Teachers' Standards, Part Two: Personal and Professional Conduct
Mainly used when situations/concerns raised in regards to conduct
Expected to show professionalism and boundaries with an absolute regard for ethos and policies of work settings
Teachers' Standard 8: Fulfil wider professional responsibilities
Safeguarding Terms
Child Safeguarding: 'protecting children from maltreatment; preventing impairment of health or development; ensuring that they grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; and taking action to enable all to have the best outcomes'
Child Protection: 'part of Child Safeguarding referring distinctly to the activity that is undertaken to protect children who are, or are likely to suffer, significant harm, serious risk of harm from a single serious concern or a number of concerns over time'
DfE 2018: Working Together to Safeguard Children
Ultimately, making sure children are being safe and have effective care in daily approach, and children feel comfortable and safe to come to teachers with issues. Becoming aware of something outside of school and how to approach this
Safeguarding Legislation
These are essential documents that should be referred to when seeking guidance to working safely with children. All of these documents are underpinned by the Children Act (2005) and Educations Act (2002).
Keeping Children Safe in Education - statutory guidance that schools and colleges in England undertake to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young adults
Working Together to Safeguard Children - statutory guidance that identifies how agencies work together (school, police, social services, local authority) for the welfare of the child
School / college safeguarding policy - uses the above documentation to provide a checklist of essential guidance for the staff in the setting
Vulnerable Children and Young People Survey - to help support the welfare of the children and young people after the outbreak of coronavirus
Principles of Safeguarding
Children and young people have the right to be protected from harm
Safeguarding procedures must ensure that children are protected and that fair and reasonable decisions are made about them
All agencies have a clear understanding of their role in safeguarding children
Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone's responsibility
The 4 principles outline what is expected of safeguarding in the settings, however encouraging a proactive culture will underpin this in a physical and digital environment using the 3 R's:
Responsibility - awareness and understanding to empower the trainee / staff
Recognition - encouraging observations / disclosing concerns and reporting incidents
Reflection / Response - acknowledging the need for transparency by implementing new information, advice and guidance
Types of Abuse and Neglect
Physical Abuse - may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating; causing physical harm
Emotional Abuse - the persistent maltreatment of a child to cause severe and adverse effects: that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate
Sexual Abuse - involves forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening
Neglect - the persistent failure to meet a child's basic physical or psychological needs, result in the serious impairment of health or development
Child abuse has a broad definition and requires you to be aware of the signs. As a teacher (or trainee) you are not responsible for investigating
Your duty is to report immediately any incident that could put the child in harm or danger to the Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) at the school
According to Mental Health Foundation report, children who are being abused might not seek help for a number of reasons
'it made it worse last time'
'there isn't really a problem'
'I'm not sure I trust you'
'It's my fault'
'they won't believe me'
'it's embarrassing'
'it won't make any difference'
Research has shown children hardly ever make false allegations. They tend to minimise rather than exaggerate. Boys are less likely to seek help than girls
Responding and Reporting
DO
Reassure them and listen carefully without interruption and judgement
If alone, have the door open, be in a visible area which adults know where you are
Take notes and check their accuracy
Explain all information is passed on - never guarantee confidentiality
Use open, non-leading questions to clarify facts only, e.g. 'Can you tell me what happened?' 'How did it happen?'
Report the disclosure / concern to the DSL as soon as practically possible
DON'T
Make false promises and / or assumptions
Ask leading questions or give opinion
Display shock or other emotions
Physically examine the child
Do anything which may jeopardise a police investigation
Discuss your concern with colleagues, friends or family
Undertake any investigation
Speak to the child's parents or carers
Once the information has been reported, this will conclude your involvement, No further discussion should take place unless requested. You will not always be informed of the eventual outcome
Placement
When an incident happens, apply the 3 R's:
Responsibility - stay calm
Recognition - identify and report the situation
Reflect / Response - inform setting and EHU
Senior Safeguarding Lead: Leon Fraser, 01695 5844314
Inform the DSL immediately
Email an anonymised outline: safeguarding@edgehill.ac.uk
Identify requests by setting / school
Identify any support / guidance you need
A phone call or face-to-face meetings
Suitability to work with children
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
Helps employers and other organisations make safer recruitment decision; attempts to prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children through enhanced checks for those who are working directly and supervising children in regulated activities
Regulated Activities - is when the activity is 'frequent' (one a month or more) or 'intensive' (takes place on three or more days in 30-day period)
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
FGM compromises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury for non-medical reasons
The Prohibition of Female Circumcision Act 1985
Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003, making it illegal to undertake FGM
Serious Crime Act 2015: FGM Protection Orders
Prevent Duty and County Lines
The Prevent Duty became law back in 2015 - Schools and registered early years providers have a regard to preventing people being drawn into terrorism - must be alert to any reason for concern in the child's life, at home or elsewhere
County Lines is criminal exploitation of children through gang crime networks - they groom and exploit children to sell drugs often across counties