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SAFEGUARDING AND CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

Person Responsible for this Policy: Amanda Jordan

 

Policy last updated: 23.7.25.

Next update: 23.7.26.

 

1.     Introduction, Government Guidance and Aims

 

Amanda Jordan is committed to the wellbeing and safeguarding of all children AND adults who attend tuition with her. This policy’s main aim is to provide all children and adults with a comprehensive, secure and clear commitment to safeguarding and a framework to ensure all children and adults attending tuition with Amanda Jordan are protected from harm.

 

This Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy is written with consideration of the following Department for Education statutory guidance:

 

  • Children Safe in Education (2024)

  • Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023)

 

and the following guidance from HM Government:

 

  • Prevent Duty Guidance (2023)

  • Information Sharing: advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services   (2024)

 

and the following Department for Education non-statutory guidance:

 

  • After-school clubs, community activities and tuition: safeguarding guidance   

       for providers (2023)

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

 

In addition, the tuition setting operates in accordance with the local authority in partnership to keep children safe. Details of the local authority can be found here:

 

  • Moray Council Child Protection Team

  • 01343 554370 (during office hours)

  • 03457 565 656 (Social Work - Emergency Out of Hours)

  • 101 (Police Scotland) Call 999 if it's an emergency or a child is in immediate danger

  • Alternatively, you can email childrensaccessteam@moray.gov.uk

 

Where the child is not within the locale of Amanda Jordan, the relevant local authority would be contacted.

 

In cases where a criminal offence has been committed or it is suspected that one has been committed, the matter must be reported immediately to the local police force using the 101 service. In an emergency this must be reported using the 999 service. 

 

Definitions of ‘significant harm’ are taken from Section 47 of The Children Act (1989)

 

For the purpose of this policy, ‘child/children’ refers to any student under the age of 18 attending the tuition setting. ‘Adults’ refers to older tutees, as well as parents or other adults/caregivers advised to Amanda Jordan and who are responsible for the child. As tuition with Amanda Jordan is online, parents should know that they are welcome to join the tuition meeting whenever they wish or to be present intermittently to check on progress as and when they wish. If the tuition is to take place in the child’s bedroom, then it is advisable that the door is left open unless the parent takes the decision otherwise, typically due to noise/disturbances and such like from either party.  Fundamentally, tuition with Amanda Jordan is an open door approach.

 

The aims of this policy are:

 

  • To ensure that all coming into contact with Amanda Jordan understand the importance of safeguarding and that it is everyone’s responsibility

  • To support any child who makes a disclosure of abuse

  • To ensure everyone Amanda Jordan works with knows who to inform in the event of a disclosure, concern or safeguarding issue and to ensure they are alert to the signs of possible child abuse

  • To aid everyone Amanda Jordan works with in understanding and recognising specific safeguarding concerns

  • To ensure, in accordance with The Children Act 1989, that the welfare of the child is paramount at all times

 

 

2.     Designated Safeguarding Lead

 

The Designated Safeguarding Lead is

 

 

 

The role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is to:

 

  • Be a point of advice on safeguarding and pastoral issues

  • Have overall responsibility for safeguarding of the child within the setting as arranged by the parent/caregiver/responsible adult (this cannot be delegated)

  • Raise awareness of safeguarding amongst those attending the setting

  • Manage referrals from / to the local authority as appropriate

  • Manage the record-keeping of safeguarding concerns and ensure records are kept up to date

  • To update their own Level 3 safeguarding training at least once every two years using an external provider including Online Safety training and Prevent training

  • Make referrals to the local authority Prevent Officer under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015

 

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3.     Safeguarding Issues

 

For further details and definitions of types of abuse and neglect, reference should be made to DfE guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023) and Keeping Children Safe in Education (2024). External training will also reference these documents including definitions of abuse and neglect. 

 

a. Types of abuse

 

For the purposes of this policy, Amanda Jordan is aware of and vigilant to the following types of abuse and safeguarding issues:

 

  • Physical abuse

  • Emotional abuse

  • Sexual abuse

  • Neglect

  • Child on child abuse (see below)

  • Extremism and radicalisation

  • Sexual harassment

  • Bullying

  • Substance abuse

  • Online exploitation and abuse

  • Domestic abuse

 

b. Contextual safeguarding

 

We are also aware that safeguarding incidents and behaviours can occur outside the home environment and are vigilant to reports of these. These contextual safeguarding issues form part of external training. These include:

 

  • Child Sexual Exploitation

  • Child Criminal Exploitation

  • Female Genital Mutilation

  • Honour Based Abuse

  • Knife Crime

  • Children Absent from Education

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c. Child on child abuse

 

Amanda Jordan is vigilant to the possibility of child on child abuse.

 

Such abuse can include:

  • abuse in intimate personal relationships between children

  • harmful sexual behaviour including but not limited to the use of inappropriate sexual language, sharing of nude of semi-nude images or videos, upskirting, sexual violence

  • bullying (including cyberbullying)

  • physical abuse such as:

o   hitting

o   kicking

o   shaking

o   biting

o   hair pulling

o   otherwise causing physical harm

 

In the event of suspected child on child abuse involving one or more children who attend the setting and where there is reasonable cause to suspect significant harm the case must be referred to the local authority. 

 

d. Children with Additional Educational Needs, Disabilities and other vulnerabilities

 

Amanda Jordan is aware that children with Additional Educational Needs, disabilities or health issues may face additional safeguarding issues. She is vigilant to:

 

  • Any indicators of possible abuse not in keeping with the child’s additional needs or history

  • Any communication challenges the child faces in disclosing the abuse (for example, if the child is non-verbal)

  • The fact that children with additional needs or other vulnerabilities are disproportionally impacted by abuse and behaviours such as bullying

  • That children who are (or are perceived to be) lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans are more likely to suffer child on child abuse and are more vulnerable to abuse

 

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4.     Reporting Concerns about a child

 

Amanda Jordan is aware that barriers to reporting abuse exist, and that some children may not be ready or not know how to tell someone that they are being abused. She is aware that children with Additional Educational Needs or disabilities are more vulnerable to abuse. She never assumes that an issue has been reported or disclosed by another person.

 

If a child discloses abuse:

 

  • She will stop and listen straight away without delay

  • She will write notes as soon as possible after the conversation

  • She must not guarantee confidentiality 

  • She will use TED – Tell me, Explain to me, Describe to me. She can ask children whether they have been harmed and the nature of that harm, without asking leading questions. 

  • She will not conduct her own investigation but will refer immediately

  • She will maintain a calm and professional attitude and prioritise the wellbeing of the child at all times. 

 

Reports to the local authority children's safeguarding board must be undertaken:

 

  • As soon as possible and within 2 hours of the concern being raised or suspected

  • For a child at risk or suspected to be at risk of significant harm, the concern must be raised immediately 

  • In person or by telephone as required by local services.      

 

She notes that it is usually best practice to share concerns with parents/ carers. However, for children at risk of significant harm (or where there is reasonable cause to suspect this), it may not be appropriate to do so. It may be helpful to refer to the following guidance:

 

o   https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safeguarding-practitioners-information-sharing-advice

 

The DSL will decide if a concern should be raised with the local authority. If a child is at risk of significant harm, in accordance with Section 47 of The Children Act (1989), statutory child protection agencies will conduct the investigation and the DSL must not investigate. At all times, decision-making in this regard must be documented, including:

 

  • Who raised the concern (include details of date, time, job title)

  • Who was the concern raised about (include details of child’s name, date of birth, address, school)

  • What decision was made and why – what were the reasons for making the referral

  • Who was consulted

  • What action was taken

  • Whether parents/ carers were consulted and if not, why not

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5.     Useful Contact Details

 

DSL: Amanda Jordan : a.jordan96@btinternet.com / 0790 333 7525

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Local authority contacts

 

Moray Council Child Protection Team

01343 554370 (during office hours)

03457 565 656 (Social Work - Emergency Out of Hours)

 

Alternatively, you can email childrensaccessteam@moray.gov.uk

 

Where the child is not within the locale of Amanda Jordan, the relevant local authority would be contacted.

 

Specialist helplines

 

Police – immediate threat - 999

 

Police – serious concerns – 101

 

Prevent (non-emergency advice) – 0800 011 3764

 

NSPCC helpline – 0808 800 5000

 

Childline – 0800 1111

 

Ofsted – 0300 123 4666

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