Safe Guarding Policy…
CCHA is committed to building a ‘culture of safety’ in which the children in our care are protected from abuse and harm. The Academy will respond promptly and appropriately to all incidents or concerns of abuse that may occur. The Academy’s child protection procedures comply with all relevant legislation and with guidance issued by the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB).
The Academy’s designated Child Protection Officer (CPO) is Antoni Clarke. The CPO coordinates child protection issues and liaises with external agencies (e.g. Social Care, the LSCB and Ofsted). Forms of child abuse and neglect, Child abuse is any form of physical, emotional or sexual mistreatment or lack of care that leads to injury or harm. An individual may abuse or neglect a child directly, or by failing to protect them from harm. Some forms of child abuse and neglect are listed below.
Persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve making the child feel that they are worthless, unloved, or inadequate. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child so as to cause severe and maltreatment of a child, though it may occur alone.
Physical abuse can involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may be also caused when a parent or carer pretends the symptoms of, or deliberately causes, ill health to a child.
Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. This can involve physical contact, or non-contact activities such as showing children sexual activities or encouraging them to behave in sexually inappropriate ways.
Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and emotional needs. It can involve a failure to provide adequate food, clothing and shelter, to protect a child from physical and emotional harm, to ensure adequate supervision or to allow access to medical treatment. Signs of child abuse and neglect Signs of possible abuse and neglect may include:
- significant changes in a child’s behaviour
- deterioration in a child’s general well-being
- unexplained bruising or marks
- comments made by a child which give cause for concern
- inappropriate behaviour displayed by other members of staff, or any other persons. For example, inappropriate sexual comments, excessive one-to-one attention beyond the requirements of their role, or inappropriate sharing of images.
If abuse is suspected or disclosed when a child makes a disclosure to a member of staff, that member of staff will:
- Reassure the child that they were not to blame and were right to speak out
- Listen to the child but not question them
- Give reassurance that the staff member will take action
- Record the incident as soon as possible
If a member of staff/Instructor witnesses or suspects abuse, they will record the incident straight away. If a third party expresses concern that a child is being abused, we will encourage them to contact Social Care directly. If they will not do so, we will explain that the Academy is obliged to and the incident will be logged accordingly.
