Policy & Guidance

Following the change of Government in 2010, much of the current guidance is under review. We aim, where possible to keep this site up-to-date and to provide links to the most recent guidance available. We acknowledge the possibility that there may be some errors in our updates due to the fast paced changes within the safeguarding environment and would welcome any contact regarding new information. Please contact your Local Area Children's Officer.

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All policy and guidance documents can be found in the following sections. Click on the heading below to go straight to that section.

• Managing Allegations Against Staff and Safer Working Practise 
• School Policies and Guidance 
• Early Years Policies
• Kent Safeguarding Children Board
• Photographic Images of Children
• Safe Recruitment 
• Managing e-Safety
• Initial Assessment and Referral for Children in Need to Social Services
• Safeguarding Self Review Tool for Schools 
• Ofsted
• Guidelines for Safeguarding Record Keeping in Schools
• Kent and Medway Domestic Abuse Good Practice Protocols - Working with Young People in Schools
• Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC)

Policy and Guidance Documents

• Working Together to Safeguard Children: A guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children - March 2010 (pdf)
• Safeguarding Children: Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education (PDF)  

"Working together to Safeguard Children" sets out statutory and non-statutory guidance on how organisations and individuals should work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. It is addressed to practitioners and front line managers who have particular responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and to senior and operational managers, in organisations. "Safeguarding Children" sets out the specific safeguarding responsibilites of education services.

• Safeguarding Children Policy Statement: Child in Need & Child Protection (Under review)

School Policies and Guidance                                                                                          

• Exemplar Safeguarding Policy for Schools Updated October 2011 New
• Advice Notes - Dealing with Disclosures in School - New
• Behaviour and Discipline in Schools: A Guide for Teachers and School Staff (PDF) New
• Screening, Searching and Confiscation: Guidance for School Leaders, Staff and Governing Bodies (PDF) New
• Use of reasonable force: Advice for Head Teachers, staff and Governing Bodies (PDF) New
• Guidance on the use of restrictive physical interventions for pupils with severe behavioural difficulties (PDF)
• Guidance on the Use of Restrictive Physical Interventions for Staff Working with Children and Adults who Display Extreme Behaviour in Association with Learning Disability and/or Autistic Spectrum Disorders (PDF)
• Protocols for the Operation of Community Punishment Project Groups in Kent LEA Schools (Under review)
• School Anti-Bullying Policy (PDF) 
• Confidentiality Policy for Schools (Under review)
• Information sharing: Pocket Guide (PDF)
• Safe Parenting Handbook (PDF) 
• "Child Abuse - what every parent needs to know" (leaflet used by schools) (Under review)
• Guidelines for School Staff Leaflet   November 2011 version (under review) 
• Guidelines for School Staff Leaflet  (Green 2009 leaflet) (Under review)

Safeguarding Self Review Tool for Schools                                                 

• DRAFT Self Review Tool for Schools (2009 version)  (Under review)
• Self Review Tool Part 2 - (Jan 2010 version) (Under review)

Photographic Images of Children                                                              

 These guidelines aim to raise awareness of the potential dangers to children whilst offering practical advice to schools and services in the use of digital technology.

• Policy & Guidance for Kent Schools, Settings and KCC Services on the use of Photographic Images of Children (updated March 2009) (PDF)

 Managing e-Safety                                                                     

• Kent e-Safety Information Content
• Safer Practice with Technology - Guidance for Adults who Work with Children and Young People  
• Responding to an Incident Flowchart

• Contact the e-Safety Officer, Rebecca Avery: email: esafetyofficer@kent.gov.uk or telephone:  01622 221469

Guidelines for Safeguarding Record Keeping in Schools                      

• Guidelines for Safeguarding Record Keeping in Schools

Kent and Medway Domestic Abuse Good Practice Protocols - Working with Young People in Schools                                                                                           

• Good Practice Protocols (PDF)

Early Years Policies                                                                                    

• Early Years Exemplar CP Policy - July 2011
• Early Years Allegations against Staff Policy - July 2011
• Early Years Recording Guidelines - July 2011
• Early Years Safeguarding Checklist for Day Care Providers - July 2011
• Early Years Legal Contact Guidance - July 2011
• Early Years Best Practice Guidance for Visitors to Settings - July 2011
• Guidelines for Early Years Staff Leaflet  (PDF version) (Under review)

Managing Allegations Against Staff in Education and Safer Working Practice  

• New Child Protection Procedures for Managing Allegations Against Staff  KCC Sept 2010
• Working Together to Safeguard Children: A guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children - March 2010 (pdf): See Appendix 5 " Procedures for Managing  Allegations against People who work with Children"
• DfE: Dealing with Allegations of abuse against teachers and other staff (PDF) July 2011 New 
• Guidance for Safer Working Practice for Adults who Work with Children and Young People - January 2009 (DCSF) WIDER CHILDREN'S WORKFORCE Version
• Guidance for Safer Working Practice for Adults who Work with Children and Young People - March 2009 EDUCATION
• A Guide for Staff and Volunteers who Work With Children and are Facing an Allegation of Abuse. AMA leaflet Dec 2007

Specialist advice:

• Safeguarding Children: Good Practice Guide for Instrumental Music Teachers (Under review)
• Child Protection in Sport Unit
• Safe Practice in Physical Education & School Sport

You may also find that Governing bodies (such as FA, ASA etc) publish their own guidance and policies, please check their websites.

Allegation Outcome Form Education                                                     

• Allegation Outcome Form  Education

Allegations relating to the Wider Children's Workforce (LADO)        

• LADO Protocol for the Wider Children's Workforce (Coming soon)
• Allegation Outcome Form Wider Children's Workforce (Non education)

 Kent Safeguarding Children Board                                             

• KSCB website 
• KSCB Procedures 2009 
  • 10.3 Children who display harmful behaviour: see  page 212
  • 10.26 Sexually Active Children: see page317
  • 14.6 Professional Disagreement: see page 416

• KSCB documents :
  • Child Protection Newsletter Item March 2011 SCR Daniel
  • KSCB Child Protection Conference Report Templates (for Professionals)

Safe Recruitment                                                                                      

• ISA website
• CRB website
• Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education (Jan 2007) pdf
• Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks for those providers who register with Ofsted (Updated April 2011)
• The Vetting and Barring Scheme - Latest DfE Information (Feb 2011)
• http://www.kscb.org.uk/ - Link to KSCB  Please look under Polices & Procedures > Additional Guidance > Safe Recruitment & Employment Guidance October 2007
• CRB - ILLEGAL checks - Important note for schools
• Criminal Records Bureau Checks - Central Record Sample
• On-Line Training for Safer Recruitment

• Letter regarding changes to the Referral Process (October 2011) LATEST
• Letter regarding changes to the Referral Process (September 2011)
• Kent and Medway Inter-Agency Threshold Criteria for Children in Need (2011)
  • Child in Need & Child Protection Referral Form (for Electronic Completion) Jan 09 NEW
  • Child in Need & Child Protection Referral Form (for printing & faxing) Jan 09 NEW
  • Initial Assessment and Referral Form Guidance Notes (Revised Sept 2008) NEW
• Click here> to link to CAF page on Kent Trust Web and Early Intervention Co-ordinators & Administrators Contact Information

As you will see there are two versions of the Inter Agency Referral Form above which can be used, one of which is an electronic version that should be e-mailed directly to central.duty@kent.gov.uk but you will still need to subsequently post or fax a signed copy in the usual way.The other form is for completion in writing and should be faxed to the Central Duty Team on 01732 221645  (Under review).

Ofsted                                                                                                         

NEW  January 2012 -  '...schedule for the inspection of maintained schools and academies'  (Safeguarding is now incorportated under sections  'Behaviour and safety....'  and   'Quality of Leadership...')