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Rokeby Safeguarding Children Policy

With procedures for action in cases of suspected Child Abuse

Introduction

All members of the school staff should be alert to the possibility of signs of abuse by a parent, sibling, other relative, carers, acquaintances or strangers. They must also be aware of the school’s procedures in such cases and the requirements to report their suspicions, however tenuous, to the Designated Safeguarding Teacher (DST), who is Mrs Rosalind Patten. The role of Deputy is held by Mrs Vicky Waldron.

The designated governor is Mr Mark James.

The safety and welfare of all boys at Rokeby is paramount, and every member of staff has a responsibility to ensure that cases of child abuse are recognised and dealt with as quickly as possible. We also have a link with the Local Authority in Kingston which is Mr Ming Zhang, who is the Principal Education Welfare Officer.
Definitions

The definitions of abuse are as follows:

Physical Abuse

Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child.

Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer feigns the symptoms of, or deliberately causes, ill health to a child. This statistically rare, but potentially dangerous, situation is now described as induced illness in a child by a carer, previously know as ‘factitious’ or ‘induced illness by proxy’, or ‘Munchausen’s syndrome by proxy’.

Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative and non-penetrative acts.

They may include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, pornographic materials, watching sexual activities or encouraging children to behave in a sexually inappropriate way.

Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse is the persistent and emotional ill treatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent effects on a child’s emotional development, and may involve:
- conveying to children that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only in so far as they meet the needs of another person
- developmentally-inappropriate expectations being imposed on children
- causing children to feel frightened or in danger
Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of ill treatment of children, though emotional abuse may occur alone.

Neglect

Neglect involves the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic, physical and/or physiological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the boy’s health and development.

This may involve failure to provide adequate food, shelter or clothing, failure to protect from physical harm or danger or failure to ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include neglect of a child’s basic emotional needs.
Confidentiality

It is of the utmost importance that anyone concerned with a suspected case of abuse maintains confidentiality at all times on a ‘need to know’ basis. The Headmaster and the DST should be informed under the arrangements described in Section 6 by the person suspecting abuse. The Headmaster and the DST will then discuss who else in the school should be informed.
Recognition

a) A teacher who has consistent regular contact with a boy may have the opportunity to observe signs of abuse and in many cases may be the first to see the boy after abuse has occurred.

b) An abused boy may choose to confide in any adult in whom they have a particular trust.
c) Signs of physical injury should be described in detail, or sketched. Any comment by the boy concerned or by an adult about how the injury occurred should be recorded, preferably quoting words actually used, as soon as possible after the comment has been made.
d) Recognition of sexual abuse can be difficult, as there may not be any physical signs or, if there are, they may be observed only when the boy undresses. Particular attention should be paid to boys who appear reluctant to change clothes for any games activity – this may indicate either physical or sexual abuse. Indications of sexual abuse are more likely to be emotional and/or behavioural.
e) The following is a list, which is by no means exhaustive, of signs of possible sexual abuse:
- Torn, stained or bloody underclothes
- Pain or itching of genital area
- Difficulty walking or sitting
- Any unexplained change in behaviour, taking into account the age and any previous knowledge of the boy. For example, a normally quiet boy may become loud and aggressive or a boisterous boy may suddenly become quiet and passive
- Sexually explicit talk and behaviour, inappropriate to the boy’s age.
- Uncharacteristic eating disorders
- Self-inflicted wounds
- Depression and suicide attempts
f) Recognising Emotional Abuse

This is possibly the most difficult type of abuse to recognise. The signs are behavioural rather than physical, although the manifestations of emotional abuse might also indicate the presence of other kinds of abuse. An emotionally abused boy may show some or all of the following characteristics:
- Low self-esteem and lack of confidence (always thinks their work is “rubbish” and needs constant reassurance)
- The boy may be a “loner”
- The boy may be used as a “scapegoat” by other boys
- Withdrawn, introverted and depressed
g) Absenteeism

If a boy is absent regularly this should be considered as a possible indicator of further problems.
Procedures

Concerns

If a member of staff has a concern regarding one of the above or a related issue, they should raise the matter with the DST or the Deputy DST in her absence.

The DST will:
- Record the issue
- Monitor and follow up within a fortnight
- Advise the appropriate staff on the procedure
- Consider whether to take the matter further
- Keep the boy informed of what is happening throughout the procedure
Allegations

a) Every staff member has a duty to listen to the boys – to provide reassurance and to record their statements but NOT to probe or to put words into the boy’s mouth. They must not tell the boy that everything will be kept confidential. They must respect the confidential nature of this duty but must pass information on to the DST as soon as possible.
b) The member of staff listening to the allegation should remain calm, should listen carefully to what is said, should avoid promising to keep secrets but rather find an appropriate early opportunity to explain to the boy that the information will need to be shared with others.
c) After the allegation has been made, the person to whom it has been made should make an immediate and accurate record of what is said and should inform the DST as soon as possible who will discuss the matter with the Headmaster. The boy will be kept informed of what is happening.
d) A decision will then be taken whether or not to proceed. If the decision is to proceed, the DST (or Deputy DST, in their absence) will make a formal report immediately by telephone to the senior social worker at the local divisional office (Kingston Borough Council 020 8547 5243), and without delay confirm the report in writing giving details of the case, the action taken and the present situation to the senior social worker at the office contacted or to the person designated to receive the report by the senior social worker initially contacted by phone.
e) If a decision to proceed is taken, the parents or guardians of the boy should be informed of the events. They need to be told of the school procedure if they are unaware of it, and permission should be sought for a medical examination if the complaint is of a physical type - this is necessary for all boys under 16. Before a medical examination is carried out the boy should normally give his consent and the seeking of consent is the duty of the medical officer. If the parents or guardians are the subject of the complaint, the boy’s permission should normally be sought for an immediately medical examination, the seeking of consent being the duty of the medical officer concerned.
f) If the complaint concerns a member of staff or another pupil, then he/she should be informed as soon as possible and immediately after a medical examination if one is carried out. He/she must be told whether or not a medical examination is being carried out. He/she should not be invited to make a response, but should be warned that anything he/she says will be recorded.
g) At this point of the procedure, the Headmaster and the designated Governor and/or the Chairman should meet and a decision will be taken as to whether or not to report the matter to the police. If the matter is reported to the police, the member of staff or pupil should be suspended, if not dismissed immediately, under the terms of disciplinary procedure (Schedule E).
h) At a later meeting, if the Headmaster and Governors are satisfied the complaint is not well-founded, either because the boy retracts the allegation or because the medical evidence questions the boy’s version of events. The member of staff should be informed that the matter is closed and consideration should be given to the place of the boy making the allegation within the school.

Please note: an allegation raised by a boy regarding a sibling or friend will be treated in the same way as for the boy themselves. The boy may make an ‘off the cuff’ remark and will need to be made aware that what they say may well need to be recorded and confidentiality is not guaranteed.

Use of Force to Control or Restrain Pupils

A new provision which came into force on 1 September 1998 (Section 550A of the Education Act 1996), clarifies the powers of teachers, and other staff who have lawful control or charge of pupils, to use reasonable force to prevent pupils committing a crime; causing injury or damage or causing disruption.

Neither the Act, nor this Policy document, authorises the use of corporal punishment in any circumstances nor are they intended to encourage the use of inappropriate force.

i. Physical intervention

All members of staff who may have to intervene physically with pupils must clearly understand the options and strategies open to them. They must know what is acceptable and what is not. The Governing Body, Parents and Pupils also need to be aware of what is not acceptable.

ii. Allowable physical intervention

Section 550A allows teachers and others who are authorised by the Headmaster to have control or charge of pupils to use such force as is reasonable in all the circumstances to prevent a pupil from doing, or continuing to do, any of the following:
- Committing a criminal offence (including behaving in a way that would be an offence if the pupil were not under the age of criminal responsibility)
- Injuring themselves or others
- Causing damage to property (including a pupil’s own property);
- Engaging in any behaviour prejudicial to the maintenance of good order and discipline at the school or among its pupils, whether that behaviour occurs in a classroom during a teaching session or elsewhere.