All schools must have arrangements in place to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils. Protecting from harm and neglect has a wide application. It includes practices such as female circumcision (female genital mutilation) and forced marriage. Schools have a duty to act on these matters and where they suspect that a child in at risk. If you suspect a child is at risk you must report it to a senior designated member of staff immediately. The DCSF issued guidance in June 2004. The Department of Health has also issued guidance on what you should do if you think a child is being abused. The phrase ‘safeguarding children’ has taken over from ‘child protection’.

What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused 2006. Safeguarding Children in Education 2004. Guidance for Safe Working Practice for the Protection of Children and Staff in Education Settings (IRSC2005). More information at: www.teachernet.gov.uk
Quick Guides Child Protection (CP) Section under Management of Pupils.

Safeguarding Children in Education Circular 005/2008
Guidance is issued by Welsh Ministers in the exercise of the powers conferred on the National Assembly by Section 175 of the Education Act 2002 and now vested in the Welsh Ministers in accordance with Schedule 11 of the Government of Wales Act 2006. This supplements guidance in Safeguarding Children: Working together under the Childcare Act 2004 published in March 2007 and should be read in conjunction with All Wales Child Protection Procedures published in April 2008.

Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCB)

These replaced Area Child Protection Committees (ACPC) on 1 April 2006. Each Children’s Services Authority (CSA) will have an LSCB, although it will be possible for CSAs to join together to run a joint Board. Each Board must develop policies and procedures to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in the CSA area, including:

• action to be taken where there are concerns about a child’s safety or welfare, including thresholds for intervention;
• training of persons working with children or in services affecting the safety and welfare of children;
• recruitment and supervision of persons who work with children;
• investigation of allegations concerning persons who work with children;
• safety and welfare of children who are privately fostered;
• co-operation with neighbouring children’s services authorities and their Board partners;
• communicating to persons and bodies in the area of the authority the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Raising their awareness of how this can best be done, and encouraging them to do so;
• monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of what is done by the authority and their Board partners individually and collectively to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and advising them of ways to improve;
• participating in the planning of services for children in the area; and
• undertaking reviews of serious cases and advising the authority and their Board partners on lessons to be learned.

Local Safeguarding Children Boards Regulations 2006.

The Education of Looked After Children

New regulations require admission authorities in England to give priority to children who are looked after by any LA under s22 of the Children Act 1989 (so long as the LA expects the child to remain looked after at the time of the proposed admission).However, there are provisos.

The priority does not prevent schools giving priority on the grounds of ability or aptitude or religious faith. If an LA or school prioritises admissions in ability bands in order to spread ability evenly, the looked after children will have priority within their own band, but not over children in any other band.

Education (Admission of Looked After Children) (England) Regulations 2006). Quick Guides CP11 Example of a Policy for Looked After Children (LAC).

Each school must have policies and must train staff and appoint a ‘designated teacher’ with responsibility for safeguarding children and liaison with the governing body’s ‘nominated governor’. There must also be a designated deputy.

• who the designated and deputy designated teacher are;
• the common categories of abuse and how to recognise the main characteristics: neglect; physical injury; sexual abuse; emotional abuse; and
• what the school’s safeguarding children procedures are.

Confidentiality

You should be aware of the need for confidentiality about a pupil. But you cannot guarantee to a pupil that you will keep confidential anything they want to tell you. You can tell them that you will only tell the designated teacher. Such reports can be kept on computer and are exempt from the data protection provisions.

In October 2008 HM Government issued extensive guidance on information sharing, including a pocket guide which can be accessed at: www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/deliveringservices/informationsharing

You should also be aware of the school’s Sex and Relationships: Confidentiality Policy.

The Government’s child protection guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children outlines the roles and responsibilities of statutory agencies, professionals, the voluntary sector and the wider community. It provides advice on what should happen if somebody has concerns about the welfare of a child.

Children’s Commissioner www.childrenscommissioner.org

Working Together to Safeguard Children Department of Health; Home Office and DfEE 2006. Quick Guides CP3 Sex and Relationships: Framework for a Confidentiality Policy.