Safeguarding in Westminster Schools and other Educational Establishments

This page provides information and resources for Headteachers, Governors and Designated Child Protection leads in schools. The information contained within this page is in line with Statutory Guidance and will be up-dated when any changes occur. 

Statutory Guidance was issued to all schools in January 2007 and remains in force currently. Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education is published below. It applies to all schools including Academies and Independent schools. All Governors and Senior Leaders should follow the guidance.   

Child Protection Policies

Every school must have a Child Protection Policy sometimes referred to as the school’s Safeguarding Policy. It should contain information on how the school safeguards its pupils by providing a safe and secure environment which minimises the risk of harm to all pupils and set out the procedures that will be followed in the event of a child protection concern arising in the case of individual children. A model child protection policy that Westminster schools may wish to adopt or adapt can be downloaded  here.

Working with Partners

Safeguarding children and protecting them from harm can only be effectively achieved when all agencies work together. School staff who see children regularly are particularly well placed to notice any change in a child's appearance or behaviour which could indicate that they are suffering from harm. Any concerns arising from school staff noticing such changes should be referred to the child's local Children's Services. 

For Westminster children referrals of a child protection concern should be made to the Access Team. A guide to the referral process can be found here.

On those occasions that a Child Protection Conference is convened following a child protection referral it is essential that information the school has about the child is shared.  Schools should submit a report before the date of the conference whenever possible. Please use the pro-forma provided here which has recently been up-dated to reflect changes to conference processes that have recently taken place within the "Strengthening Families" framework.

Ofsted

During a Section 5 Inspection Ofsted will want to be assured that children in your school are safe and that they feel safe. In addition to examination of you school's child protection policy and the procedures that the school follows the inspectors will ask for evidence of:

• Staff child protection training undertaken
• Safe Recruitment processes and the procedures followed for handling any allegations against  staff
• The work of the Designated Person for Child Protection
• Efficient and timely referral of children about whom there are concerns of possible abuse or neglect
• Effective inter-agency working, information sharing and attendance at multi-agency meetings
• How the school encourages children to keep themselves safe

A pre-Ofsted inspection checklist which may assist you in preparing for an Ofsted inspection and may be used annually when reviewing your school's safeguarding arrangements with governors is available here.

Inspectors will scrutinise your Single Central Record which should provide evidence of the vetting checks carried out on staff.  This example is of an electronic record.  It is recommended that schools keep a hard copy record also.

Child Protection Records

Schools should be aware of the importance of record keeping.  All Child Protection records relating to a child should be kept  securely and separately from the child's school file.  A note should be placed on the child's school file which indicates that there are further records.   Records of any child protection concerns should be filed chronologically. The recording of action taken should be formal, dated and signed.  Notes of meetings and all other related documents should be filed in date order .

If the child transfers to another school the Child Protection records should be transferred  securely and without delay. The receiving school should be contacted by telephone and advised of the arrangements for transfer.

It is good practice to keep a copy of the child's records before transfer. Child protection records should be kept for 25 years from the child's date of birth.

Safer Recruitment

Since January 2010 it has been mandatory that all interview panels convened to select staff to work in schools contain at least one person who has successfully completed an approved Safer Recruitment training course. This can be achieved by attending a course offered by the tri-borough Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) or by undertaking on-line training provided by the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC).

Details about  Safer Recruitment training provided by the tri-borough LSCB in 2012 be found here.

Details of Safer Recruitment on-line training can be obtained from www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/safeguarding/safer-recruitment

Westminster has a dedicated Safeguarding in Employment Manager who is able to assist you by offering advice on all aspects of recruiting staff and volunteers safely including dealing with allegations against any adult working with children. The Safeguarding in Employment Manager undertakes the operational role of the Local Authority Designated Officer to whom all allegations against staff should be reported.  Further information about the procedures which you should follow are available here.

For further information regarding Safer Recruitment and Managing Allegations against staff please contact Jane Foster, Safeguarding in Employment Manager. jfoster1@westminster.gov.uk

Child Protection Training

The Designated Person in school has responsibility for ensuring that all staff are trained in child protection.

• The Designated Person must receive initial training upon taking up post and at 2-yearly intervals thereafter.
• All school staff must receive initial training as part of their induction and at 3-yearly intervals thereafter.

For a newly appointed Designated Person in school, for those who deputise, or for those designated staff who need refresher training, there are opportunities to be trained in the work required by the post known as single agency training at Level 2+. 

For teachers and school support staff a half-day course is offered each term throughout the academic year at Level 2.

Details of the one-day course for designated staff and the opportunity to book a place can be found here:  

A place on the half-day course for other school staff can be booked here. 

Dates of training for Westminster school staff  for the academic year 2012/13 will be published soon. 

Multi-agency training at Level 3 provided by the tri-borough LSCB which is  necessary to acquire the skills needed to work effectively with partner agencies can be booked here.

Designated senior staff may be interested in further training on differing and specialist aspects of child protection and safeguarding offered by the tri-borough LSCB.  For full details of courses available please e-mail hflscb@lbhf.gov.uk to request a booklet.

Learning from Serious Case Reviews

Headteachers and Governors are encouraged to read the Serious Case Review (SCR) recently published by North Somerset Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB),  This review was undertaken to learn lessons from the case of Nigel Leat a teacher who was convicted of offences against children.  It is important that school leaders consider how the lessons learned and recommendations could improve practices within their schools.  The full overview report of the SCR can be accessed here.

Safe Practice for Adults working with Children

It is important that all staff in schools understand that children will view them as safe and trusted adults and that their behaviour at all times should be appropriate to their role. National guidance that offers practical advice which will assist a school in reviewing its own standards for staff behaviour is available here. The Local Safeguarding Children Board recommends this guidance to all Westminster schools.

School Premises and Safeguarding

It is important that safeguarding children is considered when entering into any agreement with community groups to use your school premises. A safeguarding check list may be of assistance to you when letting your school.

For all general enquiries about school lettings please contact Alan Wharton, Head of Property Strategy, Children's Services awharton@westminster.gov.uk

 If you have any queries about the information given on this page, or if you have any other matter about which you would like advice regarding safeguarding arrangements in schools or other eductional estblishments please contact

Jo Green, Education Safeguarding Lead Officer.

Tel: 0207 641 8692

jo.green@westminster.gov.uk

This page was updated on 3rd May 2012