Bailiff’s Ukraine Appeal
Please help the students of JCG raise money for the people of Ukraine
Read MorePlease help the students of JCG raise money for the people of Ukraine
Read MoreAuthor : | Simon Milner
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Shared with Staff : | September 2022 |
Shared with Governors : | September 2022 |
Next Review : | September 2023 |
Keeping children safe in education, schools and colleges is everyone’s responsibility...at all times, the child’s best interests is the paramount consideration.
Sections of this policy:
Policy Statement
Principles:
The College will take all reasonable measures to:
All students should have the opportunity to excel in their learning and achievement. Outcomes that are key to students’ wellbeing are to:
To achieve these aims our policies, systems and procedures are designed to:
‘All staff should be aware of the importance of an early help approach in meeting children’s needs and understanding that it is more effective for children when adults recognize emerging problems early rather than reacting later. Early help means providing support as soon as a problem emerges...’ (Keeping Children Safe in Education CYPES, May 2021)
Underpinning Principles from the Education Department’s Child Protection Policy
(Education Child Protection Policy, 2016)
1.Staff have a responsibility to familiarise themselves with the guidelines determined by Education. This is available as part of the Education Child Protection Policy located digitally here.
2. Staff have a responsibility to familiarise themselves with Part One of CYPES Keeping Children Safe in Education (May 2021)
3. Every complaint or suspicion of abuse from within or outside the College will be taken seriously and, in line with published Jersey thresholds, will be referred to Children and Family Hub/MASH, without investigation within the school. In these cases, the following referral procedures apply:
4. Following our reporting procedure, it is essential that any information or concerns regarding Child Protection is communicated to the Designated Safeguarding Lead or the Principal. A referral should be made/logged through MyConcern.
5. Following our procedures for dealing with disclosure, when a student discloses information, members of staff must:
6. Staff should be aware of online safety procedures and positively communicate the importance of maintaining e-safety in the use of technology and the Internet. (See Appendix 9 regarding online safety)
7. Staff should be mindful of the Staff Guidelines for safe practice. (See Appendix 6 Staff Guidelines)
8. Recruiting Procedures and policy for DBS checks are followed.
Risk assessment
The College recognises that the evaluation of risks and putting in place steps to mitigate against these risks contributes to promoting the welfare and protection of students. For hazardous activities and curricular and co-curricular activities that may pose specific risks, risk assessments are carried out in accordance with the College’s Health and Safety policy and reviewed as required. Risk assessments for school trips and visits are reviewed by the Assistant Headteacher (Organisation). Students who are at risk of harm are either referred to external agencies in accordance with this policy and/or, if the student is at risk of harm from themselves, the Designated Safeguarding Lead will assess the risk and may put in place a safety plan that will be shared with relevant teachers.
Monitoring and review
Any safeguarding incidents at the College will be followed by a review of the safeguarding procedures within the School (which will include a review of this policy) to determine whether any improvements can be made to prevent a similar event from occurring in the future. Such reviews of safeguarding incidents are a standing item on the agenda of Student Support Team meetings.
In addition, the Designated Safeguarding Lead will monitor the operation of this policy and its procedures and undertake an annual review of this policy and the College's safeguarding procedures.
Types of abuse
(Taken from CYPES’ Keeping Children Safe in Education, May 2021)
Abuse is a form of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm or by failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting by those known to them or, more rarely, by others. Abuse can take place wholly online, or technology may be used to facilitate offline abuse. Children may be abused by an adult or adults or by another child or children.
There are four types of child abuse which are commonly identified as:
Signs of abuse
Possible signs of abuse include the following (but are not limited to and do not necessarily mean that abuse is occurring):
Signs of grooming, sexual exploitation or sexual abuse
The signs of grooming aren’t always obvious. Groomers will also go to great lengths not to be identified. Children may:
In older children, signs of grooming can easily be mistaken for 'normal' teenage behaviour, but unexplained changes in behaviour or personality, or inappropriate sexual behaviour for their age may be observed.
Special Educational Needs
Children with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities can face additional safeguarding challenges. In the UK, children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) are three times more likely to be abused than their peers. Additional barriers can exist when recognising abuse and neglect in this group of children. This can include:
Further guidance can be found on pp. 37-38 of CYPES’ Keeping Children Safe in Education (May 2021).
Mental Health
‘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. Only appropriately trained professionals should attempt to make a diagnosis of a mental health problem. Education staff, however, 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. Schools and colleges can access a range of advice to help them identify children in need of extra mental health support, this includes working with external agencies. If staff have a mental health concern about a child that is also a safeguarding concern, immediate action should be taken, following their child protection policy, and speaking to the designated safeguarding lead or a deputy. (Keeping Children Safe in Education, DFE, 2022)
In line with our Wellbeing Policy, the College takes a proactive approach to promoting resilience and promoting wellbeing through its commitment to character education across the curriculum.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
‘Some pupils or students may be more at risk of harm from specific issues such as sexual violence, homophobic, biphobic or transphobic bullying or racial discrimination. Such concerns will differ between education settings, but it is important schools and colleges are conscious of disproportionate vulnerabilities and integrate this into their safeguarding policies and procedures.’ (Keeping Children Safe in Education, DFE, 2022)
Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policy states that ‘We believe that inclusive communities are successful communities and that students need inclusion and empathy as skills for the future . Diversity is a strength and all members of our community should feel valued and included. Inclusion should be a way of being; a golden thread through all practice, values and knowledge development.’ We act, in accordance with this policy, to promote the inclusion, safety and wellbeing of all members of our community.
LGBT+
‘The fact that a child or a young person may be LGBT is not in itself an inherent risk factor for harm. However, children who are LGBT can be targeted by other children. In some cases, a child who is perceived by other children to be LGBT (whether they are or not) can be just as vulnerable as children who identify as LGBT. Risks can be compounded where children who are LGBT lack a trusted adult with whom they can be open. It is therefore vital that staff endeavour to reduce the additional barriers faced, and provide a safe space for them to speak out or share their concerns with members of staff.’ (Keeping Children Safe in Education, DFE, 2022)
As outlined in our Wellbeing policy, a range of support structures aim to provide all students with safe spaces to speak out and share concerns.
Domestic Abuse
‘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. Children can be victims of domestic abuse. They may see, hear, or experience the effects of abuse at home and/or suffer domestic abuse in their own intimate relationships (teenage relationship abuse). All of which can have a detrimental and long-term impact on their health, well-being, development, and ability to learn.’ (Keeping Children Safe in Education, DFE, 2022)
When the school Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) receives information (a Domestic Abuse Notification) from the MASH Education Researcher, they will inform relevant school staff so that additional support can be implemented during the school day.
If the child already receives additional support, for example, the Social, Emotional, Mental Health and Inclusion Team (SEMHIT) may already be working with the child and family, the school ELSA and/or school counsellor, they will be informed on ‘a need to know’ basis as such information is likely to influence their approach and assessment of the child.
Gangs and serious youth violence
A gang is defined as a group of young people who spend time together, often fighting other groups or involved in anti-social behaviour. Youth violence refers to harmful behaviours that can start early and continue into adulthood. The young person can be a victim, an offender, or witness the violence. Youth violence includes various behaviours including some violent acts such as bullying, slapping or hitting. These behaviours can cause more emotional harm than physical harm. Others, such as robbery and assault (with or without weapons) can lead to serious injury or even death. All staff should be aware of indicators, which may signal that children are at risk from, or are involved with serious violent crime. These may include increased absence from school, a change in friendships or relationships with older individuals or groups, a significant decline in performance, signs of self-harm or a significant change in wellbeing, or signs of assault or unexplained injuries. Unexplained gifts or new possessions could also indicate that children have been approached by, or are involved with, individuals associated with criminal networks or gangs.
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
Whilst all staff should speak to the designated safeguarding lead (or deputy) with regard to any concerns about FGM, there is a specific legal duty on teachers. If a teacher discovers that an act of FGM appears to have been carried out on a girl under the age of 18, the teacher must report it to the police. There is a range of potential indications that a girl may be at risk or has already suffered from FGM. Further information is available on p. 42 of Keeping Children Safe in Education Annex A (May 2021).
Risks to children outside the home (sometimes called contextual safeguarding)
Safeguarding incidents and/or behaviours can be associated with factors outside the home and/or can occur between children outside the school. All staff, but especially the Designated Safeguarding Lead (and deputy) should be considering the context within which such incidents and/or behaviours occur. This means assessments of children should consider whether wider environmental factors are present in a child’s life that are a threat to their safety and/or welfare. The school needs to provide as much information as possible as part of the referral process to Children and Families Hub / Early Help.
Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE), Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) and various kinds of risk-taking behaviour can all constitute contextual safeguarding concerns.
Missing students
The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) defines missing as:
‘Not at the place they are expected to be, but the circumstances are out of character. The context suggests they may be subject of a crime or at risk or harm to themselves or others.’
A child going missing from education is a potential indicator of abuse or other underlying welfare concerns Students are registered in accordance with Education Department requirements and the school has procedures in place to deal with students who go missing. These procedures are outlined in Appendix 5 of the Education Department’s Attendance Policy 2019: Children Missing in Education. See also pp. 32-33 of CYPES Keeping Children Safe in Education (May 2021).
Peer on peer / child on child abuse
‘All staff should recognise that children are capable of abusing other children (including online)’ (Keeping Children Safe in Education, DFE, 2022)
The term child on child (as opposed to peer on peer) recognises that children can be abused by children who are not the same age as them (not their peers).
All staff should be aware that safeguarding issues can manifest themselves via child on child abuse. This is most likely to include, but is not limited to:
All peer on peer abuse is unacceptable and will be taken seriously; it will never be minimised as ‘banter’, ‘having a laugh’ or ‘part of growing up.’ Staff must be aware that children may be abused out of school, but should not minimise the potential risks of girl on girl abuse.
In relation to nude and semi-nude images, a key consideration is for staff not to view or forward illegal images of a child (see Appendix 3 for further guidance).
All students can report abuse (e.g. bullying or harassment) through the College website’s Report a Concern function, as well as by speaking to any member of staff: https://digitaljcg.typeform.com/to/SlBD2DJy
Sexual violence and sexual harassment between children
Sexual harassment is unwanted conduct of a sexual nature which has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity, or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them. Sexual harassment can occur online and offline and both inside and outside of College.
All staff should be mindful of the following DFE guidance:
‘Sexual violence and sexual harassment can occur between two children of any age and sex from primary through to secondary stage and into colleges. It can occur through a group of children sexually assaulting or sexually harassing a single child or group of children. Sexual violence and sexual harassment exist on a continuum and may overlap; they can occur online and face to face (both physically and verbally) and are never acceptable...all staff working with children are advised to maintain an attitude of ‘it could happen here’. (Sexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools and colleges, DFE, September 2021)
‘It is essential that all victims are reassured that they are being taken seriously, regardless of how long it has taken them to come forward, and that they will be supported and kept safe. Abuse that occurs online or outside of the school or college should not be downplayed and should be treated equally seriously. A victim should never be given the impression that they are creating a problem by reporting sexual violence or sexual harassment. Nor should a victim ever be made to feel ashamed for making a report. It is important to explain that the law is in place to protect children and young people rather than criminalise them, and this should be explained in such a way that avoids alarming or distressing them.’ (Keeping Children Safe in Education, DFE, 2022)
These additional points of guidance are taken from the DFE publication on sexual violence and sexual harrassment, and will guide the response of the DSL and all staff to any incident of sexual violence/harassment between children:
In line with DFE guidance, the DSL (and other staff involved) will consider the following factors when responding to a report of sexual violence and/or harassment:
Procedures to minimise the risk of peer on peer abuse
Staff training
Staff should always be clear that abuse is abuse and should never be tolerated or passed off a “banter” or “part of growing up” (see the guidance above) and should be aware of the importance of challenging such behaviours. Tolerating or dismissing such behaviours risks normalising them. Form tutors discuss pastoral cases with Heads of School as they arise and during regular tutor meetings, some of which may relate to peer on peer abuse.
Education
The pastoral curriculum (form time, PSHE, year assemblies) provides opportunities to teach students about appropriate and safe relationships. Topics include relational aggression, kindness, bullying, friendships, healthy relationships, radicalisation and grooming. There are other opportunities for discussion throughout the academic year, such as Student Council, joint Sixth Form Forum, dialogue with school-based counsellors and with student wellbeing champions (Peer Mentors, Buddies etc.)
Supervision
Staff are on patrol duty during break time and lunchtime supervisors are on duty to minimise the risk of adult-free zones. JCG and VCJ staff conduct joint duties at the end of the school day. CCTV is in operation in designated areas of the College and footage may be accessed as part of an investigation. The student support team and site team regularly liaise when a need arises to make an area of the school more accessible and visible.
Collaborative Working
Through the shared Statement of Intent and Action Plan, and through the joint Sixth Form Forum, JCG, JCP, VCJ and VCP collaborate to foster cultures of respect and minimise the risk of peer on peer abuse.
Preventing radicalisation
Radicalisation refers to the process by which a person comes to support terrorism and extremist ideologies associated with terrorist groups. ‘Extremism’ is defined as vocal or active opposition to fundamental values, including the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. All staff are subject to the Prevent duty: they must have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.
Signs of radicalisation
There is no single way of identifying an individual who is likely to be susceptible to an extremist ideology. It can happen in many different ways and settings. Background factors may contribute to vulnerability which are often combined with background influences such as family, friends or online, and with particular needs for which an extremist or terrorist group may appear to provide an answer. The internet and the use of social media in particular has become a major factor in the radicalisation of young people.
As outlined in CYPES’ Keeping Children Safe in Education (May 2021), thee following issues may make an individual vulnerable to radicalisation:
The following are possible early indicators of radicalisation:
Students who are at risk of radicalisation may have low self-esteem or be victims of bullying or discrimination. As with managing other safeguarding risks, staff should be alert to changes in students’ behaviour which could indicate that they may be in need of help or protection. Staff should use their professional judgement in identifying children who might be at risk of radicalisation and act proportionately. This may include making a referral to Children and Families Hub/ MASH through the Designated Safeguarding Lead with whom they should discuss their concerns.
Staff training
The Designated Safeguarding Lead, a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (ESF) and the Vice Principal have undertaken Prevent awareness training These colleagues able to provide advice and support to other members of staff on protecting children from the risk of radicalisation.
IT
Suitable filtering is reviewed to keep students safe from terrorist and extremist material when accessing the internet in College.
Online Safety: online safety is explicitly addressed in the staff induction process for new staff; staff are regularly updated through tutor meetings and staff meeting. Online safety features in our PSHE programme for students.
Procedures
If a member of staff is concerned that a pupil may be exposed to radicalisation the normal referral processes apply, i.e. they should discuss it with the Designated Safeguarding Lead who will follow the safeguarding procedures outlined in this policy.
Online Safety
The use of technology is a significant component of many safeguarding issues, including CSE, sexual predation and radicalisation. The breadth of issues classified within online safety can be categorised into four areas of risk
In seeking to manage online safety, and in collaboration with CYPES, the College aims to have appropriate filters and monitoring systems in place. In utilising monitoring tools, the College will give due consideration to the student age range, their frequency of access and the proportionality of costs vs risks.
For further guidance, see Appendix E of CYPES Keeping Children Safe in Education (May 2021).
Whistleblowing
All staff are required to report to the DSL, Principal (or if they are not available and the matter is urgent, a member of the Senior Leadership Team) any concern or allegations about College practices or the behaviour of colleagues which are likely to put students at risk of abuse or other serious harm. If the member of staff feels unable to raise their concern with the DSL, Principal (or a member of SLT), they should contact the Chair of Governors. There will be no retribution or disciplinary action taken against a member of staff for making such a report provided that it is done in good faith. Malicious allegations may be considered as a disciplinary offence.
All new staff will be given guidelines and procedures during their induction period. New staff will access one day Foundation Level CP training as soon as possible, organised centrally by the Education Department.
GTTP beginning teachers and NQTs will receive training from Education as part of their induction programme.
A rolling programme of child protection training aims to train all staff, volunteers and members of the governing body to Foundation level and provide a cycle of refresher training sessions.
All staff will complete an annual online refresher, using platforms such as National College or the Virtual College. Certificates to be forwarded to Designated Safeguarding Lead as proof of completion and collated by a member of the admin team.
All staff will receive safeguarding updates, throughout the academic year, from the DSL using channels including email and staff briefing.
Heads of School will access training at Level 3, as they serve as Deputy DSLs within their area of the College.
The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and their Deputies will undergo the DSL training course and any other safeguarding training at Level 3 and above to provide them with the knowledge and skills required to carry out the role.
Where appropriate, individual staff may access further relevant training, for example through the National College webinars
Students should be encouraged to take responsibility for:
All staff have responsibility for:
The Designated Safeguarding Lead has responsibility for:
For a full account of the role of the DSL, see Appendix D of CYPES’ Keeping Children Safe in Education (May 2021)
The SLT has responsibility for:
The Principal has responsibility for:
Data, Referrals and Record Keeping
Data Protection
In compliance with the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2018 and as set out in the Privacy Policy, the College collect and process personal data of staff, students, parents, governors and suppliers for specific purposes allowed by law and holds personal information about students in order to safeguard and promote their welfare, promote the objects and interests of the College facilitate the efficient operation of the College and ensure compliance with all relevant legal obligations. Ref https://www.jerseycollegeforgirls.com/jc-privacy-policy/
Record Keeping
All concerns, discussions and decisions made and the reasons for those decisions should be recorded contemporaneously using My Concern. If in doubt about recording requirements, staff should discuss with the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
Action by the Designated Safeguarding Lead on receiving a notification of concern/ complaint of abuse
Options may include the following: managing any support for the child internally via the College's own student support processes, an Early Help assessment, or a referral to the Children and Families Hub.
The Designated Safeguarding Lead will, when taking action:
Types of referral
There are different types of referral procedures according to the nature of the disclosure made.
Where a child has suffered or is at risk of harm and the matter does not involve a member of staff, a referral will be made to Children and Families Hub as soon as possible.
Where there are concerns about a member of staff’s suitability to work with children, a referral will be made to the JDO (with adivce sought from the Children and Families Hub).
If the child is considered to be a concern and is not at risk of suffering immediate significant harm but requires additional support (e.g. Early Help or pastoral support), the Designated Safeguarding Lead will refer the child to the relevant agency. Where a child and family would benefit from coordinated support from more than one agency (for example education, health, housing, police) there should be a referral to Early Help.
Where a disclosure relates to the mental health of a student and she is at risk from themselves rather than a third party, the Designated Safeguarding Lead will refer to CAMHS (via the Children and Families Hub) and parental consent will be sought. Where a student is already accessing care from CAMHS the DSL or appropriate member of the Student Support Teams will raise the concern with CAMHS.
See Appendix 4 for a flow chart detailing different responses to concerns being identified about a child.
Student child protection records:
The College will keep all child protection records confidential, allowing disclosure only to those who need the information in order to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. The College will co-operate with police and social services to ensure that all relevant information is shared for the purposes of child protection investigations and in accordance with the requirements of Working Together To Safeguard Children (July 2018).The Designated Safeguarding Lead will ensure that if a student who is subject to a child protection plan moves to another school, their child protection file will be transferred securely to a designated contact at the new school and confirmation of safe receipt obtained.
Engaging Students in Learning about Safeguarding
Listening to students:
The College provides a range of opportunities for students to be listened to. Tutor groups throughout the College ensure that there is regular contact time between tutor and tutees at daily registration and for extended tutor periods up to three times a week. Weekly PSHE lessons for students in Y7-10 seek to create an environment where students can share any concerns. A ‘Who can I talk to?’ document outlines the support system within the College and identifies key members of staff in the student support team, including school counsellors. This document is available to view on tutor room noticeboards. The College employs two counsellors (providing full time cover). Students may self-refer to the counsellors. Parental permission is sought for referrals to CAMHS services for students under the age of 16.
Teaching students about safeguarding:
Students are taught about a range of safeguarding issues (including online safety, substance misuse, child sexual exploitation, grooming, mental health, self-harm and bullying, relationship education, relationships and sex education and health education) through their PSHE lessons, visiting speakers and the assembly, tutorial and Elective programmes. Students are taught how to identify risks and how to adjust their behaviour in order to mitigate these risks and build resilience. Certain safeguarding issues are covered in the delivery of Relationships and Sex Education (RSE). Resilience to radicalisation is taught through PSHE by promoting fundamental values and enabling students to challenge extremist views. Suitable filtering and monitoring is in place to protect students from online abuse on the school networks. The Designated Safeguarding Lead provides annual refresher assemblies on the student-friendly version of this policy.
Visitors
Visitors are provided with a copy of ‘Safeguarding Information for Visitors’, identifying the Designated Safeguarding Leads and covering the following points:
Arrival and Departure
All visitors should report to reception on arrival and sign in using our InVentry system. The system will print a visitor’s badge, which you should wear for the duration of your time in College. Please remember to sign out when leaving the campus.
DBS
All staff and regular volunteers must have a Disclosure and Barring Service Enhanced Certificate (DBS). If we do not have a record of your DBS status, and you do not have your certificate with you, then you must be accompanied by a member of College staff during your visit.
Photography
Visitors are asked to refrain from taking any photographs (or video / audio recordings) whilst on campus, unless specifically directed to do so by a member of staff as part of the purpose of your visit.
Interactions with Students
Visitors will maintain an appropriately professional tone during all interactions with students. Visitors should ordinarily avoid being alone with students; if you are directed to work alone with a student, please ensure a door is left open.
Health and Safety
In the event of a fire alarm sounding, all visitors mut leave the building immediately using the nearest exit. Assembly points are indicated in each building. In the event of any accident or personal injury, please report to reception where trained first aiders are on duty.
Concern for a Student
If a student tells you something that makes you concerned for them or another young person, please listen, reassure them that they have done the right thing in speaking to you, and explain that you must share the concern with the Designated Safeguarding Lead (see overleaf).
College premises
The College takes all practicable steps to ensure that College premises are as secure and conducive to wellbeing as circumstances permit.
1. External Policies and other useful documents:
2. Internal Policies
Appendix 1 | Threshold Criteria & Assessment Grids
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Appendix 2 | MyConcern User Guide
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Appendix 3
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What staff should do if they have concerns about a child or receive a complaint of abuse
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Appendix 4
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Concerns about a child flow chart
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Appendix 5
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Emergency Contact List
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Appendix 6
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Staff Guidelines
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Appendix 7
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Police Involvement in Schools Procedure
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Appendix 8
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Online Safety Policy
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Appendix 9
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Student Acceptable Use agreement (appendix to Online Safety Policy)
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Appendix 10
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Staff Acceptable Use agreement (appendix to Online Safety Policy)
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Appendix 11
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Confirmation of receipt and reading of policy
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Please see Pages 11-17 the Continuum of Need document on Safeguarding Partnership Board website:
The Assessment Framework (ED Child Protection Policy)
The Assessment Framework will assist professionals in identifying those children with extra needs and enable them to make appropriate referrals to agencies on behalf of thechild.Where possible, this should be completed in consultation and partnership with the parent, carer and/or young person according to their capacity.
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 should always act in the best interests of the child. Staff should approach all concerns about students with a mindset of see/hear it, believe it, do something about it (as outlined below).
Concerns / initial complaint of abuse:
Staff should act on their concerns immediately and:
For urgent concerns, the member of staff should seek the DSL or a deputy in person immediately, and:
Sexting / sharing nude and semi-nude images
Sexting is defined as the production of and/or sharing of sexual photos and videos of and by young people who are under the age of 18. Staff who are aware of an incident involving sexting should:
Preserving evidence
All evidence, (for example, scribbled notes, mobile phones containing text messages, clothing, computers), must be safeguarded and preserved and given to the DSL
Reporting:
All suspicion or complaints of abuse must be reported to the Designated Safeguarding Lead or Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead, or if the complaint involves a member of staff, to the Principal. Details of procedures for reporting allegations against members of staff are givenwithin this policy. If in exceptional circumstances you are not able to speak to the Designated Safeguarding Lead, the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead or the Principal, you should speak to your line manager. If there is risk of immediate serious harm to a child and you are not able to follow this referral procedure, contact Children and Families Hub. Please see Emergency contact list at Appendix 5 for emergency contact details. Anybody can make a referral. If there is an immediate emergency, dial 999 and report the matter to the police.
Supporting Principles relating to any Safeguarding Disclosure:
For further guidance, see ‘Recognition and dealing with disclosures’ in CYPES’ Keeping Children Safe in Education (May 2021)
Receive
Reassure
React
Report and Record
In the event of a serious disclosure from a child, the following is a list of people or agencies who must be contacted immediately regardless of meetings, etc. The immediate safety of a child or student is always our priority.
1. Senior Leadership Team
Name
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Position
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Contact numbers
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Simon Milner | Assistant Head Designated Safeguarding Lead | Ext 207 | 516207 | 077977 54688
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Carl Howarth | Principal | Ext 204 | 516204 | 077979 22662 |
Emma Silvestri-Fox | Assistant Head and Deputy DSL | Ext 216 | 516216 | 077978 28816
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Peter Marett | Assistant Head and Deputy DSL | Ext 261 | 516261 | 077979 54839
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Toni Rollo | Vice Principal | Ext 214 | 516214 | 077978 18908
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Ruth Lea | Assistant Head | Ext 268 | 516268 | 078297 38340 |
Julie Forsyth | Bursar | Ext 205 | 516205
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077977 69791
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If none of the above can be contacted
2. Children and Families Hub – 519000
“Words to the effect of …“As the result of a serious disclosure from a child at our school, we have concerns about that child’s safety.”
If the Hub cannot be contacted directly - (If you get the voicemail – state that you will be phoning the Police)
3. States of Jersey Police Child Protection Unit – 612612 or 999
Staff Awareness
Staff have a duty to deal with any child protection issue that may arise and also to avoid any activity that may reasonably raise concerns as to their propriety. Examples might include students drinking alcohol with staff, being invited to their homes or allowing access to inappropriate materials or internet sites. Any member of staff who is aware of such activities should report them to a member of the Senior Leadership Team. This should include what the DFE’s Keeping Children Safe in Education (2022) refers to as a ‘low-level concern is any concern – no matter how small, and even if no more than causing a sense of unease or a ‘nagging doubt’’. Ensuring such low-level concerns are appropriately shared and ‘dealt with effectively should also protect those working in or on behalf of schools and colleges from potential false allegations or misunderstandings.’
In line with DFE guidance, the College aims to ‘create an environment where staff are encouraged and feel confident to self-refer, 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.’
Any individual contact with students out of education settings should only be done with the prior knowledge of parents and senior colleagues. Staff should make every effort to avoid being in a situation where they are alone with a student in an isolated area, talking with a student in a closed room without others being aware of or being on their own with a student in a car or minibus.
Sexual harassment
This includes gender related comments about a student’s physical attributes; unwelcome or gratuitous physical contact; suggestive or offensive remarks or innuendos about students of a specific sex; propositions of physical intimacy; gender related verbal abuse; threats or taunting; bragging about sexual prowess; requests for dates or sexual favours; offensive jokes or comments of a sexual nature about a student; displays of sexually offensive pictures, graffiti or other materials; highly personal questions or discussions about sexual activities; rough and vulgar humour or language related to gender; repeated “compliments” regarding a student’s appearance, hair and clothes.
Inappropriate relationships
In common law, a member of staff is held to a higher standard of conduct than many other members of society. A member of staff’s sexual relationship with a student is regarded as professional misconduct. Any such relationship or conduct directed at establishing a relationship are prohibited. Activities such as sending intimate letters or e-mails from a member of staff to a student, personal telephone calls, suggestive comments and dating are unacceptable. Staff receiving inappropriate communication from students should report the matter to the DSL, or another member of the SLT, who will investigate and deal with it appropriately.
Physical Restraint
Physical restraint of students is part of a range of strategies available to manage challenging behaviour and to protect the safety of children. The Education Restraint Policy is included in the Special Educational Needs Policy. A link to this policy can be found in the ‘Relationship to other Policies’ section of this document.
Restraint should only be used as a last resort after other strategies included in the school’s behaviour policy. Physical restraint always carries a risk that the child or staff may be damaged, physically or emotionally. Inappropriate or excessive use of restraint can lead to an allegation of assault. For further details, see pp. 35-36 of CYPES’ Keeping Children Safe in Education (May 2021).
Physical Contact and Intervention
Do |
Don’t |
Have another person present |
Use restraint in anger |
Defuse the situation – ‘talking down’ |
Adopt a threatening stance |
Use physical restraint as a last resort |
Be confrontational |
Be aware of gender and cultural issues |
Restrain by tying or binding |
Use MINIMUM amount of reasonable force |
Search a student or their property without appropriate advice and ensuring that a Head of School or the DSL is with you |
Continually offer the child the opportunity to regain self-control |
Hit or shake a student, pull hair, hold arms behind back or squeeze excessively |
Ensure a written report is compiled following the use of any restraint |
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Inform DSL after the incident |
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Photography, Videos and Other Creative Arts
Many activities involve recording images. These may be undertaken as part of the curriculum, extra school activities, for publicity and to celebrate achievement. Staff need to be aware of the potential for these occasions to be misused for pornographic or “grooming” purposes. Careful consideration should be given as to how these activities are organised and undertaken. Using images of children for publicity purposes will require the consent of parents. Images should not be displayed on websites, in publications or in a public place without such consent. When using a photograph for publicity purposes the following guidance should be followed:
When recording images of students (e.g. taking photos) for the purposes of publicity and celebration, members of staff should use a school-owned (rather than personal) device wherever possible. Whatever device is used, recorded images of students should be saved to SharePoint and deleted from the device (and from any cloud storage to which a personal device might automatically upload) promptly and usually within 24 hours.
Further advice is available in the Education ‘Policy and Guidance on Use of Images: photographs, videos, CCTV and web cams.’
Online-safety - Internet Use
The College has a clear procedure regarding access to and the use of the Internet and have regard to Education guidance. Staff should also refer to the schools’ e-safety policy, including the Acceptable Use Agreement (AUA).
Under no circumstance should staff in Education settings access inappropriate images. Accessing child pornography or indecent images of children on the Internet and making, storing or disseminating such material is illegal.
Using Education equipment to access inappropriate or indecent material, including adult pornography, is unacceptable.
Education advises staff to exercise caution when communicating with children and young people using the Internet or mobile technology. Staff should only use official Education email accounts to talk to students online so that any communication is logged. It may be appropriate to set up a site to communicate in some circumstances, for example, to arrange sporting fixtures or for a particular curricular activity but staff should ensure their line manager or SLT is aware of this and that it is shared with other staff.
Staff should also only communicate on school matters as personal communication could be considered to be inappropriate.
Students might try to include staff in their ‘friends’ list on their online social network or get hold of a personal email address or mobile number. Staff should be cautious about this as there are inherent risks in staff using such sites to communicate with students in respect of the potential overlap between their personal and professional lives. Staff should refer any concerns to the DSL.
The Education Department has a policy on Police Involvement in Schools.
A copy of the full policy is available at the link in the ‘Relationship to other policies’ section of this document. Please see below a summary of key points:
Contacting the Police
Should an event occur which requires Police involvement, then please speak to a Senior Leader at school. The Senior Leader will decide whether the police should be contacted.
The Senior Leader will
Schools are encouraged to deal with minor incidents internally, using the Improving Behaviour Policy.
If an incident is deemed serious enough to contact the police, then all interviews with those suspected of being involved in the crime must stop until the Police arrive.
Receiving a call from the Police/Social Services
General phone calls - When anyone calls and speaks to any member of JCG staff, saying that they are from the Police or Social Services
DO
DO NOT
Authors: | Emma Silvestri-Fox (Designated Safeguarding Lead) Ruth Lea (eSafety Officer)
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Shared with Staff: | September 2022 |
Reviewed: | September 2022 (Simon Milner and Ruth Lea) |
Next review: | September 2023 |
Introduction:
The internet and constantly evolving technology continually changes the way that we all interact with the world. Whilst advances in technology offer a plethora of excellent opportunities for teaching and learning, this technology comes with some potential risks.
Online safety is not purely about technology. Many of the issues arising from online activity are behavioural and consequently will be managed in the same way as any other inappropriate behaviour.
Online safety messages such as ‘don’t post personal information online’ are now almost meaningless, as the whole point of social media for many young people is to share personal information. Also, the huge range of online applications now used means that locking information down via privacy settings is almost impossible.
Our key aim with respect to the use of technology is that there is no substitute for a strong established culture of safeguarding within the College, which prioritises the safety of both our students and staff, especially in relation to the use of online apps, social media and wireless technology.
Objectives:
To achieve these aims our policies, systems and procedures are designed to:
Systems and Procedures:
Staff:
Online Safety Training for Staff:
The e-Safety Officer and the DSL have joint responsibility for:
All Students should be encouraged to take responsibility for:
Parents/guardians have responsibility for:
The Principal has responsibility for:
Relationships to other policies
External policies to be found at:
http://www.gov.je/Government/Departments/EducationSportCulture/Pages/Policies.aspx#anchor-4
Internal Policies:
Please confirm your receipt and reading of this policy using this Form: Microsoft Forms