Child Protection

Should you believe what your read? 

Things were much worse in the past; prisons would have been full of staff, and older pupils, had current rules applied 40 years ago.

 

We have all read news reports of bullying and abuse and may have shuddered at the thought that those very people who smilingly welcome our children into their care may be the last people to whom we would entrust them, did we know all.

It can be hard to keep a sense of proportion faced with the emotional battering from media and pressure groups. 

Schools, and society generally, have improved out of all recognition. Successive governments have legislated to protect children. The abuses of the past are now far less likely to happen. Indeed it may seem that the pendulum has swung too far, with the demand that 11 million adults in the UK get CRB checks.

Be on your guard

We take the view that parents should trust schools, but should nonetheless be vigilant. The effects of abuse can be horrid and life-long. Children tend to keep their miseries to themselves. 

The film Chosen – www.chosen.org.uk – is an uncomfortably well-made documentary of suffering that was once commonplace.

Parents do well to warn their children – gently but seriously – of the dangers, however remote these may be, so they feel that it is easy to speak to you should they meet them.

It is worth pointing out that abuse can come from anyone – even a teacher or an adult they know well. It is also worth thinking about raising your own antennae at any school you may be considering. Most prospective parents feel awkward enough asking head teachers about exam results or careers advice without the almost unbearable discomfort of probing them on how they protect pupils from teachers and other adults. Which is why parents almost never bring it up. Keep your questions neutral and matter-of-fact.

As always, much can be gleaned from the head’s attitude – and eyes – when questions about child protection are asked. Is he or she ill at ease? Dismissive? Or are they happy to engage, and proud of the steps their school has taken? Openness is what you’re looking for.

Where the school has had a high profile abuse case

Do not rule out a school because a case of abuse has been brought to light there. Tabloid coverage can be the price the school has to pay for handling a case of abuse or bullying honourably and openly.

Open and honest exchange

For those with the courage to ask – and for our editors, who don’t have to worry about getting onto the wrong side of the schools – these are the questions to ask:

1. Where can I find the school’s child protection policy?

Every school is required to have a child protection policy that is made available to staff, volunteers and parents on request. When we ask a school for its written policies (which we do when we review them) it is rare for a school to volunteer one on child protection.

All schools – independent or state – are supposed to publish their child protection policies on their websites. However some schools publish only a small part of the policy or carry it only on their internal site, so you have to be a school parent before you can see it – we wish inspectors would be more rigorous on picking them up for these defaults. We seem to be re-living the long years when schools thought that being open about bullying policies would frighten off parents – the opposite of the truth. Child protection policies should be trumpeted loudly.

2. Where can I and my children find out who the child protection officers are?

Ideally, a school should have more than one and they should be named on a public notice board, so that everyone knows who to talk to. There are some more intrusive questions which the GSG can ask, and which we feel inspectors should cover in their reports so that parents do not have to.

3. What training do staff receive in child protection?

Training is mandatory every two years for designated officers, and every three years for all staff who work with children.

4. Is it the school’s written policy to report child protection allegations to the Local Authority Designated Officer (‘LADO’)?

This can be a very uncomfortable issue for schools, who will be aware of the possibility of mistaken or malicious allegations, and will naturally wish to protect staff from the effects of them. Nonetheless, where an allegation is received by a school that a staff member or volunteer has behaved in a way that has harmed a child, or that indicates that he or she is unsuitable to work with children, a referral should be made to the LADO, so that an independent, expert view is obtained. A good head will have broken bread with their LADO, so that both can have confidence that incidents will be well managed.

5. How many ‘Notifications’ have been made to the Department of Education in the past three years?

A Notification means a member of staff has left the school in circumstances which indicate they were unfit to work with children. Whether a notification is a good or bad thing depends on the circumstances – spotting a wrong-un early and hoofing him out, or keeping eyes closed until the stench became overpowering, both score 1 on this scale.

After you've chosen a school

You've been and looked at your shortlist and made a decision about where you want your child to go. What next?

The path is different in the state and independent sectors but get armed with all the information as soon as you can, the process of entrance can be long and convoluted. If – once your child is in a school – he or she tells you about being miserable/homesick/ bullied – believe them. Act at once by telephoning the school and explaining the problem. If the problem persists, consider taking your child out of the school and finding another, more compatible one.

Better a temporary disruption to your child’s schooling than permanent damage.