Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy
Purpose: To keep children safe and respond to Child Protection concerns
1. Introduction
Llangattock School Monmouth (including Monmouth Montessori Nursery) fullyrecognises the contribution it makes to safeguarding children at risk.
There are three main elements to our policy:
• prevention through the culture, teaching and pastoral support offered to learners
• procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases, of abuse or harm – because of our day-to-day contact with children our staff are well placed
to observe the outward signs of abuse
• support to learners who may have been abused or harmed.
Our policy applies to all staff and volunteers working in the education setting and the Board of Advisors. Mentors, learning support assistants, mid-day staff,
administrators as well as teachers who come into contact with children can be the first point of disclosure for a child. This first point of contact is an important part of
the protection process and it is essential that all staff are aware of and implement the procedures as noted in this policy.
The policy applies to extra-curricular activities such as holiday clubs as well as core activities.
2. Prevention
We recognise that high self-esteem, confidence, supportive friends and good lines of communication with a trusted adult helps to safeguard learners.
The school will therefore:
• establish and maintain an ethos where children feel secure and are encouraged to talk and share their concerns and are listened to. This includes knowing that
people have the right to be safe from abuse and to turn to staff for help
• ensure children know that there are adults in the school whom they can approach if they are worried or in difficulty or concerned about matters relating to
themselves, family or friends
• include in the curriculum, activities and opportunities for relationships and sexuality education and health education which equip children with the skills they
need to stay safe from abuse and to know to whom to turn for help
• include in the curriculum material that will help children develop realistic attitudes to the responsibilities of adult life. This will include life skills, particularly with
regard to childcare and parenting skills, and also resilience and conflict resolution
• build relationships with other agencies and ensure early and appropriate referrals for support and intervention are made before risks escalate
• take a whole-school approach to well-being which will incorporate safeguarding and preventative measures to support children and families.
3. Procedures
We will follow the Wales Safeguarding Procedures and other relevant guidance and protocols that have been endorsed by Gwent Safeguarding (i.e. the Safeguarding
Children Boards (SCBs)). The school will:
• ensure it has two Designated Safeguarding Persons (DSPs) for safeguarding and child protection who have undertaken the appropriate training
• by having two DSPs there will be no need for a designated deputy DSP as one DSP will be available at times when the other DSP is absent (thereby also
effectively acting as each others’ designated deputies)
• recognise the role of the DSPs and arrange support and training
• ensure every member of staff and every member of the Board of Advisors knows:
• the name and contact details of the DSPs and their role, the local authority point of contact and the designated member of the Board of Advisors for
safeguarding
• that they have an individual responsibility for reporting children at risk and protection concerns to social services (i.e. Monmouthshire Children’s
Services), or to the police, within the timescales agreed with the Regional Safeguarding Board
• how to take forward those concerns when a DSP is unavailable
• ensure that all members of staff are aware of the need to be alert to signs of abuse and neglect, and know how to respond to an adult of child who may
disclose abuse or neglect
• ensure that any members of staff who are Education Workforce Council (EWC) registrants are aware of the Code of Professional Conduct and Practice for
registrants with the Education Workforce Council (see www.ewc.wales/site/index.php/en/fitness-to-practise/code-of-
professional-conduct-and-practice-pdf.html) and the expectation within the Code that the registrant has regard to the safety and well-being of learners in their care
and related content
• ensure that parents/carers have an understanding of the responsibility placed on the school and staff for safeguarding and child protection by setting out its
obligations on the school website
• provide and require attendance at training for all staff so that they:
• understand their personal responsibility
• know the agreed local procedures and their duty to respond
• are aware of the need to be vigilant in identifying cases of abuse and neglect
• know how to support a child who discloses abuse or neglect
• understand the role online behaviours may have in each of the above
• notify the Monmouthshire Children’s Services if:
• a learner on the child protection register is excluded, either for a fixed term or permanently
• there is an unexplained absence of a learner on the child protection register of more than two days’ duration from school (or one day following a
weekend)
• work to develop effective links with relevant agencies and cooperate as required with their enquiries regarding child protection matters, including attendance at
initial review as well as child protection conferences and core groups and the submission of written reports to the conferences
• keep written records of concerns about children (noting the date, event and action taken), even where there is no need to refer the matter to the local
authority or other agencies immediately
• ensure all records are kept secure and in locked locations. The DSPs are responsible for the security, compilation and storage of all records and should be
able to access and produce them in times of need. It is the responsibility of the DSPs to ensure that any transfer of records is conducted sensitively and securely
• ensure that recruitment and selection procedures are made in accordance with Welsh Government‘s Keeping learners safe guidance. This includes ensuring
that any person who works with children unsupervised has received a satisfactory Enhanced DBS check
• designate a member of the Board of Advisors for safeguarding who will oversee the school’s child protection policy and practice (whilst recognising that this is an
advisory role to offer support to the proprietor in meeting the proprietor’s responsibilities for safeguarding and child protection).
Regular meetings of the school’s Safeguarding Group take place throughout the year. The group comprises the DSPs s, the Headteacher and the Principal. As well
as discussing individual, ongoing safeguarding issues, the group provides the opportunity to share and discuss information to support:
• any patterns being identified and addressed
• the DSPs reviewing the overall practice in the school and determining any changes or development of policy and practice that need to be addressed
• the proprietor ensuring that practice and procedures remain in line with the overall school’s ethos and policy of fostering a culture of safeguarding and child
protection
• the Headteacher, in conjunction with the proprietor, agreeing how to implement any required changes to staffing, resources or curriculum that have been
identified.
• the proprietor ensuring that the DSPs are receiving any emotional support that their roles require.
4. Supporting those at risk
We recognise that children/young people who are at risk who suffer abuse or who experience violence may be deeply affected by this.
This school may be the only stable, secure and predictable element in the lives of children at risk. Nevertheless, when at school their behaviour may be challenging
and defiant or they may be withdrawn.
The school will endeavour to support the learner through:
• the content of the curriculum to encourage self-esteem and self-motivation (see section 2 on Prevention)
• the school ethos which:
• puts wellbeing first as it is needed to enable engagement which can then lead to academic achievement
• promotes a positive, supportive and secure environment
• gives learners a sense of being valued (see section 2 on Prevention)
• the school’s Behaviour for Learning policy, which is aimed at supporting vulnerable pupils in the school. All staff will agree on a consistent approach that
focuses on the behavioural outcome of the child but does not damage the individual’s sense of self-worth. The school will endeavour to ensure that the
learner knows that some behaviour is unacceptable but that they are valued. We will support pupils through the process of accepting responsibility for their
behaviour. The school will support pupils to address the behaviour and any abuse, whilst recognising that the behaviour does not define the child
• liaison with other agencies who support the learner such as local authority officers – for example, the educational psychology service, the Education
Welfare Service, child and adolescent mental health services and the Hospital Education Service
• keeping records and notifying the local authority as soon as there is a recurrence of a concern. When a learner on the child protection register leaves, we will transfer information to the new provider immediately and inform Monmouthshire Children’s services.
5. Prevent Duties
In March 2015, the Counter Terrorism and Security Act received Royal Assent. The Act includes how we need to work together to prevent people from being drawn into
terrorism.
Where we become aware of information involving identification of potential instances of extremism and radicalisation we will refer to the local authority or other agencies
in the same way as for all safeguarding concerns.
The purpose of these arrangements is to safeguard learners who are, or could be, vulnerable to radicalisation which could in turn lead to their involvement in a range of
activities with the potential for harm to themselves and other people.
6. Information for all staff/volunteers
A child may confide in any member of staff/volunteer and may not always go to a member of the teaching staff. Staff to whom a disclosure / allegation is made should
remember:
• yours is a listening role, do not interrupt the child if he or she is freely recalling significant events. Limit any questions to clarifying your understanding of what
the child is saying. Any questions should be framed in an open manner so as not to lead the child
• you must report orally to the school’s DSP for child protection, immediately make a note of the discussion as soon as is reasonably practicable (but within 24
hours), using the cream-coloured child protection incident / concern form and to pass on to the school’s DSP for child protection. The note which should be
clearly written and should record the time, date, place and people who were present and should record the child’s answers/responses in exactly the way they
were said as far as possible. Remember, your note of the discussion may be used in any subsequent court proceedings
• do not give undertakings of absolute confidentiality. You will need to express this in age/understanding related ways to the child as soon as appropriately possible
during the disclosure. This may result in the person ‘clamming up’ and not completing the disclosure, but you will still be required to report the fact that they
have shared a concern with you to the DSP. Often what is initially shared can be the tip of an iceberg
• that a child may be waiting for a case to go to the criminal court, may have to give evidence or may be awaiting care proceedings
• it is then the DSPs’ responsibility to follow up the matter as appropriate. However you may have a future role in terms of supporting and monitoring the
child, contributing to an assessment or supporting safeguarding plans or through the Monmouthshire County Council Hub. You can ask the DSPs for an update
but they are restricted by procedures and confidentiality and may be limited in their response. The level of feedback will be on a need to know basis, but
whatever is shared is strictly confidential and not for general discussion with others.
If an allegation of abuse is made against a member of staff/volunteer this must be reported to the Principal. This would include any allegation against a DSP. The
school will have regard to Welsh Government circular 009/2014 Safeguarding Children in education: handling allegations of abuse against teachers and other staff
when dealing with the allegation. If an allegation of abuse is made against the Principal this should be reported directly
to the single point of contact at Monmouthshire Children’s Services or the police. It is open to the member of staff/volunteer to make a direct referral to Monmouthshire
Children’s Services or the police if they believe this is necessary to deal with a particular situation.
7. Confidentiality
Confidentiality issues need to be understood if a child divulges information that they are being abused. A child may only feel confident to confide in a member of staff if
they feel that the information will not be divulged to anyone else. However, education staff have a professional responsibility to share relevant information about the
protection of children with the designated statutory agencies when a child is experiencing safeguarding concerns.
It is important that each member of staff deals with this sensitively and explains to the child that they must inform the appropriate people who can help the child, but
that they will only tell those who need to know in order to be able to help. They should reassure the child and tell them that their situation will not become common
knowledge within the school. Be aware that it may well have taken significant courage on their part to disclose the information and that they may also be
experiencing conflicting emotions, involving feelings of guilt, embarrassment, disloyalty (if the abuser is someone close) and hurt.
The school has pastoral responsibilities. Only those with a professional involvement, e.g. the DSPs and the Headteacher, have access to the child protection records. At
all other times records are securely locked and separate from the child’s main file.
8. Training
The school acknowledges the need for appropriate training which could include Gwent Safeguarding advice and training opportunities.
The school will ensure that the DSPs will have received initial training when starting their role and continued professional updates as required..
All staff/volunteers will receive level 1 training during induction. Training will be regularly updated during the year, including specific training during INSET days, as
appropriate by the DSPs. All staff/volunteers will receive specific safeguarding awareness raising training every 2 years.
The DSPs and the proprietor will liaise with other agencies, in particular Monmouthshire Children’s Services, to ensure that the school receives the learning
and information it requires. Including up-to-date information on current practices, to ensure effective working between the parties.
Records of all training will be kept.
9. Operation Encompass and Operation Quartz
There are initiatives in Monmouthshire to address the early sharing of information between police and schools and to deal with sexual exploitation.
Llangattock School Monmouth will support any requests by the relevant agencies for input into these initiatives.
All information will be managed sensitively, and only staff who need to be made aware will know about the concern.
10. Impact of COVID-19
We are aware that throughout recent months there have been increased risks for those living at home with someone who has abusive behaviours. It may also be more
difficult for those at risk to report concerns.
Whether safeguarding concerns are identified when a pupil attends the school site, during online learning or through other contact between school staff and students,
the school continues to have a legal duty to report all safeguarding concerns. Please report any concerns you may have to school staff. Safeguarding and supporting
children and their families during these challenging times continues to be a priority.
If there are further periods of lockdown, or times when full time attendance at school is not available due to government guidance, we will continue to support children
through online learning approaches and during these times safeguarding children remains a priority.
11. Anti-bullying
Our policy on anti-bullying is set out in our Anti-Bullying Policy and is reviewed annually by the Principal/Headteacher. Where there have been significant changes
the Board of Advisors will also review the updated policy.
12. Physical intervention
Our policy on physical intervention is set out in our positive handling policy and is reviewed annually by the Principal/Headteacher. Where there have been significant
changes the Board of Advisors will also review the updated policy. The policy is consistent with the Welsh Government’s guidance Safe and effective intervention –
use of reasonable force and searching for weapons.
13. Children with additional learning needs
We recognise that statistically children with additional learning needs are most at risk of abuse. Staff who work with children with an additional learning need, such as a
profound and multiple disability, sensory impairment or emotional and behavioural problem, need to be particularly sensitive to signs of abuse.
The Designated Safeguarding Persons (DSPs) at Llangattock School Monmouth are:
Claire Skyme
Myra Hughes
In the event that the DSPs are both not available, you should speak to the Principal or the Chair of the Board of Advisors. .
The Designated Lead Officer for Safeguarding in Education for Monmouthshire
County Council is:
Heather Heaney Tel 01633 644392
HeatherHeaney@monmouthshire.gov.uk
Monmouthshire Children’s Services can be contacted as follows (“the single point of contact”):
Phone: 01291 635669
Out of hours telephone number: 0800 328 4432
In an emergency, please call 999 to report a child at risk.
This policy was reviewed by the Board of Advisors on 21 June 2022.
Additional and Related Documents
Welsh Government Guidance: Keeping Learners Safe
Risk Assessments
Serious Incident and Sanction book
Child protection incident / concern form
Anti-bullying policy
Behaviour for Learning policy
Positive Handling policy
Issue date: 26 February 2021 - reviewed 21 June 2022 and 1 September
2023 and 8 October 2023
Withdrawal date: Current
Next review by: 8 October 2024