Child Protection Policy

Ballard School Child Protection Policy

Introduction:

The following policy has been written to alert staff members to child protection issues. However, if a parent or senior pupil (such as a Prefect) believes that child abuse may be happening, then the procedures below should also be followed (see part 3)

Child Abuse

1. Child abuse is the ill treatment or neglect of a child which causes injury, suffering or distress. It may take the form of physical abuse (hitting, burning, bruising etc). It may be caused through neglect, by failure to provide proper food, care, warmth, shelter or cleanliness. If a child is not properly loved, or is excessively teased or made to feel worthless, or is over-protected or not allowed to do normal things, there may be emotional abuse. Sexual abuse may involve emotionally immature or dependent children in a sexual activity to which they cannot give consent and which they really do not understand. It is more common than was believed and can have serious and long-term damaging effects, both emotionally and physically. Most sexual abuse involves an adult male who is very well known to the child, possibly a close relative or a family friend. All these forms of abuse can cause long-term harm to the child.

2. Who can the abuser be?

Anyone who cares for a child may be responsible for abuse: the parents, step-parents, baby-sitters, brothers, sisters, other relatives and people in positions of responsibility have all been known to be abusers. Abuse happens in families that are well-off as well as in poor homes, and even the most respectable-seeming person can be an abuser.

3. What can you do?

If you think a child at Ballard School is being abused, you must tell the Headmaster about it. Sometimes children will tell an adult they trust that they are being abused, but they will ask that no one else is told. If this happens, you must explain that you can help them only by telling the Headmaster. You must believe the child who tells you, even if the account seems far-fetched. You must tell the Headmaster. The golden rules are:

1. tell someone who can protect the child

b) even if you are worried, but have no proof, talk it over with the Headmaster

1.  do not delay

d) believe what a child tells you

e) do not gossip about your suspicions.

4. Dealing with suspicions

Any suspicion that a pupil has been injured or ill-treated, or is being neglected or otherwise abused, must be discussed with the Headmaster at once. It is always better to share a concern that later proves groundless than to wait for the certainty which may mean actual injury to the child. It may be appropriate to enquire of other members of staff if they have observed anything amiss with a child. Sometimes it will be correct to make enquiries of parents about observable injury or behavioural changes. Such lines of enquiry, carried out by the Headmaster or on his specific instructions, are not investigations nor are they accusations. If urgent medical assistance is required and abuse is suspected, medical staff must be informed and the Social Services department must be contacted immediately. Social Services will then have the responsibility for deciding at what stage parents should be contacted and whether a joint investigation with the police should take place.

Previous schools attended by the child may have helpful information and they should be consulted. The Headmaster may decide to ask other agencies for information or advice. Whoever is consulted, brief but careful notes should be made and, if possible, actual words used by parents/children should be noted, especially when they are explaining the cause of an injury. These discussions and enquiries may lead to one of these conclusions:

(a) the suspicion was unfounded, in which case the notes should be preserved and the teacher asked to come back to the Headmaster if there is any further suspicion,

(b) the suspicion was probably or definitely well-founded and the child should receive protection (in this case the matter must be referred to the Social Services Department),

(c) the suspicion was probably or possibly well-founded, but, while concern remains, there is nothing tangible with which to take the matter further. The last category is the most difficult to handle: the child concerned must be carefully watched. The members of staff should maintain informal notes, recorded observations and changes in behaviour and any abnormality, and there should be regular discussions with the Headmaster. It may be appropriate to involve other agencies in these discussions, especially if they are known to be working with the child or his or her family.

5. Referring a child who has been abused

If urgent medical assistance is needed, it must be sought as for any other pupil. The Headmaster must tell the doctor or hospital that he believes that the child has been abused. If a medical examination is deemed necessary, the parents should be informed and invited to attend. However, the Headmaster may proceed without the parents if they cannot attend or be contacted. When the Headmaster is satisfied that the child has been sexually or physically abused or that it is likely that he or she has been or will be abused, he must refer the child to the Area Director. The referral should be by telephone and a note of what was said and to whom must be kept by the Headmaster giving the time and date of the referral. Written confirmation must be sent to the Area Director by first class post (or personal delivery) within twenty-four hours of the telephone call. All relevant information must be shared in making the referral. If there are any physical signs of abuse they must be noted on a sketch and described, e.g. the colour, size of abrasions or bruising, etc should be given.

6. Sexual abuse

When a pupil makes an allegation of sexual abuse, he or she must be believed. Evidence clearly points to the veracity of children who make such claims and even if the allegation seems improbable it must be treated as true. When the allegation involves a member of the child’s household, the Area Director of Social Services must be informed at once. It is not appropriate in such cases to inform the pupil’s parents; to do so may allow the destruction of physical evidence and interfere with the police investigation. Referral should be confirmed in writing, as above, if possible using the child’s own words.

Normally the child will be interviewed in a setting away from the school, with the parents’ permission, by the police and a social worker. Sometimes the police and social worker may wish to interview the child in school. The teacher or other person to whom the child disclosed the abuse should, if at all possible, be present with the child during the interview if the child wishes it and if the parent is not present.

If it is not possible for that to happen, then another member of staff trusted by the pupils should deputise. It should be remembered however, that not all adults feel that they can become so involved in sexual abuse cases in such a close way and staff should be given the option of not taking part in such interviews. Where necessary, as part of the investigation, the medical examination will be carried out by a paediatrician and a police surgeon. Although teachers are not normally involved in this aspect of the procedure they may be asked to support the child and if possible should agree so to do.

Sometimes a child will disclose sexual abuse but will ask that the adult does not tell anyone. This is an untenable position in which the responsibility is shared but nothing is done to protect the child or other children. Such a request should be countered with the response appropriate to the child’s age and understanding, but if a child is to be protected it will be necessary to tell others who can help. If an historic incident or series of incidents is brought up where there seems no chance of repetition with this or another child, e.g. the abuser is dead or in prison, the choice of action may be the child’s and may lie between investigation or counselling. However, a decision not to refer such a disclosure should not be made without informal discussion with the Social Services Department.

7. Abuse by a member of the school staff

If any member of staff, teaching or non-teaching, has reason to believe that a member of the school staff has abused a pupil, that suspicion must be reported to the Headmaster immediately.

Such suspicion may arise from an allegation by a pupil or from observed behaviour. Even though what is alleged may seem improbable, the risk is too serious for any member of staff to dismiss such a suspicion without informing the Headmaster.

Should a member of staff, teacher or non-teaching, have reason to believe that the Headmaster has abused a pupil that suspicion must be reported to Social Services immediately (01329 225379).

Social Services Department

Contact number is: 01329 225379

Child Protection Officers at Ballard School:

David Dunn - (Deputy Head, Senior School)
Angela Hiscock - (Matron)