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, practices and activities. Accordingly, in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Education and Skills’ Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post Primary Schools, the Board of Management of Star of the sea B.N.S has agreed the following child protection policy:
1. 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 as part of this overall child protection policy.
2. The Designated Liaison Person (DLP) is Una Condon
3. The Deputy Designated Liaison Person (Deputy DLP) is Joan Finnerty
4. In its policies, practices and activities, Star of the Sea B.N.S 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 co-operate with the relevant statutory authorities in relation to child protection and welfare matters
• adopt safe practices to minimise the possibility of harm or accidents happening to children and protect workers from the necessity to take unnecessary risks that may leave themselves open to accusations of abuse or neglect;
• develop a practice of openness with parents and encourage parental involvement in the education of their children; and
• fully respect confidentiality requirements in dealing with child protection matters.
The school will also adhere to the above principles in relation to any adult pupil with a special vulnerability.
5. The following policies are also relevant to child protection- the Code of Behaviour , Anti-bullying Policy, Stay Safe programme, Pupil Attendance, Supervision of Pupils, Educational Tours/ field trips, Sporting Activitie , Student Teachers Teaching Practice, Transition Year Pupil Work Placements.
The Board has ensured that the necessary policies, protocols or practices as appropriate are in place in respect of each of the above policies.
6. This policy has been made available to school personnel and the Parents’ Association (if any) and is readily accessible to parents on request. A copy of this policy will be made available to the Department and the patron if requested.
7. This policy will be reviewed by the Board of Management once in every school year.
This policy was adopted by the Board of Management on ………………
Ciarán O Murchú naCondon
Chairperson of Board of Management Principal
Date: 17.09.13 Date: 17.09.13
Date of next review: September 2014
Appendix 2: Checklist for Annual Review of the Child Protection Policy
The Board of Management must undertake an annual review of its child protection policy and the following checklist shall be used for this purpose.
The checklist is designed as an aid to conducting this review and is not intended as an exhaustive list. Individual Boards of Management may wish to include other items in the checklist that are of particular relevance to the school in question.
As part of the overall review process, Boards of Management should also assess other school policies, practices and activities vis a vis their adherence to the principles of best practice in child protection and welfare as set out in the school’s child protection policy.
Yes
Has the Board formally adopted a child protection policy in accordance with the ‘Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post Primary Schools’?
As part of the school’s child protection policy, has the Board formally adopted, without modification, the ‘Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post Primary Schools’?
Are there both a DLP and a Deputy DLP currently appointed?
Are the relevant contact details (HSE and An Garda Síochána) to hand?
Has the DLP attended available child protection training?
Has the Deputy DLP attended available child protection training?
Have any members of the Board attended child protection training?
Has the school’s child protection policy identified other school policies, practices and activities that are regarded as having particular child protection relevance?
Has the Board ensured that the Department’s “Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post Primary Schools” are available to all school personnel?
Has the Board arrangements in place to communicate the school’s child protection policy to new school personnel?
Is the Board satisfied that all school personnel have been made aware of their responsibilities under the ‘Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post Primary Schools’?
Since the Board’s last annual review, was the Board informed of any child protection reports made to the HSE/An Garda Síochána by the DLP?
Since the Board’s last annual review, was the Board informed of any cases where the DLP sought advice from the HSE and as a result of this advice, no report to the HSE was made?
Is the Board satisfied that the child protection procedures in relation to the making of reports to the HSE/ An Garda Síochána were appropriately followed?
Were child protection matters reported to the Board appropriately recorded in the Board minutes?
Is the Board satisfied that all records relating to child protection are appropriately filed and stored
securely?
Has the Board ensured that the Parents’ Association (if any), has been provided with the school’s child protection policy?