Education Child Protection/Safeguarding Template Policy

 

Template Addendum: 

Summary of any key COVID-19 Mitigation Planning, safeguarding and child protection changes

 

 

 

Name of School: Arboretum Primary School

                                       

 

Author/s of addendum: N Daintith, C Hardy, C Fryer, R Nisha

 

 

Addendum approved by:

 

 

 

 

Addendum review dates and changes

 

 

Addendum Contents

                                                                                                                                  Page

                                                                                                   

 

Key Contacts during COVID-19 Arrangements

 

 

Contact details for all other key safeguarding agencies are as noted in the School safeguarding/child protection policy 2019/20

1. Context

 

From 20^th March 2020 parents were asked by the Government to keep their children at home, wherever possible, and for schools to remain open only for those children of workers critical to the COVID-19 response who absolutely need to attend.

 

Schools, Colleges and all Childcare Providers were also asked to provide care for a limited number of children; this covered, children who are vulnerable, as well as those children whose parents are critical to the COVID-19 response and cannot be safely cared for at home.

 

The Trust acknowledges the importance of schools remaining a safe place for children; however, the fewer children making the journey to school, and the fewer children in educational settings, will protect the NHS and save lives by reducing the risks of spreading the virus.

 

This addendum of the School Safeguarding/Child Protection Policy contains details of individual safeguarding arrangements during continued opening/school closure.

 

2. Scope and Definitions

 

This addendum applies during the period of school closure due to COVID-19, and reflects updated advice from our local safeguarding partners Derby and Derbyshire Safeguarding Children Partnership (Derbyshire County Council, Derby City Council, Derby and Derbyshire Clinical Commissioning Group, Tameside and Glossop Clinical Commissioning Group and Derbyshire Constabulary).

 

It sets out changes to the school’s normal Safeguarding/Child Protection Policy in light of the Department for Education’s Guidance collection for Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for schools and other educational settings, and specifically Coronavirus: safeguarding in schools, colleges and other providers.

 

Vulnerable Children

 

Unless covered here, the school’s normal Child Protection Policy continues to apply.

 

The Department for Education’s (DfE’s) Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance on vulnerable children and young people defines ‘Vulnerable Children’ as those who:

 

1. Have a Social Worker, this includes children who:

• Have a Child Protection Plan
• Are looked after by the Local Authority
• Have been assessed as being in need or otherwise meet the definition in Section 17 of the Children Act 1989

 

1. Children and young people up to the age of 25 with Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plans.

Those with an EHC plan will be risk-assessed by Arboretum Primary School in consultation with the Local Authority (LA) and parents, to decide whether they need to continue to be offered a School place in order to meet their needs; or, whether they can safely have their needs met at home. This could include, if necessary, carers, therapists or clinicians visiting the home to provide any essential services. Many children and young people with EHC plans can safely remain at home.

 

Arboretum Primary School will continue to work with, and support children’s Social Workers to help protect vulnerable children. This includes working with and supporting children’s Social Workers and the Local Authority Virtual School Head (VSH) for Looked-After and previously Looked-After children. The lead person for this will be Nigel Daintith.

 

There is an expectation that vulnerable children who have a Social Worker will attend an education setting, so long as they do not have significant underlying health conditions that put them at risk. In circumstances where a parent/carer does not want to bring their child to an education setting, and their child is considered vulnerable, the Social Worker and Arboretum Primary School will explore the reasons for this directly with the parent/carer. Arboretum Primary School will complete the DDAT template risk assessment and then transfer onto Safeguard when this situation has ended.

 

 

Where parents are concerned about the risk of the child contracting COVID-19, Arboretum Primary School or the Social Worker will talk through these anxieties with the parent/carer following the advice set out by Public Health England.

 

Arboretum Primary School will encourage our vulnerable children and young people to attend school, including remotely if needed. Weekly phone calls will be made to identified families and responses recorded on the risk assessment for that pupil.

 

 

Support for children who are not ‘Vulnerable’ but where there are concerns

 

Senior Leaders in Arboretum Primary School, especially the Designated Safeguarding Lead (and Deputy), are aware of who our most vulnerable children are. They also have the flexibility to offer a place to those who do not meet the Department for Education’s definition of ‘Vulnerable’ but where Arboretum Primary School has concerns.  For example, children who are receiving support though Early Help processes, on the edge of receiving Children’s Social Care support or those who have had recent Social Worker involvement.

 

If these children will not be attending school a Contact Plan will put in place, as explained in Section 8 below.

 

 

3. Core Safeguarding Principles

 

We will still have regard to the statutory Safeguarding Guidance, Keeping Children Safe in Education and relevant Government Coronavirus Guidance such as Coronavirus: safeguarding in schools, colleges and other providers to ensure we keep children safe.

 

Although we are operating in a different way to normal, we are still following these important safeguarding principles:

 

• The best interests of children must always continue to come first

• If anyone has a safeguarding concern about any child, they should continue to act on it immediately
• A Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) or Deputy should be available at all times (see Section 4 for details of our arrangements)
• It is essential that unsuitable people are not allowed to enter the children’s/education workforce and/or gain access to children
• Children should continue to be protected when they are online

 

Arboretum Primary School will, as far as is reasonably possible, take a whole institution approach to Safeguarding. This will allow us to ensure that any new policies and processes in response to COVID-19 are not weakening our approach to Safeguarding or undermining Arboretum Primary School’s Safeguarding Child Protection Policy.

 

4.  Reporting Concerns

 

 

All staff will continue to work with the children’s Social Workers, where they have one, to help protect vulnerable children.

 

It is vitally important that we continue to work together and share relevant safeguarding information to keep children safe

 

Where staff have a concern about a child, they should continue to follow the process outlined in the school Safeguarding Policy, this includes making a report via Safeguard, which can be done remotely.

 

In the unlikely event that a member of staff cannot access Safeguard from home, they should email the Designated Safeguarding Lead, Head Teacher and the Trust Safeguarding Manager. This will ensure that the concern is received.

 

If staff have a safeguarding concern about a child from another school who is attending Arboretum Primary School during this time, they will not be able to log it on Safeguard, so must report it directly to the DSL (or deputy) on site and complete a paper Concern Form.

 

Staff are reminded of the need to report any concern immediately and without delay.

 

Where staff are concerned about an adult working with children in the school, they should report the concern to the Head Teacher. If there is a requirement to make a notification to the Head Teacher whilst away from school, this should be done verbally and followed up with an email to the Head Teacher.

 

Concerns around the Head Teacher should be directed to the Chair of Governors: Olivia Dean

 

Derby Diocesan Academy Trust will continue to offer support in the process of managing allegations.

 

Contacts and Referrals

 

If you are concerned about the welfare of a child or young person or are worried they are being abused, you can make a referral to Children's Social Care. Wherever practicable, contact should be indirect, such as by telephone/video call or using the online referral form.

 

Unless there are serious concerns that a child is suffering or likely to suffer abuse and maltreatment, practitioners should use an Early Help Assessment to start the process of understanding the needs and strengths of the child and the parent/carers.

 

Professional judgements about visiting children and families to complete children in need assessments will balance considerations about:

 

• Risks to children and young people
• Risks to families
• Risks to the workforce

 

Social Workers and their managers will be making professional judgements of risk in each case and decide what form of contact a family may need to have by agencies (including the social worker) in order to ensure the safety of children and young people. There are many ways to keep in touch with a child, young person or family without physical face-to-face contact.

 

There are circumstances where it will be necessary for social workers and other staff/agencies professionals to visit children in person. Where face to face contact is deemed necessary, practitioners should take account of Public Health England (PHE) advice on social distancing and minimising the spread of infection to keep safe both themselves and the family they are visiting.

 

 

Strategy Discussions

 

Strategy discussions should be held by virtual means in order to co-operate with social distancing guidance requirements. The purpose of the strategy discussion/meeting is to determine the child’s welfare and plan rapid future action if there is reasonable cause to suspect the child is suffering, or is likely to suffer, Significant Harm. 

 

Child Protection Section 47 Enquiries

 

Preparation for carrying out a Section 47 enquiry should include specific measures to see or speak to the child in line with local safeguarding procedures.

 

Children and families may feel anxious about infection risks. Where this anxiety is present and families are reluctant to engage with Social Workers, Social Workers and other agency professionals should make contact with families and explain why it is essential that they have access to the home, or to see and speak to the children, to ensure they are safe and well. This need not always be through a face to face visit, but should be sufficient to reassure key professionals that the child is not currently at risk of harm.

 

There may, of course, be other reasons why families may refuse access and where they do and there is a risk to the life of the child or a likelihood of immediate serious harm, Local Authorities should follow the immediate protection procedures set out in Working Together to Safeguard Children.

 

The management of risk should be recorded in line with the organisations Risk Mitigation plan for COVID-19.

 

For the latest updates on the latest position on referring in, CiN and Early Help, Core Group/TAF meetings for Derby City and Derbyshire, we will regularly visit the DDSCP website:    https://www.ddscp.org.uk/

 

5. Designated Safeguarding Lead (and Deputy) Arrangements

 

Arboretum Primary School will aim to have a trained DSL or Deputy DSL on site wherever possible.

 

Arboretum Primary School has a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and two Deputy DSLs.

 

The Designated Safeguarding Lead is: Nigel Daintith

 

The Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads are: Charmian Hardy & Ros Nisha

 

Details of all important contacts are listed in the ‘Important Contacts’ section on Page 4 of this Addendum.

 

• If Arboretum Primary School DSL (or Deputy) cannot be in the school, arrangements will be made to contact them remotely. See Important Contacts on Page 4.
• If Arboretum Primary School DSL (or Deputy) is unavailable, a DSL will be shared with the closest DDAT 2 school or a member of the central team.
• All Arboretum Primary School staff and volunteers will be kept informed by email as to who will be the DSL (or Deputy) on any given day, and how to contact them.
• Arboretum Primary School will ensure that DSLs (and deputies), wherever their location, know who the most vulnerable children in the School are.
• On occasions where there is no DSL or Deputy available on site, a Senior Lead from Arboretum Primary School will take responsibility for co-ordinating Safeguarding. This will be Clare Fryer, School Business Manager. Their contact details are located in Important Contacts, Page 4.
• The Senior Lead will be responsible for liaising with the off-site DSL (or Deputy) to ensure they (the Senior Lead) can:
  • Identify the most vulnerable children in school
  • Update and manage access to Child Protection files, where necessary
  • Liaise with children’s Social Workers where they need access to children in need and/or to carry out statutory assessments

• If there are any children attending Arboretum Primary School from another school, then the contact details for a trained DSL (or deputy) will be available, and they will be contacted in the event of any safeguarding issue regarding a child / children from their school.  However, in an emergency, contacting the appropriate school’s DSL will not take precedence over taking necessary emergency actions.

 

Arboretum Primary School acknowledges that opportunities for DSL training is very unlikely to take place during this period; the DDSCP Safeguarding face to face training events have been cancelled up until the end of May (this will be the subject of review). However, the option of online training will be explored, there are some e-learning opportunities and podcasts on the DDSCP website training pages.  

 

As outlined in the DfE Guidance (Coronavirus (COVID-19): safeguarding in schools, colleges and other providers); for the period COVID-19 measures are in place, a DSL (or Deputy) who has been trained will continue to be classed as a trained DSL (or Deputy) even if they are unable to undertake their refresher training.

 

Our Trust like others nationwide faces unique challenges at this time. Where reasonably possible, the DSL (or Deputy) will consider these challenges in a child protection context.

 

6. Working with Other Agencies

 

Arboretum Primary School will continue to work with Children’s Social Care and with Virtual School Heads for Looked-After and previously Looked-After Children.

 

Arboretum Primary School will continue to update this Addendum as/when necessary, to reflect any updated guidance from:

 

• Our Local Safeguarding Partners
• The Local Authority about children with Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans, the Local Authority Designated Officer and Children’s Social Care, Reporting Mechanisms, Referral Thresholds and Children in Need

 

The following guidance is currently in place:

 

Multi-Agency Safeguarding Meetings (updated Information published on 25/03/2020)

 

As from the 18^th March all meetings (for example: Looked After Reviews, Child Protection Conferences, Children in Need Reviews) will take place virtually and no face to face conference/meetings will currently take place.

 

All attendees of meetings will be notified of how they will contribute to the meeting and Arboretum Primary School will take steps to ensure that they are able to comply with these arrangements.

 

As there will be delays in circulating the records of such meetings, the Arboretum Primary School representative will take notes of recommended actions.

 

For these statutory meetings to go ahead it is equally important that all professionals and especially the allocated Social Workers provide updated reports, care plans and review of arrangements, to these meetings. Arboretum Primary School will ensure this is a priority. All reports will be emailed using the current arrangements for these meetings taking place.

 

For Initial Child Protection Case Conferences and Review Conferences, partners will be expected to be available so that the Child Protection Managers (CPMs) can call them to discuss the children and issues of risk, enabling partners to contribute to the plan that the CPM will build based on information shared from all parties.

 

Derbyshire Community Response Unit

 

As people become ill with COVID-19 and need to self-isolate their personal circumstances may mean they need some additional help.

 

The Community Response Unit (CRU) is for people who have no one else to support them. The CRU will be helping people to access food banks or shopping depending on their financial resources; they will help people access support for prescriptions; they will be signposting people to financial advice; and will be offering support for those in social isolation such as telephone befriending. This will be delivered by the Community and Voluntary Sector (CVS).

 

As CRU requests for help are triaged, if any children are identified as being vulnerable the CRU hub will liaise directly with Children’s ‘Starting Point’ to support the triage of the children’s needs.

 

The CRU is not a service as such it is an enabler to help people who have no other support to be able to access local support through the CVS network. The CRU has linked up with District/Borough Councils, locality CVS’s and key voluntary sector organisations who are coordinating voluntary support within communities.

 

Anyone who requires support can use the online form:

 

https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/social-health/health-and-wellbeing/health-protection/disease-control/coronavirus/community-response-unit/if-you-need-help/if-you-need-help.aspx   or telephone 01629 535091.

 

Derbyshire Early Help in communities is supported by the Early Help Transition Team

 

The Derbyshire Early Help Transition Team will continue to support partner agencies with information, advice and guidance in Early Help. We will stay in contact with our local teams who can assist us and early help, this includes:

 

• Collating a list of local voluntary services in each community; e.g. Foodbanks, CAB sessions and family support voluntary organisations.
• Contact details for a wide range of validated national organisations has been compiled for partners; including the full range of parenting support and mental health support services.
• Early Help Advisors continue to provide support for partners online and have produced bitesize support sessions that partners can use online with children and families.
• Early Help Advisors maintain links with School Early Help leads.
• Children Centres: provide online support for 0-5 year olds and have posted on their Facebook pages updated information advice and guidance for parents including signposting to key support agencies.

Locality Early Help Teams (0-19yrs) Providing Targeted Support Including Children’s Centres

 

Arboretum Primary School will continue to make the appropriate referrals for targeted Early Help support for our children and families. The Locality Early Help teams are receiving referrals from Starting Point and these will be allocated at virtual VCM meetings. They will have close liaison with the Mental Health preventative services, and these teams are now completing Team Around the Family in a virtual meeting with families and professionals.

 

Arboretum Primary School are aware that there is continued targeted Early Help across the County. Community based groups in centres and youth groups are now closed in accordance with COVID-19 guidance. Contact with Children, Young People and Families has therefore, moved to using technology to provide online contact e.g. Skype, WhatsApp or FaceTime and phone call support.

 

These practitioners have developed creative solutions to maintain engagement and also provide interactive resources for children and families to use. Regular appointments are made to continue the family support work and the video conferencing and FaceTime facilities enable a tour around the home to support with maintaining family routines.

 

Practitioners are converting many evidence based tools into online interactive resources and finding new ways to deliver programmes such as:

 

• ECAT: Every Child A Talker, speech and language development.
• School Readiness programmes
• Solihull Parenting Approach.
• Stronger Families Safer Children: Systemic approach.

A range of Mental Health resources have been made available to the Early Help teams to provide guidance to parents and carers on managing the anxiety and family dynamics of social distancing and self-isolation. These resources will become good guides for practitioners and parents if families begin to experience inter-parental conflict or conflict with children.

 

Childrens Services has clear guidance on home visit arrangements and if a family does require home visits, then practitioners will undertake these where appropriate based on COVID-19 guidance at the time.

 

Young Carers

 

We are aware that vulnerable children as defined, include children who are young carers. Derbyshire Carers Association, commissioned via DCC, will be continuing to provide support for young carers and their families during the coronavirus pandemic. They will offer advice to any new referrals. 01773 833833 or email: youngcarers@derbyshirecarers.co.uk

 

We will support young carers to attend and stay in school where possible. We are aware that an extended period of time at home could increase the amount of caring the child is doing, impacting on them emotionally and physically.

 

7. Monitoring attendance

 

As most children will not be attending school during this period of School closure, we will not be completing our usual attendance registers or following our usual procedures to follow up on non-attendance.

 

Arboretum Primary School and Social Workers will agree with parents/carers whether Children in Need should be attending School. Arboretum Primary School will then follow up on any learner that they were expecting to attend, who does not. Arboretum Primary School will also follow up with any parent or carer who has arranged care for their child(ren) and the child(ren) subsequently do not attend.

 

To support the above, Arboretum Primary School will, when communicating with parents/carers, confirm emergency contact numbers are correct and ask for any additional emergency contact numbers where they are available.

 

In all circumstances where a vulnerable child does not take up their place at school, or discontinues, Arboretum Primary School will notify their Social Worker using the DDAT template risk assessment.

 

In the case of vulnerable children sharing provision with other schools, the receiving school should have arrangements in place on how best to share information and follow up with parents if there are any issues e.g. non-attendance.

 

Arboretum Primary School will use DDAT’s daily attendance form to keep an accurate record of who is attending school and will also complete the DfE’s online attendance form.

 

In addition, all Derbyshire schools will provide lists of the vulnerable children who are attending the school to the Local Authority to help coordinate responses to vulnerable children as defined by the DfE guidance.    

 

As time moves on our ability to engage effectively with families in this way is improving and we will continue to make contact with our vulnerable children and with families regularly within the existing restrictions

 

Arboretum Primary School will work within the social distancing advice the Local Authority has provided for children in school:

https://schoolsnet.derbyshire.gov.uk/administration-services-and-support/coronavirus-information/information-and-advice-to-schools.aspx

 

8. Safeguarding For Children Not Attending School

 

Contact Plans

 

Arboretum Primary School have contact plans for children with a Social Worker and children who they have safeguarding concerns about, for circumstances where:

 

• They won’t be attending school (for example where the school, parent/carer and Social Worker, if relevant, have decided together that this wouldn’t be in the child’s best interests); or
• They would usually attend but have to self-isolate

 

These plans set out:

 

• How often the School will make contact
• Which staff member(s) will make contact
• How they will make contact

 

Arboretum Primary School have agreed these plans with Children’s Social Care where relevant, and will review them as per the time scale included in the DDAT risk assessment.

 

If Arboretum Primary School are unable to make contact with the child(ren), we will immediately contact children’s social care.

 

 

 

 

9. Children attending other settings

 

Where children are temporarily required to attend another setting, Arboretum Primary School will ensure the receiving School is provided with any relevant welfare and child protection information. If children are not attending their usual school site (e.g. attending a Regional Hub School or Partner School), the DSL or Deputy DSL for the feeder school will be available at all times to liaise with the DSL/Deputy DSL in the host school.

 

The DSL in the host school remains responsible for ensuring site security and safety for all pupils present. The DSL in the feeder school remains responsible for the welfare of children from the feeder school and will liaise closely with the onsite DSL/Deputy DSL in the host school.

 

Wherever possible, Arboretum Primary School DSL (or Deputy) and/or Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) will share, as applicable:

 

• The reason(s) why the child is considered vulnerable and any arrangements in place to support them
• The child’s EHC plan, Child in Need Plan, Child Protection Plan or Personal Education Plan
• Details of the child’s Social Worker
• Details of the Virtual School Head
• Where the DSL, Deputy or SENCO in unable to share this information, the School Senior Leader(s) identified in Key Contacts will do this.

 

Arboretum Primary School will share this information before the child arrives as far as is possible, and otherwise as soon as possible afterwards.

 

10. Safeguarding all children

 

Staff and volunteers are aware that this difficult time potentially puts all children at a greater risk.

 

Staff and volunteers will continue to be alert to any signs of abuse, or effects on learners’ mental health that are also safeguarding concerns, and act on any concerns immediately. In particular, children are likely to be spending more time online (see Section 12 below).

 

11. Peer on peer abuse

 

We will continue to follow the principles set out in Part 5 of Keeping Children Safe in Education, Sexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools and colleges guidance and local multi-agency safeguarding children procedures, in particular  Children who Present a Risk of Harm to Others as well as those outlined within the School Child Protection/Safeguarding Policy, when managing reports and supporting victims of peer-on-peer abuse.

 

Staff should continue to act on any concerns they have immediately.

 

Arboretum Primary School recognises that during the partial closure a revised process may be required for managing any report of such abuse, and support to victims.

 

The School will listen and work with the young person, the alleged perpetrator, parents/carers and any multi-agency partner required to ensure the safety and security of the young person and that of the alleged perpetrator.

 

Concerns and actions must be recorded on Safeguard and appropriate referrals made.

 

In the unlikely event that a member of staff cannot access their Safeguard from home, they should email the Designated Safeguarding Lead and the Trust Safeguarding Officer (Sue Vasey). This will ensure that the concern is received.

 

Staff are reminded of the need to report any concern immediately and without delay.

Where staff are concerned about an adult working with children in the school, they should report the concern to the Head teacher verbally and followed up with an email to the Head teacher.

Concerns around the Head teacher should be directed to the Chair of Governors (Olivia Dean).

The Multi-Academy Trust will continue to offer support in the process of managing allegations.

 

 

12. Online Safety

 

In school

 

Arboretum Primary School will continue to have appropriate filtering and monitoring systems in place.  Where students are using computers in school, appropriate supervision will be in place.

 

Outside school

 

Where staff are interacting with children online, they will continue to follow the School’s existing Staff Code of Conduct.

 

It is important that all staff who interact with children, including online, continue to look out for signs a child may be at risk. Any such concerns should be dealt with as per the Safeguarding Child Protection Policy and where appropriate referrals should still be made to Children’s Social Care and the Police if required.

 

Online teaching will follow the same principles as set out in the staff Code of Conduct Policy and the Behaviour Policy.

 

Arboretum Primary School will ensure any use of online learning tools and systems is in line with privacy and data protection/GDPR requirements.

 

Arboretum Primary School will consider guidance as detailed below when delivering virtual lessons, especially where webcams are involved:

 

• No 1:1s, groups only.
• Staff and children must wear suitable clothing, as should anyone else in the household.
• Any computers used should be in appropriate areas, for example, not in bedrooms; and the background should be blurred.
• The live class should be recorded so that if any issues were to arise, the video can be reviewed.
• Live classes should be kept to a reasonable length of time, or the streaming may prevent the family ‘getting on’ with their day.
• Language must be professional and appropriate, including any family members in the background.
• Staff must only use communication systems provided by Arboretum Primary School to communicate with learners.
• Staff should record, the length, time, date and attendance of any sessions held.

 

If IT staff are unavailable, our contingency plan is to contact the COO of DDAT2 who will make necessary arrangements for appropriate support to be provided.

 

Arboretum Primary School Online safety Policy must be followed at all times.

 

Arboretum Primary School will consider the safeguards around loaning equipment and will take advice from the School ICT services on the issues.

 

Arboretum Primary School will work with any further guidance issued by the Local Authority in respect to remote working and learning, and when using online to communicate with children and their families. 

 

Staff will continue to be alert to signs that a child may be at risk of harm online, and act on any concerns immediately, following our reporting procedures as set out in Section 3 of this Addendum.

 

Arboretum Primary School will ensure children know how to report any concerns they have back to the School, and signpost them to other sources of support if required.

 

Working with Parents and Carers

 

Arboretum Primary School will ensure parents and carers:

 

• Are aware of the potential risks to children online and the importance of staying safe online.
• Are aware of what Arboretum Primary School is asking children to do online, including what sites they will be using and who they will be interacting with from our school.
• Are aware that parents/carers should only use reputable online companies or tutors if they wish to supplement the remote teaching and resources Arboretum Primary School provides.
• Know additional resources that are available for support to keep their children safe online.

 

Arboretum Primary School will work within any further local guidelines issued to Schools/Colleges/Education settings around Video Conferencing and Remote Learning (e.g. Zoom, Microsoft Teams) during the COVID-19 Outbreak.

 

13. Mental Health and Well-being

 

Where possible, Arboretum Primary School will continue to offer our current support for learner mental health and wellbeing for all of our learners.

 

When setting expectations for pupils learning remotely and not attending school, teachers will bear in mind the potential impact of the current situation on both children’s and adults’ mental health and well-being.

 

The Derbyshire Early Help teams are closely aligned with the Mental Health Specialist Community Advisors and they will work together to provide the most appropriate support for children and families during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

 

This will include online support from preventative services, specialist services and if appropriate the Crisis Teams will support children.

 

Resources are available and have been especially adapted to support children who may be anxious during social distancing and self-isolation; these are available from the DCC website and school staff can be guided to these resources by the local Early Help Teams:

 

https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/social-health/health-and-wellbeing/health-protection/disease-control/coronavirus/schools/schools-parents.aspx

 

https://www.mentallyhealthyschools.org.uk/media/1960/coronavirus-mental-health-and-wellbeing-resources.pdf

Supporting Children Not in School

 

Arboretum Primary School is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all its children and young people.

 

Where the DSL has identified a child to be on the edge of social care support, or who would normally receive pastoral type support in school, they should ensure that a robust contact plan and risk assessment is in place for that child or young person.

 

Details of this plan must be recorded on Safeguard as should a record of contacts that have been made.

 

The contact plans can include; remote contact, phone contact, door step visits. Other individualised contact methods should be considered and recorded.

 

Arboretum Primary School and its DSL will work closely with all stakeholders to maximise the effectiveness of any contact plan.

 

This plan and risk assessments must be reviewed regularly (at least once a fortnight) and where concerns arise, the DSL will consider any referrals as appropriate.

 

Arboretum Primary School will share safeguarding messages on its website.

 

Arboretum Primary School recognises that education is a protective factor for children and young people, and the current circumstances, can affect the mental health of pupils and their parents/carers. Teachers at Arboretum Primary School need to be aware of this in setting expectations of learners’ work where they are at home.

 

Arboretum Primary School will ensure that where we care for children of critical workers and vulnerable children on site, we ensure appropriate support is in place for them. This will be bespoke to each child and recorded on Safeguard.

 

Supporting Children in School

 

Arboretum Primary School is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all its students.

 

Arboretum Primary School will continue to be a safe space for all children to attend and flourish. The Head teacher will ensure that appropriate staff are on site and staff to learner ratio numbers are appropriate, to maximise safety.

 

Arboretum Primary School will refer to the Government guidance for education and childcare settings on how to implement social distancing and continue to follow the advice from Public Health England on handwashing and other measures to limit the risk of spread of COVID-19.

 

Arboretum Primary School will ensure that where they care for children of critical workers and vulnerable children on site, will ensure appropriate support is in place for them. This will be bespoke to each child and recorded on Safeguard.

 

 

 

 

 

14. Domestic Abuse

 

The current COVID-19 measures being taken are likely to increase the stress on family life and it is expected that domestic abuse incidents are likely to rise.

 

Arboretum Primary School will continue to receive domestic abuse notifications via the Stopping Domestic Abuse Together (SDAT) initiative as will Children’s Social Care. Notifications will continue to be recorded in the children’s Safeguarding File. The Police are providing the existing responses and there is no change to practice:

 

https://schoolsnet.derbyshire.gov.uk/keeping-children-safe-in-education/safeguarding-policies-guidance-and-protocols/domestic-abuse-notifications.aspx

 

As with any concern about a child Arboretum Primary School will take steps to ensure the child is safe. In all cases Arboretum Primary School will review what they know about the child and their family.

 

If the child is expected to attend school the usual checks should be made on their welfare. 

 

• What is known about the child when they arrived (or not) at school today?
• Who in the school needs to be informed?
• What ‘checks’ need to be carried out and how best can these be achieved?
• Are they in school today? How are they presenting physically and emotionally? Are there any changes in their behaviour?

 

When a child is not at expected to be at school there should be consideration about how best Arboretum Primary School can seek assurance on their welfare and what checks can be made.

 

In all cases Arboretum Primary School will make general enquires with the child about how they are. The Domestic Abuse Notification should not be referred to unless it is directly mentioned by the child or where the parent/carer raises the issue.

 

If the DSL/Deputy DSL identifies any child protection concerns they will refer to Children’s Social Care.

 

Children’s Social Care will also review the incident and will liaise with the school where there are Child Protection concerns about the safety of the child.

 

Where the DSL has identified a child to be on the edge of Social Care support; or who would normally receive pastoral type support in school, they should ensure that a robust contact plan and risk assessment is in place for that child or young person.

 

Details of this plan must be recorded on Safeguard as should a record of contacts that have been made.

 

The contact plans can include; remote contact, phone contact, door step visits. Other individualised contact methods should be considered and recorded. Arboretum Primary School and its DSL will work closely with all stakeholders to maximise the effectiveness of any contact plan.

 

This plan and risk assessments must be reviewed regularly (at least once a fortnight) and where concerns arise, the DSL will consider any referrals as appropriate.

 

15. Staff Recruitment, Movement of Staff, Training and Induction

 

Recruiting New Staff and Volunteers

 

• Arboretum Primary School will continue to recognise the importance of robust safer recruitment procedures, so that adults and volunteers who work in our school are safe to work with children.
• Arboretum Primary School will continue to follow safer recruitment procedures, and Part 3 of Keeping Children Safe in Education.
• In urgent cases, when validating proof of identity documents to apply for a DBS check, Arboretum Primary School will initially accept verification of scanned documents via online video link, rather than being in physical possession of the original documents. This approach is in line with revised guidance from the DBS.
• New staff must still present the original documents when they first attend work at Arboretum Primary School.
• Arboretum Primary School will continue to undertake the usual checks on new volunteers, and to carry out Risk Assessments to decide whether volunteers who are not in regulated activity should have an enhanced DBS check, in accordance with paragraphs 167-172 of Keeping Children Safe in Education.
• Where new staff are recruited, or new volunteers enter the School, they will continue to be provided with a Safeguarding Induction.

 

It remains essential that people who are unsuitable are not allowed to enter the children’s workforce or gain access to children. When recruiting new staff, Arboretum Primary School will continue to follow the relevant Safer Recruitment Processes for their setting, including, as appropriate, relevant sections in Part 3 of Keeping Children Safe in Education (2019) (KCSIE).

 

In response to COVID-19, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) has made changes to its guidance on standard and enhanced DBS ID checking to minimise the need for face to face contact.

 

Where the School is utilising volunteers, they will continue to follow the checking and risk assessment process as set out in paragraphs 167 to 172 of KCSIE. Under no circumstances will a volunteer who has not been checked be left unsupervised or allowed to work in regulated activity.

 

 

 

Staff ‘on loan’ from Other Schools

 

If staff are deployed from another education or children’s workforce setting Arboretum Primary School will take into account the DfE supplementary guidance on Safeguarding Children during the COVID-19 pandemic and will accept portability by seeking assurances from the current employer in writing that;

 

• • the individual has been subject to an enhanced DBS and Children’s Barred List check
  • there are no known concerns about the individual’s suitability to work with children
  • there is no ongoing disciplinary investigation relating to that individual

 

As well as seeking assurance from the ‘loaning’ School that staff have had the appropriate checks; Arboretum Primary School will also assess the risks of staff ‘on loan’ working Arboretum Primary School.

 

Arboretum Primary School will also use the DBS Update Service, where these staff have signed up to it, to check for any new information.

 

 

Safeguarding Induction and Training

 

Arboretum Primary School will make sure loaned staff and volunteers are aware of changes to the procedures and local School arrangements.

 

New staff and volunteers will continue to receive:

 

• A Safeguarding Induction
• A copy of the Schools/Colleges Child Protection Safeguarding Policy (and this addendum)
• Keeping Children Safe in Education (part 1)

 

Arboretum Primary School will decide on a case by case basis what level of Safeguarding Induction staff ‘on loan’ need. In most cases, this will be:

 

• A copy of the School Child Protection/Safeguarding Policy and this addendum
• Confirmation of local processes
• Confirmation of DSL arrangements

 

Arboretum Primary School will pay regard to:

 

Visitors and External Contributors Policy, issued to all Derbyshire education settings: 

https://schoolsnet.derbyshire.gov.uk/keeping-children-safe-in-education/safeguarding-policies-guidance-and-protocols/safeguarding-model-policies.aspx

 

 

 

 

16. Keeping Records of who is on Site

 

Whilst acknowledging the challenge of the current environment, it is essential from a safeguarding perspective that any school is aware on any given day which staff/volunteers will be in Arboretum Primary School.  They will also ensure that appropriate checks have been carried out, especially for anyone engaging in regulated activity. As such, Arboretum Primary School will continue to keep the Single Central Record (SCR) up to date as outlined in paragraphs 148 to 156 in KCSIE.

 

The SCR will provide the means to log everyone that will be working or volunteering in a school on any given day, including any staff who may be on loan from other institutions. The SCR will be used to log details of any Risk Assessments carried out on volunteers and staff on loan from elsewhere.  

 

17. Concerns about a staff member or volunteer

 

Arboretum Primary School will continue to follow the principles set out in Part 4 of Keeping Children Safe in Education, the School Policies and the local Multi-Agency Safeguarding Children Procedures, Managing Allegations against Staff, Carers and Volunteers.

 

Staff should continue to act on any concerns they have immediately. There are no practice changes as to how a referral is made to the Derbyshire LADO. Forms are completed and sent into:  Professional.Allegations@derbyshire.gov.uk

 

Arboretum Primary School will continue to follow their legal duty to refer to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) anyone who has harmed or poses a risk of harm to a child or vulnerable adult. Full details can be found at paragraph 163 of KCSIE.

 

Arboretum Primary School will continue to refer potential cases of teacher misconduct to the Teaching Regulation Agency as per paragraph 166 of KCSIE. This will be undertaken via the email address Misconduct.Teacher@education.gov.uk for the duration of the COVID-19 period, in line with government guidance.

 

Staff Absence

 

Where Arboretum Primary School has concerns about the impact of staff absence – such as our Designated Safeguarding Lead or First Aiders, this will be discussed immediately with DDAT.

 

18. Monitoring Arrangements

 

This policy will be reviewed and updated as Guidance from the Local Safeguarding Partners, other relevant agencies or DfE is received, and as a minimum every 3 weeks by the Trust Safeguarding Officer. At every review, it will be approved by the Trust CEO.

 

19. Links with other policies

 

This policy links to the following policies and procedures:

 

• Child Protection/Safeguarding
• Code of Conduct for all Adults
• Health and Safety

• Behaviour and Anti-Bullying/Physical Intervention and Positive Handling, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Policy
• Supporting Pupils at School with Medical Conditions
• First Aid Policy
• Online Safety Policy, Computing Policy
• Safer Recruitment Policy, including Single Central Record
• Managing Allegations against Staff, Volunteer Policy, Statement of Procedures for dealing with Allegations of Abuse against Teachers and Other Staff & Volunteers
• Attendance Policy
• Complaints Procedures Policy
• Freedom of Information Policy and Publication Scheme
• Whistle blowing