TERRINGTON HALL SCHOOL
SAFEGUARDING & CHILD ABUSE
TEN KEY POINTS TO FOLLOW IF YOU SUSPECT, OR ARE TOLD OF ABUSE
This policy is available in the Staff Handbook, Parents guide, in the School Office via the school website.
Adults looking after children or young people in schools (or in residential establishments or youth organisations), should be aware of the risks of abuse (by adults or other young people), and take steps to reduce those risks.
Adults (staff or volunteers) in charge of children or young people should know what to do if they suspect that someone is being physically or sexually abused, or if someone tells them that this is happening. The following key points give a guide on what to do and not to do:
1. Always stop and listen straight away to someone who wants to tell you about incidents or suspicions of abuse.
2. If you can, write brief notes of what they are telling you while they are speaking (these may help later if you have to remember exactly what was said) - and keep your original notes, however rough and even if you wrote on the back of something else (it's what you write at the time that may be important later - not a tidier and improved version you wrote up afterwards!). If you don't have the means to write at the time, make notes of what was said as soon as possible afterwards.
3. Do not give a guarantee that you will keep what is said confidential or secret - if you are told about abuse you have a responsibility to tell the right people to get something done about it (see below). If asked, explain that if you are going to be told something very important that needs to be sorted out, you will need to tell the people who can sort it out, but that you will only tell people who absolutely have to know.
4. Don't ask leading questions that might give your own ideas of what might have happened (eg "did he/she do X to you?") - just ask "what do you want to tell me?" or "is there anything else you want to say?"
5. Never think abuse is impossible in your school or group, or that an accusation against someone you know well and trust is bound to be wrong.
6. Immediately tell the Designated Safeguarding Lead. If the allegation is about a member of staff, including either of the Safeguarding Leads, the allegation must be reported straight to the Headmaster. If the allegation is about the Headmaster himself, it must be reported straight to the chair of governors - don't tell other adults or young people what you have been told.
7. Never attempt to carry out an investigation of suspected or alleged abuse by interviewing people, etc - North Yorkshire Safeguarding and police staff are the people trained to do this - you could cause more damage and spoil possible criminal proceedings.
8. As soon as possible (and certainly within 24 hours) the Designated Safeguarding Lead, or the Headmaster if the allegation is about a member of staff, should refer the matter to Rosemary Cannell of North Yorkshire Safeguarding (helped by your notes) - Telephone: 01609 534974 or 07715 540723.
9. Matter of safeguarding must remain absolutely confidential and should not be discussed with anyone other than the proper authorities, Headmaster or Safeguarding Governor.
10. Children and young people often tell other young people, rather than staff or other adults, about abuse - make sure that your senior young people know the points on this sheet as well as the responsible adults (eg prefects, young people leading activities for others).
IMPORTANT:
These points are no substitution for the proper selection and training of adults trusted to look after children and young people, or for schools having their own clear "safeguarding" procedures for their particular setting, which should be agreed by North Yorkshire Safeguarding.
Source: Roger Morgan, Chief Inspector, Oxfordshire Social Services Department March 1996
Member of Staff responsible for this document: Headmaster
Reviewed Sept. 2011
Next Review Date : September 2012
