safeguarding / child protection policy - The Queen's School

SAFEGUARDING / CHILDPROTECTION POLICYProcedure for dealing with suspicions of abuse1. Report your suspicions to the DP as soon as possible. If you feel that theremay be a cause for concern about a pupil, it is your statutory duty to discussyour concerns with a DP.2. Record your suspicions in writing as soon as possible. The written recordmust be accurate, detailed and factual. Note down any visible physical injuriesand record your observations of the girl‟s behaviour but do not give a personalopinion on any observed behaviour. The record must be dated and signed.Give the written record to the DP as soon as possible.The DP will continue as detailed below in Action of DP following a disclosure orreport of suspected abuse. A possible course of action may well be to monitor thepupil discreetly.Please see appendix B for further information about types of abuse and theirindicators.If suspicions of abuse are raised by another pupil, parent or member of the public theprocedure is as above.Action of DP following a disclosure or report of suspected abuseFollowing a verbal report the DP will follow the Cheshire Safeguarding ChildrenBoard procedures.www.cheshire.gov.uk/socialcareandhealth/children/child_protection/manual/section1The DP will confer with another member of the DP team if possible and a decisionwill be taken on an appropriate course of action. This may involve a discussion withthe girl who made the disclosure but, ideally, she should not be asked to repeat herdisclosure.The DP(s) will decide on an appropriate course of action based on professionaljudgement, experience and training. It is good practice to discuss concerns withparents but this will only be done if it does not place the girl at increased risk of harm.The girl‟s views will be taken into consideration on the matter of contacting parents.If there are still concerns that may be of a child protection nature, discussions can thentake place - without identifying the child in question if necessary - with the front linestaff in Children‟s Social Care or the Safeguarding Unit. Should child protectionRevised: October 09Revised: September 10Pages: 4 of 10