Child Protection Safeguarding Risk Assessment
School: Carlow Educate Together NS
Written Assessment of Risk of Carlow Educate Together
In accordance with section 11 of the Children First Act 2015 and with the requirement of Chapter 8 of the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools 2017, the following is the Written Risk Assessment of [name of school].
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List of school activities |
The school has identified the following risk of harm in respect of its activities |
The school has the following procedures in place to address the risks of harm identified in this assessment |
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Daily arrival and dismissal of pupils |
Risk of child being harmed in the school by visitor to the school |
Children arrive to school in either of the following manner:
The school keeps a list of adults who are permitted to collect children. If a parent/guardian wishes for another adult to collect their child, they should inform the school. In accordance with the child protection guidelines of Children First, if a parent comes to the school to collect a child and a member of staff perceives that the child may be in danger, the staff member must allow the child to be taken by the parent but the DLP will be notified who will decide whether to call the Gardaí. If this situation arises when the adult collecting is not the child’s parent, before allowing the child to be released, the child’s parent will be telephoned. In line with our behaviour policy, at collection times no adult should approach a child in the school in an aggressive manner. |
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Recreation breaks for pupils Annual Sports Day |
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Classroom teaching One-to-one teaching One-to-one counselling |
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School outings School trips involving overnight stay |
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Use of toilet in schools |
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There are toilets in every classroom. However, in cases where children are not in their classroom, when children are required to go to the toilet, they must be accompanied by another child who should stand outside the bathroom. From infants to 4th class, children must go in pairs to the bathroom. No more than 2 children should be allowed to leave a room to use the toilet at a time. In 5th and 6th class, due to children maturing, they are generally allowed to go to the toilet unaccompanied. However, only one child is allowed out of the room at a time. At break times, the teacher on duty is responsible for ensuring that only 2 children go to the toilet at a time and ensures that they return to the yard. If an adult is required to accompany a child to the toilet, another child must accompany them. |
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School transport arrangements including use of bus escorts |
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Care of children with special educational needs, including intimate care where needed. |
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Management of challenging behaviour amongst pupils, including appropriate use of restraint where required |
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Some children will require interventions that require physical restraint. While this is very rare, a number of staff members are qualified in the CPI technique which is a technique recognised as being safe and suitable by the Dept of Education and Science. Two qualified adults will utilise this method only where it is deemed absolutely necessary and this will be recorded in the incident file |
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Administration of Medicine Administration of First Aid Curricular provision in respect of SPHE, RSE, Stay Safe Prevention and dealing with bullying amongst pupils |
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Training of school personnel in child protection matters |
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Use of external personnel to supplement curriculum Use of external personnel to support sports and other extracurricular activities Students participating in work experience in the school Student teachers undertaking training placement in school After school use of school premises by other organisations |
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Recruitment of school personnel |
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Use of Information and Communication Technology by pupils in school Use of video/photography/other media to record school events |
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Breakfast club Homework club |
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Use of Multi-sensory Room |
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Swimming |
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Junior and Senior Infants must have a parent/guardian or a person designated by the parent/guardian at the swimming pool to help them change and get dressed. All other children going to the swimming pool should be able to change in and out of the clothes and to wash themselves. Carlow Educate Together NS staff members should not be asked or expected to change a child. While a Carlow Educate Together NS staff member is insured to be in the changing room with children changing, it is advised that two or more adults are in the room at that time. |
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Important Note: It should be noted that risk in the context of this risk assessment is the risk of “harm” as defined in the Children First Act 2015 and not general health and safety risk. The definition of harm is set out in Chapter 4 of the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post- Primary Schools 2017 |
In undertaking this risk assessment, the board of management has endeavoured to identify as far as possible the risks of harm that are relevant to this school and to ensure that adequate procedures are in place to manage all risks identified. While it is not possible to foresee and remove all risk of harm, the school has in place the procedures listed in this risk assessment to manage and reduce risk to the greatest possible extent.
This risk assessment has been completed by the Board of Management on ………………….. [date]. It shall be reviewed as part of the school’s annual review of its Child Safeguarding Statement.
Signed _____________________________________ Date ________________
Chairperson, Board of Management
Signed _____________________________________ Date ________________
Principal/Secretary to the Board of Management