Kepier Child Protection Policy

Contents

Purpose and Aim        3

Introduction        3

Staff Responsibilities        4

Framework and Legislation        5

Roles and Responsibilities for All Staff        6

The Designated Safeguarding Lead        8

Role of The Designated Safeguarding Lead        8

Responsibilities of Learning Matters Trust Board and Kepier’s Local Governing Body        12

Information for Parents        14

Actions where there are Concerns about a Child        17

Safe Schools/Safe Staff        17

Document Control        23

Purpose and Aim

The school aims to ensure that:

• Appropriate action is taken in a timely manner to safeguard and promote learners’ welfare.
  
• All staff are aware of their statutory responsibilities with respect to safeguarding.
  
• Staff are properly trained in recognising and reporting safeguarding issues.
  

The whole school culture of vigilance in Kepier creates a safe space where children are supported, listened to and valued in what they choose to share, and that ALL staff act immediately with the necessary level of intervention to create the most effective outcome for every individual child.

The purpose of the policy is therefore to ensure that our children’s welfare is of paramount importance, early and additional help is offered to prevent escalation and, where child protection concerns are identified, referrals are handled sensitively, professionally and in ways that support the needs of the child’s well-being.

Governors, Trustees and staff are committed within Kepier to keeping children safe by safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in our care through all our policies, procedures and practices. We expect all our learners, parents and visitors to share this commitment and understanding.

Introduction

Kepier fully recognises the contribution it can make to keeping children safe and supporting the learners in our care.  There are four main elements to Kepier’s Child Protection Policy.

1. Prevention - (positive school atmosphere, careful and vigilant teaching, pastoral care, support to pupils, providing good adult role models and the identification of early and additional support/services to children and families and recognising and reducing risks to children including harassment, bullying/cyber-bullying and prejudice-based and discriminatory bullying, victimisation, sexual violence and sexual harassment, criminal/sexual exploitation including county lines  and serious violent crime, preventing radicalisation (extremism, radicalisation and terrorism) and issues such as honour based abuse, female genital mutilation and forced marriage.)
2. Protection - following agreed procedures, ensuring all staff respond appropriately and sensitively to child protection concerns and that every member of staff has regular training and updates at least annually and are supported to refer their concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (Abi Allen) or Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (Shaun Van-Lindon and Marlena Preece) or the Integrated Contact and Referral Team on 0191 561 7007 directly IF NECESSARY.  In certain specific cases such as Female Genital Mutilation (Mandatory reporting of FGM from October 2015), Radicalisation or Forced Marriage there are SPOCS/named teams and individuals within the police who can be contacted.

3. Reconsideration - following and challenging the progress of new referrals and existing cases to ensure that individual cases are reconsidered if there remains no improvement to a child’s circumstances.

4. Support - to learners and school staff and to children who may be vulnerable due to their individual circumstances or extra-familial harm and taking action to enable all children to have the best outcome.

Staff Responsibility

All staff have the added responsibility of recognising that there may be children with additional vulnerability who remain at higher risk of harm or abuse because of their existing vulnerability.  All of Kepier’s staff should be particularly alert to the potential need for early help for a child who:

• Have special educational needs (SEN) or disabilities or health conditions
• Are young carers
• May experience discrimination due to their race, ethnicity, religion, gender identification or sexuality
• Have English as an additional language
• Are known to be living in difficult situations – for example, temporary accommodation or where there are issues such as substance abuse or domestic violence
• Are at risk of FGM, sexual exploitation, forced marriage, or radicalisation
• Are asylum seekers
• Are at risk due to either their own or a family member’s mental health needs
• Are looked after or previously looked after
• Are missing from education
• Whose parent/carer has expressed an intention to remove them from school to be home educated
• Attending alternative provisions
• Has experienced multiple suspensions
• Is at risk of modern slavery, trafficking, sexual and/or criminal exploitations
• At risk of being exploited

All staff have a responsibility to recognise child abuse, neglect and child on child abuse in its many forms.  This means that ALL staff will take a ‘zero-tolerance’ approach to any unacceptable behaviour including ‘banter’ and will seek to prevent, challenge and take action so that all children understand that any concerns regarding their welfare and safety will be taken seriously.  This will encourage and promote a culture of acceptable behaviour and a safe educational environment for all children. All staff should also be aware that mental health problems can, in some cases, be an indicator that a child has suffered or is at risk of suffering abuse, neglect or exploitation.  Where Kepier has created an additional school policy because of any specific area of need this is to be read in conjunction with this Child Protection Policy.

Broadly the areas taken from Keeping Children Safe in Education, Annex B, include

• Child abduction and community safety incidents
• Children in the court system
• Children missing from education
• Children with family members in prison
• Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) and Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)
• County Lines
• Modern Slavery and the National Referral Mechanism
• Cybercrime
• Domestic Abuse
• Homelessness
• So called ‘Honour Based Abuse’ inclusive of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and Forced Marriage.
• FGM
• Forced Marriage
• Preventing Radicalisation
• The Prevent duty
• Channel
• Additional Support
• Child on Child Abuse
• Sexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools and colleges
• Upskirting
• The response to a report of sexual violence or sexual harassment
• Additional advice and support

KCSIE 2025

In the event of any of the above issues being recognised, information should be shared directly with the Designated Safeguarding Leads which will result in the situation being recorded, evaluated and supported in school or the learner/s being referred to specific services.    

This policy applies to Kepier’s whole workforce.

Framework and Legislation

No school operates in isolation.  Keeping children safe from significant harm is the responsibility of all adults, especially those working with children.  The development of appropriate procedures and the monitoring of good practice are the responsibilities of Sunderland Safeguarding Children Partnership, which includes the partnership of several agencies who work with children and families across the City.

Kepier is committed to keeping children safe and safeguarding all children in accordance with Child Protection: Sunderland Safeguarding Children Partnership’s Multi Agency Safeguarding Arrangements (MASA) www.safeguardingchildrensunderland.com and partner agencies in all cases where there is a concern about significant harm.

Significant Harm is defined in The Children’s Act 1989 as the ill-treatment (including sexual abuse and physical abuse) or the impairment of health (physical or mental) or development (physical, intellectual, emotional, social or behavioural) as compared to a similar child.

Note: harm now includes the impairment of a child’s health or development as a result of witnessing the ill treatment of another person. (Adoption and Children Act 2002)

Local Authorities have a duty to investigate (under S47 of the Children Act 1989).  Where a Local Authority is informed that there is a child who is living, or is found, in their area and they have reasonable cause to suspect that child is suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm they must make such enquiries as necessary to promote or safeguard the child’s welfare.  Together for Children through the Integrated Contact and Referral Team undertakes this responsibility on behalf of the Local Authority once a referral has been made

Kepier is committed to keeping children safe in accordance with:

• Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2025 [updated from 2024]
  
• Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023
  
• The Children Act 1989 and 2002
  
• The Education Act 2002
  
• Equality Act 2010 (Public Sector Equality Duty)
  

Roles and Responsibilities For All Staff 

Staff who work directly with children are expected to read at least part 1 and Annex A of Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE).

All staff will be aware of:

• Our systems which support safeguarding, including this child protection and safeguarding policy, the staff code of conduct, the role and identity of the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and deputies, the behaviour policy and the safeguarding response to children who go missing from education
• The early help assessment process (sometimes known as the common assessment framework) and their role in it, including identifying emerging problems, liaising with the DSL, and sharing information with other professionals to support early identification and assessment
• The process for making referrals to local authority children’s social care and for statutory assessments that may follow a referral, including the role they might be expected to play
• What to do if they identify a safeguarding issue or a child tells them they are being abused or neglected, including specific issues such as FGM, and how to maintain an appropriate level of confidentiality while liaising with relevant professionals
• The signs of different types of abuse and neglect, as well as specific safeguarding issues, such as child-on-child abuse, child sexual exploitation (CSE), child criminal exploitation (CCE), indicators of being at risk from or involved with serious violent crime, FGM, radicalisation and serious violence (including that linked to county lines)
• The importance of reassuring victims that they are being taken seriously and that they will be supported and kept safe
• The fact that children can be at risk of harm inside and outside of their home, at school and online
• The fact that children who are (or who are perceived to be) lesbian, gay, bi or trans (LGBT) can be targeted by other children
• What to look for to identify children who need help or protection
• Staff must also be aware of new online risks identified in KCSIE 2025 including misinformation, disinformation and conspiracy theories, alongside generative AI misuse.
• The importance of confidentiality, information sharing, and maintaining an ‘it could happen here’ approach.
  
• Ensure that they report ANY concerns of harm to any child to the Designated Safeguarding Lead immediately and consistently promote a culture of vigilance in school, where concerns are shared and dealt with as soon as possible. (However, ALL staff can refer their concerns directly to the Integrated Contact and Referral Team if necessary and the police in the stated incidents above. They should inform the Designated Safeguarding Lead as soon as possible if they have reported concerns directly).
• Ensure that they immediately share with the Designated Safeguarding Lead information shared with them by a child or directly observed/witnessed and record it using school systems CPOMS.
•  This could include sharing information on behalf of the Designated Safeguarding Lead with other agencies. All discussions, decisions and reasons for them should be recorded in writing adhering to Kepier’s Recording and Information Sharing Policy/Procedure.  Staff should never let fears of sharing information stand in the way of the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
• Ensure that they maintain an attitude of ‘it could happen here’ in respect of any safeguarding issues and report any concerns regarding the behaviour of a child/an adult/staff member in school directly to the Designated Safeguarding Lead/Headteacher.
• Ensure that they remain vigilant whilst visitors are on site and continue to promote the school’s commitment to keeping children safe through reminding visitors and parents of the school’s appropriate use of personal mobile phones/devices whilst they are on school premises. This includes staff understanding and adhering to the Staff Behaviour Policy inclusive of use of mobile phones and electronic devices.
• Kepier will work with social care, the police, health services and other services to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm.

The Designated Safeguarding Lead

Kepier has appointed Abi Allen (Assistant Headteacher) from our SLT to be our Designated Safeguarding Lead.  This person has the overall responsibility for safeguarding and child protection and has the appropriate authority and training to undertake such a role and is able to provide advice and support to other staff on child welfare. safeguarding and child protection matters.  This person is able to take part in strategy discussions and inter agency meetings and to support other trained staff to do so as well as contribute to the assessment of children.  The Designated Safeguarding Lead (and any deputies) are most likely to have a complete safeguarding picture and be the most appropriate person to advise on the response to safeguarding concerns.

The Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead

At Kepier we have appointed the following Deputy Designated Leads; Marlena Preece and Shaun Van-Lindon who are part of the safeguarding team.  These individuals are trained to the same standard as the Designated Safeguarding Lead.  Whilst the activities of the Designated Safeguarding Lead can be delegated to appropriately trained deputies the ultimate to lead responsibility for child protection will not be delegated and remains with the Designated Safeguarding Lead.

Any deputies should be trained to the same standard as the Designated Safeguarding Lead and the role should be explicit in their job description.

The Designated Safeguarding Lead has a very detailed role - see below

However, if there is an IMMEDIATE safeguarding concern and the Designated Safeguarding Leads are unavailable please seek immediate support via the Integrated Contact and Referral Team (0191 561 7007).

The broad areas of responsibility for the Designated Safeguarding Leads are identified here.

Availability

During term time the Designated Safeguarding Lead (or a deputy) should always be available (during school or college hours) for staff in the school or college to discuss any safeguarding concerns. Whilst generally speaking the Designated Safeguarding Lead (or deputy) would be expected to be available in person, it is a matter for individual schools and colleges, working with the Designated Safeguarding Lead, to define what “available” means and whether in exceptional circumstances availability via phone and /or Skype or other such media is acceptable.

It is a matter for individual schools and colleges and the Designated Safeguarding Lead to arrange adequate and appropriate cover arrangements for any out of hours/out of term activities.

Manage Referrals

The Designated Safeguarding Lead is expected to refer cases:

•  Of suspected abuse to the Integrated Contact and Referral Team and support staff who make referrals to the Integrated Contact and Referral Team.  
• To the Channel programme where there is a radicalisation concern as required and support staff who make referrals to the Channel programme.
• Where a person is dismissed or left due to risk/harm to a child to the Disclosure and Barring Service as required.
• Where a crime may have been committed to the police as required. 

Work with others

•  Act as a source of support, advice and expertise for all staff,
• Act as a point of contact with the safeguarding partners (Sunderland Safeguarding Children Partnership).
• Liaise with the Headteacher to inform them of issues, especially ongoing enquiries under section 47 of the Children Act 1989 and police investigations.
• As required liaise with the case manager (Headteacher, or where the Headteacher is the subject of the allegations the Chair of Governors, Chair of Management Committee or Proprietor of an Independent School) and the Designated Officer through Together for Children, operating on behalf of the Local Authority for child protection concerns (all cases which concern a staff member).
•  Liaise with staff (especially teachers, pastoral support staff, school nurses, IT technicians and SENCOs or the named person with oversight for SEN in a college and Senior Mental Health Leads) on matters of safety and safeguarding (including online and digital safety) and when deciding whether to make a referral by liaising with relevant agencies so that children’s needs are considered holistically.
•  Liaise with the Senior Mental Health Lead and, where available, the Mental Health Support Team, where safeguarding concerns are linked to mental health.
• Promote supportive engagement with parents and/or carers in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, including where families may be facing challenging circumstances;
• Work with the Headteacher and relevant strategic leads, taking lead responsibility for promoting educational outcomes by knowing the welfare, safeguarding and child protection issues that children in need are experiencing, or have experienced, and identifying the impact that these issues might be having on children’s attendance, engagement and achievement at school or college.
• Ensure that the school or college knows who its cohort of children who have or have had a social worker are, understanding their academic progress and attainment, and maintaining a culture of high aspirations for this cohort.
•  Support teaching staff to provide additional academic support or reasonable adjustments to help children who have or have had a social worker reach their potential, recognising that even when statutory social care intervention has ended, there is still a lasting impact on children’s educational outcomes.
• The DSL will liaise with the Virtual School Head not only for children looked after but also, where appropriate, for children in kinship care

Information Sharing and Managing the Child Protection File

The Designated Safeguarding Lead is responsible for ensuring that child protection files are kept up to date.

Information should be kept confidential and stored securely.  

• Timely information sharing is essential to effective safeguarding
• Fears about sharing information must not be allowed to stand in the way of the need to promote the welfare, and protect the safety, of children
• The Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 and UK GDPR do not prevent, or limit, the sharing of information for the purposes of keeping children safe
• If staff need to share ‘special category personal data’, the DPA 2018 contains ‘safeguarding of children and individuals at risk’ as a processing condition that allows practitioners to share information without consent if: it is not possible to gain consent; it cannot be reasonably expected that a practitioner gains consent; or if to gain consent would place a child at risk
• Staff should never promise a child that they will not tell anyone about a report of abuse, as this may not be in the child’s best interests
• If a victim asks the school not to tell anyone about the sexual violence or sexual harassment:  There’s no definitive answer, because even if a victim doesn’t consent to sharing information, staff may still lawfully share it if there’s another legal basis under the UK GDPR that applies
•  The DSL will have to balance the victim’s wishes against their duty to protect the victim and other children
•  The DSL should consider that:

•  Parents or carers should normally be informed (unless this would put the victim at greater risk)
•  The basic safeguarding principle is: if a child is at risk of harm, is in immediate danger, or has been harmed, a referral should be made to local authority children’s social care
•  Rape, assault by penetration and sexual assault are crimes. Where a report of rape, assault by penetration or sexual assault is made, this should be referred to the police. While the age of criminal responsibility is 10, if the alleged perpetrator is under 10, the starting principle of referring to the police remains

Regarding anonymity, all staff will:

• Be aware of anonymity, witness support and the criminal process in general where an allegation of sexual violence or sexual harassment is progressing through the criminal justice system
• Do all they reasonably can to protect the anonymity of any children involved in any report of sexual violence or sexual harassment, for example, carefully considering which staff should know about the report, and any support for children involved
• Consider the potential impact of social media in facilitating the spreading of rumours and exposing victims’ identities
• The government’s information sharing advice for safeguarding practitioners includes 7 ‘golden rules’ for sharing information, and will support staff who have to make decisions about sharing information
• If staff are in any doubt about sharing information, they should speak to the DSL (or deputy)

Raising Awareness

The Designated Safeguarding Lead should:

• Ensure each member of staff has access to and understands the school’s or college’s Child Protection Policy and procedures, especially new and part-time staff.
• Ensure the school’s or colleges Child Protection Policy is reviewed annually (as a minimum) and the procedures and implementation are updated and reviewed regularly, and work with Governing Bodies or proprietors regarding this.
• Ensure the Child Protection Policy is available publicly and parents are aware of the fact that referrals about suspected abuse or neglect may be made and the role of the school or college in this.
•  Link with the Sunderland Safeguarding Children Partnership to make sure staff are aware of training opportunities and the latest local policies on safeguarding and
• Help promote educational outcomes by sharing the information about the welfare, safeguarding and child protection issues that children who have or have had a social worker, are experiencing with teachers and school and college leadership staff. 

Training, Knowledge and Skills 

The Designated Safeguarding Lead (and any deputies) should undergo training to provide them with the knowledge and skills required to carry out the role. This training should be updated at least every two years. The Designated Safeguarding Lead should undertake Prevent awareness training.  Training should provide Designated Safeguarding Leads with a good understanding of their own role, how to identify, understand and respond to specific harms that can put children at risk, and the processes, procedures and responsibilities of other agencies, particularly children’s social care, so they:

• Understand the assessment process for providing early help and statutory intervention, including local criteria for action and Local Authority children’s social care (Together for Children) referral arrangements.
•  Have a working knowledge of how Local Authorities conduct a child protection case conference and a child protection review conference and be able to attend and contribute to these effectively when required to do so.
•  Understand the importance of the role the Designated Safeguarding Lead has in providing information and support to children's social care in order to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
•  Understand the lasting impact that adversity and trauma can have, including on children’s behaviour, mental health and well-being, and what is needed in responding to this in promoting educational outcomes.
• Are alert to the specific needs of children in need, those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), those with relevant health conditions and young carers.
• Understand the importance of information sharing, both within the school or college, and with the safeguarding partners (Sunderland Safeguarding Partnership), other agencies, organisations and practitioners.
• Understand and support the school or college with regards to the requirements of the Prevent duty and are able to provide advice and support to staff on protecting children from the risk of radicalization.
•  Are able to understand the unique risks associated with online safety and be confident that they have the relevant knowledge and up to date capability required to keep children safe whilst they are online at school or college.
•  Can recognise the additional risks that children with SEN and disabilities (SEND) face online, for example, from online bullying, grooming and radicalisation and are confident they have the capability to support SEND children to stay safe online.
•  Obtain access to resources and attend any relevant or refresher training courses; and
•   Encourage a culture of listening to children and taking account of their wishes and feelings, among all staff, in any measures the school or college may put in place to protect them.  

In addition to the formal training set out above, their knowledge and skills should be refreshed (this might be via e-bulletins, meeting other Designated Safeguarding Leads, or simply taking time to read and digest safeguarding developments) at regular intervals, as required, and at least annually, to allow them to understand and keep up with any developments relevant to their role. 

Providing support to staff

Training should support the Designated Safeguarding Lead in developing expertise, so they can support and advise staff and help them feel confident on welfare, safeguarding and child protection matters. This includes specifically to:

•  Ensure that staff are supported during the referrals processes;
• Support staff to consider how safeguarding, welfare and educational outcomes are linked, including to inform the provision of academic and pastoral support.

Understanding the views of children 

It is important that children feel heard and understood. Therefore, Designated Safeguarding Leads should be supported in developing knowledge and skills to:

• Encourage a culture of listening to children and taking account of their wishes and feelings, among all staff, and in any measures the school or college may put in place to protect them;
• Understand the difficulties that children may have in approaching staff about their circumstances and consider how to build trusted relationships which facilitate communication. 

Holding and sharing information 

The DSL will also:

• Keep the headteacher informed of any issues
• Liaise with local authority case managers and designated officers for child protection concerns as appropriate
• Discuss the local response to sexual violence and sexual harassment with police and local authority children’s social care colleagues to prepare the school’s policies
• Be confident that they know what local specialist support is available to support all children involved (including victims and alleged perpetrators) in sexual violence and sexual harassment, and be confident as to how to access this support
• Be aware that children must have an ‘appropriate adult’ to support and help them in the case of a police investigation or search

Contextual Safeguarding

Kepier recognises that safeguarding risks can occur both inside and outside the home environment and that contextual safeguarding is vital. Risks may include (but are not limited to):

• Neglect
• Domestic violence
• Emotional harm
• Mental health concerns
  Non-consensual sharing of images
  Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)
• Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE)
• Knife crime
• Deprivation and poverty
• Parental or family separation

How does Kepier respond:

• Key staff: DSL, deputies, pastoral team, tutors, and safeguarding-trained staff.
• PSCHE curriculum: Explicit coverage of healthy relationships, online safety, exploitation, resilience and risk awareness.
• Tutor programmes: Ongoing support for personal development, resilience and pastoral discussions.
• Pastoral support systems: Early help, counselling, mentoring and targeted interventions for vulnerable pupils.
  

All staff are trained to recognise these contextual risks and to act swiftly to protect children and secure appropriate support. This approach reflects our commitment to prevention, protection and support.

Online Safety

Kepier recognises that a whole-school approach to online safety is essential. Risks fall into the four Cs:

• Content: exposure to illegal, inappropriate or harmful material (including pornography, racism, misogyny, self-harm, suicide, extremism, radicalisation, misinformation, disinformation and conspiracy theories [added KCSIE 2025]).
• Contact: harmful online interaction with others (e.g., grooming, exploitation).
  
• Conduct: harmful online behaviour by pupils (e.g., cyberbullying, sharing of nudes/semi-nudes).
• Commerce: risks such as online gambling, phishing, scams.

Responsibilities of Eden Trust and Kepier’s Local Governing Body

The governing board will:

• Facilitate a whole-school approach to safeguarding, ensuring that safeguarding and child protection are at the forefront of, and underpin, all relevant aspects of process and policy development
• Evaluate and approve this policy at each review, ensuring it complies with the law, and hold the headteacher to account for its implementation
• Be aware of its obligations under the Human Rights Act 1998, the Equality Act 2010 (including the Public Sector Equality Duty), and our school’s local multi-agency safeguarding arrangements
• Appoint a link governor (Andrew Slassor) to monitor the effectiveness of this policy in conjunction with the full governing board. This is always a different person from the DSL

        Make sure:

o   The DSL has the appropriate status and authority to carry out their job, including additional time, funding, training, resources and support

o   Online safety is a running and interrelated theme within the whole-school approach to safeguarding and related policies. Kepier will review its filtering and monitoring systems at least annually, and after any safeguarding incident, with outcomes reported to the governing body

o   The leadership team and relevant staff are aware of and understand the IT filters and monitoring systems in place, manage them effectively and know how to escalate concerns

o     Kepier has procedures to manage any safeguarding concerns (no matter how small) or allegations that do not meet the harm threshold (low-level concerns) about staff members (including supply staff, volunteers and contractors).

o   That this policy reflects that children with SEND, or certain medical or physical health conditions, can face additional barriers to any abuse or neglect being recognised        

o Where another body is providing services or activities (regardless of whether or not the children who attend these services/activities are children on the school roll):Seek assurance that the other body has appropriate safeguarding and child protection policies/procedures in place, and inspect them if needed

o   Make sure there are arrangements for the body to liaise with the school about safeguarding arrangements, where appropriate

o   Make sure that safeguarding requirements are a condition of using the school premises, and that any agreement to use the premises would be terminated if the other body fails to comply

The chair of governors will act as the ‘case manager’ in the event that an allegation of abuse is made against the headteacher, where appropriate.

All governors will read Keeping Children Safe in Education. All governors will receive safeguarding training on induction and updates at least annually.”

Information for Parents

At Kepier, Governors and staff are committed to keeping our children safe and will take any reasonable action to safeguard and promote their welfare.  In cases where the school has reason to be concerned that a child maybe suffering significant harm, ill treatment, neglect or other forms of harm, staff have no alternative but to follow Sunderland Safeguarding Children Partnership Multi Agency Safeguarding Arrangements (MASA) and inform the Integrated Contact and Referral Team or police of their concern.

Procedures

The Designated Safeguarding Lead (or deputy DSL) will be informed immediately by an employee of the school, learner of the school, parent of the school or other persons, in the following circumstances:

-        suspicion that a child is being harmed;

-        there is evidence that a child is being harmed.

The threshold of significant harm is defined in the Children Act 1989 Section 31 (9) as:

•        ill-treatment;

•        impairment of health (as compared to a similar child).

Note: harm now includes the impairment of a child’s health or development as a result of witnessing the ill-treatment of another person (Adoption and Children Act 2002).

Working Together 2023 defines the categories of harm as:

Physical Abuse

A form of abuse which may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding,

drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child.  Physical harm may also

be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces illness

in a child.

Neglect

The persistent failure to meet a child's basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child's health or development.  

Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance misuse.  Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to provide adequate food and clothing, shelter including exclusion from home or abandonment, failing to protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger, failure to ensure adequate supervision including the use of inadequate care-takers, or the failure to ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment.  It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child's basic emotional needs.

Sexual Abuse

Involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening.  The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example, rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing.  They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse.  Sexual abuse can take place online, and technology can be used to facilitate offline abuse.  Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males.  Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children.

*The sexual abuse of children by other children is a specific safeguarding issue (also known as child on child abuse) in education and ALL staff should be aware of it.

Emotional Abuse

The persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child's emotional development.  It may involve conveying to a child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person.  It may include not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate.  It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children.  These may include interactions that are beyond a child’s developmental capability, as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child participating in normal social interaction.  It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another.  It may involve serious bullying (including cyber bullying), causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children.  Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child though it may occur alone.

Children Potentially at Greater Risk of Harm

Children may need a social worker due to safeguarding or welfare needs.  Children may need this help due to abuse, neglect and complex family circumstances.  A child’s experiences of adversity and trauma can leave them vulnerable to further harm, as well as educationally disadvantaged in facing barriers to attendance, learning, behaviour and mental health.  Local authorities should share the fact a child has a social worker, and the Designated Safeguarding Lead should hold and use this information so that decisions can be made in the best interests of the child’s safety, welfare and educational outcomes.  This should be considered as a matter of routine.  There are clear powers to share this information under existing duties on local authorities (Together for Children) and schools and colleges to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

All staff should be aware that safeguarding incidents and/or behaviours can be associated with factors outside Kepier and/or can occur between children outside of these environments.  All staff, but especially the Designated safeguarding Lead (and deputies) should consider whether children are at risk of abuse or exploitation in situations outside their families.  Extra-familial harms take a variety of different forms and children can be vulnerable to multiple harms including (but not limited to) sexual exploitation, criminal exploitation, and serious youth violence. Staff should be aware that experience and indicators of girls who are criminally exploited can be very different to boys but for both boys and girls being criminally exploited they may be at higher risk of sexual exploitation. Staff should also be aware of the indicators that signal a child is at risk from or involved in serious violent crime, for example being missing from education, changing friendships, a decline in school performance, self-harming and unexplained gifts and possessions.  Staff should be able to recognise the risk factors that increase the likelihood of involvement in serious violence, such as being male, being absent or permanently excluded from school, having experienced child maltreatment and having been involved in offending such as theft or robbery.

The Designated Safeguarding Lead will keep a full record of concerns raised and make referrals to the Integrated Contact and Referral Team, if necessary.  These records may be either handwritten or electronic but will be stored via a secure system.  The Headteacher will be kept informed at all times.

Safe Schools/Safe Staff

Governors have agreed and ratified the following policies, procedures, processes or systems which must be read and considered in conjunction with this policy:

Whistle Blowing/Confidential Reporting

Kepier’s Whistleblowing/Confidential reporting Policy provides guidance to staff, volunteers and contractors on how they can raise concerns and receive appropriate feedback on action taken, when staff have concerns about any adult’s behaviour.

Management of a safeguarding concern or allegation about an adult

If staff have safeguarding concerns, or an allegation is made about another member of staff (including supply staff, volunteers and contractors) posing a risk of harm to children, then this should be referred to the Headteacher; where there are concerns/allegations about the Headteacher, this should be referred to the Chair of Governors.  

Complaints/Allegation Management Towards or with a Child or Adult

A safeguarding complaint involving a member of staff must be reported to the Headteacher immediately. Where there are concerns about the Headteacher, this should be referred to the Chair of Governors. (KCSIE 2025)

Consultation without delay with the Designated Officer – Danielle Rose, Tel: 0191 561 3901 will determine what action follows.  A multi-agency strategy meeting may be arranged to look at the complaint in its widest context, the Headteacher/senior member of school staff must attend this meeting, which will be arranged by the Designated Officer.  All issues must be recorded on the allegation management form and the outcome reached must be noted to ensure closure.

www.safeguardingchildrensunderland.com

Where this concern does not meet the harm threshold, all staff should continue to follow their staff behaviour/code of conduct inclusive of ‘low-level’ concerns policy and share information with the Headteacher.  This concern may be where an adult’s behaviour is inconsistent with the staff code of conduct, including inappropriate behaviour outside of work but does not meet the allegation threshold.

Training and Support

All staff members should be aware of the systems within Kepier which support safeguarding and these should be explained to them as part of their induction into the school to ensure they can discharge their responsibilities effectively.  This includes: The Child Protection Policy, the policy and procedures to deal with peer on peer/child on child abuse; the Behaviour Policy (which should include measures to prevent bullying, including cyber-bullying, prejudice-based and discriminatory bullying), the Staff Behaviour/Code of Conduct (inclusive of ‘Low Level’ Concern) Policy, the Safer Working Practice Document, the safeguarding response to children who go missing from education and the role and identity of the Designated Safeguarding Lead and their deputies.

All staff members receive appropriate safeguarding and child protection training (including online safety) which is regularly updated. Our CPD for staff is integrated, aligned and considered as part of our whole school safeguarding approach, wider staff training and curriculum planning. The Governing Body decides the frequency and content of this CPD.  At Kepier our whole school training is held every year.  In addition, all staff members receive regular safeguarding and child protection updates via staff meetings, emails, the internet and internal CPD as required, but at least annually, to provide them with relevant skills and knowledge to safeguard children effectively and allow them opportunities to contribute to reviewing and shaping the safeguarding arrangements in school inclusive of, the Child Protection Policy.

Professional Confidentiality

Confidentiality is an issue which needs to be understood by all those working with children, particularly in the context of safeguarding.  Kepier recognises that the only purpose of confidentiality in this respect is to benefit the child.  (Child Protection: Sunderland Safeguarding Children Partnership Multi Agency Safeguarding Arrangements (MASA)).

Record Keeping

Information sharing is vital in identifying and tackling all forms of abuse and neglect, and in promoting children’s welfare, including their educational outcomes.  Schools and colleges have clear powers to share, hold and use information for these purposes.

Well-kept records are essential to good safeguarding practice.  Kepier is clear about the need to record any concerns, discussions held, decisions made and reasons for those decisions about a child or children within its care.  All records include, a clear and comprehensive summary of the concern, details of how the concern was followed up and resolved and a note of any action taken, decisions reached and the outcome (Purpose, Action, and Outcome). All staff will follow the schools Information Sharing and Recording policies to ensure recording keeping is compliant and in line with the General Data Protection Regulations 2018 and Data Protection Act 2018.   

Safeguarding recording within Kepier is held electronically through a secure management system called CPOMS and all staff have received training in the recording expectations and retention.  Following a child leaving our school we follow the appropriate transfer procedures and retention guidelines. At Kepier we started electronic recording from September 2016. All recording prior to this is in paper format. Retention guidelines are followed accordingly.

Attendance at Safeguarding Conferences

In the event of Kepier being invited to attend child protection conferences, the Designated Safeguarding Lead or deputies will represent the school and/or identify the most appropriate trained member of staff to provide information relevant to the child protection conference (initial/review).  In the event that those staff members cannot attend, the following trained members of staff may attend: Marlena Preece, Shaun Van Lindon-  who are all trained Designated Safeguarding Leads.

Supporting Children

Kepier recognises that children who are abused or who witness violence may find it difficult to develop a sense of self-worth and to view the world in a positive way.  Kepier may be the only stable, secure and predictable element in the lives of some of the children in its care.  Kepier, therefore, recognises that such children might exhibit challenging and defiant behaviour and will take careful note of the context of such behaviour.  

As an Operation Encompass partner we work closely with Together for Children with regards to domestic violence incidents and offer wellbeing checks to our learners if we are contacted following an incident which has occurred in one of our learner’s homes.

Kepier also recognises that children are capable of abusing their peers.  Child on child abuse can take many forms and any concerns raised will be investigated and dealt with appropriately as part of our school’s zero tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviour.  No child on child abuse should be tolerated or minimised as part of growing up and all those involved will be provided with an appropriate level of support.  It is understood that those pupils who have experienced abuse in their own lives may in turn abuse others.  This requires a considered and sensitive approach in order that the child can receive appropriate help and support.  See Child on Child Abuse Policy for detailed information.

Kepier will endeavour to support all its learners through the following.

• The curriculum; to encourage self-esteem, self-motivation, self- protection.

• The school ethos; which promotes a positive, supportive and secure environment and which gives all learners and adults a sense of being respected and valued.

• Approaches which allow learners to develop critical thinking, literacy skills and digital literacy skills.

• A curriculum which explores human rights, equality, democracy and tolerance and prepares children and young people fully for life in modern Britain.

• A curriculum where children develop personal resilience, understand and can take appropriate risks or have personal strategies/safety plans that allow them to manage their own safety both on and off line.  This can include topics covered as part of Relationships, Relationships, Sex and Health Education as well as Fundamental British Values and the SMSC Curriculum which cover harm, abuse, positive and healthy relationships and crime.
• A whole school approach to online safety that considers the four areas of risk: Content; being exposed to illegal, inappropriate or harmful content, for example: pornography, fake news, racism, misogyny, self-harm, suicide, anti-semitism, radicalisation and extremism.  Contact; being subjected to harmful online interaction with other users; for example peer to peer pressure, commercial advertising and adults posing as children or young adults with the intention to groom or exploit them for sexual, criminal, financial and other purposes.  Conduct; personal online behaviour that increases the likelihood of, or causes, harm; for example, making, sending and receiving explicit images (e.g. consensual and non-consensual sharing of nudes and semi-nudes and/or pornography, sharing other explicit images and online bullying.  Commerce: risks such as online gambling, inappropriate advertising, phishing and or financial scams.  
• A coherent management of Behaviour and Discipline Policy & Procedures inclusive of the Use of Reasonable Force.

• Liaison with other professionals and agencies who support children and parents.

• A commitment to develop productive, supportive relationships with parents whenever it is in the child’s interest to do so.

• The development and support of a responsive and knowledgeable staff group whose role it is to respond appropriately in all safeguarding situations.

Kepier recognises that, statistically, children with behavioural difficulties and disabilities are the most vulnerable to abuse.  School staff who work, in any capacity, with children with profound and multiple disabilities, sensory impairment and/or emotional and behavioural problems will need to be particularly sensitive to signs of abuse.  School staff must give consideration to children who are subject to a statement of special needs, an Education Health and Care Plan or have a medical condition, as these can mask safeguarding issues and may often be attributed to the medical condition rather than that a child may be being harmed.  Concerns such as changes in behaviour and presentation (both physical and mental) must be considered for each individual child and their own circumstances and must not be dismissed.  Children with SEND and certain medical conditions are often more prone to peer group isolation than other children and there is greater potential for children with SEND and disabilities being disproportionately impacted by behaviours such as bullying, without outwardly showing any signs.  Therefore, time must be taken to ensure that the full circumstances of any child who has additional needs and requires support around language and communication is shared at the point of referral to ensure the best possible outcome for the child is always achieved and their voice through any form of communication is always heard.

Kepier also recognises that in a home environment where there is domestic violence, drug or alcohol misuse or mental health issues children may also be vulnerable and in need of support and protection.

This policy MUST be read in conjunction with other related policies in school available on the school website www.kepier.com

• Robust School Recruitment and Selection policy - inclusive of safer recruitment guidance and regulation for example a Single Central Record which demonstrates the pre-employment checks for all staff (e.g. identity, professional qualifications, right to work in the UK, further checks on people who have lived or worked outside the UK including recording checks for those EEA teacher sanctions and restrictions), for the workforce who are in regulatory activity (enhanced DBS, children’s/adult barred list, prohibition from  teaching check, section 128 check for management positions) and supervision of those who don’t meet this requirement.

• Clear recruitment procedures which embed keeping children safe across every aspect from vacancy to conditional appointments, induction and an on-going safeguarding culture of vigilance.

• Trained panel members who ensure that the policy works in practice in all recruitment and selection within the school.

• School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009, Regulation 9: require governing bodies of maintained schools to ensure at least one member of a recruitment panel must undertake safer recruitment training to satisfy all requirements in the statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025 and Working Together 2023.   At Kepier as an academy school we share this commitment.

• Kepier’s Human Resources policies and procedures.

• Staff Behaviour Policy (code of conduct) Safer Recruitment Consortium Guidance for Safer Working Practices for those working with Young People in Education Settings, February 2022.  The school will ensure that all staff and volunteers are aware of the need for maintaining appropriate and professional boundaries in their relationships with young people and agree to work within all policies and procedures to safeguard both children and adults.

• The school will ensure that staff and volunteers are aware that sexual relationships with learners aged under 18 are unlawful and could result in legal proceedings being taken against them under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (Abuse of Position of Trust).

**This policy will be reviewed and updated in line with forthcoming DfE guidance on supporting gender questioning children”**

Whole-School Policy on Child Protection

Document Control Kepier