This policy is available on our school website and is available on request from the school office. We also inform parents and carers about this policy when their children join our school and through our school newsletter.
We recognise the expertise our staff build by undertaking safeguarding training and managing safeguarding concerns on a daily basis and we therefore invite staff to contribute to and shape this policy and associated safeguarding arrangements.
The policy is provided to all staff at induction alongside our Staff Code of Conduct, behaviour policy and the safeguarding response to those pupils who are absent from education.
This policy will be reviewed in full by the Governing Board on an annual basis. This policy was last reviewed and agreed by the Governing Board on September 1st 2024. It is due for review on September 1st 2025.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Procedures for
Managing Concerns |
|
|
Recording &
Information Sharing |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Managing
Allegations and Concerns Use
of premises for non-school/college activities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Appendices |
|
|
1 |
Recording form for
reporting concerns |
|
2 |
Induction checklist for
staff & volunteers |
|
3 |
Safeguarding Information
for Visitors |
1.
PURPOSE & AIMS
1.1 The
purpose of CEDEC International School’s safeguarding policy is to ensure every
child who is a registered pupil at our school is safe and protected from harm.
This means we will always work to:
- Provide help and support to meet the
needs of children and young people as soon as problems emerge;
- Protect children from maltreatment,
whether that is within or outside the home, including online
- Prevent impairment of our children’s and
young people’s mental and physical health or development;
- Ensure that children and young people at
our school grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe
and effective care;
- Undertake that role so as to enable
children and young people at our school to have the best outcomes.
1.2 This
policy will give clear direction to all staff including supply staff,
volunteers, visitors and parents about expected behaviour and our legal
responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children at our
school.
1.3 Our
school fully recognises the contribution it can make to protect children from
harm and supporting and promoting the welfare of all children who are
registered pupils at our school. The
elements of our policy are prevention, protection and support.
1.4 We
recognise that our safeguarding responsibilities are clearly linked to our
responsibilities for ensuring that appropriate safeguarding responses are in
place for children who are absent from school or who go missing from education,
particularly for prolonged periods and/or on repeat occasions. The Attendance
Lead will regularly liaise with the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and the
Assistant Safeguarding Lead (ASL) to discuss all persistently absent pupils and
those who go missing to identify the risk of abuse and neglect including sexual
abuse or exploitation and to ensure that appropriate safeguarding responses
have been put in place to reduce the risk of future harm.
1.5 This policy applies to all pupils,
staff, parents, governors, volunteers and visitors.
1.6 This
Policy defines the following terms:
·
Safeguarding: Safeguarding is a term we use to describe how we
protect children, young people and vulnerable adults from abuse or neglect.
·
Child Protection: Child Protection is a process for responding to
children who are suffering or likely to suffer significant harm due to abuse or
neglect.
·
2.1 The
child’s welfare is of paramount importance. Our school will establish and
maintain an ethos where pupils feel secure, are encouraged to talk, are
listened to and are safe. Children at
our school will be able to talk freely to any member of staff at our school if
they are worried or concerned about something. All staff will reassure victims that they are being taken
seriously and that they will be supported and kept safe. Victims will never be
given the impression that they are creating a problem by reporting abuse,
sexual violence or sexual harassment.
2.2 Everyone who comes into
contact with children and their families has a role to play in safeguarding
children. We recognise that CEDEC International Schools’ staff play a
particularly important role as they are in a position to identify concerns
early and provide help for children to prevent concerns from escalating. All staff are advised to maintain an
attitude of ‘it could happen here’
where safeguarding is concerned. When concerned about the welfare of a
child, staff members must always act in the best interests of the child.
2.3 At CEDEC International Schools we ensure that safeguarding and
child protection is at the forefront and underpin all relevant aspects of
process and policy development. We operate with the best interests of the child
at their heart.
2.4 Where there is a safeguarding
concern, the child’s wishes and feelings are taken into account when
determining what action to take and what services to provide. The systems we
have in place are well promoted, easily understood and easily accessible for children
to confidently report abuse, knowing their concerns will be treated seriously,
and knowing they can safely express their views and give feedback.
2.5 All staff
and regular visitors will, through training and induction, know how to
recognise indicators of concern, how to respond to a disclosure from a child
and how to record and report this information. We will not make promises to any
child and we will not keep secrets.
Every child will know what the adult will have to do with any
information they have chosen to disclose. All staff will be trained to
recognise that children may not feel ready or know how to tell someone that
they are being abused, exploited, or neglected, and/or they may not recognise
their experiences as harmful.
2.6 Throughout our broad and balanced curriculum, we will provide
activities and opportunities for children to develop the knowledge, values and
skills they need to identify risks, including knowing when and how to ask for
help for themselves and others to stay safe (this includes online). The
Personal Social Health and Economic Education (PSHE ED), delivered in
regularly timetabled lessons and reinforced throughout the whole curriculum will cover relevant topics in an age and stage appropriate way,
enabling pupils to learn about their rights and responsibilities to behave and
stay safe in a variety of contexts on and offline. This will provide further
reinforcement to help children identify risks, know when to seek support and
develop the skills to ask for help from trustworthy, reliable sources.
We achieve this by:
·
Weekly PSHE lessons to teach pupils about
recognising unhealthy relationships, managing peer pressure, and staying safe
online, using age-appropriate resources. Topics such as consent, online fraud,
and emotional well-being are introduced progressively, ensuring relevance and
understanding at each key stage.
·
Cross-curricular integration in subjects
like ICT, pupils learn about secure passwords, phishing scams, and digital
footprints. In English, analysing characters' decisions in literature, to
create discussions about trust and responsibility. In Science, lessons on
personal health link to recognising signs of physical or mental harm.
·
Whole-school initiatives like assemblies
on Anti-Bullying Week focus on real-life stories and emphasise how to report
concerns. Annual Safer Internet Day includes pupil-led presentations on online
gaming risks and managing screen time.
·
Practical skill development where pupils
participate in role-plays during PSHE to practise saying no to peer pressure,
or in school clubs to showcase or highlight various aspects of safeguarding.
·
Open communication channels including a
“Worry Box” in each classroom allows pupils to share concerns anonymously.
Additionally, weekly class teacher check-ins encourage pupils to discuss any
issues in a safe, supportive setting.
·
Parental and community engagements
including workshops for parents during the Parents Forum will cover
topics such as monitoring children's screen time, abuse awareness and
recognising signs of exploitation. The school will work closely with external
agencies to provide timely interventions when needed.
·
Staff training and awareness like regular
CPD sessions to ensure staff can identify safeguarding issues early, including
subtle signs of neglect or exploitation, and clear protocols for escalating
concerns ensure all staff know how to act swiftly and appropriately.
The PSHE education is underpinned by the school’s behaviour policy and
pastoral support system.
2.7 At all
times we will work in partnership and endeavour to establish effective working
relationships with parents, carers and colleagues from other schools and agencies.
2.8 As part
of our responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children,
we will provide a co-ordinated offer of early help when additional needs of
children are identified. These may include if a child:
·
is disabled or has certain health conditions and has specific
additional needs
·
has special educational needs
·
has a mental health need
·
is a young carer
·
is showing signs of being drawn in to anti-social or criminal
behaviour, including gang involvement and association with organised crime
groups or county lines
·
is frequently missing/goes missing from education, care or from
home
·
has experienced multiple suspensions, is at risk of being
permanently excluded from schools, colleges and in Alternative Provision or a
Pupil Referral Unit
·
is misusing drugs or alcohol themselves
·
is at risk of modern slavery, trafficking or exploitation
·
is in a family circumstance presenting challenges for the child,
such as substance abuse, adult mental health problems or domestic abuse
·
is at risk of being radicalised or exploited
·
is at risk of ‘honour’-based abuse such as Female Genital Mutilation
or Forced Marriage
·
is a privately fostered child
·
has a family member in custody, or is affected by parental
offending
2.9 At CEDEC International Schools we understand the importance of
working in a way that adheres to the following legislation:
·
The Human Rights Act 1998
·
Equality Act 2010
This means we
do not unlawfully discriminate against pupils because of their sex, race,
disability, religion or belief, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity,
or other protected characteristics.
As a
multi-campus school, this policy document applies to all our campuses, and the
Head of Safeguarding/Safeguarding Governor, is in charge of four DSLs and four
ASLs in our four campuses.
The table
below applies to the Lekki campus only.
|
Role |
Name |
Contact details |
|
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) |
Maryann Eric |
m.pam@cedecinternationalschools.org |
|
Assistant Safeguarding Lead (ASL) |
Lauren Nebenu |
c.nebenu@cedecinternationalschools.org |
|
Headteacher/Principal |
Caroline Mbabie |
c.mbabie@cedecinternationalschools.org |
|
Head of Safeguarding (4 campuses) |
Chibuzo Unachukwu |
c.unachukwu@cedecinternationalschools.org |
|
Chair of Governors / Trustees (4 campuses) |
Dr. Nonye Egekwu |
n.egekwu@cedecinternationalschools.org |
3.1 It is the
responsibility of every member of
staff, volunteer and regular visitor to our school to ensure that they carry
out the requirements of this policy and, at all times, work in a way that will
safeguard and promote the welfare of all of the pupils at this school. This
includes the responsibility to provide a safe environment in which children can
learn.
The
Governing Board
3.2 The
Governing Board of CEDEC International Schools is accountable for ensuring the
effectiveness of this policy and our compliance with it. Although our Governing
Board takes collective responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of
our pupils, we also have a named governor who champions safeguarding within the
school.
3.3 The
Governing Board will ensure that:
·
The safeguarding policy is in place, is reviewed annually, is
available publicly via our school website and has been written in line with Local
and British International Policy guidelines.
·
The school contributes to inter-agency working in line with
Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023);
·
A senior member of staff from leadership team is designated to
take the lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection and that
there is at least one Assistant Safeguarding Lead who is an appropriately
trained member to deal with any issues in the absence of the Designated
Safeguarding Lead (DSL). There will always be cover for this role. The role
will be evidenced explicitly in the role holder’s job description.
·
All staff receive a safeguarding induction and are provided with a
softcopy of this policy, the staff code of conduct, the behaviour policy and
the school’s safeguarding response for those pupils who are absent from
education as detailed in section 6 of this policy.
·
All staff undertake appropriate child protection training that is
updated annually and online safety training;
·
In terms of filtering and monitoring there is consideration to the
number of and age range of children, those who are potentially at greater risk
of harm and how often they access the IT system along with the proportionality
of costs versus safeguarding risks.
·
Procedures are in place for dealing with allegations against
members of staff and volunteers in line with statutory guidance;
·
Safer recruitment practices are followed in accordance with our
Safer Recruitment Policy.
·
They remedy without delay any weakness in regard to our
safeguarding arrangements that are brought to their attention.
3.4 The Governing
Board will receive a safeguarding report at each meeting that will record the
training that has taken place, the number of staff attending and any
outstanding training requirements for the school. It will also record all safeguarding activity
that has taken place, for example, meetings attended, reports written, training
or induction given. It will not identify
individual pupils.
The
Headteacher
3.5 At CEDEC
International Schools the Headteacher is responsible for:
·
Identifying a senior member of staff from leadership team to be
the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL);
·
Identifying alternate members of staff to act as the Assistant Safeguarding
Lead (ASL) in his/her absence to ensure there is always cover for the role;
·
Ensuring that the policies and procedures adopted by the Governing
Board, particularly concerning referrals of cases of suspected abuse and
neglect, are followed by all staff;
·
Ensuring that all staff and volunteers feel able to raise concerns
about poor or unsafe practice and such concerns are addressed sensitively in
accordance with agreed whistle-blowing procedures;
The
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
3.6 The
Designated Safeguarding Lead is a senior member of staff, from the
leadership
team who takes lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection within
our school. The DSL will carry out their role in accordance with the
responsibilities outlined in this policy
·
The DSL will provide advice and support to other staff on child
welfare and child protection matters. Any concern for a child’s safety or
welfare will be recorded in writing and given to the DSL.
·
During term time the designated safeguarding lead and or assistant
will always be available (during school or college hours) for staff in the
school or college to discuss any safeguarding concerns. If in exceptional circumstances, a DSL is not
available on the school site in person, we will ensure that they are available
via telephone and/or any other relevant media.
·
The DSL at CEDEC International School may represent our school at
child protection conferences and core group meetings. Through appropriate training, knowledge and
experience our DSL will liaise with Children’s Services and other agencies
where necessary, and make referrals of suspected abuse to Children’s Services,
take part in strategy discussions and other interagency meetings and contribute
to the assessment of children.
·
The DSL will maintain records and child protection files ensuring
that they are kept confidential and stored securely (see section 7 for more
information.)
·
The DSL is responsible for ensuring that all staff members and
volunteers are aware of our policy and the procedure they need to follow. They
will ensure that all staff, volunteers and regular visitors have received
appropriate child protection information during induction and have been trained
within the school.
·
The DSL(s) will work with the headteacher and senior leaders,
taking lead responsibility for promoting educational outcomes by knowing the
welfare, safeguarding and child protection issues that children in need are
experiencing, or have experienced, and identifying the impact that these issues
might be having on children’s attendance, engagement and achievement.
·
This will include understanding their academic progress and attainment
and maintaining a culture of high aspirations for this cohort and supporting
teaching staff to provide additional academic support or reasonable adjustments
to help children who have or have had a social worker reach their potential.
·
We recognise that a child’s experiences of adversity and trauma
can leave them vulnerable to further harm, as well as educationally
disadvantaged in facing barriers to attendance, learning, behaviour, and mental
health. The DSL will use the information that they hold about children with a
social worker to make decisions in the best interests of the child’s safety,
welfare and help promote educational outcomes. The DSL will
ensure that staff, know who these children are, understand their academic
progress and attainment and maintain a culture of high aspirations for this
cohort; supporting teaching staff to identify the challenges that children in
this group might face and the additional academic support and adjustments that
they could make to best support these children.
·
The DSL will take the lead responsibility for
understanding the filtering and monitoring systems and processes in place at
the school.
Role of the
Head of Safeguarding
3.7 The Head of Safeguarding leads the DSLs
and ASLs in all CEDEC International Schools’ campuses.
·
The Head of Safeguarding is in charge of developing, implementing,
and regularly reviewing the overarching safeguarding policy to ensure
compliance with statutory guidelines. Additionally, they will ensure
safeguarding strategies are consistently applied across all campuses, tailored
to each campus’ specific contexts and needs. The Head of Safeguarding will lead
the network of DSLs and ASLs, providing clear guidance, mentoring, and
oversight to ensure uniform safeguarding practices.
·
The Head of Safeguarding will receive and analyse safeguarding
reports from each campus, ensuring they are comprehensive, anonymised, and meet
the Governing Board’s requirements. They will then present safeguarding
activity summaries to the Governing Board, highlighting training updates,
inter-agency collaboration, and system improvements.
·
The Head of Safeguarding will serve as a primary liaison between
CEDEC International Schools and external safeguarding bodies. They will ensure
the school contributes effectively to inter-agency work, including child
protection conferences and strategy discussions.
·
The Head of Safeguarding is in charge of DSL and ASL trainings, providing
advanced training and updates to DSLs and ASLs to maintain expertise in
safeguarding leadership, including coordinating safeguarding training across
campuses to ensure all staff, volunteers, and governors are up to date with
statutory requirements and best practices.
·
Ensuring safeguarding records are accurately maintained,
confidential, and securely stored across all campuses. Regularly auditing
safeguarding practices in each campus to identify and address potential
weaknesses or gaps in implementation.
·
Offering advice and practical support to DSLs and ASLs on complex
safeguarding cases, ensuring decisions align with best practices and the
child’s best interests. Promoting a culture where all staff feel confident in
identifying and reporting safeguarding concerns promptly and effectively.
·
Ensuring all campuses adhere to the approved safeguarding
policies, including referral procedures, whistle-blowing protocols, and
responses to allegations against staff.
·
Monitoring the implementation of IT filtering and monitoring
systems across campuses to ensure proportionality and effectiveness in
protecting pupils online.
·
Supporting DSLs in ensuring children with safeguarding concerns
receive the necessary educational adjustments to achieve their potential. Maintaining
a high-aspirations culture for vulnerable pupils, helping staff identify and
overcome barriers to attendance, engagement, and achievement.
4. TRAINING & INDUCTION
4.1 When new
staff join our school they will be informed of the safeguarding arrangements in
place. They will be given access to a soft copy of our school’s safeguarding
policy along with the staff code of conduct, and told who our Head of
Safeguarding, Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and Assistant Safeguarding
Lead (ASL) are. They will also receive access to a soft copy of the behaviour
policy and the school’s response to children who are absent from education –
this information is included in section 6 of this policy. All staff are
expected to read these key documents. They will also be provided with
information via training sessions about how to record and report safeguarding
concerns using the schools Reporting Safeguarding Concerns Form.
4.2 Every new
member of staff or volunteer will receive safeguarding training during their
induction period within 4 weeks of joining the school. This programme will
include information relating to signs and symptoms of abuse, how to manage a
disclosure from a child (including reassuring
victims that they are being taken seriously and that they will be supported and
kept safe), how to record, the processes for referral, as well as the remit
of the role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). The training will also
include information about whistleblowing in respect of concerns about another
adult’s behaviour and suitability to work with children. Staff will also
receive online safety training, including understanding the
expectations, applicable roles, and responsibilities in relation to filtering
and monitoring as this is part of the overarching safeguarding approach of our
school.
4.3 In addition to the safeguarding induction,
we will ensure that mechanisms are in
place to assist staff to understand and discharge their role and
responsibilities. In order to achieve this, we will ensure that:
- all members of staff will undertake
appropriate safeguarding training on an annual basis and we will evaluate
the impact of this training;
- all staff members receive regular safeguarding
and child protection updates (for example, via email, e-bulletins, staff
meetings), as required, but at least annually, to provide them with
relevant skills and knowledge to safeguard children effectively;
- All staff members will attend termly
safeguarding refresher trainings during in-house seminars.
4.4 All
regular visitors, temporary staff and volunteers to our school will be given a
set of our safeguarding procedures in a SAFEGUARDING INFORMATION FOR VISITORS
leaflet; they will be informed of whom our DSL and alternate staff members are
and what the recording and reporting system is.
4.5 The DSL,
the alternate designated member(s) of staff and any other senior member of
staff who may be in a position of making referrals or attending child
protection conferences or core groups will attend safeguarding refresher training
courses at least once every three years. The DSL and alternate(s) will attend
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) training provided by the Head of
Safeguarding or external training partners. In addition to formal training, DSLs
will ensure that they update their knowledge and skills at regular intervals,
but at least annually, to keep up with any developments relevant to their role.
4.6 Our Governing
Board will also undertake appropriate training to equip them with the knowledge to provide strategic challenge to
test and assure themselves that the safeguarding policies and procedures in
place are effective and support the delivery of a robust whole school approach
to safeguarding. This training takes place at induction and is updated
regularly.
4.7 We
actively encourage all of our staff to keep up to date with the most recent
local, national and British International safeguarding advice and guidance,
5. PROCEDURES FOR MANAGING
CONCERNS
5.1 CEDEC International Schools
adheres to child protection procedures that have been agreed in Lagos state and
Nigeria.
5.2 Every member of staff
including volunteers working with children at our school are advised to
maintain an attitude of ‘it could happen
here’ where safeguarding is concerned. When concerned about the welfare of
a child, staff members should always act in the interests of the child and have
a responsibility to take action as outline in this policy.
5.3 All staff are encouraged to report any
concerns that they have and not see these as insignificant. On occasions, a referral is justified by a single incident
such as an injury or disclosure of abuse. More often however, concerns
accumulate over a period of time and are evidenced by building up a picture of
harm over time; this is particularly true in cases of emotional abuse and
neglect. In these circumstances, it is crucial that staff record and pass on
concerns in accordance with this policy immediately to allow the DSL to build
up a picture and access support for the child at the earliest opportunity. A
reliance on memory without accurate and contemporaneous records of concern
could lead to a failure to protect.
5.4 It is not
the responsibility of school staff to investigate welfare concerns or
determine the truth of any disclosure or allegation. All staff, however, have a
duty to recognise concerns and pass the information on in accordance with the
procedures outlined in this policy.
5.5 The
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) should be used as a first point of contact
for concerns and queries regarding any safeguarding concern in our school. Any
member of staff or visitor to the school who receives a disclosure of abuse or
suspects that a child is at risk of harm must report it immediately to the DSL
or, if unavailable, to the alternate designated person. In the absence of
either of the above, the matter should be brought to the attention of the most
senior member of staff.
5.6 All concerns about a child or young person
should be reported without delay and recorded in writing using the Recording
Safeguarding Concerns Form. Records should include:
• a
clear and comprehensive summary of the concern
•
details of how the concern was followed up and resolved
• a note
of any action taken, decisions reached and the outcome
5.7 Following
receipt of any information raising concern, the DSL will consider what action to
take. All information and actions taken, including the reasons for any
decisions made, will be fully documented.
5.8 If,
at any point, there is a risk of immediate serious harm to a child a referral
should be made to the relevant ministry or external partner. Anybody can make a
referral in these circumstances. If the child’s situation does not appear to be
improving the staff member with concerns should press for re-consideration by
raising concerns again with the DSL and/or the Headteacher. Concerns should always
lead to help for the child at some point.
5.9 Staff should always follow the
reporting procedures outlined in this policy in the first instance. However, the
school will reserve to pass the information directly to the police if:
· the situation is an emergency and the designated senior person, their
alternate and the Headteacher are all unavailable;
· they are convinced that a direct report is the only way to ensure the
pupil’s safety.
5.10 Any member of staff who does
not feel that concerns about a child have been responded to appropriately and
in accordance with the procedures outlined in this policy should raise their
concerns with the Head of Safeguarding/Safeguarding Governor. If any member of
staff does not feel the situation has been addressed appropriately at this
point should contact the local government directly with their concerns.
6. SPECIFIC SAFEGUARDING ISSUES
Contextual
safeguarding
6.1 At CEDEC International Schools we recognise that safeguarding
incidents and/or behaviours can be associated with factors outside of the
school environment and/or can occur between children outside of the school.
This is known as contextual safeguarding. It is key that all school staff understand
the definition of contextual safeguarding and consider whether children are at
risk of abuse or exploitation in situations outside their families. Through
training we will ensure that staff and volunteers are aware that extra-familial
harms take a variety of different forms and children can be vulnerable to
multiple harms including (but not limited to) sexual exploitation, criminal
exploitation, and serious youth violence.
When reporting concerns, staff should include as much information and
background detail as possible so the DSL can make a referral with a holistic
view of the child. This will allow any assessment to consider all the available
evidence and the full context of any abuse.
6.2 We
recognise that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities
(SEND) can face additional safeguarding challenges and these are discussed in
staff training. These additional
barriers can include:
- assumptions
that indicators of possible abuse such as behaviour, mood and injury
relate to the child’s disability without further exploration;
- children
with SEN and disabilities can be disproportionally impacted by things like
bullying- without outwardly showing any signs; and
- communication
barriers and difficulties in overcoming these barriers.
6.3 At CEDEC
International School we recognise that a previously looked after child
potentially remains vulnerable and all staff should have the skills, knowledge
and understanding to keep previously looked after children safe. When dealing
with looked after children and previously looked after children, it is
important that all agencies work together, and prompt action is taken when
necessary to safeguard these children, who are a particularly vulnerable group.
Child Sexual
Exploitation (CSE), Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE): County Lines and serious
violence
6.4 At CEDEC International Schools we train staff to recognise
that both CSE and CCE are forms of abuse and both occur where an individual or
group takes advantage of an imbalance in power to coerce, manipulate or deceive
a child into sexual or criminal activity. Whilst age may be the most obvious,
this power imbalance can also be due to a range of other factors including
gender, sexual identity, cognitive ability, physical strength, status, and
access to economic or other resources. Victims can be exploited even when
activity appears consensual and it should be noted exploitation as well as
being physical can be facilitated and/or take place online.
6.5 At CEDEC International Schools we recognise
that Child Sexual Exploitation is a form of child sexual abuse and this
imbalance of power coerces, manipulates or deceives a child or young person
into sexual activity (a) in exchange for something the victim needs or wants,
and/or (b) for the financial advantage or increased status of the perpetrator.
Child sexual exploitation does not always include physical contact, it can also
occur through the use of technology. We
understand that some children may not realise they are being exploited e.g.
they may believe they are in a genuine romantic relationship.
6.6 At CEDEC International Schools, we understand
that criminal exploitation of children is a geographically widespread
form of harm that is a typical feature of county lines criminal activity. Drug
networks or gangs groom and exploit children and young people to carry drugs
and money from urban areas to suburban and rural areas, market and seaside
towns. Key to identifying potential involvement in county lines are missing
episodes, when the victim may have been trafficked for the purpose of
transporting drugs.
6.7 We understand that children can become trapped by this type of
exploitation as perpetrators can threaten victims (and their families) with violence
or entrap and coerce them into debt. They may be coerced into carrying weapons
such as knives or begin to carry a knife for a sense of protection from harm
from others. We will treat these children as victims understanding that they
have been criminally exploited even if the activity appears to be something
they have agreed or consented to. We recognise the experience of girls who are
criminally exploited can be very different to that of boys and that both boys
and girls being criminally exploited may be at higher risk of sexual
exploitation.
6.8 At CEDEC International Schools staff are aware of the
indicators and risk factors which may signal a child is vulnerable to or
involved with serious violent crime.
6.9 If a child is suspected to be at risk of or involved in county
lines, a referral to the Local Government sect of the Ministry of Women and
Children affairs will be made alongside consideration of availability of local
services/third sector providers who offer support to victims of county lines
exploitation.
So-called
‘honour-based violence (including Female Genital Mutilation and Forced Marriage)
6.10 At CEDEC International Schools we recognise
that our staff are well placed to identify concerns and take action to prevent
children from becoming victims of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and other
forms of so-called ‘honour-based’ violence (HBV) and provide guidance on these
issues through our safeguarding training. If staff have a concern regarding a
child that might be at risk of HBV, they should inform the DSL who will
activate local safeguarding procedures, using existing national and local protocols
for multiagency liaison with police and children’s social care.
6.11 Where
FGM has taken place, there is a mandatory reporting duty placed on teachers to
report to the DSL where they discover (either through disclosure by the victim
or visual evidence) that FGM appears to have been carried out on a girl under
18. Those failing to report such cases will face disciplinary sanctions. We
will provide guidance and support to our teachers on this requirement.
6.12 At CEDEC International Schools we recognise
that forcing a minor into a marriage is a crime in Nigeria. A forced marriage
is one entered into without the full and free consent of one or both parties
where violence, threats or any other form of coercion is used to cause a person
to enter into a marriage. Threats can be physical or emotional and psychological.
Preventing
radicalisation and extremism
6.13 We
recognise that safeguarding against radicalisation and extremism is no
different to safeguarding against any other vulnerability in today’s society. At CEDEC International Schools, we will
ensure that:
·
Through training, staff, volunteers and governors have an
understanding of what radicalisation and extremism is, why we need to be
vigilant in school and how to respond when concerns arise.
· There are systems in place for keeping pupils safe from extremist
material when accessing the internet in our school by using effective filtering
and usage policies.
·
The DSL and Head of Safeguarding has received Prevent training and
will act as the point of contact within our school for any concerns relating to
radicalisation and extremism.
· Through our
curriculum, we will promote the
spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils.
Child on
child sexual violence and sexual harassment
6.14 At CEDEC
International Schools all staff are trained so that they are aware that
safeguarding issues can manifest themselves via child on child abuse. This is
most likely to include, but may not be limited to:
·
bullying (including cyberbullying);
·
physical abuse such as hitting, kicking, shaking, biting, hair
pulling, or otherwise causing physical harm;
·
sexual violence and sexual harassment;
·
upskirting;
·
sexting (also known as youth produced sexual imagery); and
·
initiation/hazing type violence and rituals.
6.15 We
recognise that children are vulnerable to physical, sexual and emotional abuse
by other children or siblings. Abuse perpetrated by children can be just as
harmful as that perpetrated by an adult, so it is important that all staff and
volunteers to remember the impact on both the victim of the abuse as well as to
focus on the support for the child or young person exhibiting the harmful
behaviour. We understand that abuse can occur in intimate personal
relationships between children; and that consensual and non-consensual sharing
of nudes and semi nudes images and or videos[1]
(also known as sexting, sending “noods” or youth produced sexual imagery) is a
form of child on child abuse.
6.16 We understand, that even if there are no reports in our
setting it does not mean it is not happening, it may be the case that it is
just not being reported. We recognise that pupils may not
find it easy to tell staff about their abuse and can show signs or act in ways
that they hope adults will notice and react to. In some cases, the victim may
not make a direct report, and this may come from a friend or a conversation
that is overheard. Such abuse will always be
taken as seriously as abuse perpetrated by an adult and the same safeguarding
children procedures will apply in respect of any child who is suffering or
likely to suffer significant harm. Staff must never tolerate or dismiss
concerns relating to child-on-child abuse and they will always challenge this. It
must never be tolerated or passed off as ‘banter’, ‘just having a laugh’ or
‘part of growing up’. Doing this can lead to a culture of unacceptable behaviours, an unsafe
environment for children and in worst case scenarios a culture that normalises
abuse leading to children accepting it as normal and not coming forward to
report it.
6.17At CEDEC International Schools we regularly
review decisions and actions, and relevant policies are updated to reflect any
lessons learnt. We look out for potential patterns of concerning, problematic
or inappropriate behaviour. Where a pattern is identified, we decide upon an
appropriate course of action.
6.18 At CEDEC International Schools all staff will reassure
victims that they are being taken seriously and that they will be supported and
kept safe. The word “victims” will not be used to refer to children who are
victims of abuse. Victims will never be given the impression that they are
creating a problem by reporting abuse, sexual violence or sexual harassment.
Nor will a victim ever be made to feel ashamed for making a report. We will
also offer appropriate support to the perpetrator and any other children
involved.
6.19 All staff will
understand that they should follow our safeguarding procedures for reporting a
concern if they are worried about child-on-child abuse. The DSL will respond to
any concerns related to child-on-child abuse in line with the Anti-bullying
Policy. We will ensure that all concerns, discussions and decisions reached are
clearly recorded and any identified actions are followed up.
6.20 We will work with other schools, agencies
including the police as required to respond to concerns about sexual violence
and harassment. We will seek consultations where there are concerns or
worries about developmentally inappropriate or harmful sexual behaviour so that
we ensure we are offering the right support to the child(ren).
6.21 Support will depend on the
circumstances of each case and the needs of the child, it may include
completion of risk assessments to support children to remain in school whilst
safeguarding other children and the victim, delivery of early intervention in respect
of HSB and/or referral where a pupil discloses a rape, an attempted rape or a
serious sexual assault whether this has happened recently or in the past.
Modern
Slavery
6.22 At CEDEC International Schools we understand that
modern slavery encompasses human trafficking and slavery, servitude and forced
or compulsory labour. Exploitation can take many forms, including sexual
exploitation, forced labour, slavery, servitude, forced criminality and the
removal of organs. Cases of suspected modern slavery will be reported to the
police by the Head of Safeguarding.
Safeguarding
responses to children who are absent from education
6.23 At CEDEC International
Schools, we adhere to our Attendance Policy. All staff should be aware of the
safeguarding responsibilities for children who are absent from education,
particularly on repeat occasions, or for prolonged periods, to help identify the risk of abuse and neglect, including sexual
abuse or exploitation, and to help prevent the risks of them going missing in
future.
6.24 At CEDEC International
Schools, we adhere to the following procedures and processes to ensure there is
an appropriate safeguarding response to children who are absent from education:
- An
attendance register is taken at the start of the first session of each
school day and once during the second session;
- We
make every effort to contact parents and carers and follow up with the
emergency contacts held;
- We
hold at least two emergency contact numbers for each of the pupils on our
roll wherever possible.
- Staff
will alert DSLs to any concerns raised regarding children who are absent
from school;
- The
DSLs will meet regularly with the Attendance Lead, SENCo and other members
of the pastoral team to ensure that each response is thorough and takes
into account all the relevant information about individual children;
- We
will follow the procedures outlined in our attendance policy including
undertaking first day calling and monitoring data to ensure we intervene
early in cases of poor attendance and/or unexplained absences.
- We
understand we remain responsible for the safeguarding of all pupils who
are placed in an alternative provision.
- Where
children are absent from school, we will follow the outlined procedure in
our Attendance Policy.
Mental Health
6.25 At CEDEC
International Schools, all staff are made aware,
through training, that mental health problems can, in some cases, be an
indicator that a child has suffered or is at risk of suffering abuse, neglect
or exploitation. Our staff are well placed to observe children day-to-day and
identify those whose behaviour suggests that they may be experiencing a mental
health problem or be at risk of developing one.
6.26 We understand that where children have suffered abuse and
neglect, or other potentially traumatic adverse childhood experiences, this can
have a lasting impact throughout childhood, adolescence and into adulthood.
Therefore, through training, staff are aware of how children’s experiences, can
impact on their mental health, behaviour and education. All staff are aware
that if they have a mental health concern about a child that is also a
safeguarding concern, they should take immediate action by passing the
information on to a Designated Safeguarding Lead.
6.27 At CEDEC International Schools, our DSLs double as our Mental Health Leads. There are clear
systems and processes in place for identifying possible mental health problems
and work with other agencies as required to respond to these concerns. Designated
Safeguarding Leads make reference the Mental Health and Wellbeing Policy.
Online Safety
6.28 At CEDEC International Schools, all staff are aware
that technology is a significant component in many safeguarding and wellbeing
issues. Children are at risk of abuse online as well as face to face. We
understand that in many cases abuse will take place concurrently via online
channels and in daily life. We know that children can also abuse other children
online, this can take the form of abusive, harassing, and misogynistic
messages, the non-consensual sharing of indecent images, especially around chat
groups, and the sharing of abusive images and pornography.
6.29 As part of the requirement for staff to undergo regular
updated safeguarding training, online safety training is also delivered. We
will ensure online safety is a running and interrelated theme throughout the
curriculum and is reflected in relevant policies, teacher training, the role
and responsibilities of the designated safeguarding lead and any parental
engagement.
6.30
For filtering, CEDEC International Schools, will Block
inappropriate websites and content categories for each device purchased in
school. Parents will be informed that devices purchased outside school will be
linked to parents using Google Family Link for effective monitoring.
More details can be found in our policies Online Learning Policy.
6.31 At CEDEC International Schools, we recognise that technology,
and risks and harms related to the internet evolve and change rapidly.
Therefore, we carry out an annual review of our approach to online safety,
supported by a risk assessment (on at least an annual basis) that considers and
reflects the risks that children face in our setting. We also communicate with
parents and carers to reinforce the importance of children being safe online.
Domestic
Abuse
6.34 At CEDEC
International Schools, all staff are
aware that domestic abuse can encompass a wide range of
behaviours and may be a single incident or a pattern of incidents. That abuse
can be, but is not limited to, psychological, physical, sexual, financial or
emotional. We understand that children can be victims of domestic abuse. Where
they see, hear or experience the effects this can have a detrimental and
long-term impact on their health, well-being, development, and ability to learn.
Children with special
educational needs and disabilities or physical health issues
6.35 At CEDEC International Schools, we recognise that
children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) or certain
health conditions can face additional safeguarding challenges such as
·
assumptions that indicators of possible abuse such as behaviour,
mood and injury relate to the child’s condition without further exploration;
·
these children being more prone to peer group isolation or
bullying (including prejudice-based bullying) than other children;
·
the potential for children with SEND or certain medical conditions
being disproportionally impacted by behaviours such as bullying, without
outwardly showing any signs; and
·
communication barriers and difficulties in managing or reporting
these challenges.
6.36 We work to address these additional challenges and consider
extra pastoral support and attention for these children, along with ensuring
any appropriate support for communication is in place.
7. RECORDS AND INFORMATION SHARING
7.1 If staff
are concerned about the welfare or safety of any child at our school, they will
record their concern either on via the Recording Safeguarding Concerns Form. Any
concerns should be passed to the DSL without delay.
7.2 Any
information recorded will be kept in a separate named file, in a secure cabinet
if a paper system is used and not with the child’s academic file. These files will be the responsibility of the
DSL. Child protection information will only be shared within school on the
basis of ‘need to know in the child’s interests’ and on the understanding that
it remains strictly confidential.
7.3 Child protection information will be kept up to date. Each concern logged will include:
·
a clear and comprehensive summary of the concern;
·
details of how the concern was followed up and resolved;
·
a note of any action taken, decisions reached and the outcome.
At CEDEC
International Schools, we will keep detailed, accurate, secure written records
of all concerns, discussions and decisions made including the rationale for
those decisions. Invitations to child protection conferences, core groups and
all other multi-agency meetings and minutes taken at these will be stored on
the child’s file whether an electronic or paper system is used. All our safeguarding records will include; a
chronology, contents front cover and will record significant events in the
child’s life.
7.4 When a
child leaves our school, (including in year transfers) the DSL will make
contact with the DSL at the new school and will ensure that the child
protection file is forwarded to the receiving school. This will be within 5
days for an in-year transfer or within the first 5 days of the start of a new
term. We recognise that not providing information as per the timescales can
impact on the child’s safety, welfare and educational outcomes.
7.5 We will
retain evidence to demonstrate how the file has been transferred; this may be
in the form of a written confirmation of receipt from the receiving school
and/or evidence of recorded delivery.
7.6 Prior to
a child leaving we will consider if it would be appropriate to share any
additional information with the new school or college in advance to help them
put in place the right support to safeguard this child.
8. WORKING WITH PARENTS & CARERS
8.1 CEDEC
International Schools, is committed to working in partnership with
parents/carers to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and to support
them to understand our statutory responsibilities in this area.
8.2 When new
pupils join our school, parents and carers will be informed that we have a
safeguarding policy. A copy will be provided to parents on request and is
available on the school website. Parents and carers will be informed of our
legal duty to assist our colleagues in other agencies with child protection
enquiries and what happens should we have cause to contact external agencies
8.3 We are
committed to working with parents positively, openly and honestly. We ensure
that all parents are treated with respect, dignity and courtesy. We respect
parents’ rights to privacy and confidentiality and will not share sensitive
information unless we have permission, or it is necessary to do so in order to
safeguard a child from harm.
8.4 We will
seek to share with parents any concerns we may have about their child unless to do so may place a child at
increased risk of harm. A lack of parental engagement or agreement regarding
the concerns the school has about a child will not prevent the DSL making a
referral in those circumstances where it is appropriate to do so.
8.5 In order to keep children safe and provide appropriate care
for them, the school requires parents to provide accurate and up to date
information regarding:
- Full
names and contact details of all adults with whom the child normally lives.
- Full
names and contact details of all persons with parental responsibility (if
different from above).
- Emergency
contact details (if different from above).
- Full
details of any other adult authorised by the parent to collect the child
from school (if different from the above).
The School
will retain this information on the pupil file. The school will only share
information about pupils with adults who have parental responsibility for a
pupil or where a parent has given permission, and the school has been supplied
with the adult’s full details in writing.
9.1 We will
ensure that the Headteacher and at least one member of the Governing Board have
completed appropriate safer recruitment training. At all times the Headteacher and Governing Board
will ensure that safer recruitment practices are followed. At least one person
involved in conducting an interview will have received safer recruitment
training.
9.2 At CEDEC
International Schools, we will use the recruitment and selection process to
deter and prevent people who are unsuitable to work with children from applying
for or securing employment, or volunteering opportunities.
9.3 We require details of a candidate’s present (or last)
employment and reason for leaving; full employment history, (since leaving
school, including education, employment and voluntary work) including reasons
for any gaps in employment and evidence of original academic certificates. We do not accept testimonials and insist on
taking up references prior to interview.
We will question the contents of application forms if we are unclear
about them, and shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete a self-declaration
of their criminal record or information that would make them unsuitable to work
with children.
9.4 At CEDEC International Schools, we use a range of selection
techniques to identify the most suitable person for the post. Structured
questions are agreed by the interview panel and any potential areas of concern
are explored to determine the applicant’s suitability to work with children.
9.5 We will undertake Police checks and other pre-employment
checks to ensure we are recruiting and selecting the most suitable people to
work with our children.
9.6 We will maintain a Single Central Record (SCR) of all safer
recruitment checks carried out in line with statutory requirements. A senior
member of staff will check the SCR regularly to ensure that it meets statutory
requirements.
9.7 At CEDEC International Schools, we recognise that safer
recruitment is not just about carrying out the right DBS checks and is not
limited to recruitment procedures. Therefore, we understand the importance of
continuous vigilance, maintaining an environment that deters and prevents abuse
and challenges inappropriate behaviour. Further information about all of these
processes can be found in our Recruitment and Selection policy.
10. SAFER WORKING PRACTICE
10.1 All
adults who come into contact with our children have a duty of care to safeguard
and promote their welfare. There is a legal duty placed upon us to ensure that
all adults who work with or on behalf of our children are competent, confident
and safe to do so.
10.2 All
staff will be provided with a copy of our school’s code of conduct at
induction. They will be expected to know our school’s Code of Conduct and
policy for positive handling and carry out their duties in accordance with this
advice. There will be occasion when some
form of physical contact is inevitable, for example if a child has an accident
or is hurt or is in a situation of danger to themselves or others around them. However, at all times the agreed policy for
safe restraint must be adhered to. A
list of staff that have gone through our conflict resolution and de-escalation
training will be kept by
the Headteacher.
10.3 If
staff, visitors, volunteers or parent helpers are working with children alone
they will, wherever possible, be visible to other members of staff. They will be expected to inform another
member of staff of their whereabouts in school, who they are with and for how
long. Doors, ideally, should always be left open or have a full length clear
glass panel in them.
10.4 Guidance
about acceptable staff conduct and safe practice will be given to all staff and
volunteers during induction. These are sensible steps that every adult should
take in their daily professional conduct with children. All staff and
volunteers are expected to carry out their work in accordance with this
guidance and will be made aware that failure to do so could lead to
disciplinary action.
11.
MANAGING ALLEGATIONS AGAINST
STAFF & VOLUNTEERS
Allegations
that may meet the harms threshold
11.1 Our aim
is to provide a safe and supportive environment which secures the wellbeing and
very best outcomes for the children at our school. We do recognise that
sometimes the behaviour of adults may lead to an allegation of abuse being
made.
11.2
Allegations sometimes arise from a differing understanding of the same event,
but when they occur, they are distressing and difficult for all concerned. We
also recognise that many allegations are genuine and there are some adults who
deliberately seek to harm or abuse children. An allegation may relate to a
person who works / volunteers with children who has:
·
behaved in a way that has harmed a child, or may have harmed a
child and/or;
·
possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a
child and/or;
·
behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates he or
she may pose a risk of harm to children; and/or
·
behaved or may have behaved in a way that indicates they may not
be suitable to work with children.
The 4th
bullet point above recognises circumstances where a member of staff (including
supply teachers) or volunteer is involved in an incident outside of
school/college which did not involve children but could have an impact on their
suitability to work with children; this is known as transferrable risk.
11.4 We will
take all possible steps to safeguard our children and to ensure that the adults
in our school are safe to work with children.
11.5 If an
allegation is made or information is received about any adult who works/ volunteer in our setting which indicates that
they may be unsuitable to work / volunteer with children, the member of staff
receiving the information should inform the Headteacher immediately. This
includes concerns relating to agency and supply staff and volunteers. Should an
allegation be made against the Headteacher, this will be reported to the
Safeguarding governor or Chair of Governors.
11.6 When
using a supply agency, we inform the agency of our process for managing
allegations against staff and keep them up to date with any policy
developments. Where concerns are raised about an individual and the school is
not their employer, we recognise that we still have responsibility to ensure
allegations are dealt with properly. In order to achieve this, we will liaise
with relevant parties to determine a suitable outcome. Whilst the supply agency
should be fully involved and co-operate with any enquiries police and/or
children’s services, we recognise that the School will usually take the lead in
conducting an investigation as we have direct access to any affected children
and other school staff to collect the facts.
11.7 Any
member of staff or volunteer who does not feel confident to raise their
concerns with the Headteacher should contact the Head of Safeguarding or Chair
of Governors.
11.8 The School has a legal duty to refer to the police or DBS (for international
staff) anyone who has harmed, or poses a risk of harm, to a child, or if there
is reason to believe the member of staff has committed one of a number of
listed offences, and who has been removed from working (paid or unpaid) in
regulated activity or would have been removed had they not left. The DBS
will consider whether to bar the person. If these circumstances arise in
relation to a member of staff at our school, a referral will be made as soon as
possible after the resignation or removal of the staff member.
Concerns that
do not meet the harm threshold
11.10 The term ‘low-level’ concern
does not mean that it is insignificant, it means that the behaviour towards a
child does not meet the thresholds as stated above. At CEDEC International
Schools, we recognise a low-level concern to be something which is
·
inconsistent with the staff code of conduct, including
inappropriate conduct outside of work; and
·
does not meet the allegations threshold or is otherwise not
considered serious enough to consider a referral.
11.11 At CEDEC International
Schools, we promote an open and transparent culture in which all concerns about
all adults working in or on behalf of the school or college (including supply
teachers, volunteers and contractors) are dealt with promptly and
appropriately. Through training, staff are made aware of what low level
concerns are and understand the importance of reporting and these types of
concerns in writing.
11.12 At CEDEC
International Schools, staff report all low-level concerns to the DSL OR to the Headteacher. If
reported to the DSL then the DSL will inform the Headteacher of the concern in
a timely fashion. The Headteacher will always be the ultimate decision maker in
respect of all low-level concerns.
11.13 Through training and
induction, we ensure that all staff understand the importance of
self-referring, where, for example, they have found themselves in a situation
which could be misinterpreted, might appear compromising to others, and/or on
reflection they believe they have behaved in such a way that they consider
falls below the expected professional standards.
11.14 At CEDEC International
Schools, we understand the importance of recording low-level concerns and the
actions taken in light of these being reported. The records are kept
confidential and stored securely. We will review the records we hold to
identify potential patterns and take action. This could be through a disciplinary
process. Please note, where a child, parent/carer or staff member makes an
allegation of harm, this will not be considered as a ‘low level’ concern.
11.15 We recognise that low level
concerns should not be included in references unless they relate to issues
which would normally be included in a reference, for example, misconduct or
poor performance. However, where a low-level concern (or group of concerns) has
met the threshold for referral, and found to be substantiated, it should be
referred to in a reference.
12. Use of premises for
non-school/college activities
12.1 Where we hire or rent out our facilities/premises to
organisations or individuals (for example to community groups, sports
associations, and service providers to run community or extra-curricular
activities) we ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place to keep
children safe.
12.2 We will seek assurances that the body concerned has
appropriate safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures in place
(including inspecting these as needed). Safeguarding requirements are included
in any transfer of control agreement (i.e. lease or hire agreement), as a
condition of use and occupation of the premises; and that failure to comply
with this would lead to termination of the agreement.
12.3 If an allegation is made relating to an incident that happened when
an individual or organisation was using school premises for non-school/college
activities, we will follow the safeguarding policies and procedures, included
in section 11 above.
13.1 To
underpin the values and ethos of our school and our intent to ensure that
pupils at our school are appropriately safeguarded the following policies are
also included under our safeguarding umbrella:
- Staff Code of Conduct
- Anti-Bullying
- Behaviour Management
·
Safer Recruitment
- Whistleblowing
- Attendance
- Online Safety
- Health and Safety
- First aid
- Excursion
- PSHE
- Mental Health and Wellbeing
- Self-harm
- Safe Touch and Use of Reasonable Force
This policy
has been devised in accordance with the following legislation and guidance:
·
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989
·
African Charter on the Rights and Welfare
of the Child, 1999
·
Child's Rights Act, 2003
·
Lagos State Child's Rights Law, 2007
·
Prevention Against Domestic Violence Law,
2007
·
Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011
·
The Family Court of Lagos State (Civil
Procedure) Rules 2012
·
EO/BRF/005OF2014, Lagos State Sex
Offenders Monitoring Programme And Mandated Reporting, 2014
·
Keeping Children Safe In Education
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.