Child Safeguarding Statement
Child Safeguarding Statement and Risk Assessment review was undertaken in September 2024. The policy was updated and ratified by the Board of Management on 3rd October 2024.
Rathnure
National School
a primary school providing primary education to pupils from Junior Infants to
Sixth Class.
In accordance with the
requirements of the Children First Act 2015, Children First: National Guidance
for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017, the Addendum to Children First
(2019), the Child Protection Procedures for
Primary and Post-Primary Schools (revised 2023) and Tusla Guidance on the preparation
of Child Safeguarding Statements,
the Board of Management of Rathnure National School has agreed the Child
Safeguarding Statement set out in this document.
1
The
Board of Management has adopted and will implement fully and without
modification the Department’s Child
Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools
(revised 2023) as
part of this overall Child Safeguarding Statement
2
The
Designated Liaison Person (DLP) is Alice
Keogh (Principal)
3
The
Deputy Designated Liaison Person (Deputy DLP) is Sinéad Doyle (Deputy Principal)
4
The
Relevant Person is
Alice
Keogh (Principal)
(The relevant person is
one who can provide information in respect of how the child safeguarding
statement was developed and will be able to provide the statement on request.
This person can also be the DLP)
5
The
Board of Management recognises that child protection and welfare considerations
permeate all aspects of school life and must be reflected in all of the
school’s policies, procedures, practices and activities. In its policies,
procedures, practices and activities, the school will adhere to the following
principles of best practice in child protection and welfare:
The school will:
·
recognise
that the protection and welfare of children is of paramount importance,
regardless of all other considerations;
·
fully
comply with its statutory obligations under the Children First Act 2015 and
other relevant legislation relating to the protection and welfare of children;
·
fully
co-operate with the relevant statutory authorities in relation to child
protection and welfare matters;
·
adopt
safe practices to minimise the possibility of harm or accidents happening to
children and protect workers from the necessity to take unnecessary risks that
may leave themselves open to accusations of abuse or neglect;
·
develop
a practice of openness with parents and encourage parental involvement in the education
of their children; and
·
fully
respect confidentiality requirements in dealing with child protection matters.
The
school will also adhere to the above principles in relation to any adult pupil
with a special vulnerability.
6
The
following procedures/measures are in place:
·
In
relation to any member of staff who is the subject of any investigation
(howsoever described) in respect of any act, omission or circumstance in
respect of a child attending the school, the school adheres to the relevant
procedures set out in Chapter 7 of the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post
Primary Schools (revised 2023) and to the relevant agreed
disciplinary procedures for school staff which are published on the gov.ie
website.
·
In
relation to the selection or recruitment of staff and their suitability to work
with children, the school adheres to the statutory vetting requirements of the National Vetting Bureau (Children
and Vulnerable Persons)
Acts 2012 to 2016 and to the wider duty of care guidance set out in relevant
Garda vetting and recruitment circulars published by the Department of
Education and available on the gov.ie website.
·
In
relation to the provision of information and, where necessary, instruction and
training, to staff in respect of the identification of the occurrence of harm
(as defined in the 2015 Act) the school-
Ø
Has
provided each member of staff with a copy of the school’s Child Safeguarding
Statement
Ø
Ensures
all new staff are provided with a copy of the school’s Child Safeguarding
Statement
Ø
Encourages
staff to avail of relevant training
Ø
Encourages
Board of Management members to avail of relevant training
Ø
The
Board of Management maintains records of all staff and Board member training
·
In
relation to reporting of child protection concerns to Tusla, all school
personnel are required to adhere to the procedures set out in the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and
Post
Primary Schools (revised 2023), including in the case of
registered teachers, those in relation to mandated reporting under the Children
First Act 2015.
·
All
registered teachers employed by the school are mandated persons under the
Children First Act 2015.
·
In
accordance with the Children First Act 2015 and the Addendum to Children First
(2019), the Board has carried out an assessment of any potential for harm to a
child while attending the school or participating in school activities. A
written assessment setting out the areas of risk identified and the school’s
procedures for managing those risks is included with the Child Safeguarding
Statement.
·
The
various procedures referred to in this Statement can be accessed via the
school’s website, the gov.ie website or will be made available on request by
the school.
Note: The above is not intended as an
exhaustive list. Individual Boards of Management shall also include in this
section such other procedures/measures that are of relevance to the school in
question.
7
This
statement has been published on the school’s website and has been provided to
all members of school personnel, the Parents’ Association (if any) and the
patron. It is readily accessible to parents and guardians on request. A copy of
this Statement will be made available to Tusla and the Department if requested.
8
This
Child Safeguarding Statement will be reviewed annually or as soon as
practicable after there has been a material change in any matter to which this
statement refers.
This Child Safeguarding
Statement was adopted by the Board of Management on 3rd October 2024.
This Child Safeguarding
Statement was reviewed by the Board of Management on 3rd October
2024.
Child Safeguarding
Risk Assessment
Written Assessment of Risk of Rathnure National
School
In accordance with
section 11 of the Children First Act 2015 and with the requirements of Chapter
8 of the Child
Protection Procedures for Primary and Post Primary Schools (revised 2023),
the following is the Written Risk Assessment of Rathnure National School.
1. List
of school activities
|
·
Daily
arrival and dismissal of pupils ·
Recreation
breaks for pupils ·
Classroom
teaching ·
One-to-one
teaching ·
One-to-one
counselling ·
Outdoor
teaching activities ·
Sporting
Activities ·
School
outings ·
Use
of toilet/changing in schools ·
Annual
Sports Day ·
Fundraising
events involving pupils ·
Use
of off-site facilities for school activities
·
School
transport arrangements ·
Care
of children with special educational needs, including intimate care ·
where
needed, ·
Management
of challenging behaviour amongst pupils, including appropriate ·
use
of restraint where required ·
Administration
of Medicine ·
Administration
of First Aid ·
Curricular
provision in respect of SPHE, RSE, Stay Safe ·
Prevention
and dealing with bullying amongst pupils ·
Training
of school personnel in child protection matters ·
Use
of external personnel to supplement curriculum ·
Use
of external personnel to support sports and other extra-curricular ·
activities
·
Care
of pupils with specific vulnerabilities/ needs such as –
Pupils
from ethnic minorities/migrants –
Members
of the Traveller community –
Lesbian,
gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) children –
Pupils
perceived to be LGBT –
Pupils
of minority religious faiths –
Children
in care ·
Recruitment
of school personnel including – –
Teachers/SNAs –
Caretaker/Secretary/Cleaners –
Sports
coaches –
External
Tutors/Guest Speakers –
Volunteers/Parents
in school activities –
Visitors/contractors
present in school during school hours –
Visitors/contractors
present during after school activities ·
Participation
by pupils in religious ceremonies ·
Use
of Information and Communication Technology by pupils in school ·
Application
of sanctions under the school’s Code of Behaviour including detention of
pupils, confiscation of phones etc. ·
Students
participating in work experience in the school ·
Students
from the school participating in work experience elsewhere ·
Student
teachers undertaking training placement in school ·
Use
of video/photography/other media to record school events ·
After
school use of school premises by other organisations ·
Use
of school premises by other organisation during school day ·
|
2. The
school has identified the following risk of harm in respect of its activities –
|
·
Risk
of harm not being recognised by school personnel ·
Risk
of harm not being reported properly and promptly by school personnel ·
Risk
of child being harmed in the school by a member of school personnel
·
Risk
of child being harmed in the school by another child ·
Risk
of child being harmed in the school by volunteer or visitor to the school ·
Risk
of child being harmed by a member of school personnel, a member of ·
staff
of another organisation or other person while child participating in out ·
of
school activities e.g. school trip, swimming lessons ·
Risk
of harm due to bullying of child ·
Risk
of harm due to inadequate supervision of children in school ·
Risk
of harm due to inadequate supervision of children while attending out of ·
school
activities ·
Risk
of harm due to inappropriate relationship/communications between ·
child
and another child or adult ·
Risk
of harm due to children inappropriately accessing/using computers, ·
social
media, phones and other devices while at school ·
Risk
of harm to children with SEN who have particular vulnerabilities ·
Risk
of harm to child while a child is receiving intimate care ·
Risk
of harm due to inadequate code of behaviour ·
Risk
of harm in one-to-one teaching, counselling, coaching situation ·
Risk
of harm caused by member of school personnel communicating with ·
pupils
in appropriate manner via social media, texting, digital device or other ·
manner ·
Risk
of harm caused by member of school personnel accessing/circulating ·
inappropriate
material via social media, texting, digital device or other manner ·
Risk
of harm relevant to online teaching and learning remotel
|
3. The
school has the following procedures in place to address the risks of harm
identified in this assessment –
|
·
All
school personnel are provided with a copy of the school’s Child Safeguarding
Statement ·
The
Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools (revised
2023)are made available to all school
personnel ·
School
Personnel are required to adhere to the Child Protection Procedures for
Primary and Post-Primary Schools (revised 2023) and all registered teaching
staff are
required to adhere to the Children First Act 2015. ·
The
school implements in full the Stay Safe Programme ·
The
school implements in full the SPHE curriculum ·
The
school has an Anti-Bullying Policy which fully adheres to the requirements
of the Department’s Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary
Schools ·
The
school has a yard/playground supervision policy to ensure appropriate supervision
of children during, assembly, dismissal and breaks and in respect of
specific areas such as toilets, etc. ·
The
school has in place a policy and clear procedures in respect of school outings
·
The
school has a Health and safety policy ·
The
school adheres to the requirements of the Garda vetting legislation and relevant
DES circulars in relation to recruitment and Garda vetting ·
The
school has a codes of conduct for school personnel (teaching and non-teaching
staff) ·
The
school complies with the agreed disciplinary procedures for teaching ·
staff
·
The
school has a Special Educational Needs policy ·
The
school has an intimate care policy/plan in respect of students who require ·
such
care ·
The
school has in place a policy and procedures for the administration of ·
medication
to pupils ·
The
school –Has provided each member of school staff with a copy of the school’s ·
Child
Safeguarding Statement ·
Ensures
all new staff are provided with a copy of the school’s Child Safeguarding
Statement ·
Encourages
staff to avail of relevant training ·
Encourages
board of management members to avail of relevant ·
training ·
Maintains
records of all staff and board member training ·
The
school has in place a policy and procedures for the administration of First Aid
·
The
school has in place a code of behaviour for pupils ·
The
school has in place an ICT policy in respect of usage of ICT by pupils ·
The
school has in place a mobile phone policy in respect of usage of mobile phones
by pupils ·
The
school has in place a Critical Incident Management Plan ·
The
school has in place a policy and procedures for the use of external persons to supplement
delivery of the curriculum ·
The
school has in place a policy and procedures for the use of external sports coaches ·
The
school has in place a policy and clear procedures for one-to-one teaching activities ·
The
school has in place a policy and procedures for one-to-one counselling ·
The
school has in place a policy and procedures in respect of student teacher placements ·
The
school has in place a policy and procedures in respect of students undertaking work
experience in the school
|
|
Important
Note: It should
be noted that risk in the context of this risk assessment is the risk of “harm” as defined
in the Children First Act 2015 and not general health and safety risk. The
definition of harm is set out in Chapter 4 of the Child Protection Procedures for Primary
and Post-Primary Schools (revised 2023) |
In undertaking this risk
assessment, the board of management has endeavoured to identify as far as
possible the risks of harm that are relevant to this school and to ensure that
adequate procedures are in place to manage all risks identified. While it is
not possible to foresee and remove all risk of harm, the school has in place
the procedures listed in this risk assessment to manage and reduce risk to the
greatest possible extent.
Signed: _______________ Signed:
____________
(Chairperson of
Board of Management) (Principal)
Date: _______________________
Date of Next Review: September 2025