St Cecilia’s Church of England Primary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
We have a number of policies and procedures in place that contribute to our safeguarding commitment, including our Safeguarding Policy and Prevent Policy, both can be viewed in the Policies section of our website.
Sometimes we may need to share information and work in partnership with other agencies when there are concerns about a child's welfare.
We will ensure that our concerns about our pupils are discussed with his/her parents or carers first unless we have reason to believe that such a move would be contrary to the child's welfare.
In Keeping Children Safe in Education, abuse is defined as a form of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm. They may be abused by an adult or adults or another child or children.'
The school recognises that any child might be at risk of harm or abuse; there are no social, geographical, cultural or faith boundaries.
Types of Abuse
Physical Abuse Physical abuse involves intentionally causing physical harm to a child. This can include hitting, shaking, burning, or any other action that causes injury.
Emotional Abuse Emotional abuse is any action or behaviour that harms a child's emotional development or self-esteem. This may involve verbal abuse, threats, or controlling behaviours.
Sexual Abuse Sexual abuse is any form of sexual activity involving a child. This includes inappropriate touching, exploitation, or any form of sexual interaction. This also includes non-contact abuse such as watching sexual activities or looking at images.
Neglect Neglect occurs when a child’s basic needs for food, shelter, clothing, medical care, and emotional support are not met by their caregivers.
Identifying Concerns All school staff are trained to recognise potential safeguarding concerns. If staff members notice anything that raises concerns for a child’s safety or well-being, they have a duty to report it immediately to a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). In St Cecilia’s, this is Mr Thomas and Mrs Gill.
Reporting and Taking Action When a concern is raised, the Safeguarding Lead will assess the situation and take appropriate action. This will include information gathering by speaking to the child, speaking to school staff and speaking to parents (if appropriate). Once the information has been gathered we will make a decision about what to do next. This could include:
- Calling the police
- Calling children's services
- Completing a referral to Children's Service for further investigation.
- Completing a referral to Children Services to get Early Help
- School takes no further external action but continue to monitor
** Remember, whatever action we take will always be in the best interest of the child and keeping them safe.**
We will always try and work alongside parents and whenever possible we will seek parental consent before referring to Children's Services. It is important to note that the school can still refer even without the consent of the parents.
If you have a safeguarding concern outside of school hours, there are several services you can contact for advice and support:
Wokingham Borough Council - Children’s Services
Phone (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm): 0118 974 6000
Out of Hours Emergency Service: 01344 351999
Email: childrenssafeguarding@wokingham.gov.uk
NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children)
Helpline: 0808 800 5000
Text: 88858
Email: help@nspcc.org.uk
Website: www.nspcc.org.uk
Police (In Case of Immediate Risk)
Emergency Number: 999
Non-Emergency Number: 101
Childline (For Children and Parents)
Phone: 0800 1111
Website: www.childline.org.uk
It is unlawful for a parent or carer to smack their child, except where this amounts to 'reasonable punishment'. This defence is laid down in Section 58 of the Children Act 2004, but it is not defined in this legislation.
Whether a ‘smack’ amounts to reasonable punishment will depend on the circumstances of each case taking into consideration factors like the age of the child and the nature of the smack.
Physical punishment will be considered ‘unreasonable’ if it leaves a mark on the child or if the child is hit with a fist/closed hand or an implement such as a cane or a belt. It would also be deemed unreasonable if smacking became any more than an isolated incident.
Physical Punishment
Physical punishment or chastisement of children and young people can have a very detrimental effect on their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.
It can be tempting to think a smack sorts out incidents like disobedience however, it does nothing to teach your child how you want him or her to behave.
Instead it:
gives a bad example of how to handle strong emotions;
may lead children to hit or bully others;
may encourage children to lie or hide feelings to avoid;
can make defiant behaviour worse, so discipline gets even harder; and
leads to a resentful and angry child, and damages family relationships if it continues for a long time.
Physical punishment, such as smacking, slapping, pushing or hitting with an implement can cause:
direct physical harm or injury such as bruises, cuts, reddening of the skin, scratches, swelling or even broken bones;
mental harm such as anxiety, isolation, feeling victimised, damage to self-esteem, or a reduction in confidence;
increased risk of anti-social behaviour from the child;
increased aggression in children including fighting with siblings, friends and using violence to seek attention;
increased violent and criminal behaviour in adulthood;
an acceptance that violence is OK, and it is fine to use force to get your own way, if you are annoyed with someone or if they have hurt you; and
a breakdown in family relationships, with resentment that could affect the relationship between parents and children into their adulthood.
There is no justification for inflicting pain on a child or young person as a parent (or any other adult carer).
Any form of physical punishment that leaves a mark on a child or young person is considered an assault and is illegal under the Section 58 of the Children Act 2004.
Give love and warmth as much as possible
Have clear simple rules and limits
Be a good role model
Praise good behaviour so it will increase
Ignore behaviour you don’t want repeated
Criticise behaviours, not your child
Reward good behaviour with hugs and kisses
Distract young children or use humour
Allow children some control; joint decisions, choices
If a punishment is necessary, the removal of privileges, ‘time out’ or natural consequences are better.
