Privacy Policy

Our Child Protection Policy

1 Purpose

1.1. We are committed to ensuring a safe environment for students, and safeguard their welfare, by a commitment to best practice to protect them. Also having a duty to ensure that it makes safe decisions in the engagement of teachers and volunteers.

1.2. This policy applies to anyone who teaches on behalf of us.

We also recognise that:

The welfare of the child/young person is paramount. All students, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation or identity, have the right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse. Working in partnership with children, young people and their parents is essential in promoting young people’s welfare.

The purpose of the policy is to:

Provide protection for our students, and have knowledge and procedures to adopt in the event we suspect a child or young person may be experiencing, or be at risk of, harm. We will seek to safeguard children and young people by:

• Valuing them, listening to and respecting them.
• Adopting child protection guidelines through procedures and conducting safe working practice.

2. Disclosure and Barring Service

2.1. The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) was set up by the Home Office to improve access to these criminal records. This is done via a Disclosure Check, which is a process for gathering information about someone’s spent and unspent criminal convictions and other cautions, reprimands and final warnings given by the Police. This service enables organisations to make safer recruitment decisions by identifying candidates who may be unsuitable, or present a risk, for certain work, especially when working with children and/or adults classed as vulnerable.

2.2. The results of the check are printed on a document officially known as a Disclosure.

2.3. This policy sets out how we, Jack & Flo will meet its obligations to conduct Disclosures where necessary.

3. Scope

3.1 This policy relates to any applicant or existing teacher or volunteer who is offered work by us, Jack & Flo.

4. Definitions of Regulated Activity

4.1 Under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 and amended by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, a child is defined as someone who has not yet attained the age of 18. Regulated activity in relation to children focuses on work which involves close and unsupervised contact, specifically:Regularly undertaking unsupervised activities: teach, train, instruct, care for or supervise children, or provide advice/guidance on wellbeing.

5. Contracts in Roles Requiring Disclosure

5.1 Jack & Flo will also ensure that the role and the Disclosure are regularly reviewed and updated as appropriate.

6. Handling Disclosure Data

6.1 Our policy has been produced to comply with the regulations outlined in the DBS Code of Practice and the Safeguarding of Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, the Children Act 1989 (and 2004), and also operate within the remit of the Data Protection Act 1998.

7. Handling complaints

7.1 We take all complaints made against teachers seriously. Procedures are in place for students, parents and teachers to share any concern that they may have about the actions of any teacher. All such complaints will be dealt with immediately. These procedures are used in respect of all cases in which it is alleged that a teacher has:

Behaved in a way that has harmed a child, or may have harmed a child; Possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child; or Behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates he or she would pose a risk of harm children.

7.2 Jack & Flo have a legal duty to refer to the DBS anyone who has harmed, or poses a risk of harm, to a child and who has been removed from working (paid or unpaid) in regulated activity, or would have been removed had they not left. The DBS will consider whether to bar the person. Referrals will be made as soon as possible after the removal of the individual.