which are secretive and exclude others
pregnancy
These signs are not evidence themselves; but may be a warning, particularly if a child exhibits several of them or a pattern emerges. It is important to remember that there may be other explanations for a child showing such signs. Abuse is not easy to diagnose, even for experts. There are four main forms of child abuse:
Emotional Abuse
This is where children are harmed by lack of love and affection, or threats, verbal attacks, taunting or shouting. Refusing or failing to give adequately love and affection is a case of emotional neglect.
Emotion abuse includes :
Terrorising, teasing, tormenting a child
Withdrawing/withholding attention, affection, emotional care
Persistently blaming, rejecting and isolating a child
Derogatory remarks about a person's race, gender, physical characteristics, names and academic or sporting abilities or lack of ability
Breaking confidentiality/using pupils' problems as gossip or humour
Systematically denying a child privacy or access to needed emotional support
Ascribing nicknames that are offensive or derogatory and unwanted by the child
Shunning, rubbishing or publicising concerns of the child
Persistently ignoring the child
Physical Abuse
Where a parent (or other) physically hurts, injures or kills a child. This can be by hitting, shaking, squeezing, burning or biting. It can also involve giving a child poisonous substances, inappropriate drugs and alcohol and attempted suffocation or drowning.
Physical abuse includes :
Displeasure shown by physical assault
Loss of temper or control leading to assault
Restraint that leads to bruising or injury
Idiosyncratic punishments that cause injury
Bullying that leads to physical assault
Over-chastisement/excessive discipline
Corporal punishment causing actual bodily harm
Sexual Abuse
When adults seek sexual gratification by using children. This may be by having sexual intercourse or anal intercourse, engaging with the child in fondling, masturbation or oral sex and includes encouraging children to watch sexually explicit behaviour or pornographic material including videos.
Sexual abuse includes :
Genital and sexual contact between a child and an adult/another person
Penetration - oral, vaginal or anal
Genital exposure
Exposing children to pornographic materials
Any act where the child is the object of another's sexual gratification
NB It is well recognised that children find it hard to tell and that adults find it hard to hear and believe allegations of sexual abuse.
Neglect
Where parents (or others) fail to meet the basic essential needs of children, like adequate food, clothes, warmth and medical care. Leaving young children alone and unsupervised is an example of neglect.
Neglect includes :
Children who are left alone inappropriately
Children who are abandoned
Children who are inappropriately supervised
Children who are left with inappropriate carers
Children who are punitively or carelessly deprived of food
Children from whom necessary medical attention is withheld or omitted
COMPLAINTS
We hope that you and your child do not have any complaints about our school; but copies of the School's complaints procedure can be sent to you on request.