Child Protection: Policy and Procedures
The guidelines in this document are based on the
following documents:
- Children First: National Guidelines for the Protection
and Welfare of Children, Dept. of Health & Children 1999
- Guidance for Teachers,
INTO.
- Child Protection: Guidelines and Procedures, DES, 2001.
Issues such Bullying / General Behaviour are dealt with in
the School’s Code of Behaviour Document which is available on the website, www.colmcilles.net
and in hard copy
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Core Values in St Colmcille’s BNS
The work in our school is based on the following
principles that will guide the interactions which occur among all members of our
school community. Our pupils’
experience of school should be guided by what is best for them.
Integrity in relationships
Adults interacting with young people should do so with
integrity and respect for the child. All
adult actions in our school should be guided by what is best for the child and
verbal, physical, emotional or sexual abuse of any kind are unacceptable.
Quality of atmosphere and ethos
The education of young people should be conducted in a
safe, positive and encouraging atmosphere. A
child-centred ethos will help to ensure that pupils are facilitated to develop
at an appropriate pace.
Equality
All children should be treated in an equitable and fair
manner regardless of age, ability, sex, religion, social and ethnic background
or political persuasion.
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Policy Statement
The Board of Management of St Colmcille’s BNS
is fully committed to safeguarding the well- being of its pupils. Every
individual in our school (teacher / member of ancillary staff / volunteer)
should at all times, show respect and understanding for pupils’ rights, safety
and welfare and conduct themselves in a way that reflects the principles of our
school.
Our first priority is the welfare of the young people
entrusted to our care and we are committed to providing an environment which
will allow our pupils to learn to the best of their ability, free from bullying
and intimidation. The BOM wishes to
provide the best possible environment for our pupils because young people
deserve to be educated in a safe environment free of abuse of any kind.
Our pupils have rights, which must be respected, and responsibilities
that they must accept. They will be encouraged to realise that they have
responsibilities to treat other pupils / teachers and ancillary staff with
courtesy and respect.
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Designated Liaison Persons
The Board of Management of St Colmcille’s BNS has
nominated the following personnel to act as Designated Liasion Persons.
Chairperson of Board of Management: Mr Thomas
Shields, St Colmcille’s BNS, Chapel Lane, Swords, Co. Dublin. Ph: (01) 8405132
Designated Person in St Colmcille’s BNS to whom
incidents should be reported is: James Bennett, (Principal) St Colmcille’s BNS,
Chapel Lane, Swords, Co. Dublin. Ph: (01) 8405132 (W); email:
colmcilles@gmail.com
Deputy Designated Person: Seán Byrne (Deputy
Principal), St Collmcille’s BNS, Chapel Lane, Swords, Co. Dublin. Ph: (01)
8405132; email: colmcilles@gmail.com
Recruitment and Selection Policy
- Before teachers are appointed to the staff of the
school, referees are contacted
- Before ancillary staff are appointed to the staff of
the school, referees are contacted.
- Referees are consulted prior to the appointment of
long-term substitutes or temporary teachers
- In the case of short-term substitutes or temporary
teachers, they are vetted by the INTO or IPPN
- Volunteers to assist with games always work with
teachers present
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Child Welfare and Protection Procedures
Child welfare and the protection of young people are the
concern of all adults at all times, irrespective of their role within this
school.
Guidelines
for teachers / ancillary staff
If
there are grounds for concern about the safety or welfare of a young person you
should log this concern. Persons unsure about whether
or not certain behaviours are abusive and therefore reportable, should speak to
the Designated Liaison Person, and he / she will contact the duty social worker
in the local health board or social services department where they will receive
advice. Grounds for concern include a specific indication from a child, a
statement from a person who witnessed abuse or an illness, injury or behaviour
consistent with abuse.
A
concern reported to the Designated Person may be made by a pupil / teacher /
member of ancillary staff / parent who may in turn have to pass the concern to
the local Statutory Authorities. It is not the responsibility of anyone working
in St Colmcille’s BNS to take responsibility or decide whether or not child
abuse is taking place. That is the job of the local statutory authorities.
However, there is a responsibility to protect children by assisting the
appropriate agencies so that they can then make enquiries and take any necessary
action to protect the young person.
Everyone
should follow both procedures outlined below, firstly the procedure for
responding to a child in distress and secondly the procedure for reporting the
concern.
Response to a Child Disclosing Abuse
Note:
If a pupil indicates that they wish to make an allegation of abuse, it is
recommended that the person to whom the allegation is being made, be accompanied
by one other person.
When
a young person discloses information of suspected abuse you should:
- deal with any allegation of abuse in a sensitive and
competent way through listening to and facilitating the child to tell about
the problem, rather than interviewing the child about details of what
happened
- stay calm and not show any extreme reaction to what the
child is saying. Listen compassionately, and take what the child is saying
seriously
- understand that the child has decided to tell something
very important and has taken a risk to do so. The experience of telling
should be a positive one so that the child will not mind talking to those
involved in the investigation
- be honest with the child and tell them that it is not
possible to keep information a secret make no
judgmental statements against the person whom the allegation is made
- not question the child unless the nature of what he is
saying is unclear. Leading questions should be avoided. Open, non-specific
questions should be used such as “Can you explain to me what you mean by
that”
- check out the concerns with the parents/guardians
before making a report unless doing so would endanger the child
- give the child some indication of what would happen
next, such as informing parents/guardians, health board or social services.
It should be kept in mind that the child may have been threatened and may
feel vulnerable at this stage.
- carefully
record the details – use child’s register number rather than the
child’s name – do not retain these details in your own classroom
- Pass
on this information to the Designated Person who will ensure that it is
stored in a safe place away from the ordinary records which are kept on
pupils
- reassure
the child that they have done the right thing in telling you
Reporting Suspected or Disclosed Child Abuse
The following steps should be taken in reporting child
abuse to the statutory authorities:
- Observe and note dates, times, locations and contexts
in which the incident occurred or suspicion was aroused, together with any
other relevant information
- Report the matter as soon as possible to the Designated
Person with responsibility for reporting abuse. If the Designated Person has
reasonable grounds for believing that the child has been abused or is at
risk of abuse, s/he will make a report to the health board/social services
who have statutory responsibility to investigate and assess suspected or
actual child abuse
- In cases of emergency, where a child appears to be at
immediate and serious risk and the Designated Person is unable to contact a
duty social worker, the police authorities should be contacted. Under no
circumstances should a child be left in a dangerous situation pending
intervention by the Statutory Authorities
- If the Designated Person is unsure whether reasonable
grounds for concern exist s/he can informally consult with the local health
board/social services. S/he will be advised whether or not the matter
requires a formal report.
A Designated Person reporting suspected or actual child
abuse to the Statutory Authorities will first inform the family of their
intention to make such a report, unless doing so would endanger the child or
undermine an investigation
The
Protection for Persons Reporting Child Abuse Act, 1998 provides immunity from
civil liability to persons who report child abuse ‘reasonably and in good
faith’ to the Health Board or the Gardai (See 5.13.1 – ISC. Code). The act
also covers the offence of ‘false reporting’.
The main provisions of the Act are:
- The
provision of immunity from civil liability to any person who reports child
abuse “reasonably and in good faith” to designated officers of Health
Boards or any member of An Garda Siochána;
- The
provision of significant protections for employees who report child abuse.
These protections cover all employees and all forms of discrimination up to
and including, dismissal;
- The
creation of a new offence of false reporting of child abuse where a person
makes a report of child abuse to the appropriate authorities “knowing that
statement to be false”. This is a new criminal offence designed to protect
innocent persons from malicious reports.
Allegations against Teachers / Other Members of School
Community
The
Board of Management of St Colmcille’s BNS has agreed procedures to be followed
in cases of alleged child abuse against teachers /ancillary staff / volunteer
helpers / visiting coaches. Two procedures should be
followed:
- The reporting procedure in respect of suspected child
abuse
- The procedure for dealing with the person against whom
the allegation is made (carried out by the Chairperson of the BOM )
The safety of the child making the allegation should be
considered and the safety of any other children who may be at risk. The school
will take any necessary steps that may be necessary to protect children in its
care
The issue of confidentiality is important. Information is
on a need to know basis and the person against whom the allegation is made
should be treated with respect and fairness.
The reporting procedure
If the Designated Person has reasonable grounds for
concern, the matter should be reported to the local health board / social
services, following the standard reporting procedure.
Person against whom allegation is made
While the Designated Person makes the report to the local
health board, the Chairperson of the BOM should deal with the person in
question.
- The Chairperson should privately inform the person that
(a) an allegation has been made against him / her and (b) the nature of the
allegation. He / she should be afforded an opportunity to respond, and to be
accompanied by another adult.
- The teacher / person against whom the allegation is
made should be asked to step aside pending the outcome of the investigation.
When a person is asked to step aside it should be made clear that it is only
a precautionary measure and will not prejudice any later disciplinary
proceedings.
The Board of Management should be informed by the
Designated Person that a staff member has been asked to stand aside.
The Board of Management can consider taking disciplinary action against
the person but should ensure that this does not interfere with the investigation
of the Statutory Authorities. The BOM will give due consideration to the outcome
of the investigation and any implications which it might have.
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Confidentiality
Confidentiality should be maintained in respect of all
issues and people involved in cases of abuse, welfare or bad practice. It is
important that the rights of both the child and the person about whom the
complaint has been made are protected.
The following points should be kept in mind:
- A guarantee of confidentiality or undertakings
regarding secrecy cannot be given, as the welfare of the child will
supersede all other considerations
- All information should be treated in a careful and
sensitive manner and should be discussed only with those who need to know
- Information should be conveyed in a sensitive manner to
the parents / guardians of the child about whom there are concerns
- Giving information to others on a ‘need to know’
basis for the protection of a child is not a breach of confidentiality
- All
persons involved in a child protection process (the child, his/her
parents/guardians, the alleged offender, his/her family) should be afforded
appropriate respect, fairness, support and confidentiality at all stages of
the procedure.
- Information should be stored in a secure place, with
limited access to designated people.
- The requirements of the Data Protection laws should be
adhered to.
- Breach of confidentiality is a serious manner.
Anonymous Complaints
Anonymous complaints can be difficult to deal with but
should not be ignored. In all cases
the safety and welfare of the child/children is paramount.
Any such complaints relating to inappropriate behaviour should be brought
to the attention of the Children’s Officer or the Designated Person.
The information should be checked out and handled in a confidential
manner.
Rumours
Rumours should not be allowed to hang in the air.
Any rumours relating to inappropriate behaviour should be brought to the
attention of the Designated Person and checked out without delay.
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Guidelines on General Issues
In School
- Security – access to the school is by one door only
which is monitored by CCVT, and controlled by members of the ancillary staff
- Collection of pupils in instances where a parent is not
available to collect must be done by a person who has been authorised by the
parent (phone message or note to the school)
- Pupils doing errands within school – should be sent
in twos
- Pupils doing errands outside of school – this
practice is not allowed
- Pupils being put outside of door – this practice is
not allowed
- Mobile phones – the Board of Management has banned
pupils from having mobile phones
during the school day
- If parents are acting as volunteers with regard to
assisting in the supervision of an activity such as swimming, they are
assigned in twos
Travelling and Supervision
There is extra responsibility taken on by teachers /
coaches when they travel with children to events.
When travelling with young people you should:
- Ensure that there is adequate insurance cover
- Not carry more than the permitted number of passengers
- Ensure use of safety belts
- Avoid being alone with one participant, put passenger
in the back seat, drop off at central locations or seek parental permission
to transport an individual participant on a regular basis and clearly state
times of pick- up and drop off
- Make sure there is an adequate adult: child ratio. This
will depend on the nature of the activity, the age of the participants and
any special needs of the group.
- Avoid being alone with one participant, if you need to
talk separately do so in an open environment, in view of others
- Clearly state time for start and end of coaching
sessions or competitions
- Leaders should remain in pairs until all participants
have been collected
- Keep attendance records and record of any incidents /
injuries that arise
- Separate permission forms should be signed by parents
and participants, containing emergency contact number
- Management team will make a report on returning home
- Communicate with parents and participants with regard
to travel times, other
activities, gear requirements, medical requirements, special dietary needs
and any other necessary details
- Children should
be under reasonable supervision at all times and should never leave a
venue or go unsupervised
- Pupils whose behaviour gives cause for concern are not
allowed to go on school tours /outings
Safety
- Teachers / coaches / volunteers
have a responsibility to ensure the safety of the pupils with whom
they work
- Ensure activities are suitable for age and stage of
development of participants
- Keep a record of any specific medical conditions of the
participants
- Keep a record of emergency contact numbers for parents
/ guardians
- Ensure any necessary protective gear is used
- Ensure First Aid kit is close at hand with access to
qualified first-aider
- Know the contact numbers of emergency services
- Keep first aid kit stocked up
- Ensure access to medical personnel if needed and have a
emergency plan
- If an incident occurs, make a brief record of injury
and action taken. Make a brief record of the problem/action/outcome. Contact
the pupil’s parents and keep
them informed of all details
- Ensure parents / guardians are informed with regard to
finishing time of sessions or events
Physical Contact
- Avoid unnecessary physical contact
- Any necessary contact should be in response to the
needs of the child and not the adult
- It should be in an open environment with the permission
and understanding of the participant
- It should be determined by the age and developmental
stage of the participant - Don’t do something that a child can do for
themselves
- Never engage in inappropriate touching
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Use of Photographic and Filming Equipment
St Colmcille’s BNS has adopted a policy in relation to
the use of images of pupils on its website and in other publications as there
have been concerns about the risks posed directly and indirectly to children and
young people through the use of photographs on websites and other publications.
Rules to guide the use of photography:
-
If
a pupil is named, avoid using his photograph.
-
If
a photograph is used, avoid naming the pupil
-
Ask
for parental permission to use an image of a pupil
- When
commissioning professional photographers or inviting the press to an
activity or event we will aim to ensure they are clear about our
expectations of them in relation to child protection. Professional
photographers/film/video operators wishing to record an event should seek
accreditation with the event organiser by producing their professional
identification for the details to be recorded. We will then:
-
Provide
a clear brief about what is considered appropriate in terms of content and
behaviour
-
Issue
the photographer with identification which must be worn at all times
- Keep a record of accreditations
-
Not
allow unsupervised access to pupils or one to one photo sessions at events
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