Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy

Purpose and Scope

Kaleide International School is committed to ensuring the wellbeing of all children in our care. We aim to establish relationships based on trust, and make heard the voices of children in all aspects of their education. This policy sets out the school's aims and procedures for safeguarding and child protection, and forms part of the induction for all staff. All members of staff must have access to this policy and are required to sign confirming they have read and understood its contents.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone's responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and their families has a role to play. In order to fulfil their responsibilities effectively, all staff –both teaching and non-teaching– should make sure their approach is child-centred and coordinated. This means that they should consider, at all times, what is in the best interest of the child.

We recognise that the school plays a significant part in the prevention of harm to our students. As a community where children are active participants in decision-making, safeguarding responsibility is by no means limited to adults; children also have an essential role to play in safeguarding their peers.

Our size and the close relationship between adults and children enable the school environment to be truly child-centred. We are a “family-like” learning environment which fosters caring attitudes, responsibility and trust as core principles that help us protect children from harm.

The purpose of this policy statement is three-fold:

• to protect children and young people at Kaleide International School from harm;

• to raise awareness of all staff to the need to safeguard children and of their responsibilities in identifying and reporting possible cases of abuse;

• to provide staff and volunteers, as well as children and young people and their families, with clear guidelines within our approach to child protection.

Supporting documents

This policy statement should be read alongside our organisational policies, procedures, guidance and other related documents, including: Anti-Bullying, Code of Conduct (school community), Online Safety, Recording Images of Children, and Recruitment Policy.

Legal Framework

This policy has been created, is based on and is in accordance with the following legislation:

• Ley Orgánica 1/1996, de Protección Jurídica del Menor (LO 1/1996);

• Ley 26/2015, de 28 de Julio, de modificación del sistema de protección a la infancia y a la adolescencia;

• Ley 1/1997, de 7 de febrero, de Atención Integral a los Menores del Gobierno de Canarias;

• Decreto 114/2011, de 11 de mayo, por el que se regula la convivencia en el ámbito educativo de la Comunidad Autónoma de Canarias.

In child protection matters the school will follow the inter-agency and child protection procedures laid out in the following guidance document:

• Protocolo básico de intervención contra el maltrato infantil en el ámbito familiar (Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad, 2014)

Definitions

Safeguarding and promoting children's welfare is defined in Working together to safeguard children as:

• protecting children from maltreatment;

• preventing impairment of children's health or development;

• ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care;

• taking action to enable children to have the best outcomes.

Child Protection is defined as:

• an integral part of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children;

• an activity undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering or at risk of suffering significant harm.

As stated in the statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education, all staff should be aware that abuse, neglect and safeguarding issues are rarely standalone events that can be covered by one definition or label. In most cases, multiple issues will overlap with one another. The following list describing different types of abuse and neglect should be taken only as a guide. It must be stressed that the most important factor we should consider is a negative change in a child's behaviour or appearance.

• Abuse: a form of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm or by failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting by those known to them or, more rarely, by others. Abuse can take place wholly online, or technology may be used to facilitate offline abuse. They may be abused by an adult or adults or another child or children.

• 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.

• Emotional abuse: the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and 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 from participating in normal social interaction. It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another. It may involve serious bullying (including cyberbullying), 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, although it may occur alone.

• 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 in education.

• 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, for example, as a result of maternal substance abuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to: provide adequate food, clothing and shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment); protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger; ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate care-givers); or ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child's basic emotional needs.”

Safeguarding

Policy Overview

At Kaleide International School we are very much aware of the impact of child abuse and believe it should never be underestimated. Many children do recover well and go on to lead healthy and happy lives, although for most adult survivors the emotional scars remain, however well buried. For some children, full recovery is beyond their reach, and the rest of their childhood and their adulthood may be characterised by anxiety or depression, self-harm, eating disorders, alcohol and substance misuse, unequal and destructive relationships and long-term medical or psychiatric difficulties.

We believe that:

• children and young people should never experience abuse of any kind;

• we have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of the children in our care, and are committed to keeping them safe.

We recognise that:

• the welfare of children is paramount in all the work we do and in all the decisions we take;

• all children, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation have an equal right to protection from all types of harm or abuse;

• some children are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues;

• working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting young people's welfare.

There are five main elements to our policy:

1. Establishing a culture of safeguarding by providing a safe environment in which children can learn and develop and equipping them with the skills needed to keep themselves safe.

2. Ensuring we practice safer recruitment in checking the suitability of staff and volunteers to work with children.

3. Raising awareness of safeguarding issues and equipping staff with the skills needed to keep children safe.

4. Establishing staff vigilance by developing and then implementing procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases, of abuse.

5. Supporting pupils who have been abused, or are vulnerable to abuse, in accordance with his/her agreed child protection plan or actions agreed in other professional network meetings.

Specific Safeguarding Issues

Kaleide International School acknowledges that this policy recognises and is in response to a range of specific safeguarding issues including (but not limited to):

• bullying (including cyberbullying);

• children and the court system;

• Children Missing Education (CME);

• children with family members in prison;

• child missing from home or care;

• Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE);

• child criminal exploitation;

• Domestic Abuse;

• homelessness;

• drugs and alcohol misuse;

• fabricated or induced illness;

• faith abuse;

• Female Genital Mutilation (FGM);

• forced marriage;

• gangs and youth violence;

• gender-based abuse and violence against women and girls;

• honour based abuse;

• mental health;

• missing children and adults;

• online safety;

• Peer on Peer Abuse;

• prevent duty (radicalisation and extremism);

• private fostering;

• relationship abuse;

• sexual violence and sexual harassment between children;

• human trafficking and modern slavery;

• youth produced sexual imagery or “Sexting”.

The main specific safeguarding issues we have identified at Kaleide International School are the following:

Online Safety

We will develop a whole school approach to online safety, including a clear policy on the use of mobile technology in the school which is in line with Annexe C regarding Online Safety within Keeping Children Safe in Education (2019). Awareness of online safety issues will be raised in various ways, such as conversations between the children and facilitators, through digital citizenship talks, and through the school meeting, where children and adults can share their perspectives and arrive at decisions together.

Staff also need to be aware of their responsibilities in how they use the internet and online social media platforms.

Reference is made to the DfE publication Teaching Online Safety in Schools.

Peer on Peer Abuse

All staff recognise that children are capable of abusing their peers. Peer on peer abuse can take many forms, including (but not limited to) bullying, cyberbullying, gender-based abuse, hazing (initiation type violence), sexually harmful behaviour and violence and “sexting”. We are mindful that some potential issues may be affected by the gender, age, ability, sexual orientation and culture of those involved.

All concerns that facilitators deem necessary to address will be communicated to the DSL and brought up at the school meeting within a no blame approach which encourages restorative justice.

Self-Harm

Self-harming is a problem in emotional regulation. At Kaleide International School we see self-harming behaviour not as attention-seeking but as “attachment-seeking”, a way of meeting unmet emotional needs for connection.

Staff should be aware of the indicators and feelings behind self-harm cases. Young people tend to stop self-harming when they are ready and have received the help and assistance they need. Therefore, it is vital that the school community provides support for the child. This may happen in several ways but when an observation of self-harm has been made or a member of staff has been informed of self-harming, action to protect the student must be taken and Kaleide International School's safeguarding procedures followed.

It is important for staff to take “talk of” self-harm seriously. Minimising, ignoring or criticising the child has a negative effect. Staff must never dismiss self-harm or “talk of” self-harm as “attention-seeking”, and should strive to show the child that we care and that we are there for him/her.

As with all safeguarding concerns, staff must evaluate the level of risk and talk with the child in order to calm her and help her to work out what triggers the self-harming behaviour. Staff must record this conversation accurately on the Record of Concern Form (See Appendix I). Staff must offer appropriate help and support.

Roles and Responsibilities

The Director of Kaleide International School has read and will follow KCSIE 2019 and will ensure that:

• the school has an effective policy which interlinks with all other related policies (as listed previously);

• the safeguarding and child protection policy is reviewed at least annually and/or following any updates to national and local guidance and legislation relating to Safeguarding or following relevant decisions made by the school;

• the safeguarding and child protection policy and procedures are implemented and followed by all staff;

• all staff feel able to raise concerns about poor or unsafe practice and that such concerns are handled sensitively;

• that children's safety and welfare is addressed through the curriculum;

• and that this policy and all relevant policies are reviewed at least annually but also when required.

The school will appoint a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and a Deputy and ensure that the positions are occupied consistently. The DSL will take lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection (including online safety). The Director will ensure that the DSL is properly supported in her role and:

• is appropriately trained;

• liaises with the Director to inform her of issues;

• acts as a source of support and expertise to the school community;

• has an understanding of relevant procedures, including online safety;

• coordinates action on child abuse within the school, ensuring that all staff and volunteers are aware of their responsibilities in relation to child protection matters, and that the safeguarding policy is known, understood and used appropriately;

• keeps written records of all concerns when noted and reported by staff or when disclosed by a child, ensuring that such records are stored securely and reported onward in accordance with this policy guidance, but kept separately from the child's general file;

• refers cases of suspected neglect and/or abuse to the social services of the municipality where the child lives and/or the police in accordance with this guidance;

• ensures that when a child with a child protection plan leaves the school, their information is passed to their new school's DSL;

• ensures that all staff sign to indicate that they have read and understood this policy;

• ensures that the child protection policy is updated annually;

• keeps a record of staff attendance at child protection training;

• makes this policy available to parents.

The Designated Safeguarding Lead and the Deputy DSL will undergo Level 2 Safeguarding 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.

Whilst some of the activities or actions of the DSL may be delegated to the deputy, the ultimate lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection remains with the DSL and this responsibility will not be delegated. No activities or action required of the DSL will be delegated to any other staff other than the Deputy.

The roles and responsibilities for all staff in relation to safeguarding are:

• to provide a safe and caring environment in which children can learn;

• to read and ensure they understand at least Part One of KCSIE (2019);

• to ensure they are familiar with the systems within the school which support safeguarding, including the child protection and safeguarding policy, the code of conduct/staff behaviour policy, the behaviour policy, the safeguarding response to children who go missing from education, and the role of the DSL (including the identity of the DSL and deputy);

• to be aware of indicators of abuse and neglect so that they are able to identify cases of children who may be in need of help or protection;

• to know what to do if a child tells them he/she is being abused or neglected;

• to be aware of the process for making referrals to the local social services;

• to be aware of the early help process and understand their role within it. This includes providing support as soon as a problem emerges, liaising with the DSL, and sharing information with other professionals in order to support early identification and assessment, focussing on providing interventions to avoid escalation of worries and needs. In some cases, staff may be asked to act as the lead professional in undertaking an early help assessment.

Children at the school have a right to:

• contribute to the development of our safeguarding policies;

• receive help and support appropriate to their needs from a trusted adult;

• learn how to keep themselves safe by recognising when they are themselves at risk, and how to get help when they need it, including online.

Parents and carers have a responsibility to:

• understand and adhere to the relevant school policies and procedures;

• talk to their children about safeguarding issues and support the school in their safeguarding approach;

• identify behaviours which could indicate that their child is at risk of harm (including online) and seek help and support from the school or other agencies.

Parents can obtain a copy of this Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and other related policies on request and can view them via the school website.

Creating an Effective and Child-Centred Safeguarding System

Within the ethics of care practised in our school, caring for children is inextricably linked to understanding and meeting their needs. Working Together to Safeguard Children lists the needs children perceive in relation to an effective safeguarding system. Within our approach we shall incorporate these “asks” in the following way:

Vigilance: to have adults notice when things are troubling them.

Our low adult to child ratios and the fact that we are a small school contribute to a family-like environment where adults can pay close attention to children and get to know them well. This means that detecting when a child is in need of help becomes simpler, and early help can be readily offered.

Understanding and action: to understand what is happening; to be heard and understood; and to have that understanding acted upon.

Our school is co-created with the children, we seek their input at all times and make sure they are taken into account in designing all activities. We offer children constant opportunities for expressing themselves through verbal and non-verbal means, in dialogue with our facilitators, and through the meeting system.

Stability: to be able to develop an ongoing stable relationship of trust with those helping them

Developing trusting relationships with the children lies at the heart of our philosophy. We understand the vital role that emotional bonding plays in the lives of children, and foster relationships based on continuity and closeness. Children can engage in interactions with all staff members according to their particular needs and the kind of support each adult is able to give them at any particular time. By supporting children in achieving their own goals and aspirations, facilitators are able to nourish a deep sense of connection with each child.

Respect: to be treated with the expectation that they are competent rather than not.

We believe all children are curious, determined and competent learners with unique abilities and insights, and strive to offer them a safe –but also challenging– environment suited to their needs. Only when children feel they are treated as competent can they become truly competent. In our communications with a child, we shall always treat her as a full human being in her own right, with clarity and honesty, and avoid falling into patronising or condescending attitudes.

Information and engagement: to be informed about and involved in procedures, decisions, concerns and plans.

We view children as our partners and collaborators in planning and designing the school activities, and deciding how they want to learn and with whom. They have a voice in all matters which affect them, and are encouraged to bring up any concerns, disagreements, conflicts and wishes at our daily meetings. Our relationships with the children are based on authenticity and honesty, and we make sure that every person at the school, independently of their age, feels respected and listened to. On a daily basis, children are informed about plans and activities taking place at the school, and their feedback is always sought. The school's flexible character allows children's decisions to be taken into account as long as there are no conflicting safeguarding or health and safety issues.

Explanation: to be informed of the outcome of assessments and decisions and reasons when their views have not met with a positive response.

Children at Kaleide International School are involved in making decisions and learn to respect other points of view. Through the meeting system, they also develop an understanding that, even when some decisions will not align with their views and desires, they will always receive explanations and honest information about the reasons.

Support: to be provided with support in their own right as well as a member of their family.

The school aims to create an environment which fosters children's autonomy and initiative. We care about each child and encourage them to feel at ease and to be themselves, by freeing them from outside expectations, rewards and superfluous praise. Children are supported in expressing all their emotions, their needs and wishes, and it is of paramount importance to us to ensure that they can count on support and kindness from the staff whenever they may need it.

Advocacy: to be provided with advocacy to assist them in putting forward their views.

A school culture which encourages participation and actively listens to children can help them develop social and communication skills that enable them to put forward their views without fear. However, we should always be aware of students' particular circumstances in order to make sure that whenever a less confident child may need or seek an advocate –whether it be a member of staff or another student– we will support them in finding one.

Protection: to be protected against all forms of abuse and discrimination and the right to special protection and help if a refugee.

Kaleide International School is committed to creating a safe space where our differences are valued and where all children are protected from discrimination and abuse, regardless of their gender, ethnic origin, religion or beliefs, disabilities, sexual orientation or social background. We aim to be an inclusive community and provide children with role models to help them relate to their peers in an empathetic and supportive way. Our DSL holds responsibility for ensuring that all safeguarding concerns which may require referral procedures will be dealt with in a timely manner and in line with this policy.

Practice Guidelines

Indicators of neglect and abuse

As stated in the statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education, knowing what to look for is vital to the early identification of abuse and neglect. All staff should be aware of indicators of abuse and neglect so that they are able to identify cases of children who may be in need of help or protection. If staff are unsure, they should always speak to the Designated Safeguarding Lead.

There are a number of warning indicators which might suggest that a child may be being abused or neglected:

• Children whose behaviour changes – they may become aggressive, challenging, disruptive, withdrawn or clingy, or they might have difficulty sleeping or start wetting the bed.

• Children with clothes which are ill-fitting and/or dirty.

• Children with consistently poor hygiene.

• Children who make strong efforts to avoid specific family members or friends, without an obvious reason.

• Children who don't want to change clothes in front of others or participate in physical activities.

• Children who are having problems at school, for example, a sudden lack of concentration and learning or they appear to be tired and hungry.

• Children who talk about being left home alone, with inappropriate carers or with strangers.

• Children who reach developmental milestones, such as learning to speak or walk, late, with no medical reason.

• Children who are regularly missing from school or education.

• Children who are reluctant to go home after school.

• Children with poor school attendance and punctuality, or who are consistently late being picked up.

• Parents who are dismissive and non-responsive to practitioners' concerns.

• Parents who collect their children from school when drunk, or under the influence

• of drugs.

• Children who drink alcohol regularly from an early age.

• Children who are concerned for younger siblings without explaining why.

• Children who talk about running away.

• Children who shy away from being touched or flinch at sudden movements.

What to do if you're worried a child is being abused describes additional indicators of neglect, exploitation and abuse.

What to do if you have concerns

Article 13 of Ley Orgánica 1/1996 states that “any person or authority, and especially those who because of their profession or duties detect an abusive situation, risk or possible abandonment of a minor, shall inform the authority or closest agents, without prejudice to providing immediate assistance”, and this is something all our staff need to be aware of.

If you have concerns regarding a child's welfare:

1. you should inform the DSL immediately when concerns arise, notifying the Director of the discussions;

2. if the DSL were not available to discuss an immediate and urgent concern, you can seek advice from the Deputy DSL. If anyone other than the DSL makes a referral to external services, then they must inform the DSL as soon as possible;

3. you must complete a Record of Concern Form (see Appendix I);

4. if there are still concerns, the Director will contact the child's parents/guardian to seek their agreement to make a referral to Social Services and in line with child protection procedures, unless such a discussion would place the child at risk of significant harm;

5. the Director/Designated Safeguarding Lead will make a referral to the Social Services.

Kaleide International School recognises that concerns and disclosures can come from a variety of sources.

In some cases it may not be possible or appropriate to sequentially follow the above procedure:

1. When a Child is in Immediate Danger

If a child is in immediate danger or is at risk of harm, the DSL will notify the Social Services in the municipality where the child lives, or the police (Cuerpos y Fuerzas de Seguridad del Estado) through the Unidad de Familia y Mujer of the Policía Nacional. Assistance is also available through the national helpline for abuse detection «Infancia Responde». All contact details can be found on the Safeguarding Contacts page (Appendix II).

The DSL will make these referrals although staff can refer cases directly where the DSL and the Director are unavailable and the situation is urgent. If a member of staff makes a referral themselves, they should inform the DSL or the Director as soon as possible.

1. If a Child Makes a Disclosure

The role of the DSL or members of staff in situations where there are child protection concerns is not to investigate but to recognise and refer.

If a child makes a disclosure to you that they have suffered or are suffering significant harm through abuse or neglect or have caused or are causing significant harm to others, please follow these guidelines:

YOU MUST:	YOU MUST NOT:
Stay calm. Listen very carefully and be supportive. Allow the child to speak without interruption	Interrogate them
Ask open questions (e.g. “Tell me when...”/ “Describe what..”)	Disbelieve what they tell you or be judgemental
Reassure the child	Ask leading questions (this could jeopardise any Police case)
Make sure the child feels safe: tell her she has done the right thing by talking with you and tell her what you will do next	Interrupt the child
Be honest about the level of confidentially you can provide and that you will have to refer this to the DSL and/or other professionals	Promise confidentially
Explain what action will be taken next	Make judgments
Accurately record in writing what was said using the child's words. Date and sign it	Verbalise opinions about the alleged perpetrator
Inform the DSL straight away	Investigate
Seek support and/or guidance from the DSL or DDSL	Make examinations (this MUST only be done by a Doctor and could jeopardise any case moving forward)

If the child/young person can understand the consequences of making a request for support to the Social Services, you should ask them for their view. However, you must explain to the child that while their view will be considered you have a responsibility to take whatever action is required to ensure her safety and the safety of other children.

Informing Parents

Kaleide International School will always seek to work with parents to safeguard children and help families move forward in promoting their children's welfare. In all but the most exceptional circumstances, parents/carers will be made aware of the concerns for their child at the earliest possible stage. Agreement will be sought before any referrals are made (except where this could jeopardise child safety).

If you believe that informing parents and seeking their agreement poses a significant risk to the child (for example, in circumstances where there are concerns or suspicions of a serious crime), you must clearly note the reasons for not informing parents in the child's records and on the Report of Concern Form. You must remember to sign and date both records. It is also important that you inform the parents that after considering their wishes a referral has been made.

Early Help

Kaleide International School aims to fully support families in promoting children's welfare. In their induction training, all members of staff are informed of local early support services.

Early help means providing support as soon as a problem emerges at any point in a child's life. It is a process in which a child's needs are assessed by various professionals such as a health visitor, GP, family support worker, teacher, etc. It is a process which cannot go forward without the cooperation of the child and/or parents/carers.

If early help is appropriate the Designated Safeguarding Lead will generally lead on liaising with other agencies and setting up an inter-agency assessment.

Record Keeping

All concerns, discussions and decisions made and the reasons for those decisions must be recorded in writing through the Record of Concern Form (see Appendix I). Staff should remember to only state facts and include no personal judgements. They should use the child's own words where possible. The form must always be signed and dated.

All safeguarding concerns, discussions and decisions (and justifications for those decisions) will be recorded in writing. If members of staff are in any doubt about recording requirements, they should discuss their concerns with the DSL.

Confidentiality and Information Sharing

Kaleide International School recognises that all matters relating to child protection are confidential. The DSL is responsible for keeping and maintaining all case records relating to safeguarding. These safeguarding records will be kept separately from other personal records and can only be accessed by the DSL or DDSL and the Director. These records will be kept securely and in line with our Data Protection Policy. All records and information relating to safeguarding concerns will be treated as “sensitive”.

The DSL will only disclose information about a student to other members of staff on a “need to know” basis. Only staff members who need to know (in order to protect and support the child) and other adults (external agencies, parents, etc.) will be made aware of the nature of concerns or the specific case details. All members of staff must be aware that whilst they have duties to keep any information confidential, they also have a professional responsibility to share information with other agencies to safeguard children. Safeguarding concerns or worries should never be discussed by Kaleide International School staff in casual conversation, and where possible the student will be consulted or made aware of information that has been shared and to whom.

Complaints

In the event that staff, parents, students or visitors are concerned or in disagreement with any action or decisions taken, there is a clear Complaints Procedure available that can be followed, and which can be found on our website. Kaleide International School will take all concerns reported seriously.

Anything that constitutes an allegation against a member of staff or volunteer will be dealt with under the specific Allegations Against Members of Staff Policy.

Allegations Against Members of Staff Policy

We understand that a child can and should make an allegation against any member of staff (including volunteers) if this person has or may have:

• behaved in a way that has harmed a child, or may have harmed a child;

• possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child;

• behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates he or she would pose a risk of harm to children.

Any concerns about, or allegations against, a member of staff must be immediately reported to the Director. If the allegation is about the Director, this should be made directly to the School Coordinator.

As employers, we have a duty of care to our employees and should ensure we provide effective support for anyone facing an allegation and provide them with a named contact if they are suspended. It is essential that any allegation of abuse made against a member of staff or volunteer in the school is dealt with very quickly, in a fair and consistent way that provides effective protection for the child and at the same time supports the person who is the subject of the allegation.

All staff are made aware that in the event of allegations being made against a member of staff, the school must make every effort to maintain confidentiality and guard against unwanted publicity whilst an allegation is being considered or investigated.

Suspension

If there is cause to suspect that any child at the School could be at risk of harm from a member of staff, the Director may take the decision to suspend that person from teaching or, if allegations are confirmed, to dismiss that person. Suspension must never be an automatic response to an allegation and consideration should be given to restriction of duties or other alternatives to suspension.

Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures

Where a safeguarding concern or allegation triggers another procedure such as grievance or disciplinary, that procedure shall only be followed once the immediate safeguarding concern or allegation has been fully investigated.

Investigations which show child abuse occurred

If the investigation proved that the staff member was guilty of child abuse, guidance from external bodies would be sought in determining the best way to deal with the situation. The matter may take criminal proceedings and Kaleide International School will cooperate fully with these proceedings.

If criminal proceedings are not initiated, Kaleide International School will comply with any recommendations made by external bodies involved in the matter.

Investigations which show child abuse did not occur

It may be determined that disciplinary action needs to be taken against the member of staff as a result of the findings of the investigation. If so, it will be done in accordance with the Kaleide International School disciplinary procedure.

If no disciplinary action is taken, the member of staff will be informed that no further action will be taken under Child Protection or Disciplinary procedures, and the Director:

• must ensure that the member of staff records his/her version of events, including names of witnesses and dates;

• must consider whether the member of staff requires counselling advice;

• must inform all relevant parties of the outcome of the investigation;

• should also consider the need for counselling and support for all relevant parties;

• must consider the implications for the child and the member of staff for their future relationship and provide advice and support as necessary;

• should record that an allegation was made against that member of staff, and should include the reasons for the conclusion into the investigation and that the allegation was unfounded.

Dealing with a Work Performance Matter (which was alleged as a Child Protection concern)

At the outset the Director will have determined (through the correct channels) that what was being alleged as a Child Protection concern was a Work Performance matter.

The Director needs to use her discretion to determine the seriousness of the incident and take appropriate actions. Any member of staff who is accused of malpractice in the workplace should be investigated through the proper channels.

If there is any reason to believe the child in question might have suffered any harm whatsoever, the Director should inform the parents that day. This should be done when they come to collect the child at the school.

Disciplinary proceedings may be initiated depending on the seriousness of the situation. The DSL should inform the Director of the incident.

Parents and pupils

If a parent or pupil has a safeguarding concern, question, doubt or allegation about the conduct an adult, she should raise it with the Director, the DSL or the DDSL. If a parent or pupil raises their concern with another member of staff, it will be immediately passed onto the DSL in accordance with this policy.

Unsafe Practice

The whole school community has a responsibility to keep all school members safe. Within our school community, all staff and students are able to raise concerns about poor or unsafe practice and such concerns will always be taken seriously by the community, and where appropriate the Director will insist on improvements to provision. This may include procedural suggestions or trigger staff appraisal or disciplinary procedures.

Concerns about safeguarding and child protection failures

All staff should feel able to openly discuss any concerns they have about the school's child protection policies and procedures and their application. If concerns do not appear to be taken seriously or are not being addressed, staff should follow the guidance in the Whistleblowing Code.

Whistleblowing Code

Purpose

This code provides information to help staff to understand the role of whistleblowing in the context of poor practice and unacceptable conduct and attitudes towards children.

When to use the code

This code may be used by anyone employed by Kaleide International School in a paid or voluntary capacity who believes they have reason to suspect that the conduct of an employee towards a child is inappropriate.

Inappropriate conduct includes, but is not confined to:

• bullying or humiliation;

• contravening health and safety guidelines;

• serious breaches of the school's Code of Conduct;

• professional practice that falls short of normally accepted standards;

• compromising pupils' welfare but in a way that does not meet the threshold for child protection intervention.

All staff at Kaleide International School are encouraged to raise any genuine concerns about any malpractice, suspected crime, breach of legal obligations, miscarriage of justice, danger to health and safety or the environment, financial malpractice, fraud, corruption and breach of company regulations, or any cover up of these, that they may come across, which affects the school, its children or staff.

Staff should not hesitate to raise issues in connection with suspected or actual malpractice. The fear of being mistaken should not prevent a member of staff from raising their concerns, provided they are acting in good faith, and have a reasonably held suspicion. All staff who have a reasonably held suspicion, who raise concerns in the right way and are acting in good faith will be protected from reprisal or victimisation and will not be risking their job security.

All concerns shall be treated in confidence and, as far as possible, the whistleblower's identity will not be revealed if that is his/her wish. However, absolute confidentiality cannot be guaranteed if, as a result of an investigation, a witness statement or attendance to a court hearing is required.

Concerns can also be raised anonymously. The school would need to decide whether the levity and credibility of the concern warrants investigation if the source of the concern, and the key evidence, is not readily available.

If concerned about any form of malpractice or any of the areas listed above staff should first raise the issue with the School Coordinator. In cases where staff do not feel that they can tell the School Coordinator, for whatever reason, they may raise the matter with the Director. All staff should be aware of Kaleide International School's Whistleblowing Code, and that it is a disciplinary offence not to report concerns about the conduct of a colleague that could place a child at risk.

Visitors

All visitors (other than parents collecting or dropping off children) must go immediately to the school administration office and sign in and out of our visitor's book. Visitor's badges must be worn and be visible at all times. Visitors will also be asked to read the Safeguarding Statement (See Appendix V). All visitors must be supervised by a delegated member of staff at all times unless an enhanced DBS has been provided.

Contractors will normally be asked to undertake work outside of normal school hours or in the school holidays. If this is not possible contractors must sign the visitors' book, wear a badge and be supervised by a member of staff at all times.

Any visitors who do not have a DBS check will be under the supervision of a delegated member of staff and will not be able to work alone with students. All regular visitors who have provided a DBS check will be made aware of this safeguarding policy as well as the code of conduct policy for acceptable behaviour when working with our students.

All adults on site will adhere to the school’s Policy on the Use of Personal Devices (See Appendix IV).

All unidentifiable persons will always be stopped and challenged and never assumed rights to the premises.

Security

The School community has a collective responsibility in maintaining awareness of building and grounds security. However, staff will actively assess risk levels and must report any concerns that may come to light. Please see the Pick-up and Drop off Policy (Appendix III) for more information on how we keep children safe during pick up and drop off times.

It should be noted that visitors will be expected to sign in and out on the visitor's book and to display a visitor's badge whilst on the school site. You can find more information in the Visitors section of this document. Any individual who is not known or identifiable will be challenged for clarification and reassurance. Staff should never assume right of entry and should always challenge individuals they do not know. Kaleide International School will not accept the behaviour of any individual (parent or other) that threatens school security or leads others (child or adult) to feel unsafe. Such behaviour will be treated as a serious concern and may result in a decision to refuse access for that individual to the school site.

Extended school and off-site arrangements

Where extended school activities are provided by and managed by the school, our own safeguarding and child protection policy and procedures apply. If other organisations provide services or activities on our site we will check that they have appropriate procedures in place. When our children attend off-site activities (such as field trips and outings), we will check that effective child protection arrangements are in place.

Safer Recruitment Policy

Kaleide International School ensures that during the initial recruitment of staff the Director determines the applicant's knowledge of how best to safeguard children. Where an applicant with limited knowledge has been recruited we ensure they attend appropriate training without delay.

Ensuring that we recruit and appoint the right staff is the starting point of ensuring that we maintain a safe environment for children. The Safer Recruitment Policy outlines procedures that the school will follow to deter unsuitable staff and to ensure that all staff and volunteers working within the school are committed to the principles of safeguarding children.

Concerns raised about applicants for jobs or volunteer roles in the school, where it is clear that the person has previously been subject to being barred from working with children and young people, will be reported to the local authorities.

Our recruitment and selection policy includes all the required checks and it is the Director's responsibility to ensure that all adults who have substantial access to children have been checked as to their suitability. All staff and volunteers are required to follow the school's Code of Conduct.

The whole school community has input in the selection and recruitment of staff. All confidential or sensitive information about staff will only be accessed and held securely by the Director. All staff will need to complete an enhanced DBS check alongside other relevant reference checks, etc. For more details please see our Recruitment Policy.

Staff Training and Induction

All staff will receive relevant safeguarding and child protection training (including online safety and the Prevent Duty) at induction. The safeguarding induction process begins with the new employee being given access to the schools' safeguarding induction pack. The contents of the pack include the following documents:

• Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

• School Code of Conduct

• Online Safety Policy

• Whistleblowing Code

• Managing allegations of abuse against members of staff or volunteers

The school's safeguarding induction pack also includes the following documents:

• Keeping Children Safe in Education Part 1 and Annexe A (Sept. 2019)

• What to do if you're worried a child is being abused (March 2015)

The pack is sent at least two full weeks before the new employee starts work at the school. The new employee is invited to discuss the contents of the induction pack in a meeting/training session with the DSL (or the DDSL), set at a mutually convenient time, before there is any contact with students.

The induction process will familiarise staff with child protection responsibilities and the procedures to be followed. Staff should feel supported and confident about the appropriate steps to take following the safeguarding procedure.

Appendix I

Record of Concern Form (ROCF)

Pupil Name		DoB
Day/Date/Time		Member(s) of staff noting concern
Name of person reporting the concern:		Contact details (if not working at the school)
Concern (Please describe as fully as possible, using the back of this sheet if necessary)
Signature:		Date:

Appendix II

Safeguarding Contacts

If in an emergency dial 112
SAMUR Tenerife	681 12 87 85
Unidades de Atención a la Familia y Mujer (FAM) of the Policía Nacional	091
Infancia Responde:	116 111/900 300 777
Servicios Sociales Concejalía de Bienestar Social Ayto. de La Laguna Calle Herradores, 11 38204 San Cristóbal de La Laguna	922 25 06 36
Servicios Sociales Ayto. de Santa Cruz de Tenerife Infancia, adolescencia y familia - Oficinas Centrales IMAS C/ Nuestra Señora del Camino, 4 Ofra 38010 Santa Cruz de de Tenerife	922 606 775 / 922 606 562
Other helplines specialised in child protection:
Fundación ANAR, teléfono de la familia y los centros escolares:	917 260 10 / 600 50 51 52

Appendix III

Pick-up and Drop off Policy

Policy Statement

At Kaleide International School children's well-being is of paramount importance.

Before a student starts at Kaleide International School, we ensure that details of the child (i.e. date of birth, address, address of both parents/carers and their contact details) are obtained. It is also important that details of the child's emergency contacts are sought at this time. Parents will be reminded, on a regular basis, of the need to inform the school of changes to any of these details.

This policy sets out our procedures and expectations for children arriving at the school, and leaving the premises at the end of the day.

Collecting and dropping students off safely

• A member of staff will be responsible of opening and closing the gate. She will also control who has access to the school grounds.

• Parents/guardians are required to inform us of any persons authorised to collect their children ahead of time. Any newly authorised persons will be given security information with which to confirm their identity.

• Students will only be allowed to leave the premises for outings and field trips where they are accompanied by a member of staff and with parental consent.

Unauthorised collections

If a person attempts to collect a child who is not on the child's admission form:

• Parents must ensure this person has confidential details about their child, such as date of birth, address and DNI (identity card number). We will never release a child without being able to verify who the person is that is attempting to collect the child and whether they have permission from parents to do so.

• We will contact those with parental responsibility on our contacts list, to ascertain if it is acceptable for this person to leave with the child. The child will only be allowed to leave if one of these adults confirms that it is OK.

• If no contact can be made, the child is to remain in the school until a contact can be made.

Uncollected students

Kaleide International School will always strive to minimise distress in these situations and for the child to remain at the school with familiar adults for as long as possible. Whilst waiting, children will continue to receive the same high level of care that is expected at all other times and will be reassured so as not to be put under undue distress.

In the event that a student has not been collected by an authorised person by collection time, the following protocol will be followed:

• We will attempt to contact any and all adults with parental responsibility using the contact information provided and all emergency contacts provided.

• Initial attempt to contact parents/carers will be made when 10 minutes have elapsed after school closing time. After 20 minutes have elapsed, contact with all emergency numbers supplied by the family will be attempted.

• At no point will a staff member or another parent take a student home without permission from someone with parental responsibility.

• If the student has still not been collected one hour after collection time, no contact has been made and no one has arrived to collect the student when one hour after school closing time has elapsed, then it will be assumed that an emergency situation has arisen preventing the family from contacting us. In this instance we would need to contact the local Social Services to ensure the safety and well-being of the student.

• For all collections made later than 15’ after collection time or persistent lateness, an incident report will be recorded.

Appendix IV

Policy on the Use of Personal Devices

The aim of this policy is to safeguard the children at Kaleide International School and to give guidance on the safe use of personal devices where necessary whilst on school premises.

This policy applies to all individuals who have access to personal devices on site. This includes staff, volunteers, children, young people, parents, visitors and contractors.

Staff

All phones should be switched to silent whilst in school. Members of staff are not permitted to make or receive calls/texts during contact time with children, unless they are directly related to the school (i.e. field trips, outings, etc.).

Staff are not at any time permitted to use recording equipment (cameras) on their personal devices. Recordings and photographs for school use only should be captured using school equipment.

Children

Children are not allowed to have possession of personal devices during the school day. However, if a mobile phone is needed for contact with parents, carers, etc. before or after school, the mobile phone must be handed to a facilitator for safekeeping.

Recording devices, either personal or school property, may be used with the permission and supervision of a facilitator.

Volunteers, Visitors and Contractors

Volunteers, visitors and contractors should ensure that mobile phones are switched to silent at all times in school. The recording of video or photographs is not permitted except with the explicit permission of a facilitator or the Director, and then only when children are not present.

Where it is necessary to use a personal device, this should not be done when children are present in the area. On arrival, such visitors will be informed of our expectations around the use of personal devices.

Parents/Carers

While we would prefer personal devices are not used while at school, we recognise that this would be impossible to regulate and that many parents/carers regard them as essential means of communication at all times. We do ask that usage of mobile phones is courteous and appropriate to the school environment, preferably off site and certainly away from children.

Phones must be on silent mode in the premises. Adults are asked to leave the premises in order to make or receive mobile phone calls or send and receive text messages. Mobile recording devices may be used if they are school property or specific permission has been given by a member of staff.

We allow parents/carers to photograph or video school events on their mobile phones but expect parents/carers not to publish images (e.g. on social networking sites) that include any children other than their own.

Concerns

Any usage of mobile devices by visitors, parents, etc. that causes anyone concern should be reported to the DSL. Any usage of mobile devices by staff must be reported to the Director.

Appendix V

Safeguarding Statement

Welcome to Kaleide International School

We would like you to feel comfortable during your visit while ensuring your presence is as unobtrusive as possible. We ask you to follow these guidelines at the school:

• Please keep your voice down and do not wander around the premises unaccompanied by a staff member.

• Please do not use your mobile phone in school and keep it switched to silent.

• Please ensure your phone is switched off in the Early Years setting at all times.

• Photographs should not be taken of the children or within school without the permission of the Director.

• Parents taking photographs at school events must not post these onto social media platforms.

If you are worried about something you see here, you have a duty to tell someone about it. The best person to talk to is our Director, Diana de Horna.

If you have a safeguarding concern, ask our Director for a private interview.