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Child Protection POLICY STATEMENT

1. Definitions

For the purposes of this Policy and procedures a child, young person, pupil or student is referred to as a ‘child’ or a ‘pupil’ and they are normally under 18 years of age.
Wherever the term ‘parent’ is used this includes any person with parental authority over the child concerned e.g. carers, legal guardians etc.
Wherever the term ‘Head teacher’ is used this also refers to any Manager with the equivalent responsibility for children.

2. Introduction

All those working in education can contribute to the safeguarding and protection of the welfare of a child in need. According to the DfE, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined as:
• protecting children from maltreatment;
• preventing impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development;
• ensuring children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; and
• taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

Child protection is a part of safeguarding and promoting welfare. It refers to the activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm.
Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who has contact with children and their families and carers has a role to play in safeguarding children. To fulfil this responsibility effectively, all professionals should make sure their approach is child-centred. This means that they should consider, at all times, what is in the best interests of the child.
The DfE statutory guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ is our first point of reference for child protection and child welfare issues in the school. The guidance has been issued to, read and is followed by:
• members of the governing body;
• the school/senior leadership team.
Effective child protection is essential as part of wider work to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. However, all agencies and individuals should aim to proactively safeguard and promote the welfare of children so that the need for action to protect children from harm is reduced. This Child Protection Policy and procedures must be read in conjunction with the school Overarching Safeguarding Statement (where this is in place) and other school Policies and procedures (See Section 6 below).

3. Ethos

At Storth CE Primary School (hereinafter referred to as ‘the school’) the health, safety and wellbeing of all our children is of paramount importance to all the adults who work or volunteer here. All our children have the right to protection, regardless of age, disability, race, religious belief, ethnicity or sexual orientation/identity. They have a right to be safe in our school; this is enhanced by the adoption of the Whole School Behaviour Policy which includes our procedures for preventing and dealing with cases of bullying and a robust Code of Conduct for staff and other adults who work in school.
We are also committed to establishing a safe physical environment in which children can learn and develop both personally and academically and achieve success in the following as stated in the Children Act 2004:
• Be healthy (physically, mentally and emotionally);
• Stay Safe (protection from harm and neglect);
• Enjoy and Achieve (via education, training and recreation);
• Make a positive contribution to the school community and general society;
• Achieve social and economic well-being.

Please download a copy of the full document at the top of the page