Appendix B - Further Safeguarding Information
Types of Abuse
As outlined in paragraph 4.4, the Service will take action if we believe a child is at risk of or is suffering from abuse. Abuse is not limited to physical, emotional, sexual abuse and neglect. For further information on the definitions of the types of abuse below, please refer to Keeping Children Safe in Education (2022), Annex A.
See below for policy information relating to other key safeguarding issues. All decisions taken in responding to concerns of abuse will be taken in the best interests of the child.
Bullying, including cyber or online bullying
The Service takes all forms of bullying seriously and will respond sensitively and quickly to any reported bullying. Children should report any bullying to their tutor, to the DSL or the DDSL and we will work to resolve it.
We also teach children and young adults about the dangers of bullying through our Help and Wellbeing programme, linked to PSHE.
Bullying can take many forms and we have several policies that cover different aspects of bullying. Please see the Anti-Bullying Policy, the Behaviour Policy and paragraph 5.8 of this policy for further information.
Child criminal exploitation (including involvement in county lines)
The Service works closely with West Midlands Police to keep updated on what is currently happening in our area. The service educates its staff to look for signs of CSE/CCE, such as:-
- persistently going missing from school or home
- unexplained acquisition of money, clothes, or mobile phones
- relationships with controlling / older individuals or groups
- suspicion of physical assault / unexplained injuries
- parental concerns
- carrying weapons
- significant decline in school results / performance
- gang association or isolation from peers
- self-harm or significant changes in emotional well-being
Should we have reason to believe a pupil has become involved we will make referrals to both the Police and Children’s Services.
Domestic abuse
Coventry Adult Education Service will work with openness and honesty in line with Operation Encompass guidelines – a charitable organisation set up in 2011, to enable effective interventions for many thousands of children who've experienced domestic abuse.
The Service is currently reviewing how it can effectively share the list of enrolled learners and those who are referred following withdrawal from other organisation. Once this process is established the Service will be provided with updates as part of Police attendance reporting strategies.
Once part of this agreement with Operation Encompass, the Service will receive notification of an instance of domestic abuse, without detail, prior to 9am on the next day of education, West Midlands Police notify the service’s DSL if any learners on roll have been exposed to or involved in any domestic incident. No action needs to be taken by staff at the Service – however, the information can be useful to help us make an informed judgement on how best to support the learner. The DSL, DDSL, sector manager and tutor will discreetly check upon the learner and provide any support as required. The information is recorded on the learners safeguarding form within the secure SMT / Safeguarding folder in SharePoint.
Staff will report any suspicions of this to the DSL or DDSLs.
Faith-based abuse
Faith and belief-based child abuse, including practices around ‘spirit possession’ and ‘witchcraft’, is a hidden crime, which makes it difficult to quantify in terms of magnitude. However, we know this kind of abuse is under-reported. Staff will report any suspicions of this to the DSL or DDSL.
Female genital mutilation (A form of so-called ‘honour-based abuse)
There is a range of potential indicators that a child or young person may be at risk of FGM, which individually may not indicate risk but if there are two or more indicators present this could signal a risk to the child or young person. Victims of FGM are likely to come from a community that is known to practice FGM. Professionals should note that girls at risk of FGM may not yet be aware of the practice or that it may be conducted on them, so sensitivity should always be shown when approaching the subject.
If staff within the Service have any concerns at all, they will refer to the DSL or DDSL immediately.
Forced marriage (A form of so-called ‘honour-based abuse)
Forcing a person into marriage is a crime. A forced marriage is one entered into without the full and free consent of one or both parties and where violence, threats, or any other form of coercion is used to cause a person to enter into a marriage. Threats can be physical or emotional and psychological.
Staff will receive training around forced marriage and the presenting symptoms. We are aware of the ‘one chance’ rule, i.e., we may only have one chance to speak to the potential victim and only one chance to save them.
If a member of staff suspects that a pupil is being forced into marriage, they will speak to the learner about their concerns in a secure and private place. They will then report this to the DSL or DDSL.
Gangs or youth violence
Staff should always take what the child or young person tells them seriously and refer immediately to the DSL/DDSL, who will assess this together with the child's presenting behaviours in the context of whatever information they know or can gather from the child or young person about the risk factors for children affected by gangs and serious youth violence. Potentially a child involved with a gang or with serious violence could be both a victim and a perpetrator.
This requires staff to assess and support his/her/their welfare and wellbeing needs at the same time as assessing and responding in a criminal justice capacity. If there is a concern that a child or young person is at significant risk of harm as a victim or a perpetrator of serious youth violence, gang-related or not, the DSL will refer to Children’s Services and/or the police (Early Help Hub police liaison officer in the first instance) closest location to Southfields is: the St Michaels ward:
Harmony Hub
Clifton St,
Coventry CV1 5GR
Tel: 024 7697 8030
Gender-based violence
Gender based violence (GBV) is a major public health, equality, and human rights issue. It covers a spectrum of violence and abuse, committed primarily but not exclusively against women by men. This includes, but is not limited to:
- domestic abuse
- rape and sexual assault
- childhood sexual abuse
- stalking and harassment
- commercial sexual exploitation
- harmful practices - such as female genital mutilation, forced marriage and so-called ‘honour’ based violence
If staff within the Service have any concerns at all, they will refer to the DSL or DDSL immediately.
Hate
The term 'hate crime' can be used to describe a range of criminal behaviour where the perpetrator is motivated by hostility or demonstrates hostility towards the victim's disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, or transgender identity.
These aspects of a person's identity are known as 'protected characteristics'. A hate crime can include verbal abuse, intimidation, threats, harassment, assault, and bullying, as well as damage to property. The perpetrator can also be a friend, carer or acquaintance who exploits their relationship with the victim for financial gain or some other criminal purpose.
Within the Service learners are supported to develop their understanding of these issues through their Help and Wellbeing sessions on the Study Programme. If staff within the Service have any concerns at all, they will refer to the DSL or DDSL immediately.
Homelessness
Being homeless or being at risk of becoming homeless presents a real risk to a child’s welfare. A member of staff who becomes aware that a learner is (about to be) homeless should inform the designated safeguarding lead / deputy DSL. The safeguarding team should be aware of contact details and referral routes into the Local Housing Authority so they can raise/progress concerns at the earliest opportunity. Indicators that a family may be at risk of homelessness include household debt, rent arrears, domestic abuse, and anti-social behaviour, as well as the family being asked to leave a property.
Whilst referrals and or discussion with the Local Housing Authority should be progressed as appropriate, and in accordance with local procedures, this does not, and should not, replace a referral into Children’s Services where a child has been harmed or is at risk of harm. In most cases staff will be considering homelessness in the context of children who live with their families, and intervention will be on that basis. However, it should also be recognised in some cases 16- and 17-year-olds could be living independently from their parents or guardians, for example through their exclusion from the family home, and will require a different level of intervention and support. Children’s Services will be the lead agency for these young people and the designated safeguarding lead (or deputy) should ensure appropriate referrals are made based on the child’s circumstances.
(So-called) ‘Honour-based’ abuse (For FGM and Forced Marriage, types of so-called ‘honour-based’ abuse, see above)
Staff should be aware of the signs of HBA and immediately refer to the DSL or DDSL so that appropriate referrals and actions to safeguard can be made. Signs:
- withdrawal of student from school by those with parental responsibility
- truancy or persistent absences
- request for extended leave or student not returning from an overseas visit
- surveillance by siblings/cousins/extended family members at school
- decline in behaviour, engagement, performance or punctuality, poor exam results. – particularly for previously motivated students.
- decline in physical presentation or demeanour
Radicalisation and Extremism
The Counterterrorism and Security Act places a duty on specified authorities, including local authorities and childcare, education and other children’s services providers, in the exercise of their functions, to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and radicalisation (“the Prevent duty”).
The Counterterrorism and Security Act 2015 places a duty on local authorities to ensure Channel panels are in place. The panel must include the local authority and chief officer of the local police. Panels will assess the extent to which identified individuals are vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism, following a referral from the police and where considered appropriate and necessary consent is obtained, arrange for support to be provided to those individuals.
The Act requires partners of Channel panels to co-operate with the panel in the carrying out of its functions and with the police in undertaking the initial assessment as to whether a referral is appropriate. Schools and colleges which are required to have regard to Keeping Children Safe in Education are listed in the Act as partners of the panel.
Relationship abuse
See paragraph 5.8 of this document in conjunction with part 5 of KCSIE. Staff are supported to identify the signs of relationship abuse and raise appropriate concerns to the DSL.
Serious Violence
Staff should always take what the child tells them seriously and refer immediately to the DSL/DDSL should assess this together with the child's presenting behaviours in the context of whatever information they know or can gather from the child or young person about the risk factors for children affected by gangs and serious youth violence. Potentially a child involved with a gang or with serious violence could be both a victim and a perpetrator.
This requires staff to assess and support his/her welfare and well-being needs at the same time as assessing and responding in a criminal justice capacity. If there is a concern that a child is at significant risk of harm as a victim or a perpetrator of serious youth violence, gang-related or not, the DSL will refer to social care and/or the police (Early Help Hub police liaison officer in the first instance) the St Michaels ward –
Harmony Hub
Clifton St,
Coventry CV1 5GR
Tel: 024 7697 8030
Sexual violence or sexual harassment (including peer-on-peer abuse)
Violence against Women and Girls
www.safetotalk.org.uk , the website of the Coventry Domestic Violence and Abuse Partnership.
See paragraph 5.9 of this document in conjunction with part 5 of KCSIE. Staff are supported to identify the signs of this and raise appropriate concerns to the DSL.
Viewing or sharing of consensual or non-consensual nude images and videos
See paragraph 5.10 of this document.
Trafficking and modern slavery
Staff are supported to identify the signs of tracking and modern slavery and raise appropriate concerns to the DSL.
Children missing from education, home or care
The Hospital Education Service will also take action to protect.
- Children missing education
- Children missing from home or care
Children Missing Education and Children Missing from home or care Stat guidance template (publishing.service.gov.uk)
Private Fostering
The Service have a duty to refer any child or young person who is living in a private fostering arrangement to the local authority.
We will do this through a MASH referral. It is important that parents/carers inform us if a child is going to be staying at an alternative address to that of their primary caregivers for more than 28 days.
Indicators of abuse
See below for possible indicators of abuse. (Taken from What to do if you are worried a child is being abused, 2015)
- Children whose behaviour changes – they may become aggressive, challenging, disruptive, withdrawn, or clingy, or they might have difficulty sleeping or start wetting the bed
- Children with clothes which are ill-fitting and/or dirty
- Children with consistently poor hygiene
- Children who make strong efforts to avoid specific family members or friends,
- without an obvious reason
- Children who don’t want to change clothes in front of others or participate in physical activities
- Children who are having problems at Hospital Education Service, for example, a sudden lack of concentration and learning or they appear to be tired and hungry
- Children who talk about being left home alone, with inappropriate carers or with strangers
- Children who reach developmental milestones, such as learning to speak or walk, late, with no medical reason
- Children who are regularly missing from the Service or education
- Children who are reluctant to go home after the Services educational programme
- Children with poor Adult Educational Service attendance and punctuality, or who are consistently late being collected
- Parents who are dismissive and non-responsive to practitioners’ concerns
- Parents who collect their children from the Service when drunk, or under the influence of drugs
- Children who drink alcohol regularly from an early age
- Children who are concerned for younger siblings without explaining why
- Children who talk about running away and
- Children who shy away from being touched or flinch at sudden movements.
The Service recognises that the above list of indicators is not exhaustive, and staff will receive training on indicators of abuse.
To be reviewed August 2023