Child Abuse Policy

Rational:

This policy is based on the school’s philosophy that: “All children are treated with dignity and respect and have the right to have their needs met in a safe environment”.

Purpose:

To endeavour to ensure the safety of the child by providing guidelines and procedures for identifying and dealing with suspected abuse.

Guidelines:

  1. Adults should be receptive and sensitive so that children feel listened to and believed.
  2. Keeping Ourselves Safe and Self-Esteem Units will be taught as part of the Physical Health and Well Being Syllabus to increase children’s assertive skills in dealing with uncomfortable situations and to help raise teacher’s and children’s consciousness of the issues.
  3. The school will use the Children Young Persons and Their Families Service for dealing with suspected abuse.
  4. In the case of a report from a third party to the school, the first course of action will be to direct them to Children Young Persons and Their Families Service without becoming involved.
  5. Once Children Young Persons and Their Families Service is involved, the school will have no further direct involvement and it is expected that the parents will be informed by Children Young Persons and Their Families Service.
  6. In some circumstances, it will be the school that informs parents. Teachers who have concerns must discuss them with one of the senior staff. When Children Young Persons and Their Families Service needs to be involved, this will be done through the Principal.
  7. Brief, dated, written documentation will be recorded by the Principal in all cases of actual or suspected abuse.
  8. If a parent helper is presented with a disclosure at school, this will immediately be passed on to the Principal, Assistant Principal, or Deputy Principal, as per instruction through the Parent Helper Induction Course.

 Procedures:

  1. Teachers will use the guidelines attached to help identify children possibly at risk.
  2. Where a teacher is concerned about a child, they must discuss it with a member of the senior staff. If further investigation or action is felt necessary, the Principal will be informed.
  3. Where further action is necessary, the Principal will contact Children Young Persons and Their Families Service without necessarily identifying the child and seek advice on the most suitable action.
  4. Once Children Young Persons and Their Families Service is involved, the school will act on their advice.
  5. Whenever an interview is held at school with Children Young Persons and Their Families Service/Police with a child, an adult on the staff in whom the child has confidence must be present. The welfare of the child must be the first priority and whenever that is compromised the interview must be terminated.  Any staff members attending such interviews would need to have the ability to make this judgement.
  6. Support for the staff and the child concerned will be sought from Children Young Persons and Their Families Service.
  7. In all cases of abuse or suspected abuse, the Principal will involve the Deputy and/or Assistant Principal.
  8. The Principal will keep the Board Chair informed, and the Board will be informed as appropriate.
  9. Parents may be consulted about changes in behaviour to try to identify a reason.
  10. All information/discussions will be confidential to staff involved. Data will be kept for the duration of the child’s stay at school. It will be made available only at the discretion of the Principal.
  11. Cumulative records are already kept on children. These will include observations on social development.
  12. The Privacy Act will be adhered to.
  13. For the welfare of the child or other children, other / all staff may be informed, as necessary.

Complaints Against Staff Involving Sexual and Physical Abuse

Many complaints will be able to be resolved between the Principal and the employee concerned, without the need to take the matter any further. Boards should, wherever possible, seek to resolve complaints in this matter, in the first instance.

Once a helping agency is involved, the following procedures will be followed and will be in line with those set out in the “Teachers Collective Contract 1998-2000 re: Complaints/Discipline/Competency (Part 3)”:

  1. The Principal will inform the Board of Trustees Chair.
  2. If a complaint is made against the Principal, it should be referred to the Board of Trustees Chair and/or Deputy/Assistant Principal.
  3. The staff member will be advised to seek legal and/or Union representation by the Principal/Board of Trustees Chair.
  4. The school will inform the Union.
  5. The staff member will be suspended on full pay once an investigation has begun, in line
    with Section 3.1 – 3.4 & 3.6 of the Teachers Collective Contract 1998-2000.
  6. At this stage, the rest of the staff will be informed.
  7. Counsellors can be made available to any staff.

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