Safeguarding children is everyone’s responsibility, therefore, all staff receive appropriate training and are subject to disciplinary action or dismissal for failure to comply with or carry out safeguarding procedures.  During staff induction we make Safeguarding training a priority and audit staff knowledge.  We give staff a copy of the “Keeping children safe is everybody’s business” leaflet produced by Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland Local Safeguarding Children Board. 

After induction staff must sign to confirm that they have understood the Safeguarding procedures.  The school’s staff training co-coordinator makes regular checks on the status of each staff member’s Safeguarding training, as all staff need to be up-to-date on Safeguarding policy and to understand how to recognize possible child abuse. 

The Principal is to be the first person to contact if staff think that they have seen signs of child abuse.  If staff suspect a member of staff of professional misconduct with regard to abuse, staff also need to speak to the Principal directly and follow the Professional Abuse Policy.  The Principal or Deputy will make the referral decisions. 

We intend to create in our school an environment in which children are safe from abuse and in which any suspicion of abuse is responded to promptly and appropriately. In order to achieve this we will:

1. Exclude known abusers
   
   
2. Make it clear to applicants for jobs within the school that the position is exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
   
   
3. Ensure that all applicants for work within the school, whether voluntary or paid, will be interviewed before an appointment is made and will be asked to provide at least one reference.  All references will be followed up.  In the case of applicants with unexplained gaps in their employment history, or who have moved rapidly from one job to another, explanations will be sought.
   
   
4. Enhanced disclosure Criminal Records Bureau (C.R.B.) checks will always be carried out.
   
   
5. Ensure that all appointments, both paid and voluntary, will be subject to a probationary period and will not be confirmed unless the school is confident that the applicant can be safely entrusted with children.
   
   
6. Seek out training opportunities for all adults involved in the group to ensure that they recognize the symptoms of possible physical abuse, neglect, emotional or sexual abuse.