Safeguarding Policy and Process

General Principal

Pinehirst Education is fully committed to Safeguarding all of our learners and staff and those who have direct links with Pinehirst Education. We actively promotes the positive welfare of the young people using our services, and expects all staff, volunteers, and partners, including employers and work placement providers, to endorse and to follow Safeguarding policy and process in accordance with current legislation. All staff at Pinehirst Education regard each learner as a unique individual and therefore seek to support their development in ways which will foster security, confidence, and independence. We recognise that high self-esteem, peer support, a safe and secure centre, and work placement environment together with clear lines of communication with trusted adults helps all learners, children, and adults. These principles and foundation values are at Pinehirst Educations Central to our Core. The aim of the policy is to safeguard all Pinehirst Education learners, particularly children and those with identified needs, work placements and when taking part in Educational activity. We have a duty to safeguard Pinehirst Education , all staff, volunteers, and partners when carrying out their duties in teaching, supervising, and supporting learners at our Pinehirst Educations, other external facilities, in the workplace or by distance learning.

Paul Morton, Director of Curriculum ,Pinehirst Education June 2023.

Policy Statement

Children, Young People and Adult Protection and Safeguarding

Pinehirst Education is committed to ensuring safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all learners by:

• Protecting all students (children, young people, and adults) at Pinehirst Education from maltreatment or any form of abuse;

• Preventing impairment of our students’ health or development;

• Ensuring that students at our Pinehirst Educations grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care.

• Undertaking that role and taking action so as to enable students and staff at Pinehirst Education to have the best outcomes, making Safeguarding personal ( MSP )

Safeguarding includes but is about much more than child, young people, and adult protection. All staff are aware of our responsibility to act in order to protect all students from various potential sources and types of abuse and harm, some of which are explained further within this policy guidance.

All staff should be aware of early help, abuse and neglect, contextualised safeguarding, and other safeguarding issues. All students benefit from early help, but all staff should be particularly alert to the potential need for early help for a student who:

• Is disabled and has specific additional needs.

• Has special educational needs (whether or not have an EHCP)

• Is a young carer.

• Is showing signs of being drawn in to anti-social or criminal behaviour, including gang involvement and associated with organised crime groups.

• Is frequently missing / goes missing from care or from home.

• Is at risk of modern slavery, trafficking, or exploitation.

• Is at risk of being radicalised or exploited.

• Is in a family circumstance presenting challenges for the student, such as drug and alcohol misusing drugs or alcohol themselves.

• Has returned home to their family from care.

• Is a privately fostered child.

Knowing what to look for is vital and staff, need to be able to identify multiple indicators of:

• Abuse and neglect

• Bullying (including online and prejudice-based bullying)

• Criminal exploitation of children and vulnerable adults / County Lines

• Children and the court system

• Children with family members in prison

• Children missing education.

• Children missing from home or care.

• Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)

• Contextualised Safeguarding

• Domestic Abuse

• Drugs/ substance misuse

• Fabricated or induced illness

• Faith based abuse.

• Female genital mutilation

• Forced marriage.

• Gangs and youth violence

• Gender based violence / violence against women and girls.

• Hate

• Homelessness

• Honour based violence.

• Mental health

• Missing children and adults

• Peer on peer abuse

• Poor parenting

• Private fostering

• Preventing radicalisation and / or extremist behaviour

• Racist, disability and homophobic or transphobic abuse

• Relationship / teenage relationship abuse

• Risks lined to using technology and social media.

• Sexting (also known as youth produced sexual imagery)

• Trafficking and modern slavery

• Serious Violence

• Sexual violence and harassment, up skirting (including child on child and online)

This policy should be read in conjunction with associated policy and guidance in relation to the context of this document (both internal and external policy guidance). Guidance is under constant review and guidance will be sought, referenced from current guidance, and will influence evidence based and guidance practice.

There is a different legislative and policy base for responding to adults’ safeguarding needs. The Care Act 2014 provides a legal framework for how local authorities and other parts of the health and care system should protect adults at risk of abuse and neglect. However, most of the principles and procedures that apply are the same as those for safeguarding children and young people.

Counter Terrorism and the Prevent Duty

All Education providers in relation to the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 have a duty to ensure all learners, staff and volunteers are advised on how to keep safe and within the law. The Prevent Duty Section 26 contained within this legislation does not prevent learners and staff from having political or religious views and concerns but contains details on how they use these concerns or act on them in non-extremist ways. Prevent aims to stop people from being drawn into being involved in violence extremism, supporting, or involved in terrorism in all its forms. Prevent works within the non- criminal space, using early engagement to encourage individuals and communities to challenges violent extremist ideologies and behaviours to prevent radicalisation. Prevent also includes work to rehabilitate and reintegrate those who have already engaged in terrorism.

Pinehirst Education will uphold the value of “Freedom of Speech” and will monitor external speakers. If there are any concerns they will be reported and actioned accordingly. Pinehirst Education will carry out ongoing risk management to ensure all statutory duties are discharged.

The Safeguarding team will monitor the risk management and report to senior management. The DSL is the Single Point of Contact for Prevent. Prevent is one of the four elements of the Contest Strategy, those being Prevent, Protect, Prepare and Pursue. Pinehirst Education will work in partnership to understand and risk manage identified risk (including localised and relevant data), refer cases the Channel programme where there is a radicalisation concern.

The government has defined extremism in the Prevent Duty as “vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of the law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs”. This also includes calls for the death of members of the British armed forces.

Pinehirst Education will ensure that risk assessment, working in partnership, staff training and IT policies are all included within Prevent risk management.

The aim of this policy is to ensure that:

• All of our students are safe and protected from harm.

• Safeguarding procedures are in place to help students to feel safe and learn to stay.

• Adults in the education setting and wider community are aware of the expected behaviours and the legal responsibilities in relation to safeguarding and child protection.

• All agencies are providing appropriate support to children and young people through adoption of the early help framework.

This will be achieved by:

• Raising awareness of issues relating to the welfare of all students and ensuring the promotion of a safe environment for all learners within the organisation, work placements and all Pinehirst Education related environments. This will be achieved by regularly promoting and embedding safeguarding, prevent and health and safety key messages into our teaching, learning and all areas of activity particularly student support.

• Raising the awareness of all teaching and non-teaching staff of the need to safeguard children and all learners of their responsibilities in identifying and reporting safeguarding and children protection concerns.

• Provide effective training and support for all staff to enable them to be able to respond appropriately and sensitively to safeguarding, child protection and preventing and intervening earlier to address support and social needs of all students through the early help framework. This will be achieved by close monitoring of staff continuous professional development (CPD) training records and following up rigorously any non-attendance on Safeguarding or Prevent training.

• We complete annual safeguarding updates for all staff along with regular updates shared with staff through a variety of Pinehirst Education communication strategies.

• Wider training on specific training will also include, staff behaviour and conduct (guidance for safer working practice), KCSIE, Children Looked After / care leavers, Prevent, Online Safety, Contextual safeguarding issues, Allegations, Whistleblowing, mental health, and Designated Safeguarding lead training.

• Emphasising the need for good levels for good levels of communication between all members of staff.

• Identifying children, adults including and in particular to those who have additional needs and/or at risk of significant harm, including “reported missing” and providing procedures for reporting concerns. Pinehirst Education student record management systems are used to centrally record concerns and monitor actions put in place.

• Providing a systematic means of identifying and monitoring students known or thought to be at risk of harm and ensure we contribute to assessments of need and support packages for those students.

• Establishing clear procedures for reporting and dealing with allegations of abuse against members of staff and/or learners. This will include seeking timely advice from external safeguarding agencies when learners are potentially at risk of any harm.

• Ensuring that all staff working within our education setting, including any relevant partners, who have substantial access to children and young people have been checked as to their suitability, including verification of their identity, qualifications, and a satisfactory DBS check and a central record is kept for audit through the maintenance of an accurate Single central register (SCR) and appropriate staff records. Safer recruitment policy and processes will be adopted by all involved in the recruitment processes including at least one member on every interview panel having completed safer recruitment training.

• Providing suitable systems to ensure the safety of visitors and all who visit any of Pinehirst Education Pinehirst Educations. This will be achieved by joint work with the Health and Safety Advisor and ensuring all risks are adequately controlled and regularly reviewed, as necessary including the use of contractors. Pinehirst Education risk assessments will be annually updated and promoted.

• Providing high quality, safe and stimulating environments where everyone feels valued, safe, and respected where individuals feel confident, are able to enjoy, learn and grow in confidence. Have positive relationships with the adults caring for them; know how to approach adults if they are in difficulties, believing that their wishes, feelings, and views will be taken into account and that they will be effectively listened to.

• Supporting students’ development in ways that will foster security, confidence, and independence. Ensuring anyone using our facilities follows appropriate policies, procedures, and guidelines.

• Provide opportunities for our students to access a broad and balanced curriculum that promotes their spiritual, moral, cultural, mental, and physical development that prepares them for the opportunities, responsibilities, and experience of life.

• A planned curriculum will provide opportunities for student to develop skills, concepts, attitudes, behaviours, and knowledge that promote their safety and wellbeing, including developing self-esteem and communication skills, strategies for self-protection including online safety, developing a sense of boundaries between appropriate and inappropriate behaviour in adults and within peer relationships.

• Establishing effective, supportive, and positive relationships working in partnership with parents, carers, students, statutory and other partners.

Additionally, Pinehirst Education acknowledges “abuse of position of trust”, which prohibits staff from engaging in or encouraging sexual activity with learners who are under the age of 18 or vulnerable as specified in Policy and Safeguarding Policy and process .

This policy applies to everyone in our organisation including all students, staff, including guest speakers and it should be read, understood, and adhered to, alongside other related policies and procedures listed within this policy.

Statutory and Local Guidance

This policy has been written and will be implemented in line with the safeguarding and child protection procedures and in accordance with legislation and related guidance.

• Keeping Children Safe in Education 2019

• Inspecting Safeguarding in Early Years, Education and Skills Setting, (Ofsted 190014 from September 2019)

• National Minimum Standards (Ofsted Residential Standards)

• Counter Terrorism and Security Act (Prevent Legislation) 2015

• Education Act 1986, 2002

• What to do if you are worried a Child is being Abused (2015)

• Guidance for Safer Working Practice 2019

• Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018

• The Children Act 1989

• The Children Act 2004

• Care Act 2014

• Equality Act 2010

• Human Rights Act 1998 (Senior Management & Directors should be aware of their obligations)

• Modern Slavery Act 2015

• Mental Capacity Act 2005

• Disqualification under the Childcare Act 2006 (2015)

• Safeguarding Children and Adults Board Safeguarding Procedures

• Managing Concerns around People in a Position of Trust (Lancashire, 2019)

• Information Sharing Advice for Practitioners providing Safeguarding Services to Children, Young People, Parents and Carers (2018)

• Individual Local Safeguarding Arrangements Guidance (previous LSCB/ LSAB) – guidance from the relevant Local Authority in each case, dependent on the locality of the safeguarding concern

Responsibility for Safeguarding and Child Protection

The senior management team have a responsibility to create a positive culture and ethos where safeguarding is an important part of everyday life in the setting, backed up by training at every level. We ensure that Pinehirst Education has policies and procedures in place in respect of Safeguarding and Child Protection including Prevent.

Pinehirst Education is committed to providing the relevant personnel with clear and explicit roles and responsibilities to ensure accountability in safeguarding and child protection.

We therefore ensure that:

All adults, including volunteers, working in or on behalf of Pinehirst Education will:

• Demonstrate an understanding that safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.

• Maintain and demonstrate a mind set of "it could happen here".

• Do all they can within the capacity of their role, to keep ensure that students are protected from harm.

• Do all they can within the capacity of their role, to ensure that children and young people grow up in circumstances consistent with safe and effective care.

• Do all they can within the capacity of their role, to ensure that students have the best outcomes.

• Report cases of suspected abuse and all other safeguarding concerns to the DSL, DDSL/ Safeguarding team. This will be done as soon as possible using the organisations agreed format.

• Monitor all students, particularly those that are deemed vulnerable.

• Report any concerns regarding adult conduct to HR, the DSL or senior management.

· All staff, if they have concerns, these should be acted on immediately and should always speak to the DSL or safeguarding team, early information sharing being vital in keeping children and other students safe. In exceptional circumstances staff should consider speaking to a member of SLT or Children's Social Care to discuss safeguarding concerns if the DSL is not immediately available.

· All staff should be aware of the process for making referrals to children’s social care and for statutory assessments under the Children Act 1989, especially section 17 (children in need) and section 47 (a child suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm) that may follow a referral, along with the role they might be expected to play in such assessments.

All staff will be aware that children may not be ready or not know how to tell someone they are being abused, exploited or neglected and that they may recognise their experiences as being harmful. Children may be embarrassed or humiliated, or being threatened. This should not prevent staff from acting appropriately.

The senior management team will:

· Ensure that the policies, procedures, and training in Pinehirst Education are effective and comply with the law at all times and that these include an understanding of specific safeguarding issues and safeguarding learners with SEND.

· Ensure that safeguarding policies and procedures are followed by all staff.

· Appoint a DSL and Deputies and ensure that they are provided with appropriate support, funding, resources, and time to carry out their role.

· Ensure that Pinehirst Education follows all statutory and relevant local policy, procedures, and guidance.

· Ensure that staff members undergo safeguarding induction and training and receive regular training and updates in compliance with Keeping Children Safe in Education 2019.

· Ensure that students are safe online by ensuring that appropriate filters and monitoring systems are in place.

· Prevent people who pose a risk of harm from working with children and all other learners.

· Ensure there are procedures in place to handle allegations against any members of staff.

· Ensure that all practice and procedures operate with the best interests of the child and all other students at their heart.

· Ensure there is a designated member of staff to promote the education of Children Looked After and Care Leavers with all staff aware of the safeguarding issues and vulnerabilities associated with CLA/ CL.

Designated Safeguarding Lead:

· The DSL provides an annual report to the Board members of Pinehirst Education setting out how Pinehirst Education has discharged its duties. The DSL is responsible for reporting deficiencies and risks in procedure or policy to the senior management team at the earliest opportunity. She meets with the nominated governor on a regular basis.

· Lead responsibility for raising awareness with all staff of issues relating to the safeguarding and welfare of children and adults, and the promotion of a safe environment for all those learning within Pinehirst Education.

· The DSL will arrange cover of DSL throughout the year to ensure that there is a DSL available during Pinehirst Education hours and cover for out of hours and term time.

· Ensuring that identified safeguarding procedures are reviewed annually, followed and actions are agreed, monitored, and achieved on relevant plans and that the safeguarding portfolio of guidance is maintained and updated regularly.

· Ensure that parents, carers are aware of the organisations responsibility regarding safeguarding and child protection.

· Attend DSL training every 2 years.

· Undertake Prevent awareness training.

· Update their skills and knowledge on a regular basis, but at least annually.

· Work alongside HR in ensuring that allegations are referred to the Local Authority Designated Officer for Allegations in accordance with KCSIE and other national and local Procedures. Ensuring they are completed within the required timeframe.

· Overseeing the referral of cases of abuse, suspected abuse to Children’s ad Adults’ Social Care, Police, and other agencies.

· Providing advice and support to staff and volunteers on issues relating to safeguarding, child protection and prevent and those missing from education.

· Maintaining a proper record of any referral, complaint, or concern in respect of abuse or safeguarding (even where that concern does not lead to a referral).

· Maintain accurate safeguarding records that are stored securely.

· The regular monitoring of concerns that are recorded on the student ILP records systems (OneTouch).

· Know how to make an appropriate referral and will be available to provide advice and support to staff and volunteers on issues relating to safeguarding, child protection and Prevent.

· Have particular responsibility to be available to listen to children and anyone with additional needs studying at Pinehirst Education or on placement and ensure they, their families and those involved are updated of any developments on a frequent basis.

· Will support individual cases, including attending Strategy discussions, Initial/Review Child Protection Case Conference, Core Groups, Strategy meetings, Child in Need meetings and Multi Agency Risk Management (MARMS), Early Help meeting, CLA reviews, PEPs as appropriate.

· Liaising with Schools / Transition Co-ordinator in relation to safeguarding, child protection issues to ensure that appropriate arrangements are made for the students attending Pinehirst Education.

· Liaising with employers and training organisations (including work placements for students and anyone with additional needs at Pinehirst) in relation to safeguarding and child protection issues to ensure that appropriate safeguards are put in place.

· Ensuring that all staff, volunteers, and external support workers receive appropriate training in safeguarding, child protection and Prevent issues and are aware of the related policy and procedures.

· Ensuring that evidence is provided by employers of external support staff and staff working for organisations providing services at Pinehirst Education Pinehirst Educations that their staff have been adequately checked, vetted, and trained in safeguarding.

· Be provided with appropriate support and supervision in order to carry out the role safely and effectively.

· DSLs must take a holistic view to ensure wider environmental factors are considered which may be a threat to safety and welfare of students (contextual safeguarding).

· The DSL will consider when a student is transitioning if it would be appropriate to share information in advance of the move.

· The DSL should have details and liaise with the Local authority allocated social workers for CLA and personnel advisors for any care leavers.

· Ensure effective robust links and working relationships between residential, health and safety, student support are maintained.

Induction, Training and Updates

Pinehirst Education is committed to providing staff and volunteer with the skills and knowledge need to safeguard students. We therefore ensure that:

· All staff and volunteer receive appropriate levels of safeguarding training on induction, which includes KCSIE, Guidance for Safer Working Practice (including whistleblowing) and What to do if a Child is being abused. This will include Senior Management/ Directors. The training will equip them with the ability to provide strategic challenge.

· All staff receive the Safeguarding and Child protection policy on application and on appointment. All staff completing online training prior to commencement of employment.

· Induction includes Organisation policy, staff behaviour (guidance for safer working practice), roles and responsibilities, child protection and safeguarding including contextual and other safeguarding matters.

· All staff receive at least annual updates with regular updates through a variety of Pinehirst Education communication methods, such as manager and team meetings, emails, staff intranet, newsletters, leaflets, posters and sharing of other key documents. These updates cover additional contextual and other safeguarding matters such as violent crime, child sexual and criminal exploitation (including county lines), radicalisation and extremism and Prevent, Peer on peer abuse, modern slavery, bullying including online and prejudice, abuse regarding race, disability, homophobic/ transphobic, risks associated using technology, HBV, FGM, FII, domestic abuse, sexual violence and harassment and online safety. This list is not exhaustive however reflects the breadth of topics that are covered in staff training and updates. Any local or national issues arising from Serious case reviews are included into staff training.

· DSL and DDSLs attend DSL training every two years and update their knowledge, skills and understanding of relevant safeguarding issues including Prevent on a regular basis.

· Any staff member will discuss any specific training requirements or gapes in knowledge or understanding with the DSL/ DDSLs.

Child Protection, Child in Need and Early Help

Pinehirst Education is committed to preventing abuse, protecting children from abuse, and supporting those involved in abuse. We therefore ensure that:

· ALL staff and volunteers understand the importance of teaching children and other students how to keep themselves safe from all types of abuse.

· ALL staff and volunteers seek out opportunities that are relevant to their role, to teach students the skills to keep themselves safe.

· ALL staff and volunteers make and maintain positive and supportive relationships with students, which enable children to feel safe and valued.

· Safeguarding has a high status throughout Pinehirst Education by being on the agenda at staff meetings/briefings, information being readily available on notice boards, regular updates.

· ALL staff feel confident in approaching DSLs to raise concerns.

ALL staff and volunteers have an understanding of the four categories of abuse: neglect, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse. Financial and discriminatory abuse must also be considered.
ALL staff and volunteers understand that there are other ways in which children can be abused such as; Online, Child Sexual and Criminal Exploitation, Female Genital Mutilation, Honour Based Violence, Radicalisation, Trafficking, Slavery, Peer Abuse, Forced Marriage, and others as mentioned in the body of this policy, KCSIE and other guidance.

ALL staff and volunteers have the knowledge, skills, and expertise to recognise the signs and symptoms of all types of abuse and neglect.

· All staff, if they have concerns, these should be acted on immediately: early information sharing being vital in keeping children safe. In exceptional circumstances staff should consider speaking to a member of SLT or Children's or Adult’s Social Care to discuss safeguarding concerns if the DSL is not immediately available.

· DSLs update staff and volunteers’ knowledge and understanding of such issues in order for them to be able to identify children and vulnerable adults who are at risk of such specific safeguarding issues.

· ALL staff and volunteers will maintain and demonstrate an attitude of "it can happen here".

· ALL staff and volunteers are child and student at Pinehirst Education in their practice and act in the best interests of the child at all times.

· ALL staff recognise and understand that behaviour can be a child's way of communicating distress and changes to behaviour may be an indicator of abuse.

· ALL staff and volunteers have the skills to respond appropriately and sensitively to disclosures or allegations of abuse.

· ALL staff and volunteers report cases of suspected abuse to the DSL. This will be done as soon as possible using Pinehirst Education’s agreed format.

· Where a child or any student is at risk of immediate harm, ALL staff understand that they must refer to the Police or Children or Adult Social Care.

· ALL staff and visitors know how to refer to Children's and Adult’s Social Care.

· DSLs will make a Section 47 referral to Children's Social Care where a child is in need of protection, has been significantly harmed or is at risk of significant harm, using local need, risk, threshold, and referral guidance.

· This referral will be done by telephone and followed with a social care referral form as soon as possible (relent local authority referral form dependent on locality of concern).

· Consent from parents/carers and child (if age appropriate) will be sought prior to this referral, except where this will cause delay or place anyone at risk.

· Where consent is not given, parents and carers are informed that a referral will still be made, except where this will cause delay or place anyone at risk.

· DSLs adhere to policy, procedures, and guidance from the Local Safeguarding Arrangements with regard to sharing information.

· DSLs contribute to Strategy Discussions, Strategy Meetings, Initial and Review Child Protection Conferences, Core Group Meetings, and other CP meetings.

· DSLs or another appropriate member of staff (delegated by DSL / DDSL), will attend CP meetings, produce, and present reports, liaise with staff, work with parents, work with other agencies and ensure the voice of the child is evidenced throughout these processes.

· DSLs meet regularly to ensure that decisions made about children who are subjects of CP Plans are agreed and a clear rationale for the decision is documented.

· A copy of the child's CP Plan is included in the student's individual safeguarding file.

· ALL staff and volunteers will support victims of abuse in a capacity that is relevant to their role. This will be determined by the DSL.

· DSLs will determine what information staff members need to know in order to safeguard and support children. This may be different information for different staff.

· Staff are offered appropriate support and/or supervision that is relevant to their role or involvement in particular cases.

Communication and work with parents and carers will always be undertaken in a supportive manner and in the best interests of the child or adult.

· ALL staff understand that children who perpetrate abuse or display harmful behaviour should be treated as victims first and foremost and supported in the same way a victim of abuse would be supported.

· Specific programmes of work and support are offered to children and families who are vulnerable.

· Risk Assessments will be undertaken where a student’s behaviour poses a risk to others, themselves, or the environment.

Online Safety

Pinehirst Education is committed to keeping students safe online. We therefore ensure that:

· ALL staff and volunteers understand that students (in particular children and students with additional needs) can be harmed online via hurtful and abusive messages, enticing them to engage in age inappropriate conversations, sharing and production of indecent images or encouraging risk taking behaviour.

· Proprietors and Senior Management will ensure the organisation has appropriate filters and monitoring systems in place and regularly review their effectiveness.

· Online bullying by students, via texts and emails, will be treated as seriously as any other type of bullying and will be managed through our Code and Disciplinary processes.

· When Pinehirst Education becomes aware of an online safety issue that has occurred outside of school, it is managed in accordance with Pinehirst Education ICT policies.

· Opportunities to teach online safety are embedded into curriculum and enrichment as part of a broad and balanced curriculum.

· Pinehirst Education has appropriate filters and monitoring systems in place regarding use of internet whilst on any of Pinehirst Education premises.

· Harmful online challenges and hoaxes- this will include preparing for such incidents and sharing such information with carers.

The use of technology has become a significant component of many safeguarding issues. Child sexual exploitation, radicalisation, sexual predation: technology often provides the platform that facilitates harm.

The organisation’s approach to online safety empowers Pinehirst Education to protect and educate the whole Pinehirst Education community in our use of technology and establishes mechanisms to identify, intervene and escalate any incident where appropriate. Online Safety is managed within the Safeguarding structure.

Record Keeping

Keeping detailed and comprehensive records is fundamental to good safeguarding practice. The law does not prevent information about children being shared with specific authorities if it is for the purposes of safeguarding.

GDPR does not prevent, or limit, the sharing of information for the purposes of keeping children safe. Information can be shared without consent if to gain consent would place a child at risk. Pinehirst Education is committed to recording all matters relating to the welfare of students in a relevant format. We therefore ensure that:

· The DSL uses current recording keeping guidance to assist them in creating and maintaining accurate safeguarding records.

· There is an agreed format for reporting all matters referring student well-being, from an early help, pastoral need to a disclosure of abuse for all students.

· All staff use the agreed format for passing on concerns and this is included in staff induction and training.

· Concerns should be factual, and evidence based.

· If concerns are written they should be in ink, signed, name of recorder and dated.

· Safeguarding concerns should be reported to the safeguarding team where the DSL/ DDSL will assess the level of intervention required.

· Pinehirst Education will make every effort to request any safeguarding records for under 18s from their previous educational establishment in line with KCSIE guidance.

· When a student under 18 leaves Pinehirst, the student’s safeguarding file will be transferred, in its entirety, to the educational establishment where the student moves to, unless there is an ongoing legal action.

· Any electronic records will be printed, and all records will be hand delivered if possible (with the completion of transfer of records evidenced) or sent by recorded delivery if this is not possible. The transfer document will be evidence of receipt of the receiving educational setting and the records will then be the responsibility of the receiving educational setting.

Pinehirst is committed to recording all matters relating to the welfare of children in a relevant format. We therefore ensure that:

· DSLs will refer to record keeping in education guidance to assist them in creating and maintaining accurate safeguarding records.

· There is an agreed format for reporting all matters relating to student wellbeing, from an early help requirement to a disclosure of abuse.

· ALL staff use the agreed format for passing on concerns.

· Concerns should be factual, and evidence based.

· Written safeguarding concerns and alerts should be written in ink, signed, and dated (if handwritten).

· Typed safeguarding concerns and alerts may be printed or sent via email but must not be saved by staff and must be deleted from computer and email on acknowledgment of receipt.

· The Safeguarding Alert form should be used for all safeguarding concerns.

· Concerns recorded on student electronic ILPs should be recorded timely, be factual and be in accordance with ILP completion and confidentiality processes.

· Concerns should be passed directly to the DSL or Safeguarding team.

· A student will have an individual safeguarding file when there has been a number of concerns, an offer of Early Help or the family is, or has been at Level 2 or above on the Continuum of Need.

· All pastoral and safeguarding concerns should be logged using the electronic student ILP (individual learning plan) in line with organisational procedures, maintaining appropriate levels of confidentiality.

· Student records will include any assessment decisions, discussions, and rationale for decision and also any evidence of student’s wishes, professional challenge, offers of help and multi-agency working.

· DSLs will record all discussions, decisions and rationale behind decisions and sharing of information in the student's records.

· DSLs will record evidence of student's wishes, professional challenge, offers of early help and multi-agency working.

· When individual students are discussed during staff meetings, such as supervision, staff updates or risk assessments etc. student information should be anonymised or stored in a secure manner.

· All safeguarding records will be stored securely in a locked cabinet and with restricted access for electronic records.

· Only DSLs and other named staff will have access to safeguarding records.

· A student's safeguarding file will be transferred, in its entirety, to the educational establishment where the student moves to, unless there is ongoing legal action in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance.

· The safeguarding file will be hand delivered to the DSL at the receiving school. If this is not possible, the safeguarding file will be sent by recorded delivery.

· A receipt will be obtained at time of transfer and the responsibility for the safeguarding records will pass to the receiving educational establishment.

· Records will be stored in line with Pinehirst Education GDPR data management procedures. These will take into consideration safeguarding records of all students, not just under 18-year-old students involved with child protection or safeguarding.

Safer Recruitment

Pinehirst are committed to keeping students safe by ensuring that adults who work or volunteer across the whole organisation are safe to do so. The term staff applies to all staff, whether teaching, administrative, support, paid and unpaid (e.g. volunteers, subcontractors, and external agencies).

We therefore ensure that:

· Pinehirst Education recruitment process is adhered to, to ensure that there is a strong reference and commitment to safeguarding during advertisement, selection and recruitment of new staff.

· At least one person on each selection panel has attended safer recruitment training.

All staff will monitor the conduct of all adults who come into contact with students at Pinehirst.

· Relevant, proportionate, and lawful checks are undertaken on all adults who constantly work at, or visit Pinehirst Education, or who deliver services or education on behalf of the, in line with safer recruitment guidance.

· A Single Central Record is kept of checks that are undertaken on all adults who constantly work at, or visit the organisation, contractors, and appropriate partner agencies. Keeping Children Safe in Education (2019) provides additional guidance regarding who and what should be included on the SCR.

· The Single Central Register is stored securely and can only be accessed by designated staff and Governors.

· The DSL and Director of HR should evidence regular oversight and scrutiny of the SCR.

· Evidence of staff members; identity, required qualifications and the right to work in the UK will be kept in individual personnel files.

· Covering letters will be obtained from agencies and other employers that provide staff that work in Pinehirst Education.

· Individual identity checks will be undertaken on those staff detailed above to ensure they are employees of the named agency / employer.

· Any agencies or organisations that use Pinehirst Education facilities will follow the procedures in line the hire of facilities terms and conditions.

· In accordance with legislation and guidance, Pinehirst Education has a comprehensive Safer Recruitment Policy and Procedure together with separate policies and procedures in respect of recruitment of ex-offenders and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Dealing with Disclosure of Abuse and Procedure for Reporting Concerns

Pinehirst understands that when an allegation is made against a member of staff and volunteers, set procedures must be followed. We therefore ensure that:

· All staff and volunteers are aware of the requirement to, and process of referring allegations against staff to Human Resources, DSL, or Senior Post holder.

· All staff and volunteers are aware of the requirement to, and process of referring allegations and concerns against the Principal to the Nominated Governor.

· All staff and volunteers remember that the welfare of the child and other students is paramount and that they have a duty to inform the DSL if an adult’s conduct gives cause for concern.

· All concerns of poor practice or possible child or adult abuse by staff and volunteers should be reported to Human Resources as soon as it has been identified.

· Local Safeguarding Partner Arrangements and procedures for dealing with allegations against staff will be followed.

· Further guidance should be considered from Part Four, Keeping Children Safe in Education (2019): Allegations of abuse made against teachers and other staff.

· All staff are aware of the organisation’s Whistle blowing policy which enables staff to raise concerns or allegations in confidence and for a sensitive enquire to take place.

· Local Safeguarding partnership (previously LSCB/ LSAB) procedures for dealing with allegations against staff will be followed.

· Low level concerns will be dealt in confidence

Visitors

Pinehirst Education are committed to keeping students and staff safe by ensuring that visitors do not pose a risk to staff, students, and visitors to our Pinehirst Education.

We therefore ensure that:

· Visitors should follow the visitor policy and procedure by signing in and out and wearing identification.

· All staff (and students where appropriate) will challenge visitors to Pinehirst Education who are not wearing correct identification.

· Students should encourage any visitors not displaying identification to report to any Pinehirst Education member of staff.

· Visitors are accompanied during their visit, when children (and other students and staff) are present, unless they have undergone relevant checks and these are accepted and verified by Health and safety coordinator, HR, DSL, and other identified staff members.

· Visitors will not initiate contact or conversations with students unless this is relevant and appropriate to the reason for their visit.

· When visitors are undertaking activities with students, such as guest lecturers, awareness, the content of the activity will be agreed by the member of staff and authorised by their Head of Area and the Health and Safety Coordinator. Other checks should also be carried out on the individual and / or organisation in line with Prevent Duty guidance.

· The Visitor Procedure is updated and shared with staff in line with Pinehirst Education policy schedule.

Off – Site Educational Visits

Educational visits are encouraged in order to enhance the learning programme and the learner overall experience. The management team will commit to ensuring the safety of all learners attending such visits by:

Viewing and assessing the suitability of any new sites that may be put forward as a potential suitable educational visit.

Reviewing the safety of such sites from a, risk management (Health & Safety) perspective.

Ensuring particularly the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) requirements

Staffing ratios at a minimum of 1:8 in order to ensure adequate supervision, this will be dependent on the type of organisation and the risk level.

(See attached - Routine Educational Trips & Guest Speakers - Approval Check List.

Children Looked After, Care Leavers and Previously Adopted

· The DSL, Lisa Hartley is the Designated Teacher and is responsible for promoting the educational achievement of children and young people for this group of students.

· This involves working alongside and coordinating the support and educational programme, external agencies, families, and guardians.

Children Missing from Education

· Pinehirst Education has a responsibility to ensure that all staff are aware that children going missing, particularly repeatedly, can act as a vital warning sign of a range of safeguarding possibilities. Early intervention is necessary to identify the existence of any underlying safeguarding risk and to help prevent the risks of a child going missing in future. Staff should be aware of and follow Pinehirst Education unauthorised absence and children missing from education procedures.

· In addition, Pinehirst Education has a responsibility to work collaboratively with local schools, partner organisations and the Local Authority to safeguard students.

Document Version: 1 (June 2023) ( REVIEW DATE June 2024)

Safeguarding Policy and Process

Author PNM

Quality Assurance

This Policy and Procedure maps to the following external quality assurance frameworks

· Inspection Framework

· MATRIX

· QAA

· QIA

· ESFA

All Pinehirst Education Policies are subject to screening for Equality Impact Assessment

Equality Impact Assessments are carried out to see whether the policy has, or is likely to have, a negative impact on grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, marriage or civil partnership, sex, or sexual orientation.

Pinehirst Education not only fulfils its legal position in relation to current and future equality legislation, but additionally goes beyond compliance in providing and promoting “Opportunities for all to succeed”, free from any aspect of discrimination, harassment, or victimisation.

All staff have a duty of care to look after the interests of and support their colleagues. This policy takes account of our commitment to eliminating discrimination, identifying, and removing barriers and providing equal opportunities for our learners, staff, and visitors to ensure that no one feels excluded or disadvantaged.

Appendix 1

Abuse and Neglect and Specific Safeguarding Concerns

It is important to remember that lists such as the one below are neither completely definitive nor exhaustive. The information in such lists must be used in the context of