Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy 
Safeguarding, Child Protection and Early Help Policy
September 2022
*** In line with “Keeping Children Safe in Education” 2022 each education setting should personalise this policy to reflect the provision/status of your establishment as part of the final policy edit, particularly the highlighted areas. It is the education settings responsibility to ensure any live links used throughout the policy are regularly checked and up to date
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Leigh
If you have concerns about a child who lives in Wigan contact: Monday to Sunday 24 hours:
01942 828300 Or you can make a referral electronically
Remember in an emergency please ring 999
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Policy agreed (date): |
September 2022 |
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Policy published (date): |
September 2022 |
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Next review (date): |
September 2023 |
Key Contacts
Table of identified persons with specific lead responsibilities in relation to Safeguarding and other key agencies.
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NAME |
ROLE |
CONTACT DETAILS |
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Head teacher |
Helen Ahmed |
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Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) |
Helen Ahmed |
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Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL) |
Jenny Warner Kristina Pasquill Louise Sanders |
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Nominated Governor/Trustee |
Trish Turton |
c/o Sacred Heart, Leigh |
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Chair of Governors/Trustee s |
Trish Turton |
c/o Sacred Heart, Leigh |
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Designated Teacher for Looked After Children |
Helen Ahmed |
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Virtual School Head |
Jennifer Mills Michelle Amberry |
Jennifer.mills@wigan.gov.uk m.amberry@wigan.gov.uk
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LADO |
Sue Wharton |
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Early Help Hub |
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Children’s Social Care referrals |
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Wigan Safeguarding Partnership |
Helen Ahmed LLG Representative |
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CAMHS Link worker School |
Maria Norris |
maria.norris@gmmh.nhs.uk |
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Nursing / Health Visiting service |
Lori Redfern Duty |
wwl-tr.golborneschoolnurses@nhs.net |
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SDF Huddle Manager |
Lyn Hogan |
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Introduction This policy has been developed in accordance with the principles established by
In addition to the revised documents.
Other key documents are noted, which have prompted changes to safeguarding requirements over time. This policy references these throughout where relevant:
This policy should also be read in conjunction with Wigan’s Threshold of Need [1]Document / Procedure and Wigan’s Resolution Protocol[2].
Safeguarding is defined as:
The term ‘safeguarding children’ covers a range of measures including child protection procedures. It encompasses a preventative approach to keeping children safe that incorporates pupil health and safety; school behaviour and preventing bullying; supporting pupils with medical conditions; personal, health, social economic education; providing first aid and site security. Consequently, this policy is consistent with all other policies adopted by The Governing Body and should be read alongside the following policies relevant to the safety and welfare of our pupils: |
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Promoting positive behaviour policy |
Employee Code of conduct. (for safer working practice) |
Anti-Bullying policy. |
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Equality policy |
Whistleblowing policy | SEN policy |
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Thresholds of Need (wiganlscb.com) [2] Escalation policy recently update to Resolution Protocol Resolution Protocol (wiganlscb.com) |
| Relationships and Sex education | Health and Safety | Safer Recruitment Policy |
| Acceptable user of IT | E Safety | Child who absconds |
| Positive handling policy | Searching, screening and confiscation | CME |
| Online safety | Serious Violence | Child-on-child abuse |
| SEND |
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The aim of this policy is to ensure:
This will be achieved by:
To be read in conjunction with KCSIE 2022
Keeping children safe in education 2022(publishing.service.gov.uk)
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Scope As outlined above, the term ‘safeguarding children’ covers a range of measures including child protection procedures. It encompasses a preventative approach through the early help framework to keeping children safe that incorporates pupil health and safety; school behaviour and preventing bullying; supporting pupils with medical conditions; personal, health, social economic education; providing first aid and site security.
All staff are aware of the categories of abuse, which are:
The definitions of which can be found in the glossary, and signs and symptoms of the four categories of abuse can be found in Appendix one and two.
This policy assumes that any of the categories of abuse could be disclosed within the Borough of Wigan, and gives further information relating to individual types of abuse within this document in line with advice and guidance within Keeping Children Safe in Education 2022. [3]Guidance regarding DBS checks was updated by Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 https://www.gov.uk/dbs-check-applicant-criminal-record
Expectations All staff are:
In addition, all staff have read and understood Part 1 of the latest version of Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE 2022). All staff working directly with children have also read Annex A.
We recognise that all adults, including temporary staff[4], volunteers and The Governing Body, have a full and active part to play in protecting our pupils / students from harm, and that the child’s / young person’s welfare is our paramount concern.
All staff believe that our education setting should provide a caring, positive, safe and stimulating environment that promotes the social, physical and moral development of the individual child or young person.
We recognise that a child / young person who is neglected, abused or witnesses’ violence may feel helpless and humiliated, may blame themselves, and find it difficult to develop and maintain a sense of worth.
We recognise that the education setting may provide the only stability in the lives of children and young people who have been abused or are at risk of harm.
We accept that research shows that the behaviour of a child in these circumstances may range from that which is perceived to be normal to aggressive or withdrawn.
We recognise that the early help framework provides opportunities to intervene early and prevent safeguarding issues developing, as well providing a framework for appropriate support to be wrapped around the child / young person and their family.
Responding to concerns / disclosures of abuse Staff adhere to the following Dos and Don’ts when concerned about abuse or when responding to a disclosure of abuse.
Do:
Wherever the word "staff" is used, it covers ALL staff, including ancillary supply and self-employed staff, contractors, volunteers working with children etc, and governors.
Don’t:
All staff record any concern about or disclosure by a pupil of abuse or neglect and report this to the D/DSL using the standard form. It is the responsibility of each adult in the school to ensure that the D/DSL receives the record of concern without delay.
All staff should be aware that children may not feel ready or know how to tell someone that they are being abused, exploited, or neglected, and/or they may not recognise their experience as harmful.
In some circumstances, the D/DSL or member of staff seeks advice by ringing Children’s Social Care. During term time, the DSL and / or a DDSL is always available during school hours for staff to discuss any safeguarding concerns. The voice of the child is central to our safeguarding practice and pupils are encouraged to express and have their views given due weight in all matters affecting them. We are committed to work in partnership with parents and carers. In most situations, we will discuss initial concerns with them. However, the D/DSL will not share information where there are concerns that if so doing would:
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Safe Setting, Safe Staff Our health and safety policy, set out in a separate document, reflects the consideration we give to the protection of our children and young people both physically within the education setting environment and, for example, in relation to internet use, and when away from the education setting, undertaking off site trips and visits.
School security guidance has been compiled to support the senior management of educational settings in the discharge of their responsibilities by ensuring the development and implementation of suitable procedures. In particular, maintaining the security of the premises in response to potential threats to the staff and pupils / students of the setting. Appendix Four
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School will ensure that:
As key strategic decision makers and vision setters for the schools, The Governing Body will make sure that our policies and procedures are in line with national and local safeguarding requirements. The Governing Body will work with the senior leaders to make sure the key actions set out in Safe Setting Safe Staff are in place.
[5]Safer recruitment training can be accessed through Wigan Safeguarding Children's Board
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Responsibilities [6] DO – Designated Officer (previously LADO - Local Authority Designated Officer) for allegations against staff. DO threshold document can be found here https://www.wigan.gov.uk/Docs/PDF/WSCB/LADO-threshold.pdf
The designated safeguarding lead (DSL) should take lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection and are responsible for:
Supporting Children and Young People The education setting will consider the need for an Early Help assessment when it is identified that there are low level concerns or emerging needs. Detailed information on Early Help can be found in Chapter 1 of Working Together to Safeguard Children.
It is the responsibility of the education setting to initiate Early Help to identify what the family’s strengths and needs are. This will inform whether the setting can support the family or whether a referral to another agency is needed. This process provides a way of recording support and interventions that have been provided by the school to the child / young person and also supports a referral for additional support that may be needed from more targeted services where a single agency has been unable to meet that need. A team around the child meeting (TAC) can be arranged to ensure that a multi-agency action plan can be developed. It is important that the child and parents voice is captured as part of this assessment and that they take ownership of the plan. This plan should be regularly reviewed up to 4 to 6 weeks until outcomes are achieved.
If at any point during the EH process, the risk increases and the education setting becomes concerned that the child or young person is, or is likely to suffer significant harm, then a referral will be made to children’s social care.
In all cases the educational setting will consider the statutory guidance for schools and colleges, Keeping Children Safe in Education (2022) with particular reference to Part 1: Information for all schools and colleges.
Our education setting will support all children and young people by:
If at any point the education setting becomes concerned that a child or young person is at serious risk of harm they should respond appropriately. If the school is concerned that a child is at immediate or imminent risk, then they should contact Greater Manchester Police on either 111 or 999. If however the school is concerned that a child is, or is likely to suffer serious harm but it is not imminent they should call Wigan Children’s Social Care Referral Team on 01942 828300.
Children with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) The education setting will use the same considerations for children and young people with SEND, as detailed above. However, the setting must also take into consideration that additional barriers can exist when recognising abuse and neglect in this group of children and young people. These can include:
Children and young people with SEN and disabilities can face a number of challenges to disclosure, which must be recognised and taken into account, including prejudice, negative responses and low expectations. |
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Information sharing We recognise that all matters relating to child protection are confidential[1] and information is handled in line with the education settings.
The Government has issued Information Sharing for Safeguarding Practitioners Guidance that included 7 ‘Golden Rules’ of Information Sharing in safeguarding :
The Government guidance (described by the NSPCC, 2018) is:
All staff must be aware that they have a professional responsibility to share information in order to safeguard children and cannot assume that someone else will pass on the information.
Sharing of information will be necessary for the purpose for which it’s being shared, is shared only with those individuals who need to have it, is accurate and up-to-date, is shared in a timely fashion, and is shared securely
Key organisations who have a duty under section 11 of the Children Act 2004 to have arrangements in place to safeguard and promote the welfare of children are:
We will always undertake to share our intention to refer a child or young person to Social Care with their parent’s / carers unless to do so could put the child or young person at greater risk of harm, or impede a criminal investigation.
Children with family members in prison Approximately 200,000 children in England and Wales have a parent sent to prison each year. These children are at risk of poor outcomes including poverty, stigma, isolation and poor mental health. NICCO provides information designed to support professionals working with offenders and their children, to help mitigate negative consequences for those children.
As data controllers who process personal information we are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office *NB* The Data Protection Act requires every data controller who is processing personal information to register with the Information Commissioner’s Office, unless they are exempt. We are registered with ICO https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/data-protection-fee/self-assessment/ Governing bodies and proprietors should ensure relevant staff have due regard to the data protection principles, which allow them to share personal information, as provided for in the Data Protection Act 2018 and the GDPR. Relevant staff should be confident of the processing conditions under the Data Protection Act 2018 and the GDPR which allow them to store and share information for safeguarding purposes, including information which is sensitive and personal, and should be treated as ‘special category personal data’. Schools should not under the GDPR as supplemented by the Data Protection Act 2018 provide pupils’ education data where the serious harm test under that legislation is met. Therefore, in a situation where a child is in a refuge, this could mean that schools can withhold education data under the GDPR; they should do so where the serious harm test is satisfied. (KCSiE, 2022)
Supporting Staff Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Leigh will work with partners in the safeguarding partnership to ensure positive outcomes for children and young people.
We recognise that staff working in the school who have become involved with a child who has suffered harm, or appears to be likely to suffer harm, may find the situation stressful and upsetting.
We will support such staff by providing an opportunity to talk through their anxieties with the DSL and to seek further support as appropriate.
Designated Safeguarding Leads should make use of support available by the Local Authority and the partnerships Safeguarding Team.
DSLs will have oversight of Early Help and Child Protection plans with appropriate structure in place to monitor progress and outcomes in partnership with Children’s Social Care and other stakeholders.
Education settings who have external services, such as a psychotherapist or similar, in regards to emotional wellbeing should include this here along with describing their policy on information sharing with this service.
Training All members of staff and volunteers have read, signed and understood the schools Employee Code of Conduct Policy (for safer working practice). We ensure training attended meets the minimum standards set out by WSCB in the document ‘WSCB recommended minimum standards for child protection training’.
Induction The welfare of all our pupils is of paramount importance. All staff including volunteers are informed of our safeguarding procedures including online safety, at induction. Our induction also includes:
Safeguarding training This training is for all staff and is updated every 3 years as a minimum to ensure staff understand their role in safeguarding. Any member of staff not present at this whole staff session will receive this statutory training requirement on their return. In addition, all staff members receive safeguarding and child protection updates (for example, via email, e-bulletins, staff meetings) as necessary and at least annually. All staff also receives training in online safety, and this is updated as necessary. Advanced training The D/DSL has additional training which is updated every two years as a minimum. The D/DSL also attends multi-agency courses relevant to school needs. Their knowledge and skills are refreshed at least annually eg via e-bulletins or safeguarding networking events with other D/DSLs. Safer Recruitment At least one person on any appointment panel has undertaken Safer Recruitment Training. This training is updated every three years as a minimum. KCSIE (2022) guidance to safer recruitment (pgs 46-80 will be followed. To include:
Preventing Radicalisation All staff undertake Prevent Training.
Due to the demanding, often distressing nature of child protection work, we support staff by providing an opportunity to talk through the challenges of this aspect of their role with a senior leader and to seek further support as appropriate. The Governing Body Governors undertake the school’s Induction programme. They may choose to complete face to face training for governors provided by Wigan Council. In addition, governors may choose to attend whole school safeguarding and child protection training. |
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Domestic Abuse We recognise the significant impact domestic abuse can have on children and young people, therefore we operate in partnership with Operation Encompass, a system which facilitates the sharing of information relating to domestic incidents where children live or frequent. Any incidents of domestic violence reported to the police will be notified to the education setting to effectively support the child(ren) / young person. The operation encompass helpline and further resourses can be found in Appendix 6.
Domestic abuse can encompass a wide range of behaviours and may be a single incident or a pattern of incidents. Children can be victims of domestic abuse. They may see, hear, or experience the effects of abuse at home and/or suffer domestic abuse in their own intimate relationships (teenage relationship abuse). All of which can have a detrimental and long-term impact on their health, well-being, development, and ability to learn.
Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment including Child-on-child The education setting recognises that allegations of sexual violence and sexual harassment are likely to be complex and require difficult professional decisions to be made.
Decisions will be made on a case by case basis with the DSL taking a leading role, supported by other agencies such as Children’s Social Care and the Police as required[1].
Child-on-child abuse All children have a right to attend school and learn in a safe environment. All child-on-child abuse is unacceptable and will be taken seriously. Staff recognise that while both boys and girls can abuse their peers, it is more likely that girls will be victims and boys’ perpetrators of such abuse. Child-on-child abuse is not tolerated, passed off as “banter” or seen as “part of growing up”. It is likely to include, but not limited to:
Consequently, child-on-child abuse is dealt with as a safeguarding concern, recorded as such and not managed through the systems set out in the school behaviour policy. Victims, perpetrators and any other child affected by child-on-child abuse will be supported through the school’s pastoral system and the support will be regularly reviewed. We minimise the risk of child-on-child abuse by providing:
The DSL liaises with other professionals to develop robust risk assessments and appropriate specialist targeted work for children that are identified as posing a potential risk to other children.
Our school policy on anti-bullying is set out in a separate document and acknowledges that to allow or condone bullying may lead to consideration under child protection procedures. This includes all forms, e.g. Cyber, racist, homophobic and gender related bullying.
All staff are aware that children with SEND and / or differences / perceived differences are more susceptible to being bullied / victims of child abuse. Our policy on racist incidents is set out separately and acknowledges that repeated racist incidents or a single serious incident may lead to consideration under child protection procedures.
We keep a record of known bullying incidents and will keep a record of racist and sexual incidents.
Upskirting This typically involves taking a picture under a person’s clothing without them knowing, with the intention of viewing their genitals or buttocks to obtain sexual gratification, or cause the victim humiliation, distress or alarm. In the event of any reported Upskirting, school staff will follow safeguarding procedures and report to the DSL or DDSL.
Preventing Radicalisation Protecting children from the risk of radicalisation should be seen as part of schools’ wider safeguarding duties. Radicalisation refers to the process by which a person comes to support terrorism and forms of extremism. There is no single way of identifying an individual who is likely to be susceptible to an extremist ideology. As with managing other safeguarding risks, education settings should be alerted to changing in children’s and young person’s behaviour that could indicate that they are in need of protection. Staff should use their professional judgement in identifying children and young people who might be at risk of radicalisation and act proportionately which may include making a referral to the Channel programme.
Our school safeguarding policy will therefore be written to comply with the schools duty under Section 26 of the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 in accordance with the Department of Education advice for schools specific guidance for schools
Exploitation – CSE, Criminal, Human Trafficking, Modern Day Slavery, County Lines Our education setting will ensure that the Designated Safeguarding Lead and other key staff are trained in spotting the possible signs of exploitation outlined in Appendix one and two (this is not an exhaustive or definitive list) Female Genital Mutilation The Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 was amended by the Serious Crime Act 2015 where the law was extended to:
The school recognises and adheres to its mandatory duty to report any suspected or known cases of FGM about a female under 18 years old to the police.
Our Designated Safeguarding Lead will maintain up to date knowledge of the Greater Manchester Safeguarding Partnership Protocol to Female Genital Mutilation.
Children Missing Education Responsibilities for Children Missing from Education (CME):
Making reasonable enquiries for Children Missing Education;
Staff report immediately to the D/DSL, if they know of any child who may be:
The Local Authority requires Education Settings to complete the ‘Children Missing Education’ referral form. (Appendix Five) This form should be completed once the setting has completed reasonable enquires but failed to locate the child following 10 days of absence. The first part should be completed by school and submitted to the Early Help Hub ehh@wigan.gov.uk . The EHH will then complete further checks to ensure all lines of enquiry have been exhausted, before it is agreed the child is removed from roll. Making these enquiries may not always lead to establishing the location of the child, but will provide a steer on what action should be taken next, for example, to contact the police, children’s social care and, in cases where there may be concerns for the safety of a child who has travelled abroad, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Where a pupil has not returned to school for ten days after an authorised absence, or is absent from school without authorisation for twenty consecutive school days they can only be removed from the admission register under regulation 8(1), sub-paragraph (f)(iii) or (h)(iii) if the school and the local authority have failed to establish the pupil’s whereabouts after jointly making reasonable enquiries. Local authorities and education settings should agree roles and responsibilities locally in relation to making joint enquiries. This only applies if the setting does not have reasonable grounds to believe that the pupil is unable to attend because of sickness or unavoidable cause. The designated teacher for CLA and care leavers to discuss any unauthorised / unexplained absence of a Looked After Children with the Virtual School Team, when required.
Children who do not attend school regularly can be at increased risk of abuse and neglect. Where there is unauthorised / unexplained absence, and after reasonable attempts have been made to contact the family, the DSL follows the WSCB procedure and refers to Children’s Services as appropriate. Where there are no known welfare concerns about a pupil, follow procedures for recording school absence in line with DfE School attendance guidance 2021 School attendance: guidance for schools - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Should a pupil’s attendance become a cause for concern it is advisable to intervene early to prevent entrenched non-school attendance. School should make contact with the Early Help Hub (EHH) to initiate an Early Help, if appropriate. This will evidence and identify the barriers impacting on the pupil’s engagement with school.
[11] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sexual-violence-and-sexual-harassment-between-children-in-schools-and-colleges
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Elective Home Education Schools should inform the local authority when a child is being withdrawn to Electively Home Educate (EHE) this allows the local authority EHE team to oversee suitability of education as outlined in Elective Home Education Guidance for local authorities[1] and Elective home education guidance for parents and carers [2]. This guidance is applicable to school practice and safeguarding duty.
Parents have a right to educate their children at home. Section 7 of the Education Act 1996 provides that:
"The parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause him to receive efficient full-time education suitable – (a) to his age, ability and aptitude, and (b) to any special educational needs he may have, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise."
When a parent writes to inform school of their intention to withdraw a child the DfE recommends that the school arrange a meeting with the parent/guardian to discuss the reasons to withdraw. Wigan EHE team would recommend this is a member of senior leadership team, DSL or inclusion manager to support the parent to consider the wider implications of EHE as set out in guidance.
School should contact the local authority EHE team for further information via ehe@wigan.gov.uk
[12] Elective home education: departmental guidance for local authorities (publishing.service.gov.uk) [13] Elective home education: guide for parents (publishing.service.gov.uk)
Young Carers A young carer is someone under 18 who helps look after someone in their family, or a friend, who is ill, disabled or misuses drugs or alcohol.
Our school recognises the impact that being a Young Carer can have on pupils, and the importance of identifying those young people so that appropriate support can be provided.
Wigan Safeguarding Children Board coordinates our local Young Carers Strategy. (If relevant to your school) As a school we have achieved / are working towards the Children’s Society / Carers Trust ‘Young Carers in Schools’ Award and we have a supporting Young Carers Policy.
Where a pupil / student at our school is identified as having additional support needs due to being a young carer, or where a multi-agency approach may be required, our school uses the Early Help Framework and routes into the StartWell Service. |
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Monitoring and Evaluation Our child protection policy and procedures will be monitored and updated by:
This policy should be read in alongside the following policies relevant to the safety and welfare of our pupils;
Amend as appropriate Grievance Procedures SEND SMSC Attendance CME Searching screening and confiscation (Included in Promoting Positive Behaviour Policy) Use of reasonable force (included in Promoting Positive Behaviour Policy) Behaviour Policy Whistleblowing Anti-bullying Health and safety Allegations of abuse against adults Administrating medicines Sex and Relationships Education RSHE Positive Handling Policy E – Safety Staff use of mobile phones |