Care and Management of Students

Gorge Road School promotes a culture of care and protection of students, and we expect a high degree of professionalism from our staff in working with children. We treat all students with care, courtesy, and appropriate language. Staff create a positive and safe learning environment and promote positive student behaviour. Unacceptable behaviour, including bullying, is dealt with through the school's discipline plan.

Contact between staff and students at school

• When staff are interacting with a student one-to-one, they ensure wherever possible that the space is not closed off from other people.

• Teachers take particular care with students who express themselves freely and seek close physical contact. When this is a problem, it is always discussed with the child's parents.

• Staff are aware that children with special needs may have particular needs with regards to safety and supervision.

• Corporal punishment is prohibited and staff avoid physical contact with students that could be considered intimate, sexual, threatening, or violent.

• If a teacher is attacked by a student, they protect themselves without causing injury to the student involved, and immediately report this incident to the principal. If a student cannot be restrained in any other way, the adult physically restrains the student as appropriately as possible, and seeks other adult support.

Out-of-school contact between staff and students

• Staff are vigilant about safe and appropriate out-of-school contact with students, including through social media, texting, and emails.

• During education outside the classroom activities and camps, staff ensure safe interactions, sleeping, and travel arrangements for all students, and follow the procedures in Supervision and EOTC Parent Help.

Concerns about student welfare

Staff have a professional responsibility to report any concerns about abuse or neglect, or professional misconduct to the school's designated child protection person, the principal.

Also see Abuse Recognition and Reporting and Complaints.

Safe Practice Professional Development

Creating a culture of care and protection of children requires that staff have the knowledge, skills, and understanding necessary to work together effectively to implement our school's policies and procedures.

Gorge Road School has a designated person for child protection who has the knowledge to provide guidance and expertise to school staff. This person is the principal. All staff who work closely with children should have the skills necessary to recognise and respond to suspected abuse and neglect.

We inform staff about the school’s child protection policies as part of their orientation, and skills needed to implement our child protection policies are included in professional development and performance management programmes.

Training is available for staff in child protection development/learning.

We expect a high degree of professionalism from our staff in working with children, and encourage staff to keep their professional and personal lives separate.

Resources

• Child Matters: Educating to Prevent Child Abuse – Child Protection Training

• Child, Youth and Family – Working Together to Keep Children and Young People Safe

• Safeguarding Children Initiative – Seminars