Child Safeguarding Statement

School: Caherleaheen NS

Child Safeguarding Statement and Risk Assessment

 

Caherleaheen NS  is a primary school providing primaryeducation to pupils from Junior Infants to Sixth Class.

In accordance with the requirements of the Children First Act 2015, Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017, the Addendum to Children First (2019), the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post Primary Schools 2025 and Child Safeguarding: A Guide for Policy, Procedure and Practice 2nd Ed. (TUSLA 2024), the Board of Management of Caherleaheen NS has agreed the Child Safeguarding Statement set out in this document.

• The Board of Management has adopted and will implement fully and without modification the Department’s Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post Primary Schools 2017 as part of this overall Child Safeguarding Statement and Risk Assessment

• The Designated Liaison Person (DLP) is     Mary Connolly

• The Deputy Designated Liaison Person (Deputy DLP) is Claire Murphy

• Name of Relevant Person is Mary Connolly

• Relevant Person can be contacted on    066 7121919      email: caherleaheen@hotmail.com

• Name of Chairperson of the Board of Management is      John Griffin

 

The Board of Management recognises that child protection and welfare considerations permeate all aspects of school life and must be reflected in all of the school’s policies, procedures, practices and activities. In its policies, procedures, practices and activities, the school will adhere to the following principles of best practice in child protection and welfare:

 

•  The board of management recognises that child protection and safeguarding permeate all aspects of school life and must be reflected in all  of        the school’s policies, procedures, practices and activities. In all of these, the school will adhere to the following principles of  best practice in child  protection and welfare. The school will:

 

• Recognise that the protection and welfare of children is of paramount importance, regardless of all other considerations.
•  Fully comply with its statutory obligations under the Children First Act 2015 and other relevant legislation relating to the protection and welfare of children.
•  Fully co­operate with the relevant statutory authorities in relation to child protection and welfare matters.
•  Adopt safe practices to minimise the possibility of harm happening to children and protect members of school personnel from the necessity to take unnecessary risks
  that may leave themselves open to accusations of child abuse.
•  Develop a practice of openness with parents and encourage parental involvement in the education of their children.
•  Fully respect confidentiality requirements as set out in the Child Protection Procedures for Schools 2025 in dealing with child protection matters.
•  Adhere to the above principles in relation to any vulnerable adult.

Procedures and Measures in Place

Our Child Safeguarding Statement and Risk Assessment has been developed in line with requirements under the Children First Act 2015, the Children First: National Guidance 2017,
and Child Safeguarding: A Guide for Policy, Procedure and Practice, 2nd ed. (Tusla, 2024), and the Child Protection Procedures for Schools 2025. In addition to the procedures listed in our
risk assessment, the following procedures support our intention to safeguard children while they are availing of our service:

Procedure for the Management of Allegations of Abuse or Misconduct against School Personnel Relating to a Child Availing of Our Service
~ Where any member of school personnel is the subject of any investigation in respect of any act, omission or circumstance in relation to a child attending the
school, the school is required to adhere to the relevant procedures set out in Chapter 7 of the Child Protection Procedures for Schools 2025 and to the relevant
agreed disciplinary procedures for school staff which are published on the gov.ie website

 

Procedure for the Safe Recruitment and Selection of School Personnel to Work With Children

~ The school is required to adhere to the requirements of the Vetting Act. The selection or recruitment of staff and their suitability to work with children,
requires the school to adhere to the statutory vetting requirements of the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016,
and to the wider duty of care guidance set out in relevant Garda vetting and recruitment circulars published by the Department of Education and Youth and
available on the gov.ie website and as outlined in Chapter 10 of the procedures.
~ A written protocol is in place authorising immediate action for cases which require an employee to be immediately absented from school for child safeguarding
reasons.

Procedure for Provision of and Access to Child Safeguarding Training and Information, Including the Identification of the Occurrence of Harm

~ The school provides information and training to members of school personnel in relation to the identification of the occurrence of harm (as defined in the 2015 Act) as follows:

~ The school has provided each member of school personnel, including any new members of school personnel, (employees and volunteers, board of
management members, student teachers and those on work experience) with a copy of the school’s Child Safeguarding Statement and Risk Assessment.
~ The school ensures that members of school personnel have availed of relevant training and completed child protection training.
~ The school encourages board of management members to avail of any relevant training and complete child protection training.
~ The board of management ensures that records of all staff and board member child protection training are maintained.

Procedure for the Reporting of Child Protection or Welfare Concerns to Tusla

~ All members of school personnel are required to adhere to the procedures set out in the Child Protection Procedures for Schools 2025, in relation to reporting of child protection concerns to Tusla. Mandated reporting applies to all registered teachers and any other mandated person who may be employed by the school, for example a chaplain or nurse. A full list of those people who are mandated persons is set out in Appendix 1 procedures.

> Procedure for Maintaining a List of the Persons (if any) in the Relevant Service Who Are Mandated Persons

~ There is a procedure in place to maintain a list of mandated persons. Schools may on occasion employ additional staff who are mandated by virtue of their profession. This list will include all registered teachers and identify additional employees that are not registered teachers.

> Procedure for Appointing a Relevant Person (In schools this person is the DLP)
~ There is a procedure in place for appointing a relevant person

The various procedures referred to in this Child Safeguarding Statement and Risk Assessment can be accessed via the school’s website, the gov.ie website or will be made available on request by the school.

In accordance with the Children First Act 2015, the Addendum to Children First 2019 and 2025, and the Child Protection Procedures for Schools 2025, the board of management has carried out an assessment of any potential for harm to a child while attending the school or participating in school activities. A written assessment setting out the areas of risk identified and the school’s procedures for managing those risks is included with the Child Safeguarding Statement.

Note: The procedures and measures in place outlined above, are not intended as exhaustive list. Individual boards of management shall also include in this section such other procedures and measures that are of relevance to the school.

This statement has been published on the school’s website or will be made available on request by the school. It has been provided to all members of school personnel, the parents’ association (if any), the patron and parents. A copy of this statement and risk
assessment will be made available to Tusla and the department if requested. This Child Safeguarding Statement and Risk Assessment will be reviewed annually or as soon as practicable after there has been a material change in any master to which this statement refers.

Signed _______________________                                            _________________________                   Date ____________

John Griffin                                                                                    Mary Connolly

Chairperson                                                                                    School Principal and DLP

 

 

 

 

 

 

Child Safeguarding Risk Assessment

Written Assessment of Risk of  Caherleaheen NS.

In accordance with section 11 of the Children First Act 2015 and with the requirements 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].

 

1. List of school activities

Training of school personnel in Child Protection matters   One to one teaching   Care of Children with special needs, including intimate care needs   Toilet areas   School outings   School trips involving overnight stay   School trips involving foreign travel   Annual Sports Day (see Use iof off-site facilities below)   Fundraising events involving pupils   Use of off-site facilities for school activities   School transport arrangements including use of bus escorts and volunteer parents.     Care of any vulnerable adult students, including intimate care where needed   Management of challenging behaviour amongst pupils, including appropriate use of restraint where required     Administration of Medicine and administration of First Aid   Curricular provision in respect of SPHE, RSE, Stay Safe   Prevention and dealing with bullying amongst pupils   Training of school personnel in child protection matters   Use of external personnel to supplement curriculum   Care of pupils with specific vulnerabilities/ needs such as ·       Pupils from ethnic minorities/migrants/traveller community ·       Lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) children ·       Pupils perceived to be LGBT ·       Pupils of minority religious faiths ·       Children in care ·       Children on CPNS   Recruitment of school personnel including – ·       Teachers ·       SNA’s ·       Caretaker/Secretary/Cleaners ·       Sports coaches ·       External Tutors/Guest Speakers ·       Volunteers/Parents in school activities ·       Visitors/contractors present in school during school hours ·       Visitors/contractors present during after school activities     Application of sanctions under the school’s Code of Behaviour including detention of pupils, confiscation of phones etc.   Students participating in work experience in the school   Student teachers undertaking training placement in school   Use of video/photography/other media to record school events   Use of Information and Communication Technology by pupils in school   After school use of school premises by other organisations

 

2. The school has identified the following risk of harm in respect of its activities –

Risk of harm not being recognised by school personnel Risk of harm not being reported properly and promptly by school personnel Risk of child being harmed in the school by a member of school personnel Risk of child being harmed in the school by another child Risk of child being harmed in the school by volunteer or visitor to the school Risk of child being harmed by a member of school personnel, a member of staff of another organisation or other person while child participating in out of school activities e.g. school trip, swimming lessons Risk of harm due to inappropriate use of online remote teaching and learning communication platform such as an uninvited person accessing the lesson link or students being left unsupervised for long periods of time in breakout rooms Risk of harm due to bullying of child Risk of harm due to racism Risk of harm due to inadequate supervision of children on schoolgrounds Risk of harm due to inadequate supervision of children while attending out of school activities, tours, shows. Risk of harm due to inappropriate relationship/communications between child and another child or adult Risk of harm due to children inappropriately accessing/using computers, social media, phones and other devices while at school Risk of harm to children with SEN who have particular vulnerabilities, including medical vulnerabilities Risk of harm to child while a child is receiving intimate care, toileting assistance Risk of harm due to inadequate code of behaviour Risk of harm in one-to-one teaching, counselling, coaching or external assessment situation Risk of harm caused by member of school personnel communicating with pupils in an inappropriate manner via social media, texting,email via digital device or other manner

3. The school has the following procedures in place to address the risks of harm identified in this assessment –

Child Safeguarding Statement & DES procedures made available to all staff. Copy of statement displayed in all classrooms and SET rooms, as well as at main entrance.   DLP& DDLP  attended PDST face to face training in IT centre.     One-to-one teaching in SET rooms:Table between teacher and pupil Glass windows on all doors to all rooms. Keep clear. No adult/staff member will attend to any one child intimate toileting/changing clothes etc Parents will be called if necessary. Policy for intimate care in place Hooks on lunchtime outer toilet door and all class bathrooms. Yard toilets are visible from secretary’s office.   Children are not allowed use any other toilet in the school.  Senior girls may ask for permission from secretary to use more appropriate toilet if necessary, secretary will walk them to their class toilet. School has Acceptable Usage and Remote Teaching policies in place     School implements SPHE, RSE, Stay Safe in full 5th and 6th Classes will be taught sensitive RSE bi-annually by an external professional or Senior Class teachers. Anti-Bullying Policy and Code of Behaviour in place and reviewed regularly       Arrival and dismissal of Special Needs children supervised by SNA’s from 8.30 am.   Class Teacher and where necessary SNA in attendance at all coaching sessions All coaches vetted   Teachers  and CAs supervise the yard at breaks  and when exiting/entering school building. Wet Breaks: All class doors are open. All classes supervised by Ts on duty and five CAs . Red gates shut at 9.10 am Any staff member leaving the ground must close the red gates after them.   Vetting and qualification 1 member(or more) of staff on every bus 1 staff member minimum per 15 children on all outings No child ever allowed to use public toilet on his/her own and must get permission and then be accompanied by teacher/SNA Children must seek permission to use public toilets Minimum of 2 children to go to the toilet at any given time with 1 adult supervising nearby Children not allowed fundraise without accompanying parent     Written consent from parents required for administration of medicines. Parents are encouraged to administer medicine here in school if at all possible. Two members of staff shall administer at any given time in principal’s office. First Aid will be administered in public foyer or in foyer bathroom with door ajar. Visiting professionals are required to give lessons with the teacher present and must be vetted.   Staff Training in Child Protection:TUSLA E Course (proof of completion received) PDST E Course (proof of completion received) Risk Assessment Meeting attended by all teaching and ancillary staff BoM annual review of this Statement and Risk Assessment in place Distribution of Child Protection Procedures for Primary Schools 2017 via email and Children First 2015 via email and on staff files   Code of Behaviour in place Anti Bullying Policy in place SPHE programmes   ICT Acceptable Usage and Remote learning policy in place NCTE Broadband Protection in place External providers of Online Safety programme  and parental talks (eg ZEEKO)   TY students will work in pairs. TY students will be supervised/assisted by teachers and SNAs in all their activities. TY students must be vetted. TY students will not be left unattended with pupils at any time.   Student teachers will be supervised by Class Teachers while teaching in class/helping in yard Student teachers will be directed to Code of Behaviour and Anti-bullying Policy and all Child Protection related policies Pupils names, if accompanying photographs will not be printed or published on school website. Expressed written permission from  individual parents for photo/name publications will be sought for local media Data Protection Policy in place

 

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 2025

 

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.