Child Protection Policy

WHOLE SCHOOL POLICIES

Child Protection Policy

Rationale

ACG Schools have an obligation to ensure the wellbeing of children/young people in their care so that they thrive and achieve. The Schools are committed to the prevention of child abuse and neglect and to the protection of all children. The safety and wellbeing of the child/young person is paramount.

Aims

• To provide a safe, healthy learning environment that allows children to develop to their full potential; • To raise awareness amongst staff of child protection issues and ensure staff are equipped to deal with concerns; • To establish lines of communication with agencies that can support the school in child protection related matters; • To ensure that any allegations of child abuse are handled in an appropriate manner that ensures the child’s safety.

Definitions

Definition of child or young person in need of care or protection. Child – below the age of eighteen years - United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 1 Child abuse - harming (whether physically, emotionally or sexually), ill treatment, abuse, neglect, or serious deprivation. Physical abuse - any acts that may result in physical harm. Sexual abuse - any acts that involve forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities, whether or not they are aware of what is happening. Emotional abuse - any act or omission that results in adverse or impaired psychological, social, intellectual and emotional functioning or development. Neglect - the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical or psychological needs, leading to adverse or impaired physical or emotional functioning or development.

Guidelines

1. The school will develop appropriate procedures to meet child protection requirements. 2. All staff members (including contractors and volunteers) are expected to be familiar with this policy, its associated procedures and protocols and abide by them.

3. A Child Protection Coordinator shall be appointed in each school who is responsible for ensuring that the procedure for reporting child abuse is effective and timely. If a member of staff has a child protection concern, then they must inform the Principal and/or Child

Protection Coordinator as soon as possible. All suspicions and information will be recorded factually. 4. A list of specialist agencies will be kept and updated by the Child Protection Coordinator. 5. Any person employed by ACG who believes that any child or young person has been, or is likely to be, harmed (whether physically, emotionally, or sexually), ill-treated, abused, neglected, or deprived must follow school procedures relating to child protection. Advice will be sought through appropriate agencies in all cases of suspected or alleged abuse or neglect. 6. ACG Schools will refer all suspected situations of child abuse to Police or Child, Youth and Family. The safety of the child will be the primary consideration, and no person will collude to protect an adult or an organisation. 7. The Principal will respond to suspicions and allegations of child abuse or neglect by a member of staff, a volunteer or a parent in a manner which best ensures children’s or young persons’ immediate and long-term safety. This could include a referral to the Police. 8. In general, staff will not share information if they believe that by doing so this will endanger the child. When a legitimate agency contacts a staff member for information that staff member must first refer to the Child Protection Coordinatorfor clearance before providing the information. 9. The parent/caregiver will usually be informed of concerns but there may be times when they may not be initially informed, such as when it may expose the child to further harm; the parent is the alleged perpetrator; evidence will be destroyed or child is of an age when they do not want their parent informed. 10. Ensure that staff are able to identify the signs and symptoms of potential abuse and neglect, deal with disclosures by children and allegations against staff members and are able to take appropriate action in response. 11. ACG Schools will ensure that when recruiting staff, they have the skills and attributes which will contribute to the children’s safety and to their health, physical, emotional, intellectual and social development. 12. ACG Schools will ensure that all staff working with children, both paid and voluntary, have been appropriately Police vetted and screened. 13. ACG Schools will provide guidelines for all members of staff, whether paid or voluntary, that clarify appropriate staff behaviour. ACG

Schools will review these regularly with staff to ensure that the guidelines meet the needs arising from ever-changing environments and situations.

14. Adults should always maintain appropriate professional boundaries and avoid behaviour which might be misinterpreted by others. They should report and record any incident with this potential. 15. ACG Schools will incorporate into the curriculum age-appropriate programmes designed to teach children how to keep themselves safe and know who to approach for help.