Glenmore National School

An Ghleanna Mhór

Child Protection Policy

Introductory Statement
It is a legal requirement for every school to formulate a Child Protection Policy. As a result of this the school staff formulated this policy in June 2008.
We felt it was necessary to educate ourselves on procedures and responsibilities surrounding Child Protection, and as a result of this we drafted the following policy.

Rationale
1 Children are entitled to expect and receive every possible protection from the people and their state to ensure that their childhood years are filled with rewarding and enriching experiences, whether in school or during their lives in the community.
2 We have as a society become very aware of the problems and long term effects of child abuse.

Relationships to Characteristic Spirit of the School
Our school aspires to treat all pupils equally and to aid them in achieving their true potential.

Aims
1 To improve the identification, reporting, assessment, treatment and management of allegations or evidence of child abuse.
2 Clarify the responsibilities of various professional and individuals within organisations.
3 Enhance communication and co-ordination of information between disciplines and organisations.

Appointment of a Designated Liaison Person (DLP)
The Board of Management have appointed as the DLP Caithríona Carty. (Principal)

Role of Designated Liaison Person
If the school employee and the Designated Liaison Person are satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for the suspicion or allegation the DLP should report the matter to the relevant health board immediately. It may be useful to note:
1 A report should be made to the health board in person, by phone or in writing. Each health board area has a social worker on duty for a certain number of hours each day. The duty social worker is available to meet with, talk on the telephone, to persons wishing to report child protection concerns.
2 It is generally most helpful if persons wishing to report child abuse concerns make personal contact with the duty social worker. This will facilitate the social worker in gathering as much information as possible about the child and his/her parents/carers.
3 In the event of an emergency, or the non-availability of health board staff, the report should be made to An Garda Síochána. This may be done at any Garda Station.
It is recommended that all reports should include as much as possible of the information sought in the Standard Reporting Form. Since all information requested might not be available to the person making a report, the forms should be completed as comprehensively as possible. When such a report is being made to a health board, the Chairperson of the Board of Management of the school should be informed. A decision on whether of not parents/guardians of the child should also be informed should be taken in accordance with the information contained in these guidelines.

In cases where school personnel have concerns about a child, but are not sure whether to report the matter to the appropriate health board, they should seek appropriate advice. To do so, the DLP should consult the appropriate health board staff. In consulting the appropriate health board staff, the DLP should be explicit that he/she is requesting advice and consultation and that he/she is not making a report. It would not be envisaged at this informal stage that the DLP would have to give identifying details as are required when a report is being made. If a health board advises that a referral should be made, the DLP should act on that advice.


If following the discussion the DLP decides that the concerns of the school employee should not be referred to the relevant health board, the school employee should not be referred to the relevant health board. The school employee should be given a clear statement, in writing, as to the reasons why action is not being taken. The school employee should be advised that, if he/she remains concerned about the situation, he/she is free to consult with or report to the health board.

It is essential that at all times the matter be treated in the strictest confidence and not discussed except among the parties mentioned above.

Role of Health Boards
Health Boards were established under the Health Act 1970. With the passing of the Child Care Act, 1991, health boards were given a range of statutory responsibilities in the area of child welfare, family support, child protection and child care.
The responsibility given to health boards to protect children is contained in Sections 3(1) and 3 (2) (a) of the Child Care Act, 1991, where it is stated that:
3 (1)It shall be a function of every health board to promote the welfare of children in its area who are not receiving adequate care and protection.
3 (2) In the performance of this function a health board shall:
1 Take such steps as it considers requisite to identify children who are not receiving adequate care and protection and co-ordinate information from all relevant sources relating to children in its area.
2 Having regard to the rights and duties of parents, whether under Constitution or otherwise:
(a) Regard the welfare of the child as the first and paramount consideration, and
(b) In so far as is practicable, give due consideration, having regard to his/her age and understanding, to the wishes of the child, and
(c) Have regard to the principle that is generally in the best interest of a child to be brought up in his/her own family.
Once an allegation of child abuse has been reported to a health board, it is then a matter for that health board to decide upon the action, if any, which is necessitated by that report. In some cases, the response of the health board will be to call a child protection conference.

Child Protection Conferences
The child protection conference is an essential mechanism for health boards in the effective operation of the child protection services under the Child Care Act, 1991. It is a forum for the co-ordination of information from all relevant sources, including where necessary, school employees. The child protection conference plays a pivotal role in making recommendations and planning for the welfare of children who may be at serious risk.
A request from a health board for a school employee to attend a child protection conference should be made to the DLP who should consult with the Chairperson of the Board of Management of the school. The Chairperson of the Board of Management may through the DLP, request the appropriate authorities to clarify why the attendance of the school employee at the child protection conference is considered necessary and who else is going to be present. Substitute costs, where necessary will be met by the Department of Education and Science in respect of teachers required to attend a child protection conference during school hours. A letter, from the relevant health board, confirming the attendance of the teacher at the child protection conference should be submitted to the Department together with the application for payment of the substitute.
It would be normal for a person attending a child protection conference to provide a report to the conference.
The "Children First" guidelines state that professionals should always be informed when children and/or parents/guardians are going to be present at a child protection conference. Accordingly, any school personnel who may have a concern about parent/guardian involvement should contact the chairperson of the child protection conference in advance for guidance.
The recommendations of the child protection conference are concerned with the future planning for the child and family. The conference may recommend that particular agencies provide resources and services to the family. Participants may provide undertakings regarding actions that they agree to. The recommendations may include the health board seeking legal advice with respect to an application for a Court Order to protect the child. Further information on the protocol for child protection conferences is contained in Appendix 6 of "Children First" (page 149).
The school employee may be requested to keep the child's behaviour under closer observation, in a manner that is not inconsistent with the school employee's existing duties to his class as a whole.

This may include observing the child's behaviour, peer interactions, school progress or informal conversations.
In all cases, individuals who refer or discuss their concerns about the care and protection of children with health board staff should be informed of the likely steps to be taken by the professionals involved.
Wherever appropriate and within the normal limits of confidentiality, health board staff have a responsibility to inform persons reporting alleged child abuse and other involved professionals about the outcomes of any enquiry or investigation into that reported concern.

Role of the School
Teachers are particularly well placed to observe and monitor children for signs of abuse. They are the main care givers to children outside the family context and have regular contact with children in the school setting. Teachers have a general duty of care to ensure that arrangements are in place to protect children and young people from harm. In this regard, young people need to be facilitated to develop their self-esteem, confidence, independence of thought and the necessary skills to cope with possible threats to their personal safety both within and outside the school. Boards of Management, principals and senior management teams have primary responsibility for the care and welfare of the pupils. Management arrangements within the primary and post-primary schools should provide for the following:
1 The planning, development and implementation of an effective child protection programme.
2 Continuous monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of such a provision.
3 The effective implementation of agreed reporting procedures.
4 The planning and implementation of appropriate staff development and training programmes.

Role of the Board of Management
It is the responsibility of the Board of Management of each school to do the following:
1 Have clear procedures which teachers and other school staff must follow where they suspect, or are alerted to, possible child abuse, including where a child discloses abuse.

2 Designate a senior member of staff to have specific responsibility for child protection. In the case of primary schools, the Designated Liaison Person for dealing with outside agencies should be the Principal or other person designated by the Board of Management. The principal/designated person is responsible for ensuring that the standard reporting procedure is followed so that suspected cases of child abuse are referred promptly to the local health board or An Garda Síochána.
3 Monitor the progress of children considered to be at risk.
4 Contribute to the prevention of child abuse through curricular provision.
5 Promote in-service training for teachers and members of Boards of Management to ensure that they have a good working knowledge of child protection issues and procedures.
6 Have clear written procedures in place concerning action to be taken where allegations are received against school employees.
7 Provide training and education for themselves.
8 Staff to be trained - Board of Management provide funding and time,
9 Appoint DLP.
10 Follow procedures from guidelines.
11 Identify children at risk, family history, attendance records.
12 Ensure SPHE, Stay Safe and Walk Tall are being implemented in the school.
13 Ensure safe practices in the school around appointing personnel and around day-to-day practices in the school.
14 Follow procedures for dealing with allegations of Child Abuse by a school employee.
15 Arrange substitutes for teachers to attend Case Conference Meetings. Who attends? Staff decide.

Action to be taken by Chairperson
1 When a Chairperson of a Board of Management becomes aware of abuse against a school employee, the Chairperson should privately inform the employee of the following:
(a) The fact that an allegation has been made against him/her.
(b) The nature of the allegation.
(c) Whether or not the matter has been reported to the appropriate health board by the Designated Liaison Person.
2 The employee should be given a copy of the written allegation, and any other relevant documentation. The employee should be requested to respond to the allegation in writing to the Board of Management within a specified period of time. The employee should be told that his/her explanation to the Board of Management would also have to be passed on to the health board.
3 At this stage, it should be remembered that the first priority should be to ensure that no child is exposed to unnecessary risk. The Chairperson of the Board of Management should as a matter of urgency take any necessary protective measures. These measures should be proportionate to the level of risk and should not unreasonably penalise the employee, financially or otherwise, unless necessary to protect children.
4 If, in the Chairperson's opinion, the nature of the allegation warrants immediate action, the Chairperson, on behalf of the Board of Management, should direct that the employee absent him/herself from the school with immediate effect. Where the Chairperson is unsure as to whether the nature of the allegations warrants the absence of the employee from the school while the matter is being investigated he/she should consult with the Child Care Manager of the local health board and/or An Garda Síochána for advice as to the action that those authorities would consider necessary. Following those consultations, the Chairperson should have due regard for the advice offered.
5 Any absence by a school employee would be regarded as administrative leave of absence with pay and not a suspension. Such a leave of absence would not imply any degree of guilt on the part of the school employee. Where such a leave of absence is invoked, the Department of Education and Science should be contacted with regard to :
(a)Formal approval for the paid leave of absence of the school employee; and
(b)Departmental sanction for the employment of a substitute teacher.






Further follow-up required
1 Whether or not the employee is absent from the school on administrative leave, it is necessary for the Chairperson to inform the Board of Management immediately of the matter. The Chairperson should convene an immediate meeting of the Board for this purpose and inform the Board members of the nature of the allegations, the action taken in respect of same and the outcome of any consultations with the health board and/or An Gadra Síochána. Members of the Board of Management should be reminded of their serious responsibilities to maintain strict confidentiality about all matters relating to the issue. The principles of due process and natural justice should be adhered to by the Board.
2 It should be noted that, in certain situations, it might not be possible for the Board of Management to reach any definitive conclusions as to whether the alleged abuse actually occurred. Such a situation could occur where the allegations of abuse relate to the past employment of the school employee and where these allegations are being investigated by either the health board or An Garda Síochána. In such situations it may not prove possible for a Board of Management to conduct any proper enquiry into the allegations. In these cases the Chairperson of the Board of Management should maintain regular and close liaison with those authorities and a decision on the position of the school employee should be taken having due regard to the advice given to the Board of Management by those authorities. If a decision is taken that the school employee should take administrative leave of absence, the Department of Education and Science should be immediately informed.
3 However, where the alleged abuse has taken place within its school, or relates to the abuse of pupils of the school employees outside of school time, the Board of Management should convene a further meeting. At this meeting the Board should consider in detail the allegations which have been made against the school employee and the source of those allegations, the advice of the health boards and/or An Garda Síochána in relation to the allegation and the response of the employee to the allegations.



4 At this meeting the person/agency who is alleging abuse by the school employee should be offered an opportunity to present his/her case to the Board of Management and may be accompanied by another person in doing so. Parents/guardians may act on behalf of a child. Likewise the employee should be offered an opportunity to make a presentation of his/her case to the Board of Management and may also be accompanied by another person.
5 Having followed the procedures outlined above, and having satisfied itself that it has sufficient information to hand for it to make a determination in relation to the allegation, the Board should then make a decision on the action, if any, it considers necessary to take in respect of the employee. The Department of Education and Science should be informed of the outcome where the school employee had been absent of administrative leave.

Role of the Staff Member (to include Teachers, SNA's, Caretaker, Secretary etc.)
All staff have a general duty of care to ensure that arrangements are in place to protect children from harm.
It is the responsibility of all teachers and staff members to familiarise themselves with the Children First National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children (1999), especially:
1 Chapter 3 - Definition & Recognition of Child Abuse.
2 Chapter 4 - Basis for Reporting & Standard Reporting Procedures
3 Appendix 1 - Signs and systems of Child Abuse

What are the guidelines for teachers and staff members in handling?
(1)Disclosures from children:
1 An abused child is likely to be under severe emotional stress and a staff member may be the only adult whom the child is prepared to trust. Great care should be taken not to damage that trust.
2 When information is offered in confidence, the member of staff will need tact and sensitivity in responding to the disclosure. The member of staff will need to reassure the child, and retain his/her trust, while explaining the need for action and the possible consequences, which will necessarily involve other adults being informed.
3 It is important to tell the child that everything possible will be done to protect and support him/her, but not to make promises that cannot be kept e.g. promising not to tell anyone else.
4 While the basis for concern must be established as comprehensively as possible, the following advice is offered t school personnel to whom a child makes a disclosure of abuse:
(a) Listen to the child.
(b) Do not ask leading questions nor make suggestions to the child.
(c) Offer reassurance but do not make promises.
(d) Do not stop a child recalling significant events.
(e) Do not over react.
(f) Explain that further help may have to be sought.
(g) Record the discussion accurately and retain the record.

(2) Suspicions of Abuse
Investigative Interviews
The investigative process is initiated by information gathered from relevant sources and is an important step in the management of allegations/suspicions of child abuse.
The investigative interview is a formal process designed to facilitate a child to tell their story in a way that is evidentially sound. The welfare of the child is the primary consideration.
Objectives:
1 To facilitate the child in telling their story.
2 To establish the facts of any particular situation for the purposes of child protection.
3 To identify specific areas for consideration in a Support Plan for the child and their family.
Other investigative action may be required as well as this interview, e.g. medical assessment, psychological assessment.

Risk Assessment
At this stage, the initial investigation should be reviewed along the following lines:
1 What is the evidence of the abuse?
2 How serious is the abuse?
3 Are there other children in the family or community at risk?
4 Is there a reasonable explanation from the family which confirms non -abuse?
5 Is there a need for more investigation and assessment?
6 Have the parents taken responsibility for what has happened and are they willing to work positively with staff?
7 Is there a need for emergency action?
8 Is a Child Protection Conference needed?
9 Should Family Support service be offered?
The answer to the above questions will form the basis of the risk assessment at this stage. Where there is an immediate and serious risk to the health and welfare of the child, emergency action should be initiated and may include use of the Gardaí powers under Section 12, or Health Board action under Section 13 of the Child Care Act, 1991.

Organisational Implications

Current Practices in our School
1 Adequate supervision - by teacher/adult on yard duty
2 Visibility
(a) School yard clearly visible from staffroom. Monitoring of other areas is necessary.
(b) All visitors to the school are asked to report to the principal or secretary.
(c) Visitors to the yard are directed to the staff room or principals room.

Code of behaviour/anti bullying policy
(Refer to policies)
We have reviewed these policies taking into account Child Protection guidelines.

P.E./Extra Curricular Activities
Transport: Bus only
Supervision of events: Teachers at school events. P.E. by class teacher even if coaches are taking class.
Children travelling in staff cars: it is recommended that pupils never travel in staff cars.




Record Keeping
The principal teacher and staff are responsible for safe-keeping , storage and confidentiality of all files in their possession e.g. roll book, registers, absence notes, reports etc.


Induction of Teachers and Ancillary Staff
Copy of child protection policy to be made available. A folder detailing school rules, policy etc. is also provided.

Induction of Pupils
Communication: Children will never, except in exceptional circumstances, be with an adult on a 1 to 1 basis.
Attendance: This will be reviewed at regular intervals, noting trends in partial attendance and non-attendance. Notes explaining absences are mandatory and such notes are kept on file. Trends of non-attendance will be reviewed taking particular care in the light of Child Protection issues.

Special Needs
1 Resource teachers, Special Education teachers and other staff members will not be alone with one child.
2 Where necessary SPHE curriculum will be adapted for Special Needs pupils.
3 Information will be provided to all ancillary staff. The same will apply to visiting personnel.

Curriculum implications
1 By always taking into account the safety of the child, we will strive to ensure that the school is an emotionally and physically safe place.
2 We will educate our children in the protective skills of self-esteem and assertiveness through the use of SPHE, RSE, Walk Tall, Stay Safe and Circle Time programmes.
3 Our whole school plan in SPHE supports child protection in that is develops awareness of issues relating to child protection.
4 In the SPHE curriculum the unit "Safety and Protection" is dealt with every second year. As part of this unit personal safety is addressed. This content is designed to enable pupils to protect themselves in situations which they may find dangerous or threatening. We teach this content using suitable programmes.
5 The other curriculum areas which have implications for child protection are Religion, SPHE and P.E.

Success Criteria:
We will evaluate the success of this policy:
1 By consulting the DLP.
2 By obtaining feedback on staff participation in training.
3 If a child protection issue arises by asking questions such as:
(a) Were procedures followed?
(b) How effective were they?
1 By obtaining feedback from staff.

Timeframe for implementation
September 2008.

Timeframe for review
June 2010

Responsibility for review
Board of Management, Designated Liaison Person, staff, parents.

Ratification and Communication
The policy will be presented to the Board of Management for ratification at the Board of Management meeting on Monday June 2008.

To whom will the policy be communicated?
The policy will be available to all staff and will also be available for perusal by parents in school on request.