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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.

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?