Policy Title: Grenadine Safeguarding Policy
Date: March 2023
Other Relevant Documents: Grenadine Risk Assessments
Approved by: Nathalie Castel-Hallier, Designated Safeguarding Lead.
Oversight: Nicolas Desolino, Grenadine Committee Safeguarding Officer.
1 Policy Statement
Grenadine is a French language course provider for under-18 students in the UK. The organisation provides French language tuition and activities.
This policy applies to all pupils, employees and volunteers at Grenadine.
Grenadine recognises its responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of Under 18’s, within the UK legal framework and criteria of our educational oversight and accrediting body, FLAM. We endeavour to ensure that we provide a safe, positive and pleasant study environment for all our pupils. All Grenadine teams work hard to give all our pupils the most positive study experience they can have and we show an additional duty of care towards our pupils as they are legally minors.
Grenadine understands that the safety of under 18 students is paramount and we have put in place specific measures to ensure that pupils are in a safe environment. This policy applies to all pupils regardless as to their race, gender, religion, nationality, ethnicity etc. This guidance is for the use of all staff, partners, volunteers and visitors who come into contact with under 18’s all of whom have a responsibility to safeguard them. Under 18’s also have a responsibility to look after each other and raise concerns with adults if necessary. Adults have a responsibility to ensure that
- Students are listened to, valued and respected;
- Staff are aware of the need to be alert to the signs of abuse and know what to do with their concerns;
- All paid staff are subject to suitability checks (DBS); and
- All paid and unpaid staff are given appropriate support and training.
It is the responsibility of all Adults to tell the Grenadine Designated Safeguarding Lead or Safeguarding staff present at the school if there is a concern that a student might be at risk or is actually suffering abuse.
The current Designated Safeguarding Lead is Nathalie Castel-Hallier (info@ecolegrenadine.org)
The name of the Safeguarding Deputy Staff is Caroline Rondel (info@ecolegrenadine.org)
The contact number for Grenadine Designated Safeguarding lead or Safeguarding staff is 07515 828520
2 Grenadine Location & Local Safeguarding Partnerships
John Ball Primary School, 20 Southvale Road, Blackheath, London SE3 0TP Age range: 3-16
Local Safeguarding Unit: Lewisham Safeguarding Children Partnership, 020 8314 6660, mashagency@lewisham.gov.uk, 020 8314 6000 a (24HR) LADO Contact: 020 8314 3114, LewishamLADO@Lewisham.gov.uk PREVENT Contact: prevent@lewisham.gov.uk, 07710 387 930
LBL LADO: Caroline Aitkan, Caroline.Aitken@lewisham.gov.uk, 020 8314 3114
Schools DSL (Cassey) to be informed of any safeguarding issues ckiely@johnball.lewisham.sch.uk
3 Legal Framework
This policy has been written giving due regard to Accreditation UK guidance and relevant statutory guidance including:
- Children Act 1989
- Children Act 2004
- Education Act 2002
- Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
- Education and Inspections Act 2006
- Children and Young Persons Act 2008
- Equality Act 2010
- Education Act 2011
- Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
- Working together to Safeguard Children (2015)
- Keeping Children Safe in Education (2015)
- Police Act 1997
- Police Act 1997 (Criminal Records) Regulations 2002
- Police Act 1997 (Criminal Records) (No. 2) Regulations 2009
- Prevent Duty for England and Wales (2015) under section 26 of the Counterterrorism and Security Act 2015
- Section 5B of the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 (as inserted by section 74 of the Serious Crime Act 2015)
- Children & Social Work Act 2017
- Dealing with Allegations of Abuse against Teachers and Other Staff (2012)
· LSCB interagency child protection and safeguarding procedures
4 Staff Roles and Responsibilities
The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) has responsibility for the safeguarding of students within Grenadine. This includes the responsibility for the day-to-day management and implementation of safeguarding practices across the school.
The current Designated Safeguarding Lead is Nathalie Castel-Hallier (info@ecolegrenadine.org).
Oversight is provided by Nicolas Desolino, Committee Safeguarding Officer (safeguarding@ecolegrenadine.org)
All staff members have a duty of care to safeguard pupils and maximise their wellbeing. Grenadine expects staff members to contribute to building a professional, positive atmosphere in the school at all times. It is the responsibility of all staff to inform the DSL of any concerns they may have.
5 Staff Training
The Designated Safeguarding Lead and The Safeguarding Deputy Staff are currently trained to advanced level (formally level 2) but intend to undertake training to a specialist level (formally level 3) in 2023. All teachers are also trained to advanced level (formally level 2), suitable for their status as safeguarding staff and points of contact. All paid staff members, including those mentioned above, must complete:
– A reading of Keeping Children Safe in Education Part 1
– Online safeguarding awareness training
6 Child Protection Policies and Practices
6.1 Definition of Abuse
Abuse is 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. Children may be abused by an adult or adults or by another child or children. Abuse could be:
– Physical Abuse: actual or likely injury or failure to prevent.
– Sexual Abuse: actual or likely sexual exploitation.
– Emotional Abuse: severe or persistent emotional ill treatment and/or rejection.
– Neglect: severe or persistent neglect and/or failure to protect from danger.
6.2 Recognising abuse
Grenadine staff members should be alert to signs of abuse, which could manifest itself in a range of ways:
– Become aggressive.
– Become withdrawn and/or too attached.
– Demonstrate a changeable personality.
– Show fear of being in certain situations or environments.
– Exhibit injuries (for example bruising).
– Behave in an inappropriate sexualised manner.
– Display other forms of inappropriate or unexpected behaviour.
If abuse is suspected, this should be discussed with the DSL or Deputy Safeguarding Staff in their absence immediately. When concerns are raised these may be reported to the appropriate agency, notably the local authority’s partners mentioned in section 2.
6.3 Managing Disclosures & Confidentiality
Any disclosures must be treated with the utmost seriousness. If alleged abuse is disclosed to staff they should:
– Not interrogate the child or ask leading questions.
– Explain what actions must be taken in a way that is appropriate to the age and understanding of the child.
– Not promise the child it will be kept secret, as serious allegations must be passed on.
– Record what the child has said as soon as possible with the exact language the child uses.
– Not make any assumptions, recording only what the child has said.
– Make a note of the date, time, place and people who were present at the discussion
– Inform the Safeguarding Lead immediately after the disclosure and the record have been made.
The welfare of the child is always the paramount consideration. Confidentiality cannot be maintained if doing so impacts on the child’s welfare. Any information recorded will be kept secure with access limited only to those stakeholders it is strictly relevant to.
6.4 Communication with parents
Grenadine aims to share all information with parents but, in some instances, concerns about a child’s well-being may be referred to other agencies without discussing this with the parents.
If parents have any concerns, they should contact the DSL or Safeguarding Officer within Grenadine Committee.
6.5 Allegations against staff members & whistleblowing
If any staff member suspects or observes any other member of staff of behaving in such a way as to harm, commit an offence against or in relation to a child, or behave in an inappropriate manner towards a child, the following steps should be taken:
– Staff should record their concerns.
– Staff should immediately report the issue to the DSL. If deemed appropriate the staff member at the centre of suspicion maybe suspended.
– The Safeguarding Lead will contact the Local Authority Designated Officer to get advice on how to proceed and follow their advice thereafter.
– Necessary support will be provided to the member of staff, whilst cooperating fully with any agencies who pursue any investigation.
Grenadine will also ensure any staff member who reports genuine concerns will not subsequently be dealt with unfairly and their disclosure kept confidential.
For the avoidance of doubt; Grenadine fully recognises the Sexual Offences Act 2003, which states that any person in a Position of Trust engaged in sexual activity of any sort with students under the age of 18 is breaking the law (even though legal age of consent is 16).
6.6 Allegations against students & Peer on Peer Abuse
If any staff member suspects or observes any student of behaving in such a way as to harm, commit an offence against or in relation to another child, or behave in an inappropriate manner towards another child, they should immediately report the issue to the DSL. Peer on Peer abuse includes:
– bullying (including cyberbullying);
– physical abuse such as hitting, kicking, shaking, biting, hair pulling, or otherwise causing physical harm;
– sexual violence, such as rape, assault by penetration and sexual assault;
– sexual harassment, such as sexual comments, remarks, jokes and online sexual harassment, which may be stand-alone or part of a broader pattern of abuse;
– upskirting, which typically involves taking a picture under a person’s clothing without them knowing, with the intention of viewing their genitals or buttocks to obtain sexual gratification, or cause the victim humiliation, distress or alarm;
– sexting (also known as youth produced sexual imagery – initiation/hazing type violence and rituals.
The DSL and Safeguarding Staff may impose disciplinary sanctions or escalate the matter to the police in the case of criminal offence.
6.7 Child Sexual Exploitation(CSE), Child Criminal Exploitation(CCE) & Serious Crime
Both CSE and CCE are forms of abuse and both occur where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance in power to coerce, manipulate or deceive a child into sexual or criminal activity. Staff should be aware of the possibility that students may be victim of CSE or CCE and be aware of possible indicators in addition to those stated in 7.2, such as unexplained gifts, periods of unexplained absence, or drugs and alcohol misuse. In the event a student is identified as possibly being a victim of CCE or CSE, this must be referred to the Designated Safeguarding Lead who will refer the situation to the appropriate services.
Staff should also be aware of the risk that students can become involved in serious organised crime. Such concerns should be reported to the DSL and will be escalated to the relevant authorities if deemed necessary.
6.8 Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
Grenadine is committed to ensuring that female students are safeguarded against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Staff who suspect that FGM has been carried out must report these concerns to the DSL who will immediately seek further advice from the child protection services. In the event that that a student has been observed to have undergone FGM or the student informs staff that this has happened, the Police will be notified immediately.
6.9 Prevent – Awareness and Referral
Prevent is part of a Government initiative to develop a robust counter terrorism strategy. Grenadine recognises it has a role to play in the Prevent strategy. The Designated Safeguarding Lead acts as the organisation’s Prevent lead. The Safeguarding training programme provided by the online platform includes Prevent awareness and referral.
6.10 IT, E-Safety and Social Media
Grenadine recognises that the Internet and social media are places where abuse can take place, or children may be vulnerable. Grenadine takes all reasonable steps to safeguard our students on the internet.
Staff members should not become online friends or acquaintances with students inside or outside of School.
6.11 Partners
Grenadine uses a third party, John Ball Primary School, to provide facilities for all our classes. All employees involved in the provision of facilities and services have undergone suitability checks as being employed by John Ball’s Primary School.
7 Recruitment
Grenadine recognises that safer recruitment practices are a vital tool in safeguarding our pupils. All paid staff undertake a Safeguarding training programme and are all DBS checked
8 Wider Safeguarding Practices
8.1 Supervision and Supervision ratios
Supervision is present whilst a student is at Grenadine.
As a minimum there must be staff ratio of 1:10 in classrooms for pupils aged 3-5 years old, of 1:16 in classrooms for pupils aged 5-12 years old, of 1:20 in classrooms for students aged 12-16 years old; and staff ratio of 1:20 during break/playtime.
8.2 Registers
Grenadine undertakes a register of students and staff every Saturday morning, on arrival.
8.3 Health and Safety
Grenadine is strongly committed to ensuring the health and safety of its employees and students as far as is reasonably possible. Grenadine requests and requires of all staff full cooperation in all health and safety matters. In addition to reading any Grenadine risk assessments, all staff should be proactive in improving our ability to mitigate risk – providing the safest possible environment for both staff and pupils and reporting any practices which do not meet requirements directly to the School Director.
8.4 Risk Assessments
Grenadine has produced a risk assessment for each academic year and specific events. These are consulted, amended and appended at the local level as a result of reviews, changes in circumstance, and in light of new information or incidents.
8.5 First-Aid Policy
Grenadine adheres to the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981, meaning there are always adequate and appropriate provisions for first aid within our School.
9 Distribution of Policy
This policy will be emailed to all staff during the recruitment process, or after update. The policy is shared with John Ball Primary School and parents before each academic year. The policy is available on Grenadine’s website.
10 Policy history and future changes
This policy was introduced in March 2023 and is subsequently reviewed at least each year in order to ensure it remains fit for purpose by the Designated Safeguarding Lead. The policy may be reviewed sooner in the event of changes to accreditation/statutory guidance and incidents.