The Child Protection and Safeguarding Handbook for Schools: A Comprehensive Guide to Policy and Practice

This comprehensive handbook is the first to combine all of the information you need in one easy-to-use resource. It will help you with the important task of providing a strong, whole-school approach to child protection and safeguarding. The Child Protection and Safeguarding Handbook for Schools will enable you to: increase your understanding of child protection and safeguarding; know the general expectations and scope of your role and responsibilities as designated person; apply policy and guidance to your own unique setting; clearly explain to others what to do in an emergency; know and share key facts, misconceptions and recent policy developments; help your school to meet statutory requirements; train colleagues in basic child protection and safeguarding; work effectively with other organisations and understand your role in the context of a multi-agency approach; respond sensitively and confidently to concerns from staff and parents; react swiftly and sensitively to pupil disclosure; create a safe environment for listening to children, staff and parents; create, review, implement and communicate your school's child protection policy.

Table of Contents:
Introduction - the development of a national framework for child protection; child protection and safeguarding; wellbeing. Section 1 - the school's role in protecting children from harm; ethos and practice; roles and responsibilities; protecting challenging children; use of force; inspection and self-evaluation; a quick guide file for staff. Section 2 - essential toolkit for the designated senior person, including a guide to legislation and guidance; confidentiality and information-sharing; off the premises protection; training; recruitment; allegations against staff; recognising abuse; responding to and reporting welfare concerns; record-keeping; referring to children's social care; listening and talking to children. Section 3 - special considerations including SEN; disabled children; sexually harmful behaviour; independent schools and residential schools. Section 4 - support and training, including two training presentations with notes. Index

About the Author :
Ann Raymond is a freelance child protection and safeguarding consultant, specialising in services to the education sector. Ann has designed and delivered basic and advanced child protection training for schools, local authorities, ACPCs/LSCBs, voluntary agencies and the independent sector. Participants consistently rate the courses as excellent. Formerly the NSPCC education adviser for South West England, Ann has extensive experience in supporting staff to meet their safeguarding responsibilities. She believes that all members of staff should receive key information and guidance to help them develop confidence and understanding, thus being empowered to raise concerns and support children appropriately and effectively. Prior to moving into child protection, Ann taught in several schools and colleges and was deputy principal at a residential school for children with complex and challenging needs. Ann's consultancy roles have included co-ordinating a Surestart final delivery plan, assisting a voluntary agency to develop their first children's home and undertaking a comprehensive review of a local authority's policies and procedures following a major child protection investigation. Ann has also contributed to a children's services authority review of provision for disabled children and has contributed to several publications on safeguarding.