What follows is based on Oxfordshire County Council Safeguarding Pupils Policy (2006) and takes account of the outcomes of "Every Child Matters". We are obliged by the terms of The Children Act 1989/2004 to ensure that all staff are aware of the procedures for dealing with allegations of abuse, within or outside the school. Abuse can be defined as being where a child has suffered "significant harm" or impairment of health and development by reason of physical violence, sexual interference, emotional pressure, neglect or persistent bullying.

Training in Child Protection for all Common Room and Senior boys is part of the School's Policy - the CPO's are trained every two years, Common Room every three and Senior boys as they are appointed Mentor and Prefect. All other staff are made aware of these arrangements through Department Heads.

Please familiarise yourself with the text. If one of us does receive such information it is vital and a legal requirement that it is dealt with as here described.

Anyone who wishes to read the full Oxfordshire Policy may borrow it from the Senior Master.

The Senior Master (Mr. Michael Hopkins) is the designated member of staff (The Child Protection Officer - CPO) with responsibility for child protection issues in the school. In his absence, any allegation should be referred to his named Deputies (Ms. Liz Murtagh and Mr. Tom Ryder) or direct to the Warden. Staff members are members of Common Room and those who have direct pastoral care of the pupils.

1. Any member of staff who is told of any incident or strong suspicion of physical or sexual child abuse or of bullying occurring in the school, or to a pupil of the school at home or outside the school, must report the information immediately to the CPO.
   
   
2. Child abuse to be reported includes abuse of a pupil by a staff member or other adult, abuse at home which a pupil reports to staff, abuse by a stranger outside school, and abuse of one pupil by another pupil. In the case of abuse by a pupil, or group of pupils, the key issues identifying the problem as above (rather than an isolated instance of bullying or 'adolescent experimentation' which could be handled within the normal framework for discipline) are
   • the frequency, nature and severity of the incident(s),
   • whether the victim was coerced by physical force, fear, or by a pupil or group of pupils significantly older than himself, or having power or authority over him,
   • whether the incident involved a potentially criminal act, and
   • whether if the same incident (or injury) had occurred to a member of staff or other adult, it would have been regarded as assault or otherwise actionable.
     
     N.B. School staff (including the designated staff member and the Warden) should not investigate reports of physical or sexual abuse themselves. Alleged victims, perpetrators, those reporting abuse and others involved should not be interviewed by school staff beyond the point at which it is clear that there is an allegation of abuse.
3. One of the major reasons for the inclusion of boarding schools within the Children Act is to ensure that local child protection procedures are followed in cases of alleged child abuse. The interviewing of children and adults involved is now carried out by specially trained staff only, following procedures agreed between (amongst others) the local authority and Police in line with Government requirements. These are designed to avoid unnecessary or repeated interviewing and examinations. Inspectors of boarding schools will not interview or investigate allegations of child abuse themselves - they too will refer the investigation to specialist Social Services and Police staff.
   
   
4. When an investigation turns out to be a 'false alarm' and also when an investigation is substantiated, the OSCB (Oxford Safeguarding Children Board) will work with the school to live through and recover from the situation.
   
   
5. If a pupil is making allegations about abuse (either of himself or another) he must be made aware that while the matter will be kept as confidential as possible, other people as well as the immediate confidant will become involved. In fact it is important that pupils should know this in advance anyway.
   
   
6. The following is the procedure that members of staff are recommended to follow when an allegation of sexual or physical abuse is made. (It is open to members of staff to suggest that pupils should make any allegations direct to the CPO or his Deputies, though this may not always be appropriate).Members of staff should:
   • Limit any questioning to the minimum necessary to seek clarification only on whether abuse has occurred.
   • Stop asking any more questions as soon as the pupil has disclosed that he believes that something abusive has happened to him, or to someone else.
   • Tell the informing pupil that the CPO will now make sure that the appropriate people are brought in to follow the problem up (these will include the specialist social worker, and that worker may need to involve the Police).
   • Ask the informing pupil or adult what steps they would like taken to protect them now that they have made an allegation, and assure them that the school will try to follow their wishes.
   • Refer the matter immediately, with all relevant details, to the CPO, as above.
   • Make a written record as soon as possible of what they have been told, and make a copy of this available to the CPO.
7. After the CPO has received an allegation of abuse, he will need to co-ordinate various courses of action. He will NOT investigate the matter further, but will refer it to the Team Manager (Children and Families) of the local Social Services office (an out of hours number is available). It may be necessary to allocate another staff member to stay with the pupil (preferably an adult of the pupil's own choice).
   
   
8. The designated staff member will be advised by the SSD Team Manager as to whether (a) parents should be told. (This will normally be very early on, though there are circumstances where this would be inappropriate) or (b) any medical treatment or examination is necessary. Further, advice will be taken as to whether the pupil should be isolated, or any other staff be informed.
   
   
9. In any subsequent interview of a boy who has made allegations, the person he has initially approached or a staff member of his choice may be required to accompany him.
   
   
10. All staff should be aware of risk situations for themselves. Inappropriate physical contact should be avoided - in fact it is a requirement of the Children Act that a reminder of this should be given to staff. Obviously there will be occasions when a comforting arm is appropriate and right. On the other hand cuffing or hitting a boy is not acceptable.
    
    
11. Any adult visitor to a Social must be accompanied by a responsible adult if he/she enters the boarding side of any Social. An adult is anyone who is 18 or over; a visitor is deemed to be someone who is not a member of the academic staff, nor a resident member of the Tutor's or Sub Tutor's family (including "partners") nor someone already "cleared" by the Bursary i.e. typically College or appointed workmen carrying out maintenance/work in a Social.
    
    
12. As a further safeguard, all adults resident in accommodation attached to a Social will be subject to a Criminal Records Bureau check either at standard level (those not employed by College) or enhanced level (those employed by College).
    
    
13. An annual Welfare report is provided for the Council (governing body) and includes any Child Protection Issues.