• the signs of  specific safeguarding issues, such as child-on-child abuse, child sexual exploitation (CSE), child criminal exploitation (CCE), indicators of being at risk from or involved with serious violent crime, FGM, radicalisation and serious violence (including that linked to county lines) See Annex B Keeping Children Safe in Education

• how to support and speak to children when they may share their worries or make disclosures of abuse, neglect or exploitation and contribute to creating a culture where children feel able to speak with the relevant safeguarding leads

• the importance of reassuring children that they are being taken seriously and that they will be supported and kept safe

• the importance of supporting families and providing a culture of support to encourage parents/carers to seek support and engage with our school and professionals when issues emerge or become a concern

• children can be at risk of harm inside the home (familial harm) and outside of their home (extra familial harms) and that any form of harm can happen directly or online

• the fact that children who are (or who are perceived to be) lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGBTQ+) can be targeted by other children

• what to look for to identify children who need help or protection in accordance with statutory procures under the children act section 17 (child in need) and section 47 (significant harm).

Role and Responsibilities of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

Our DSL team includes a member/s of our senior leadership team. We also have Deputy DSLs (DDSL) within our staffing group. Whilst one of the DSLs is referred to the ‘lead’ and will coordinate the DSL team, they are all trained at the same level to ensure that at all times one or more of them are available to carry out all of their designated functions in safeguarding.

• The DSL takes lead responsibility for our child protection and wider safeguarding arrangements. This includes online safety and understanding our filtering and monitoring processes on school devices and school networks to keep pupils safe online.

• Whilst all of our staff are part of our safeguarding culture, it is the role of our DSL to receive information, review and make decisions about any necessary further considerations or actions needed to respond to any safeguarding matters that arise.

• The DSL will act as the main contact in our schools when a child and their family are receiving support from the Federation, external agencies and statutory services.

• During term time, the DSL will be available during school hours for staff to discuss any safeguarding concerns. DSLs can work outside of these hours when matters of support or a child protection matter arises. At Muriel Green a deputy DSL will be available during non term time operation with the Lead DSL available if required.

• In the event that non-urgent matters arise out of school hours, our DSL can be contacted, if necessary, via email.  

• When the DSL is absent, please contact school’s Deputy DSL(s) using the emails listed above.

• If the school’s DSL and deputies are not available or cannot be reached, please contact the executive headteachers via email. head@rootsfederation.herts.sch.uk

The DSL will be given the time, funding, training, resources and support to:

• provide advice and support to other staff on child welfare and child protection matters

• take part in and/or lead early help support which may include a Families First Assessment and thereafter attend/chair Team Around the Child meetings

• take part in strategy discussions organised by the Local Authority’s Children’s Social Care and inter-agency meetings and/or support other staff to do so when required

• contribute to the assessment of children (when a child may have suffered harm or is at risk of harm)

• refer suspected cases, as appropriate, to the relevant body (Local Authority Children’s Social Care, Channel Programme, Disclosure and Barring Service, and/or Police), and support staff who make such referrals directly

• have a good understanding of behaviours that may impact on a child’s engagement and learning that may require consideration through safety/support planning, this includes the impact on themselves but also to other children

• have a good understanding of harmful behaviours that may require risk management, safety planning and/or support in school, this includes those presented by children within the setting, their parents/carer or associated adults where necessary

• have a good understanding of the filtering and monitoring systems and processes in place at our schools

• assist the Headteacher to review and respond to low-level concerns that may arise regarding staff

• share information and/or take part in statutory processes that involve reviewing and analysing of safeguarding practice and policies. This can include meetings held by Hertfordshire Safeguarding Children’s Partnership in response to significant safeguarding incidences, child death and/or where a safeguarding practice review is required to determine learning and practice analysis.

The DSL will also:

• keep the Headteacher informed of any issues, the conversations with children and their families, universal services and referrals to external agencies and statutory services

• liaise with universal, targeted and statutory agencies, Local Authority workers (Children’s Services and other key practitioners) when there are safeguarding concerns as appropriate (includes early help and child protection)

• share information about incidences of sexual violence and sexual harassment with statutory colleagues such as Police and Children’s Social Care colleagues in order to prepare and implement the school’s policies

• be confident about what local specialist support is available to support all children involved (including victims and alleged perpetrators) in sexual violence and sexual harassment

• be aware that children are entitled to have an ‘Appropriate Adult’ to support and help them in Police investigations or if there is threshold met for them to be searched.

The full responsibilities of the DSL and deputy(s) are set out in their job description, see  Annex C KCSiE

Role and Responsibilities of the Governance

Our Governing Body have a strategic role within our leadership and management team and must ensure that all staff comply with legislation and local guidance at all times.

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The Governing Body will:

facilitate a whole-Federation approach to safeguarding, ensuring that safeguarding and child protection are at the forefront of, and underpin, all relevant aspects of process and policy development for the setting

• evaluate and approve this child protection policy along with other policies related to safeguarding at each review, ensuring they comply with the law, and hold the Executive Headteachers to account for their implementation

• evaluate and approve recommendations/action plans identified through quality assurance activity that the Headteacher/DSL undertakes to review safeguarding practice through audits and annual/termly governing reports to ensure that they have regular oversight and hold the Headteacher/Principal accountable for the practice improvement

• be aware of its obligations under the Human Rights Act 1998, the Equality Act 2010 (including the Public Sector Equality Duty), and our school’s local multi-agency safeguarding arrangements

• appoint a senior body level (or equivalent) lead to monitor the effectiveness of the Federation’s safeguarding arrangements including policies and their implementation, in conjunction with the full governing body. This is always a different person from the DSL

• ensure all staff undergo safeguarding and child protection training, including online safety according to their roles, and that such training is regularly updated and is in line with statutory guidance and Hertfordshire Safeguarding Children’s Partnership

• ensure that all governors/trustees:

  • read Keeping Children Safe in Education in its entirety, and review compliance of this task at least annually

  • sign a declaration at the beginning of each academic year to say that they have reviewed the above guidance (bottom of this policy). This will be completed on Governor Hub.

• ensure that the Federation has appropriate filtering and monitoring systems in place and review their effectiveness. This includes:

  • making sure that the leadership team and staff are aware of the provisions in place, and that they understand their expectations, roles and responsibilities around filtering and monitoring as part of safeguarding training

  • reviewing the DfE’s filtering and monitoring standards and discussing with IT staff and service providers what needs to be done to support in meeting these standards.

The Governing Body will make sure:

• the DSL has the appropriate status and authority to carry out their job, including additional time, funding, training, resources and support

• online safety is a running and interrelated theme within the whole-school approach to safeguarding and related policies

• the DSL has lead authority for safeguarding, including online safety and understanding the filtering and monitoring systems and processes in place

• the Federation has effective procedures to manage any safeguarding concerns (no matter how small) that arise. This includes those related to child welfare concerns, low level concerns and allegations made against staff

• that this policy reflects those children with SEND, or certain medical or physical health conditions, can face additional barriers to any abuse or neglect being recognised

• where another body is providing services or activities on the school site (regardless of whether or not the children who attend these services/activities are children on the school roll):

  • seek assurance that the other body has appropriate safeguarding and child protection policies/procedures in place and inspect them if needed

  • make sure there are arrangements for the body to liaise with the school about safeguarding arrangements, where appropriate.

• make sure that safeguarding requirements are a condition of using the school premises, and that any agreement to use the premises would be terminated if the other body fails to comply.

• the Chair of Governors will act as the ‘case manager’ in the event that an allegation is made against the Headteacher. where appropriate (see Section 11 Managing Concerns and Allegations)

• Section 14 (Training) of this policy has information on how governors are supported to fulfil their role, also see Part two KCSiE 2023.

Role and Responsibilities of the Headteacher/Principal

The Headteacher/Principal will:

• implement this policy and ensure that all staff:

  • are informed of our systems which support safeguarding, including reading and understanding this policy, as part of their induction

  • follow the procedures included in this policy, what they should know and do in relation to information sharing and referrals of cases of suspected abuse and neglect

• make this policy available to parents/carers, professionals and the community to ensure there is transparency and clear expectations about the Federation’s duty to safeguarding and promote the welfare of children and the arrangements for responding to children presenting with needs that may require early help or support to protect them. This policy is available on all of our school’s website or in the school office.

• ensuring that the DSL has appropriate time, funding, training and resources, and that there is always adequate cover if the DSL is absent

• act as the ‘case manager’ representing the Federation in the event of an allegation of abuse made against another member of staff or volunteer

• managing cases where there are low-level concerns regarding the conduct of staff, or oversee delegation to the DSL

• ensuring the relevant staffing ratios are met, where applicable

• making sure each child in the Early Years Foundation Stage is assigned a key person

overseeing the safe use of technology, mobile phones and cameras in Early Years setting

Role and Responsibilities of the Designated Teacher

Our Designated Teacher takes leadership of promoting the educational attainment of Children With a Social Worker which includes:

• working closely with Virtual School Heads to ensure that funding is best used to support the child’s educational achievement and development needs that are identified in their personal education plans

• to carry out their duties in line with Designated teacher for looked-after and previously looked-after children - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and extended duties as outlined Promoting the education of children with a social worker and children in kinship care arrangements: virtual school head role extension - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

• working closely with our DSL for those children who are supported by a Child in Need or Child Protection Plan to ensure support for the education attainment of these children is appropriately entwinned with safeguarding processes.

Working with Families

Alongside Keeping Children Safe in Education Roots Federation adopts the fundamental principal of working in a child-centred approach within a whole family focus as promoted in Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023.

This principle is underpinned by the findings and recommendations within the Government’s 2023 publication Stable Homes, Built on Love in response to the recommendations of the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care. The strategy sets out how children’s social care is to be committed to supporting every child to grow up in a safe, stable and loving home. For most children this means growing up within their family. The strategy also emphasises the importance of having stronger expectations of support through early help and family networks.

At Roots Federation our principles align to the above. We endeavour to work in partnership and collaboration with children and their families so that they are supported from an early stage by being a part of and leading the conversations about change and aims for their children. We are keen to support families in a strength and solution-based approach, encouraging motivation and confidence to improve their own agency to make safe and positive decisions for themselves and their children.

Our principles include, but are not limited to:

Promoting effective partnership working with parents and carers e.g. build strong, positive, trusting, and co-operative relationships by:

• approaching families and their wider family networks and communities with empathy, respect, compassion, and creativity

• avoiding reinforcing family shame, suffering, and blame

• making efforts to understand the impact of the parental trauma influencing the dynamics and experiences of the family

• using strength-based approaches, working with parents and carers to identify what is working well and how their strengths could support them to effect positive change

• ensuring we work sensitively with parents, carers, and children, to identify and understand the impact of adversity and trauma in their lives; seeking to understand how adversity and trauma might manifest and affect children and parent’s engagement and use their expertise to adapt their response with care and compassion

• adapting our responses to meet the diverse needs of parents and carers, including fathers and male carers, and the specific challenges being faced, including parents and carers of disabled children, and where harm is outside the home

• ensuring we understand the family’s background, ethnicity, religion, financial situation, ability, education, sex, ages and sexual orientation, and potential barriers these create in seeking and accessing help and support

• being alert and recognising where parents or carers may not be acting in the best interest of the child or where children may be experiencing abuse, neglect, and exploitation as a result of actions by parents, carers, or other individuals in their lives. Practitioners use their skills and expertise to adapt their response to secure engagement

• being mindful of negative stereotypes when making decisions which might lead to false assumptions.

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Communicating effectively verbally and non-verbally by:

• communicating with respect, being clear, curious and inclusive; adapting to parent’s and carer’s needs

• providing materials to children, parents, carers, and families which are jargon free, developmentally appropriate and in a format that is easily understood

• ensuring any materials, such as minutes or reports, capture the school’s contribution but also those from the children, parents and carers which must include their views and wishes

• supporting families to access support to translate information where English is not their first language. Our Federation will access interpreters where needed including British Sign Language.

Empowering our parents and carers to participate in decision-making to help, support and protect children by:

• creating a safe culture which is an open and accepting forum free from discriminatory or prejudicial judgements

• ensuring the open culture is one which still provides reflection and challenge where the information has the potential to be a risk or influencing factor which may impact on a child’s safety and wellbeing

• asking families for their perspective on a situation or issue that arises, ensuring we consider their point of view and factor this in when thinking about support

• promote families’ rights to support through use of advocates, family members or a supporter

• ensuring parents and carers are fully aware of who will attend meetings and discussions, if the child will be invited to participate, and the format of the meeting or discussion

• giving parents and carers adequate preparation at every stage, relevant information, a safe and appropriate environment for participation, and suitable access arrangements

• signposting parents and carers to sources of help and support available locally or through the Local Authority

• provide opportunities for feedback and review to ensure acknowledgement of positive progress but also reviewing and discussion of any new or increasing issues to readapt a family’s plans

• being transparent about our concerns and why we may need to request support from an outside agency; and the potential actions should our concerns increase for the children

• helping parents and carers to understand what the issues are and how these impact on the child, what decisions could be made, what changes need to be made, why and how, timescales and possible outcomes

• providing information about different types of support, what it involves and expects from parents and carers so they can make an informed choice and decision about which support pathways will be more helpful and effective for them.

Confidentiality and Sharing Information

Trusted relationships are at the heart of working with children and their families at Roots Federation. We strive to uphold good practice and work in partnership with children and families, communicating effectively and listening well so that we have sufficient information to understand and be able to meet their needs.

An open culture is imperative when deciding whether to share information and it is important to get the lawful basis right. The legal framework can appear complex, and a lack of clarity can lead practitioners to assume, incorrectly, that no information can be shared because consent has not been provided. Our school’s understands the lawful basis in which our DSLs can share information with other people, agencies and organisations about the children and families we are supporting.

In line with our principles of working with families outlined above, we strive to be transparent, open and clear when we need to discuss any information or concerns that worry us about a child’s wellbeing. If we feel that we need to share information, we will explain how information will be shared or used so that families can make an informed choice about whether to consent. 

If we feel that we need to share information with services due to concerns about a child’s safety or welfare to provide the family with specific support, we will be upfront, transparent and honest about our concerns and the ways in which such services could help the family. We will endeavour to support and encourage the family to consent and engage with such support. We believe that this collaborative approach will support children to have the confidence to speak up and share their views as well as encouraging parents and carers of children at our school’s to have a willingness to engage with services that provide support.

If we have a concern about a child’s safety and have decided to share information to protect them from a risk of harm, we will endeavour to gain cooperation and understanding from parents and carers. We will strive where possible to always gain consent and where we believe our concerns have increased and warrant the sharing of information to statutory services such as Police and Children’s Social Care, we will have made efforts to discuss, explore and provide support to address these with families in a collaborative way beforehand; concerns should not be a surprise to families unless in situations where a one off or unprecedented incident occurs.

However, for a small number of children, seeking parental consent is not always possible and may place a child or others at risk of harm, for example:

• the child would be placed at increased risk of significant harm through the action of gaining this consent

• there would be an impact on a criminal investigation

• a delay in making the referral would impact on the immediate safety of the child.

In situations where our professional or legal duty is exercised to share certain information in the absence of consent, we will inform them as soon as possible if it is safe and appropriate to do so. We will be clear about what we have shared, with whom, the reasons why and how the information will be used.

In any situation where a child or their parent/carer object to consent or particular information sharing and we decide that it is proportionate to do so, a clear rationale, outlining our decisions and the reasons why, will be recorded on the child’s file.

In situations where there are allegations of child-on-child abuse, we will notify the parents or carers of all the children involved. If a child or group of children have suffered significant harm or are considered at risk of harm either directly or online we will have a duty to consider making a referral to Children’s Social Care and the Police if a crime has been committed. The process for this can be found in Section 9 and our principles for information sharing and consent will apply, unless we have a legal obligation to report the incident.

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In addition to sharing information, our DSLs will endeavour to arrange a meeting with the parents and carers of all children to share information about the incident, plan safety strategies and/or risk management plans. Our DSLs will endeavour to keep families up to date and provide reassurance on any measures being taken, whilst respecting the privacy of each individual child involved.

The Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 does not prevent or limit the sharing of information for the purposes of keeping children safe. Roots Federation recognises that timely information sharing is essential for effective safeguarding. Whilst we promote collaboration and partnership with our families, fears about sharing information must not be allowed to stand in the way of the need to promote the welfare and protect the safety of children when required.

The following principles apply to Roots Federation confidentiality agreement:

• timely information sharing is essential to effective safeguarding.

• the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 does not prevent, or limit, the sharing of information for the purposes of keeping children safe

• if staff need to share ‘special category personal data’, the DPA 2018 contains ‘safeguarding of children and individuals at risk’ as a processing condition that allows practitioners to share information without consent if: it is not possible to gain consent; it cannot be reasonably expected that a practitioner gains consent; or if to gain consent would place a child at risk

• staff should never promise a child that they will not tell anyone about a report of abuse, as this may not be in the child’s best interests

• if a victim asks the school’s not to tell anyone about the sexual violence or sexual harassment:

  • even if a victim doesn’t consent to sharing information, staff may still lawfully share it if there is another legal basis under the Data Protection Act that applies

  • the DSL will have to balance the victim’s wishes against their duty to protect the victim and other children

  • the DSL should consider the following points:

    • parents or carers should normally be informed (unless this would put the child at greater risk)

    • the basic safeguarding principle is: if a child is at risk of harm, is in immediate danger, or has been harmed, a referral should be made to Children’s Social Care where the child resides

    • where a report of rape, assault by penetration or sexual assault is made, this should be referred to the Police. While the age of criminal responsibility is 10, if the alleged perpetrator is under 10, the starting principle of referring to the Police remains.

• regarding anonymity, all staff will:

  • be aware of anonymity, witness support and the criminal process in general where an allegation of sexual violence or sexual harassment is progressing through the criminal justice system

  • do all they reasonably can to protect the anonymity of any children involved in any report of sexual violence or sexual harassment, for example, carefully considering which staff should know about the report, and any support for children involved

  • consider the potential impact of social media in facilitating the spreading of rumours and exposing victims’ identities

  • have regard for the Government’s publication Information sharing advice for safeguarding practitioners - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) includes 7 ‘golden rules’ for sharing information, and will support staff who have to make decisions about sharing information with all relevant parties.

If staff are in any doubt about sharing information, they can seek advice from our Headteacher, DSL or any person in a position of senior leadership or wider DSL team.

Recognise and Respond to Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation (what all staff must know and do if they have concerns)

Abuse, neglect and exploitation

All our staff are aware of what abuse, neglect and exploitation is and have an understanding of the different types of indicators as outlined in Appendix 3 which could suggest a child is suffering or likely to suffer harm.

We encourage our staff to be professionally curious about what to look out for as this is vital for the early identification of abuse, neglect and exploitation so that we are able to identify children who may be in need of help or protection at the earliest opportunity.

Abuse is a form of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm or by failing to act to prevent harm. Harm can include ill treatment that is not physical as well as the impact of witnessing ill treatment of others. This can be particularly relevant, for example, in relation to the impact on children of all forms of domestic abuse, including where they see, hear or experience its effects. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting by those known to them or, more rarely, by others. Abuse can take place wholly online, or technology may be used to facilitate offline abuse.

Our staff are aware that children may be abused by an adult or adults or by another child or children.

Physical Abuse

Physical abuse is a form of abuse which may involve:

• hitting

• shaking

• throwing

• poisoning

• burning or scalding

• drowning

• suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child.

Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child (Fabricated Induced Illness FII).

Emotional Abuse

The persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve:

• conveying to a child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person

• not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate

• age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond a child’s developmental capability as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning or preventing the child from participating in normal social interaction

• a child seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another

• serious bullying (including cyberbullying)

• causing a child to feel frightened or in danger

• exploitation or corruption of children.

Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, although it may occur alone. It can be difficult to recognise emotional abuse and children may not always realise they are experiencing it. However, there may be indicators in the way a child behaves and reacts to certain situations.

Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve:

• Physical contact: including assault by penetration (for example rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing, and touching outside of clothing

• Non-contact activities: such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse

• Online abuse: sexual abuse can take place online, and technology can be used to facilitate offline abuse.

Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males, women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children.

Neglect

Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development.

Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance abuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to:

• provide adequate food, clothing, and shelter (including exclusion from home or

abandonment)

• protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger

• ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate caregivers)

• ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment.

It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.

Exploitation

Exploitation in relation to children refers to the use of children for someone else’s advantage, gratification, or profit often resulting in unjust, cruel, and harmful treatment of the child. These activities are to the detriment of the child’s physical or mental health, education, moral or social-emotional development. It covers situations of manipulation, misuse, abuse, victimization, oppression or ill-treatment.

Our staff are aware that there are several types of child exploitation, including, but not limited to:

• Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE): this is a type of sexual abuse where children are sexually exploited for money, power, or status. It can involve contact and non-contact activities and can occur without the child’s immediate recognition; this is due to their grooming by the abuser.

• Child Labor Exploitation: this involves the use of children in work that is harmful to their physical and mental development. It deprives them of their childhood, potential, and dignity.

• Child Trafficking: children are recruited, moved, or transported and then exploited, forced to work, or sold. They are often used for forced labour, sexual exploitation, or illegal activities.

• Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE): this is where children are involved in activities of a criminal nature, often in gangs. They may be forced or manipulated into committing crimes, such as selling drugs or stealing.

Safeguarding Issues and Specific Forms of Abuse

All our staff understand that children can be at risk of abuse or exploitation in situations outside their families. They are aware that extra familial harms take a variety of different forms and children can be vulnerable to multiple harms including (but not limited to) sexual abuse (including harassment and exploitation), domestic abuse in their own intimate relationships (teenage relationship abuse), drug taking and/or alcohol misuse, criminal exploitation, child sexual exploitation, serious youth violence, county lines, radicalisation, consensual and non-consensual sharing of nude and semi-nude images and/or videos (also known as youth produced sexual imagery) and can put children in danger.

Staff are aware that Extra Familial Harms can present online, in a child’s environment/neighbourhood, school and any place/space that children occupy or access such as:

• Child abduction

• Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)

• Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE)

• County Lines

• Children and the Court system

• Children absent from education

• Children with family members in prison

• Cybercrime

• Domestic abuse

• Homelessness

• Mental health

• Modern Slavery and the National Referral Mechanism

• Preventing radicalization

• The Prevent Duty

• Channel

• Sexual violence and Sexual harassment between children in schools

• Serious Violence

• FGM and the mandatory reporting duty for teachers

• Forced marriage.

Detailed information about what staff understand about these forms of abuse and safeguarding issues is outlined in Appendix 4.

Child-on-Child Abuse

At Roots Federation we know that children can cause harm to other children. As a Federation we have a zero acceptance of child-on-child abuse and create a culture of keeping an open mind and attitude that “it could happen here”. Our staff are aware that even if no reports are being made in our school’s, it does not mean it is not happening.

Our staff understand that it is important to challenge inappropriate behaviours between children that are abusive in nature, and we have clear expectations that incidents are not downplayed or suggested to be jovial or part of growing up as this can lead to a culture of unacceptable behaviours and unsafe environments for children and young people.

Child-on-child abuse is most likely to include, but may not be limited to:

• bullying (including cyberbullying, prejudice-based and discriminatory bullying)

• abuse in intimate personal relationships between children (sometimes known as ‘teenage relationship abuse’)

• physical abuse which can include hitting, kicking, shaking, biting, hair pulling, or otherwise causing physical harm

• sexual violence, such as rape, assault by penetration and sexual assault

• sexual harassment, such as sexual comments, remarks, jokes and online sexual harassment

• causing someone to engage in sexual activity without consent, such as forcing someone to strip, touch themselves sexually, or to engage in sexual activity with a third party

• consensual and non-consensual sharing of nude and semi-nude images and/or videos (also known as sexting or youth produced sexual imagery)

• upskirting which typically involves taking a picture under a person’s clothing without their permission, with the intention of viewing their genitals or buttocks to obtain sexual gratification, or cause the victim humiliation, distress, or alarm

• initiation/hazing type violence and rituals (this could include activities involving harassment, abuse or humiliation used as a way of initiating a person into a group and may also include an online element).

Domestic Abuse

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 received Royal Assent on 29 April 2021. The Act introduced the first ever statutory definition of domestic abuse and recognises the impact of domestic abuse on children, as victims in their own right, if they see, hear or experience the effects of abuse. They may also experience it within their own intimate relationships.

Our staff understand that these experiences can have a detrimental and long-term impact on their health, well-being, development, and ability to learn. The statutory definition of domestic abuse, based on the previous cross-government definition, ensures that different types of relationships are captured, including ex-partners and family members.

Our staff are aware that domestic abuse can include intimate partner violence, abuse by family members, teenage relationship abuse and child to parent abuse and that anyone can be a victim of domestic abuse, regardless of sexual identity, age, ethnicity, socio-economic status, sexuality or background and domestic abuse can take place inside or outside of the home.

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

Keeping Children Safe in Education (2024) explains that FGM includes ‘all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs.’

FGM is illegal in the UK and is considered as a form of child abuse that has significantly harmful and long-lasting consequences. It can also be referred to as ‘female genital cutting’, ‘circumcision’ or ‘initiation’.

Our teachers are aware of their mandatory reporting duty and the requirement to immediately contact the Police if they are

• informed by a girl under 18 that an act of FGM has been carried out on her

• observes physical signs which appear to show that an act of FGM has been carried out on a girl under 18 (and they have no reason to believe that the act was necessary for the girl’s physical or mental health or for purposes connected with labour or birth).

The duty for teachers above does not apply in cases where a pupil is at risk of FGM or FGM is suspected but is not known to have been carried out. In these circumstances, teachers know they must report to the DSL who will follow local safeguarding procedures. 

Our members of staff who are not teachers, are aware that if they suspect a child is at risk or that FGM has been carried out, they should report this to the DSL immediately. 

Prevent and concerns about extremism

Roots Federation is aware of our duty under section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, in the exercise of our functions, to have “due regard to the need to prevent people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism”. This duty is known as the Prevent duty.

The Prevent duty is one of our wider safeguarding obligations.  Our DSLs and senior leaders are aware of the revised Prevent duty guidance: for England and Wales, especially paragraphs 141-210, which are specifically concerned with education.

Our staff are aware that children may be susceptible to radicalisation into terrorism. Similar to protecting children from other forms of harms and abuse, protecting children from this risk is a part of our school’s safeguarding approach.

Extremism is the vocal or active opposition to our fundamental values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and the mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. This also includes calling for the death of members of the armed forces.

Radicalisation is the process of a person legitimising support for, or use of, terrorist violence.

Terrorism is an action that endangers or causes serious violence to a person/people; causes serious damage to property; or seriously interferes or disrupts an electronic system. The use or threat must be designed to influence the Government or to intimidate the public and is made for the purpose of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause.

Where there is a concern, the DSL will consider the level of risk and decide which agency to make a referral to Children’s Services website.  or Channel, the Government’s programme for identifying and supporting individuals at risk of being drawn into terrorism.

The DfE also has a dedicated telephone helpline, 020 7340 7264, which all staff and governors can call to raise concerns about extremism for a pupil. In non-emergency situations DSLs can also email counter.extremism@education.gov.uk. In an emergency, call 999 or the confidential anti-terrorist hotline on 0800 789 321.

Concerns about mental health

Mental health difficulties can, in some cases, be an indicator that a child has suffered or is at risk of suffering abuse, neglect or exploitation. Poor or deteriorating mental health can also be a safeguarding concern in its own right. Our staff know to be alert to behavioural signs that suggest a child may be experiencing mental health or be at risk of developing one. 

If a staff member has a concern about a child’s mental health, no matter the level of the child’s emotional difficulties, they must speak to the school’s DSL who will evaluate if the child is at risk of immediate harm, and if so, will escalate to the appropriate level of support which includes speaking to the Federation lead for Mental Health. 

If a child is experiencing low moods, low self-esteem and general anxiety, our Federation mental health lead will be able to provide some advice about some self-accessed support through relevant approved wellbeing websites and apps. If however, the child is presenting with a concerning level of low mood and anxiety for a period of time then our mental health lead in partnership with the DSL will discuss with the child and their parents/carer to explore options of support.

If someone is experiencing suicidal thoughts but they do not need physical input from A&E then consideration will be given to accessing support from the SPA/Crisis team. If a referral for targeted mental health support is required then a referral through SPA will be made.

If, however, a child/young person is at immediate risk the school will recommend they need to be sent to A&E, or dial 999.

What all staff need to do to respond if abuse, neglect and exploitation is suspected or been disclosed.

At Roots Federation we adopt a whole Federation approach and safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Staff and volunteers, and governors must comply with our safeguarding procedures as set out below:

Concerns about child-on-child abuse

In most circumstances, incidences of pupils hurting other pupils will be dealt with under our school’s behaviour policy. Our child protection policy will apply to all incidents that raise safeguarding concerns where the alleged behaviour:

• is serious, and potentially a criminal offence

• could put pupils in the school at risk

• is violent

• involves pupils being forced to use drugs or alcohol

• involves sexual exploitation, sexual abuse or sexual harassment, such as indecent exposure, sexual assault, upskirting or sexually inappropriate pictures or videos (including the sharing of nudes and semi-nudes).

If a pupil makes an allegation of abuse against another pupil:

• staff must record the allegation on Cpoms and report to the DSL, staff should not investigate the matter

• the DSL will assess and consider the relevant next steps which may include, speaking with the child and parents, accessing relevant consultation lines provided to schools by the Local Authority, making a request for support to Children’s Services as well as the Police if the allegation involves a potential criminal offence or the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), if appropriate

• the DSL will consider whether a risk assessment or a safety and support plan would be beneficial for any children involved, including the victim(s), the child(ren) against whom the allegation has been made and any others affected, with a named person they can talk to if needed. This should include consideration of all aspects and areas of the school environment and beyond, for example off-site activities and school transport

• the DSL will speak to the child and their parent/s or carers to share the concerns, gain their views and consent to liaise with other agencies if there are any identified risks and unmet needs

• if the incident is a criminal offence school’s have a duty to report this and thereafter work closely with the Police (and other agencies as required) while protecting children and/or taking any measures to manage risk.  For incidences which involve significant harm and/or a potential criminal offence, the DSL will endeavour to gain consent but may override this should not gaining consent increase the risk to a child

• our DSLs are committed to ensuring that where concerns are raised about child-on-child abuse, incidences are taken seriously and dealt with fairly. DSLs will consider all information available to them and ensure that any action or decision is proportionate for all children involved, and that such decisions do not disproportionately impact on their access to education, although at times some restrictions or adaptations may be required to manage identified risk.

Creating a culture where children feel safe in school and minimising the risk of all forms of abuse.

We recognise the importance of taking proactive action to minimise the risk of any form of abuse, neglect and exploitation irrespective of from whom and where this comes from, including child-on-child abuse. Creating a supportive environment where children can feel confident in reporting incidents is key to our safeguarding culture in Roots Federation.   

We expect all staff to:

• challenge any form of derogatory or sexualised language or inappropriate behaviour between peers, including requesting or sending sexual images

• be vigilant to issues that particularly affect different genders, for example, sexualised or aggressive touching or grabbing towards female pupils, and initiation or hazing type violence with respect to boys

• ensure our curriculum helps to educate pupils about appropriate behaviour and consent

• ensure pupils are able to easily and confidently report abuse using our reporting systems 

• reassure victims that they are being taken seriously

• be alert to reports of sexual violence and/or harassment that may point to environmental or systemic problems in the school or elsewhere that could be addressed by us updating policies, processes and the curriculum, or could reflect wider issues in the local area that should be shared with our safeguarding partners

• support children who have witnessed sexual violence, especially rape or assault by penetration. We will do all we can to make sure the victim, and alleged perpetrator(s) and any witnesses are not bullied or harassed

• consider intra-familial harms (adults close to the child and family) and any necessary support for siblings following a report of sexual violence and/or harassment. 

Our staff are trained to understand:

• how to recognise the signs of child-on-child abuse, and know how to identify it and respond to reports

• even if there are no reports of child-on-child abuse in school, it does not mean it is not happening – staff should maintain an open mind and attitude of “it could happen here”

• if they have any concerns about a child’s welfare, they should act on them immediately rather than wait to be told; and always speak to the DSL should they be unclear

• children may not always make a direct disclosure and therefore they must be aware that:

• children can show signs or act in ways they hope adults will notice and react to; it may be that their difficulties emerge from behaviour when they do not have the language to express themselves

• a friend of the child may share information to a staff member or make comments; professionally curiosity is key, do not fear exploring the information and asking open ended questions 

• staff overhear a conversation between children

• a child’s behaviour may change suddenly with no clear reason or precipitating event that might offer some explanation

• some children can face additional barriers to telling someone, for example they have a disability, special educational need, age gender, ethnicity and/or sexual orientation etc.

• one child’s concerning/abusive behaviour towards another could be an indicator of that child having been harmed themselves.

If a child makes a disclosure to a member of staff or volunteer

All staff are aware they should always be prepared as children can disclose spontaneously to any one anywhere.

Roots Federation is situated within the County of Hertfordshire which has a rich and diverse population. We cannot, and do not, assume that all children and their families have the ability, understanding, language and resilience to convey any difficulties they may experience. It is key to our Federation ethos to recognise the needs of children and their families and to recognise and provide support where English may not be their first language and/or the children or family members have special educational needs; and without doing so may impede their ability to represent their voice, wishes and feelings.

All staff know that we place the voice of children at the centre of everything we do and endeavour to place their best interests at heart. We ensure we know who our children are, staff are encouraged to be curious by speaking and listening to children whilst respecting any protected characteristics. We hope our children have confidence and trust in our staff, believing they will be taken seriously and be supported with their issues or concerns sensitively. 

Staff also know that children may not always feel ready or know how to tell someone that they are being abused, neglected or exploited and do not always recognise their experiences as harmful.

We listen to children by: 

• showing patience regardless of a child’s age as we know they can find it hard to find the words to express themselves

• encouraging children to tell their story in their own words

• avoiding the use of leading questions or suggesting what may have happened, instead we maintain genuine curiosity, and only ask open-ended questions / prompts.

We reassure children by:

• making sure a child does not feel they are in trouble and that they have done the right thing in speaking to staff

• we let a child know it is not their fault as children are often made to feel blame by those harming them

• never promising confidentiality and being transparent about our obligations to share information if we are concerned that they are at risk of harm

• helping children to understand how we plan to support them and their family and let them know what action we will need to take next to support them.

Recording concerns 

Our staff know that reporting concerns is a procedural requirement when safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Our staff are clear that they must:

• record all conversations relating to any level of concerns on our recording systems; ensuring that the record is as detailed as possible, is factual, does not contain assumptions or personal judgement and captures the child’s account in their own words

• inform the DSL about their concern as soon as possible; where the concern involves a disclosure or concern that the child is at risk of harm they must inform the DSL immediately.

• All concerns are recorded on CPOMS.

Our staff are aware that such information is confidential and should be shared with the DSL only who may hold additional information about the child and their family, and therefore can form a view on its significance and whether any action is required. Staff will not share information amongst themselves and will not share the information outside of the formal reporting process unless asked to by the DSL. This ensures that information is shared without delay enabling the DSL to carry out any necessary functions of their role whilst upholding confidentiality for the child and their family.

What school and college staff should do if they have concerns about a child

Roots Federation is committed to ensuring that all children feel safe and comfortable to share and report any concerns and/or allegations about their personal experiences at home, in the community, online or regarding a member of staff or other children in the school. As outlined above, all our staff are clear on the importance of listening to and supporting children when making disclosures, and the need to reassure them.

Our staff are aware that children can share information with anyone in our school’s but there are clear reporting processes when such information sharing raises concern about their welfare. Children may talk about worries and anxieties around friendships and school life which they need to support with but on other occasions they may share information about their family life which indicates that the children and their family may be in need of help and/or fear or experiences which cause staff to be concerned about whether they have been harmed or are at risk of being harmed. Where such situation arises, our staff are clear on the reporting processes.

Any member of staff, including supply teachers, contract workers, volunteers, governors/trustees and visitors at Roots Federation who has any concerns about a child’s welfare should:

• maintain an attitude of ‘it could happen here’ where safeguarding is concerned and always act in the best interests of the child. Never promise a child confidentiality

• reassure the child they have done nothing wrong and if appropriate explain to them how they will be supported and who you will need to share information with

• record what the child or others have disclosed using their language - or describe what you have seen or suspect and your rational for this. Also ensure you make a note of any injuries observed or described by the child (if it is the latter two)

• consider if the child needs medical attention and if so prioritise ensuring they receive this

• you must never delay reporting your concerns about the welfare of a child and always act immediately by reporting/speaking to the school’s DSL/deputies

• record what the child or other has disclosed in their language or describe what you have seen or suspect and your rational for this (if it is the latter two)

The DSL or deputy will:

• use Hertfordshire threshold guidance to initially assess the concerns raised and consider the impact on the child’s welfare, at the same time their safety. They will also review the child’s record in order to establish if there has been any previous concerns (records help to establish relevant history and risk factors for example even if a concern appears low level on the surface, a series of incidents can highlight patterns of ongoing abuse and neglect.) The DSL will use the Continuum of Need to support their analysis and rationale for any decision

• DSL or deputy will speak to the child to verify their wishes and feelings, contact the child’s parents or carers to either inform them of the concerns and also to gauge their view (it will be at the discretion of the DSL team to carefully consider if this action may place a child at further risk, e.g. if the child has disclosed abuse and neglect caused in the family home)

• if the child has not suffered significant harm as defined by the Children Act, DSL may also decide to seek advice through the range of Hertfordshire departmental non child protection advice lines. The purpose of these are to support DSLs to consider the best options to engage children and their families with an offer of early help support, preventing escalation where possible but also request for support via Children’s Services where necessary. Examples of this are managing any support for the child internally via the school’s or college’s own pastoral support processes and/or undertaking a Families First Assessment

• if it is immediately apparent that a child has suffered significant harm or is at risk of harm e.g. suffered abuse, neglect and/or exploitation, the school’s DSL will make a referral to Children’s Social Care to request support at the earliest opportunity; consent will be gained where appropriate. If there has been a crime committed within the circumstances of the abuse, they will also report this to the Police.  

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