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LEC SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN PROCEDURE AUGUST 2021

Guidance for DAaRT Officers

The Purpose of this guidance

This guidance is specifically for DAaRT Officers working both in the classroom and remotely. During training you will have discussed safeguarding and how to identify concerns in the classroom. Remember the discussions about backgrounds and circumstances of students and the understanding of our own histories and the impact it had on our learning. All students are different and have different needs; they can be vulnerable in many different areas and this can often be because of their backgrounds and circumstances – you will have discussed this with the teacher at the pre-programme meeting.

The purpose of this document and those referred to above is to remind DAaRT Officers of that discussion, and to guide them through the process of the action required should a safeguarding incident be identified.

Pre Programme

There are several different points of responsibility for the DAaRT Officer before the programme starts and this applies equally when working directly in the classroom or via remote platforms.

  • To ensure that all safeguarding training is up to date.

  • On the pre-course meeting – ensure that you ask the teacher about any potential safeguarding issues, the name of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for the school and advise that we have a procedure in place for any identified safeguarding issues.

  • If delivering via remote platforms, assurance of and/or sight of the school remote learning safeguarding policy is required.

  • On the parent/carer brief – outline LEC policy and procedure for ensuring that students are safeguarded.

  • The DAaRT rules and DAaRT box – use these to reinforce confidentiality.

I Identifying concerns

Please Note

There is no reason why a DAaRT Officer should be alone with a child at any point during a visit to school.

Identifying a Concern

During the programme you may identify a concern in a number of different ways e.g. spoken, observed (physically or remotely), written in the workbook. Ask yourself the question ‘what are the risks and consequences of this?’ and if you are at all concerned then you must follow this up with the member of teaching staff who is with you at the time.

Responding

Your immediate response will depend on the circumstances and may range from a simple acknowledgement of a statement to a quiet word with teaching staff.  At no point should you engage in discussion about your concern or ask any questions of the young person – this is not part of you role and may jeopardise any future investigation.

Action

Make sure the member of staff understands that you have identified a potential safeguarding concern and that you need to follow LEC policy and procedure. It is highly likely that the school will be aware of any safeguarding issues and support will be in place. Where school may be unaware, it is their responsibility to follow this up with their own safeguarding procedures. Ask what they intend to do about the concern. Discuss and agree action with the member of staff or the DSL as appropriate and advise that you are required to follow up to ensure actions have been carried through.

Response

If you are not comfortable or satisfied with the response you can ask to speak to the DSL or the Head in school and/or contact LEC for advice.  Please note: The overall Organsiational Safeguarding Lead (OSL) for LEC is The Manager for Training and Development (TDM). The decision to sign off any reported concern or to make an onward and independent referral to any external safeguarding agency ultimately lies with TDM and the CEO. However, where the DAaRT Officer requires initial clarification or support (i.e., where they may need to contact the OSL) regarding a concern then this may be made in the first instance to either the Senior DAaRT Officer or in his absence the TDM. If you think a child is at immediate risk, this needs to carried out be by telephone and urgently. If any further action needs to be taken you will be advised at this point. There may be very rare cases where LEC will need to act – this is the responsibility of the OSL or the CEO, not the DAaRT Officer.

Record of Concern

Complete the Record of Concern form and submit electronically to the office. Please remember to only give the information required on the form – at this point we do not require the child’s full personal details.

Following Up

In most cases you will have had a thorough discussion and agreed an action plan with school – if this is not the case then you must telephone the OSL for advice. On your next visit check with the teacher and ensure that that the agreed and appropriate action has been taken, if not then again, a phone call to the LEC OSL is required. In most instances reassurance that the matter has been logged on the School’s Child Protection Online Management System (CPOM) and/or contact has been made with parents is adequate and appropriate action. Once the agreed action has been completed, the Record of Concern should be updated and submitted for sign off.

Overall Support

At any point during the process a call to the LEC OSL can be made for support or guidance. If you are unclear or unsure about anything in this guidance please ask for further advice.

General Guidance on Safeguarding

Some children are in need because they are suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. The Children Act 1989 introduced the concept of ‘significant harm’ as the threshold that justifies compulsory intervention in family life in the best interests of children and gives local
authorities a duty to make enquiries to decide whether they should act to safeguard or promote the welfare of a child who is suffering, or is likely to suffer significant harm. 

There are no absolute criteria on which to rely when judging what constitutes significant harm and this is not for the DAaRT Officer to judge. Consideration of a variety of factors will be made by the Local Authority. This may involve a multitude of and/or longer-term issues or a single traumatic event, each of which has been associated with having severe impacts upon child welfare or development. More often, significant harm is a compilation of significant events, both acute and long-standing, which interrupt, change or damage the child’s physical and psychological development. Some children live in family and social circumstances where their health and development are not prioritised. A thorough assessment of a child’s circumstances will determine any risk and/or need and inform planning and protection for that child, both immediately and in the longer term. Information/observation provided by a DAaRT Officer and the LEC OSL may be well be included as a part of this assessment.

This procedure should be read with reference to the:

October 2022

LEC Safeguarding Children Policy

October 2022

LEC Safeguarding Children Flowchart

October 2022

LEC Safeguarding Children Record of Conern Form

Life Skills Safeguarding Training