Policy

A clear and comprehensive Safeguarding Policy is the cornerstone for effective safeguarding practice. This section outlines the key components of an effective policy and provides a framework for education settings to review and develop their existing documents. A model policy is also included within the toolkit.

'Keeping Children Safe in Education' states:

"Governing bodies and proprietors should ensure there are appropriate policies and procedures in place in order for appropriate action to be taken in a timely manner to safeguard and promote children's welfare.

"These policies should include individual schools and colleges having:

• An effective child protection policy which:
  • Reflects the whole school/college approach to child on child abuse
  • Reflects reporting systems
  • Should describe procedures which are in accordance with government guidance
  • Refers to locally agreed multi-agency safeguarding arrangements put in place by the safeguarding partners
  • Includes policies such as online safety and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
  • Is reviewed annually (as a minimum) and updated if needed, so that it is kept up to date with safeguarding issues as they emerge and evolve, including lessons learnt
    and
  • Is available publicly either via the school or college website or by other means"

It also states:

"Governing bodies and proprietors should ensure that their child protection policy includes:

• Procedures to minimise the risk of child-on-child abuse
• The systems in place (and they should be well promoted, easily understood and easily accessible) for children to confidently report abuse, knowing their concerns will be treated seriously
• How allegations of child-on-child abuse will be recorded, investigated, and dealt with
• Clear processes as to how victims, perpetrators and any other children affected by child-on-child abuse will be supported
• A recognition that even if there are no reported cases of child-on-child abuse, such abuse may still be taking place and is simply not being reported
• A statement which makes clear there should be a zero-tolerance approach to abuse, and it should never be passed off as "banter", "just having a laugh", "part of growing up" or "boys being boys" as this can lead to a culture of unacceptable behaviours and an unsafe environment for children
• Recognition that it is more likely that girls will be victims and boys' perpetrators, but that all child-on-child abuse is unacceptable and will be taken seriously
  and
• The different forms child-on-child abuse can take, such as:
  • Bullying (including cyberbullying, prejudice-based and discriminatory bullying)
  • Abuse in intimate personal relationships between children (also known as teenage relationship abuse)
  • Physical abuse which can include hitting, kicking, shaking, biting, hair pulling, or otherwise causing physical harm
  • Sexual violence and sexual harassment. Part five of this guidance sets out how schools and colleges should respond to reports of sexual violence and sexual harassment
  • Consensual and non-consensual sharing of nude and semi-nude images and/or videos (also known as sexting or youth produced sexual imagery): the policy should include the school or college's approach to it
  • Causing someone to engage in sexual activity without consent, such as forcing someone to strip, touch themselves sexually, or to engage in sexual activity with a third party
  • Upskirting (which is a criminal offence), which typically involves taking a picture under a person's clothing without their permission, with the intention of viewing their genitals or buttocks to obtain sexual gratification, or cause the victim humiliation, distress, or alarm
    and
  • Initiation/hazing type violence and rituals"

The Education Safeguarding Team produces a model Safeguarding Policy which educational settings may choose to adopt as a framework. It should be adapted to make it relevant to the individual setting and any particular local safeguarding issues which may be present.

Model School Safeguarding Policy (Word doc) [4MB]

Key questions to consider when developing your Safeguarding Policy and practices:

• How will you seek the views of children to inform your approach to safeguarding?
• How will your ethos and goals inform your approach to promoting the safety and welfare of children?
• How will you communicate your policies to everyone involved with the school, including parents, and ensure they contribute and take ownership?
• How will you make sure your policy links to other pertinent statutory policies including attendance, Code of Conduct, behaviour and anti-bullying?
• Who will be accountable and responsible for what?
• What support and training will you provide for all staff, including non-teaching staff and governors?
• How will you monitor and evaluate your policies and consult on reviewing them so that they are fair and applied consistently?