Safeguarding Policy

1. Safeguarding Statement

Star Link Tuition is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We believe that every child has the right to learn in a safe, supportive, and respectful environment. Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, and all tutors and staff are expected to share this commitment.

We follow the principles outlined in UK safeguarding guidance, including:

Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE )
Working Together to Safeguard Children
The Children Act 1989 and 2004
UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018

2. Scope of This Policy

This policy applies to:

All tutors working with Star Link Tuition
All staff and representatives
Online tutoring sessions
In-person tutoring sessions
Communication with students and parents

3. Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

Star Link Tuition has a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) responsible for safeguarding and child protection.

Designated Safeguarding Lead:
Veronica Alexander
veronica@starlinktuition.com
The DSL is responsible for:

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Managing safeguarding concerns
Making referrals to local authorities where necessary
Maintaining safeguarding records
Ensuring safeguarding policies are followed
Supporting tutors with safeguarding concerns

4. Safer Recruitment

Star Link Tuition is committed to safer recruitment practices. Before working with students tutors must:

Provide proof of identity
Provide proof of right to work in the UK
Provide relevant qualifications
Provide references
Hold an Enhanced DBS check (or be willing to obtain one)

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Agree to and sign the Safeguarding Declaration and Tutor Agreement

We reserve the right to refuse work to any tutor who does not meet safeguarding requirements.

5. Tutor Responsibilities

All tutors must:

Maintain professional boundaries at all times
Treat students with respect and dignity
Provide a safe learning environment
Report any safeguarding concerns immediately
Never promise confidentiality to a student
Never engage in inappropriate or personal relationships with students
Follow online safety rules and communication policies
Tutors must report concerns — not investigate.

6. Online Safety

For online tutoring, Star Link Tuition requires:

Sessions must take place on approved platforms (e.g., Zoom, Teams, Google Meet)
Communication should include parents where appropriate
Tutors must not communicate with students via personal social media
Tutors must not exchange personal phone numbers with students
Sessions must take place in a professional and appropriate environment
Recording of sessions must not take place without written consent

7. Professional Boundaries

Tutors must not:

Share personal social media with students
Meet students outside agreed tutoring sessions
Transport students in their own vehicle without written parental consent
Communicate with students late at night or in a personal manner
Accept inappropriate gifts
Use inappropriate language or behaviour

8. Recognising Safeguarding Concerns

Safeguarding concerns may include:

Physical abuse
Emotional abuse
Sexual abuse
Neglect
Bullying
Online exploitation
Radicalisation
Any behaviour that suggests a child may be at risk of harm

9. Reporting a Safeguarding Concern

If a tutor becomes aware of a safeguarding concern, they must:

Record the concern in writing as soon as possible
Report it immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead
Not investigate the matter themselves
Maintain confidentiality and only share information with appropriate people
The DSL will decide whether the concern needs to be referred to:
Local Authority Children’s Services
Police
Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) where appropriate

10. Confidentiality and Information Sharing

Safeguarding information is confidential and will only be shared on a need-to-know basis. However, safeguarding concerns will be shared with relevant authorities where a child may be at risk of harm.

We follow UK GDPR and safeguarding information-sharing guidance.

11. Working with Parents

Star Link Tuition believes safeguarding is a partnership with parents and guardians. We encourage parents to:

Inform us of any safeguarding concerns
Ensure a safe environment for in-person tutoring
Be aware of online tutoring arrangements
Maintain open communication

12. Allegations Against Tutors

Any allegation made against a tutor will be taken seriously. Star Link Tuition reserves the right to:

Suspend the tutor from work while the matter is investigated
Report the matter to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)
Report the matter to the police if necessary

13. Policy Review

This safeguarding policy will be reviewed annually and updated in line with UK safeguarding guidance and legislation.

All education establishments will have a Safeguarding and Welfare Policy in place and it is the responsibility of the placed candidate to ensure that they are aware of the policy and procedures in place and to adhere to these, accordingly on a daily basis.

The policy should be read in line with the Code of Conduct for The CatchUp Academy.

For safeguarding purposes, a ‘child’ is defined as anyone under the age of 18.

What should staff know?

be aware of systems to support safeguarding and have received this as part of staff induction;
be provided with a copy of safeguarding policies (child protection policy, behaviour policy and staff behaviour policy) and Part one of Keeping Children Safe in Education;
receive regularly updated, appropriate safeguarding and child protection training, as well as safeguarding and child protection updates;
be aware of the local early help process and understand their role in it;
be aware of the process for making referrals to children’s social care and the statutory assessments under the Children Act 1989 that may follow a referral, along with what may be expected of them in such assessments;
aware of what to do if a child tells them they are being abused or neglected.
No single practitioner can have a full picture of a child’s needs and circumstances. If children and families are to receive the right help at the right time, everyone who comes into contact with them has a role to play in identifying concerns, sharing information and taking prompt action.

The role of staff in school/college

Staff in schools or colleges are in a position to identify concerns early, which can prevent them from escalating.
All staff must provide a safe environment for children and should be prepared to identify children who need early help (providing support as soon as a concern emerges).
It is vital that any staff member who has a concern should follow the school’s safeguarding policy and any referral processes, as well as supporting social workers and other agencies following a referral.
All schools must have a designated safeguarding lead (DSL) to provide support to staff and liaise with other services regarding the child.
A DSL also has a more complete picture and can therefore respond more appropriately to safeguarding concerns.
Deputy designated safeguarding leads (DDSLs) and other members of the senior leadership and/or pastoral teams can also offer support with safeguarding children.

What is ‘safeguarding’?

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined within KCSIE 2024 as:

Providing help and support to meet the needs of children as soon as problems emerge
protecting children from maltreatment, whether that is within or outside the home, including online
preventing the impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development
ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility.

Everyone who encounters children and their families has a role to play. In order to fulfil this responsibility effectively, all practitioners should make sure their approach is child centred.
This means that they should consider, always, what is in the best interest of the child.
Where children have suffered abuse and neglect, or other potentially traumatic adverse childhood experiences, this can have a lasting impact throughout childhood, adolescence and into adulthood.
It is key that staff are aware of how these children’s experiences, can impact on their mental health, behaviour, and education.

The definition of safeguarding is about the action we take to:

protect children from maltreatment;
prevent impairment of children’s health or development;
ensure that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care;
enable all children to have the best outcomes.

What is ‘child abuse’?

When a child is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm, as a result of someone inflicting harm or failing to act to prevent harm
May happen in the child’s family, or in a community or institutional setting
A ‘child’ is anyone under the age of 18.

‘Significant harm’ means:

Ill treatment or impairment of health or development
‘Development’ can be physical, intellectual, emotional, social or behavioural
‘Health’ can be physical or mental
‘Ill treatment’ includes sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse, and neglect
Significant harm can be a single traumatic event, or a series of events over a period.

Key documents for school safeguarding

Working Together to Safeguard Children,
‍Working together to safeguard children 2023: statutory guidance (publishing.service.gov.uk)
Keeping Children Safe in Education 2024:
‍Keeping children safe in education 2024 (publishing.service.gov.uk)
Managing allegations against staff:
https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/safeguarding-child-protection/managing-allegations-of-abuse
What to do if you are worried a child is being abused,
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_dat a/file/419604/What_to_do_if_you_re_worried_a_child_is_being_abused.pdf
Guidance for Safer Working Practices
https://www.ruthgorse.leeds.sch.uk/trga-website-content/uploads/2022/03/GSWP-Feb-2022- 1.pdf

Within School/College

Staffroom Board
Key Designated Safeguarding Leads – posters around school
School Policies – child protection, whistleblowing

External Support/Advice

MASH (Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub) Team – for students
LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer) – for staff concerns
NSPCC whistleblowing Helpline (0800 028 0285)

Keeping Children Safe in Education

This is statutory guidance from the DfE issued under Section 175 of the Education Act 2002, the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, and the Non-Maintained Special Schools (England) Regulations 2015.
Schools in England must have regard to it when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
For the purposes of this guidance children includes everyone under the age of 18.
This document is updated each year and implemented from 1st September

Before starting any Placement, our candidates will receive a copy of Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) and will be expected to sign a disclaimer to acknowledge:

They have received the copy of most recent KCSIE
They have read the document
They have understood and will adhere to the document

How to safeguard yourself

The Data Protection Act 2018 affects the use of recording images, as they are the personal data of each individual child. The Act states that consent must be obtained from the parent of a child for any images used by the school. This includes the school website or productions.
Do not take, display or distribute images of students unless there is consent to do so, even if you want to model a technique to a student.
Many schools/colleges have a no mobile policy in place – Know the school’s procedures?
Ensure that when you are given a room to use in a school that it has a window in it – if not ask for a change of area.
When you are modelling to a student please be mindful and seek their consent before you touch them i.e. I am just going to move your hand, is that ok?

Key message

Keep an ‘it could happen here’ attitude – never assume a safeguarding issue wouldn’t be possible.
Never assume another member of staff will report – double reporting is better than none and early information from as many sources as possible may be vital.

Categories of Child Abuse - https://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-is-child-abuse/types-of-abuse/

Physical abuse
Emotional abuse
Sexual abuse
Neglect
Child Sexual Exploitation
Child-on-child abuse
Cyberbullying
Online abuse
Honour Based Abuse (Female Genital Mutilation and Forced Marriage)
Grooming
Child Trafficking
Domestic Abuse, including where they see, hear or experience its effects
Non-recent abuse

Physical Abuse
- Hitting with hands or objects
- Slapping and punching
- Kicking
- Shaking
- Throwing
- Poisoning
- Burning and scalding
- biting and scratching
- Breaking bones
- Drowning

Non accidental marks tend to have a distinct shape or edge to them May be in places which are hard to see e.g. burns behind ear

Not all marks on children mean they are being abused

Effects of Physical Abuse can pose:

anxiety, behaviour issues, criminal behaviour, depression, drug and alcohol problems, eating disorders, issues at school, obesity, risky sexual behaviours, suicidal thoughts and/or attempts.

2. Emotional abuse
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Emotional abuse is difficult to: Define, Identify, Recognise, Prove
This can include hurting children by:
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humiliating or constantly criticising a child
threatening, shouting at a child or calling them names
making the child the subject of jokes, or using sarcasm to hurt a child
blaming and scapegoating
making a child perform degrading acts
making a child perform degrading acts
pushing a child too hard or not recognising their limitations
exposing a child to upsetting events or situations, like domestic abuse or drug taking
failing to promote a child's social development
not allowing them to have friends
persistently ignoring them
being absent
manipulating a child
never saying anything kind, expressing positive feelings or congratulating a child on successes
never showing any emotions in interactions with a child, also known as emotional neglect.

Effects of Emotional Abuse can pose:

behaviour problems, emotional development, mental health problems

3. Sexual Abuse
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It is usually planned and systematic, can involve grooming the child, can involve grooming the child’s environment and posed by ‘Special relationships.’

Relatives
Neighbours
Babysitters
Family Friends
people working with the child in school, faith settings, clubs or activities.

There are 2 types of sexual abuse = contact and non-contact

Contact abuse is where an abuser makes physical contact with a child.

This includes:

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sexual touching of any part of a child's body, whether they are clothed or not
using a body part or object to rape or penetrate a child
forcing a child to take part in sexual activities
making a child undress or touch someone else.
Contact abuse can include touching, kissing and oral sex – sexual abuse is not just penetrative.

Non-contact abuse is where a child is abused without being touched by the abuser.

This can be in person or online and includes:

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exposing or flashing
showing pornography
exposing a child to sexual acts
making them masturbate
forcing a child to make, view or share child abuse images or videos
making, viewing or distributing child abuse images or videos
forcing a child to take part in sexual activities or conversations online or through a smartphone.

Sexual abuse can have both short- and long-term effects. The impact of sexual abuse can last a lifetime. Children, young people and adults may live with:

Anxiety and depression, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress, difficulty coping with stress, self-harm, suicidal thoughts and suicide sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy feelings of shame and guilt, drug and alcohol problems, relationship problems with family, friends and partners.

4. Neglect

Neglect is about the absence of caring parenting - Good enough parenting. It can be deliberate and systematic and often made worse by poverty, lack of knowledge or non-availability of services. Neglect can be a lot of different things, which can make it hard to spot.
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Physical neglect
A child's basic needs, such as food, clothing or shelter, are not met or they are not properly supervised or kept safe.
Educational neglect
A parent does not ensure their child is given an education.
Emotional neglect
A child does not get the nurture and stimulation they need. This could be through ignoring, humiliating, intimidating or isolating them.
Medical neglect
A child is not given proper health care. This includes dental care and refusing or ignoring medical recommendations

Neglect changes childhood. Children who have been neglected might experience short-term and long- term effects. These can include:

Problems with brain development, taking risks, like running away from home, using drugs and alcohol or breaking the law, getting into dangerous relationships, difficulty with relationships later in life, including with their own children, a higher chance of having mental health problems, including depression.

5. Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)

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CSE is when young people receive something such as food, accommodation, drugs, alcohol, gifts, money) as a result of engaging in sexual activities.
It can take many forms ranging from the seemingly ‘consensual’ relationship, to serious organised crime by gangs and groups.
What marks out exploitation is an imbalance of power in the relationship.

Involves varying degrees of coercion, intimidation or enticement such as:

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Unwanted pressure from peers to have sex
Sexual bullying
Cyberbullying
Grooming

Long-term effects of CSE may include:

struggle with trust and be fearful of forming new relationships, become isolated from family and friends, fail exams or drop out of education, become pregnant at a young age, experience unemployment, have mental health problems, make suicide attempts, abuse alcohol and drugs, take part in criminal behaviour, experience homelessness.

6. Child on-child abuse

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Children can abuse other children - can include and not limited to
Bullying
Physical abuse to include hitting, kicking, shaking, biting, hair pulling
Initiating/hazing (harassment) type violence and rituals
Sexual violence, sexual harassment, sexting

We need to challenge sexualised behaviours and not dismiss as ‘banter’

Bullying can take different forms. It could include:

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physical bullying: hitting, slapping or pushing someone
verbal bullying: name calling, gossiping or threatening someone
non-verbal abuse: hand signs or text messages
emotional abuse: threatening, intimidating or humiliating someone
exclusion: ignoring or isolating someone
undermining, constant criticism or spreading rumours
controlling or manipulating someone
making silent, hoax or abusive calls
racial, sexual or homophobic bullying
bullying someone because they have a disability.
Prejudice based and discriminatory bullying

7. Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying can include:

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sending threatening or abusive text messages
creating and sharing embarrassing images or videos
trolling – the sending of menacing or upsetting messages on social networks, chat rooms or online games
excluding children from online games, activities or friendship groups
shaming someone online
setting up hate sites or groups about a child
encouraging young people to self-harm
voting for or against someone in an abusive poll
creating fake accounts, hijacking or stealing online identities to embarrass a young person or cause trouble using their name
sending explicit messages, also known as sexting
pressuring children into sending sexual images or engaging in sexual conversations.

The rapid development of, and widespread access to, technology has provided a new medium for ‘virtual’ bullying, which can occur in or outside school.

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Range of media
Can happen at all times of day
Can reach a larger audience

Effects of bullying

Any child can be bullied for any reason. If a child is seen as different in some way or seen as an easy target they can be more at risk.

This might be because of their:

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race or ethnic background
gender
sexual orientation

Or it could be because they:

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appear anxious or have low self-esteem
lack assertiveness
are shy or introverted.
Popular or successful children are also bullied, sometimes because others are jealous of them.
Sometimes a child's family circumstance or home life can be a reason for someone bullying them.
Disabled children can experience bullying because they seem an easy target and less able to defend themselves.

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The effects of bullying can last into adulthood.

At its worst, bullying has driven children and young people to self-harm and even suicide.

Children who are bullied:

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may develop mental health problems like depression and anxiety
have fewer friendships
are not accepted by their peers
are wary and suspicious of others
have problems adjusting to school, and do not do as well.
All children who are affected by bullying can suffer harm – whether they are bullied, they bully others, or they witness bullying.

8. Online abuse

Online abuse is any type of abuse that happens on the internet. It can happen across any device that is connected to the web, like computers, tablets and mobile phones.

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It can happen anywhere online, including:

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social media
text messages and messaging apps
emails
online chats
online gaming
live-streaming sites.
Children can be at risk of online abuse from people they know or from strangers.
Children can be at risk of online abuse from people they know or from strangers.
Or the abuse might only happen online.

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A child or young person experiencing abuse online might:

spend a lot more or a lot less time than usual online, texting, gaming or using social media
seem distant, upset or angry after using the internet or texting
be secretive about who they are talking to and what they are doing online or on their mobile phone
have lots of new phone numbers, texts or email addresses on their mobile phone, laptop or tablet.

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Effects of online abuse may lead to anxiety, self-harm, eating disorders, suicidal thoughts

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9. Honour Based Abuse (Female Genital Mutilation and Forced Marriage)

FGM is usually carried out on young girls between infancy and the age of 15, most commonly before puberty starts. It is illegal in the UK and is child abuse.
It is very painful and can seriously harm the health of women and girls. It can also cause long- term problems with sex, childbirth and mental health.
It is also known as "female circumcision" or "cutting", and by other terms such as sunna, gudniin, halalays, tahur, megrez and khitan, among others.
‘All procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs whether for cultural or non- therapeutic reasons
FGM is deeply rooted in tradition and is widely practiced among specific ethnic populations in Africa, parts of the Middle East and Asia
FGM has also been documented in Iraq, Israel, Oman, the UAE, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan.
FGM is a harmful practice that is not required by any religion and there are no health benefits of FGM.

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Women and girls are the most common victims of honour-based violence however it can also affect men and boys. Crimes of ‘honour’ do not always include violence. Crimes committed in the name of ‘honour’ might include:

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domestic abuse
threats of violence
sexual or psychological abuse
forced marriage
being held against your will or taken somewhere you do not want to go
assault
A forced marriage is one that is carried out without the consent of both people. This is very different to an arranged marriage, which both people will have agreed to.
There is no religion that says it is right to force you into a marriage and you are not betraying your faith by refusing such a marriage.

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10. Grooming

Grooming is when someone builds a relationship, trust and emotional connection with a child or young person so they can manipulate, exploit and abuse them.
Children and young people who are groomed can be sexually abused, exploited or trafficked.
Anybody can be a groomer, no matter their age, gender or race.
Grooming can take place over a short or long period of time – from weeks to years.
Groomers may also build a relationship with the young person's family or friends to make them seem trustworthy or authoritative.

Types of grooming:

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Children and young people can be groomed online, in person or both – by a stranger or someone they know.
This could be a family member, a friend or someone who has targeted them – like a teacher, faith group leader or sports coach.
When a child is groomed online, groomers may hide who they are by sending photos or videos of other people.
Sometimes this will be of someone younger than them to gain the trust of a "peer". They might target one child online or contact lots of children very quickly and wait for them to respond.

Abusers who groom are often:

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in a position of trust, leadership
good at their job
able to win respect, affection, or fear from colleagues
charismatic
articulate
domineering, bullies
caring
dutiful, over-helpful
manipulative
distorted in their thinking.

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CEOP make reporting online grooming easy. You can also contact your local child protection services or the police to report your concerns about any type of grooming - whether it is happening online, in person or both. It is important to remember that it is against the law to make or share images of child abuse.

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https://www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre/

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11. Child Trafficking

Trafficking is where children and young people tricked, forced or persuaded to leave their homes and are moved or transported and then exploited, forced to work or sold.

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Children are trafficked for:

Sexual exploitation
benefit fraud
forced marriage
domestic slavery like cleaning, cooking and childcare
forced labour in factories or agriculture
committing crimes, like begging, theft, working on cannabis farms or moving drugs.

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Trafficked children experience many types of abuse and neglect. Traffickers use physical, sexual and emotional abuse as a form of control.

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Children and young people are also likely to be physically and emotionally neglected and may be sexually exploited.

Signs of child trafficking

They might include:

spend a lot of time doing household chores
rarely leave their house or have no time for playing
be orphaned or living apart from their family
live in low-standard accommodation
be unsure which country, city or town they are in
cannot or are reluctant to share personal information or where they live
not be registered with a school or a GP practice
have no access to their parents or guardians
be seen in inappropriate places like brothels or factories
have money or things you would not expect them to
have injuries from workplace accidents
give a prepared story which is very similar to stories given by other children.

12. Domestic Abuse

Domestic abuse is any type of controlling, bullying, threatening or violent behaviour between people in a relationship.

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It can seriously harm children and young people and witnessing domestic abuse is child abuse, including where they see, hear or experience its effects.

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It is important to remember domestic abuse:

can happen inside and outside the home
can happen over the phone, on the internet and on social networking sites
can happen in any relationship and can continue even after the relationship has ended
both men and women can be abused or abusers.

Types of domestic abuse

Domestic abuse can be emotional, physical, sexual, financial or psychological, such as:
kicking, hitting, punching or cutting
rape (including in a relationship)
controlling someone's finances by withholding money or stopping someone earning
controlling behaviour, like telling someone where they can go and what they can wear
not letting someone leave the house

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reading emails, text messages or letters
threatening to kill someone or harm them
threatening to another family member or pet.

Effects of domestic abuse

Living in a home where domestic abuse happens can have a serious impact on a child or young person’s mental and physical wellbeing, as well as their behaviour. And this can last into adulthood.

Non-recent abuse

Non-recent child abuse, sometimes called historical abuse, is when an adult was abused as a child or young person under the age of 18.

The long-term effects of abuse and neglect can include:

emotional difficulties like anger, anxiety, sadness or low self-esteem
mental health problems like depression, eating disorders, self-harm or suicidal thoughts
problems with drugs or alcohol
disturbing thoughts, emotions and memories
poor physical health
struggling with parenting or relationships.

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The effects can be short term but sometimes they last into adulthood.

If someone has been abused as a child, it is more likely that they will suffer abuse again. This is known as revictimisation.

Common Vulnerability Factors

Domestic Violence
Drug and Alcohol misuse
Homelessness
Isolation
Difficult family relationships
‘Risky’ behaviours
Inappropriate sexual behaviour for age
Poor School attendance
Lack of peer support
Lack of boundaries set at home
Criminal activity
History of mental health issues – self harm
Missing episodes

Faith Based Abuse

Our policy recognises the ‘National Action Plan to Tackle Abuse linked to faith or belief’ which describes this abuse as: ‘not about challenging people’s beliefs, but where beliefs lead to abuse that must not be tolerated. This includes belief in witchcraft, spirit possession, demons or the devil, the evil eye, or djinns, dakini, kindoki, ritual or muti murders and use of fear of the supernatural to make children comply with being trafficked for domestic slavery or sexual exploitation. The beliefs which are not confined to one

faith, nationality or ethnic community.’

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When this type of abuse is suspected staff will make a referral to the MASH Team for support and guidance.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-action-plan-to-tackle-child-abuse- linked-to-faith-or-belief

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Mental Health

All staff should also be aware that mental health problems can, in some cases, be an indicator that a child has suffered or is at risk of suffering abuse, neglect or exploitation
Only appropriately trained professionals should attempt to make a diagnosis of a mental health problem. Staff, however, are well placed to observe children day-to-day and identify those whose behaviour suggests that they may be experiencing a mental health problem or be at risk of developing one
Where children have suffered abuse and neglect, or other potentially traumatic adverse childhood experiences, this can have a lasting impact throughout childhood, adolescence and into adulthood. It is key that staff are aware of how these children’s experiences, can impact on their mental health, behaviour, and education
If staff have a mental health concern about a child that is also a safeguarding concern, immediate action should be taken, following their child protection policy, and speaking to the designated safeguarding lead or a deputy.

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Promoting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing (publishing.service.gov.uk)

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The department has published advice and guidance Preventing bullying and Mental Health and Behaviour in Schools. In addition, Public Health England has produced a range of resources to support secondary school teachers to promote positive health, wellbeing and resilience among young people including its guidance Promoting children and young people’s emotional health and wellbeing. Its resources include social media, forming positive relationships, smoking and alcohol. See Every Mind Matters for links to all materials and lesson plans.

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There are three thresholds for and types of referral that need to be considered:

is this a child with additional needs; where their health, development or achievement may be adversely affected?
age-appropriate progress is not being made and the causes are unclear
the support of more than one agency is needed to meet the child or young person’s needs

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If this is a child with additional needs discuss the issues with the Early Help Assessment (EHAT) trained practitioner at the school.

Children with special educational needs, disabilities or health issues

Children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) or certain medical or physical health conditions can face additional safeguarding challenges both online and offline.

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Children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) or certain medical or physical health conditions can face additional safeguarding challenges both online and offline.

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These can include:

assumptions that indicators of possible abuse such as behaviour, mood and injury relate to the child’s condition without further exploration
these children being more prone to peer group isolation or bullying (including prejudice- based bullying) than other children
the potential for children with SEND or certain medical conditions being disproportionately impacted by behaviours such as bullying, without outwardly showing any signs
communication barriers and difficulties in managing or reporting these challenges
cognitive understanding – being unable to understand the difference between fact and fiction in online content and then repeating the content/behaviours in schools or colleges or the consequences of doing so.

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Any reports of abuse involving children with SEND will therefore require close liaison with the designated safeguarding lead (or deputy) and the SENCO.

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Further information can be found in the department’s:

SEND Code of Practice 0 to 25 years, and
Supporting Pupils at School with Medical Conditions. And from specialist organisations such as:
1. The Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information and Support Services (SENDIASS) – SENDIASS offers information, advice and support for parents and carers of children and young people with SEND. All local authorities have such a service: Find your local IAS service (councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk)
2. Mencap – Represents people with learning disabilities, with specific advice and information for people who work with children and young people.

Risks Associated with Parent/Carer Mental Health

The majority of Parents who suffer mental ill-health can care for and safeguard their children and/or unborn child. Some parents, however, will be unable to meet the needs and ensure the safety of their children.

The school will follow the guidance outlined in ‘working with parents with mental health problems and their children (Think child, think parent, think family: a guide to parental mental health and child welfare).

Our approach is to recognise; seek support; instil preventive factors and monitor.

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Designated Safeguarding Leads should seek support through the Early Help team but escalate to the MASH Team if they are concerned that the child involved is being placed at immediate risk of harm

Prevent Strategy

On 1st July 2015 all schools became subject to a duty under section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and

Security Act 2015 to have “due regard” to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism - This duty is known as the Prevent duty

The main aim of Prevent is to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism
At the heart of Prevent is safeguarding children and providing early intervention to protect and divert people away from being drawn into terrorist activity

Part of the UK’s counter-terrorism strategy

Radicalisation – refers to the process by which a person comes to support terrorism and extremist ideologies associated with terrorist groups.
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Extremism – is the vocal or active opposition to our fundamental values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and the mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. This also includes calling for the death of members of the armed forces

Terrorism – is an action that endangers or causes serious violence to a person/people; causes serious damage to property; or seriously interferes or disrupts an electronic system. The use or threat must be designed to influence the government or to intimidate the public and is made for the purpose of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause
Prevent duty training: Learn how to support people susceptible to radicalisation | Prevent duty training (support-people-vulnerable-to-radicalisation.service.gov.uk)

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Although there is no single way of identifying whether a child is likely to be susceptible to an extremist ideology, there are possible indicators that should be taken into consideration alongside other factors and contexts.

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Background factors combined with specific influences such as family and friends may contribute to a child’s vulnerability. Similarly, radicalisation can occur through many different methods (such as social media or the internet) and settings (such as within the home). However, it is possible to protect vulnerable people from extremist ideologies and intervene to prevent those at risk of radicalisation being drawn to terrorism.

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As with other safeguarding risks, staff should be alert to changes in children’s behaviour, which could indicate that they may be in need of help or protection. Staff should use their judgement in identifying children who might be at risk of radicalisation and act proportionately which may include the designated safeguarding lead (or a deputy) making a Prevent referral.

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Although not a cause for concern on their own, possible indicators when taken into consideration alongside other factors or context may be a sign of being radicalised.

Further information and a list of such indicators can be found at Radicalisation and Extremism - Examples and Behavioural Traits (educateagainsthate.com)

Gang and Youth / Serious Violence

Children and Young People who become involved in gangs are at risk of violent crime and as a result of this involvement are deemed vulnerable. Agencies and professionals have a responsibility to safeguard these children and young people and to prevent further harm both to the young person and their potential victims.

Risks associated with gang activity include access to weapons (including firearms), retaliatory violence and territorial violence with other gangs, knife crime, sexual violence, and substance misuse https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/serious-violence-strategy

There are a number of indicators, which may signal children are at risk from, or are involved with, serious violent crime. These may include:

increased absence from school
a change in friendships or relationships with older individuals or groups
a significant decline in performance
signs of self-harm or a significant change in wellbeing, or signs of assault or unexplained injuries
unexplained gifts or new possessions could also indicate that children have been approached by, or are involved with, individuals associated with criminal networks or gangs and may be at risk of criminal exploitation.

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The likelihood of involvement in serious violence may be increased by factors such as: being male

having been frequently absent or permanently excluded from school

having experienced child maltreatment and having been involved in offending, such as theft or robbery.

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A fuller list of risk factors can be found in the Home Office’s Serious Violence Strategy. Home Office – Serious Violence Strategy, April 2018 (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Professionals should also be aware that violence can often peak in the hours just before or just after school, when pupils are travelling to and from school. These times can be particularly risky for young people involved in serious violence.

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Children are also increasingly being targeted and recruited online using social media. Children can easily become trapped by this type of exploitation as county lines gangs can manufacture drug debts which need to be worked off or threaten serious violence and kidnap towards victims (and their families) if they attempt to leave the county lines network. A number of the indicators for CSE and CCE may be applicable to where children are involved in county lines.

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Some additional specific indicators that may be present where a child is criminally exploited through involvement in county lines are children who:

go missing and are subsequently found in areas away from their home.
have been the victim or perpetrator of serious violence (e.g., knife crime).

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Children Who Are Absent from Education

All children, regardless of their circumstances, are entitled to a full-time education which is suitable to their age, ability, aptitude, and any special educational needs they may have. Local authorities have a duty to establish, as far as it is possible to do so, the identity of children of compulsory school age who are absent for prolonged periods or missing from education in their area.

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Children being absent from education for prolonged periods and/or on repeat occasions can act as a vital warning sign to a range of safeguarding issues including neglect, child sexual and child criminal exploitation - particularly county lines.

Tutors should follow the school’s procedures for dealing with children who are persistently absent and

children missing education to identifying such abuse as early as possible, and in the

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case of absent pupils, this helps prevent the risk of them becoming a child missing education in the future. This includes when problems are first emerging but also where children are already known to local authority children’s social care and need a social worker (such as a child who is a child in need or who has a child protection plan, or is a looked after child), where being absent from education may increase known safeguarding risks within the family or in the community. See ‘working together to improve school attendance’ for further guidance: Working together to improve school attendance

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Schools should have in place appropriate safeguarding policies, procedures and responses for children who are identified as absent or missing from education, particularly on repeat occasions. It is essential that all staff are alert to signs to look out for and the individual triggers to be aware of when considering the risks of potential safeguarding concerns such as travelling to conflict zones, FGM and forced marriage. The law requires all schools to have an admission register and, with the exception of schools where all pupils are boarders, an attendance register. All pupils must be placed on both registers. An appropriated response is needed when a child has poor attendance or is regularly missing education. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/children-missing-education

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All schools must inform the local authority of any pupil who fails to attend school regularly or has been absent without the school’s permission for a continuous period of 10 school days or more, at such intervals as are agreed between the school and the local authority (or in default of such agreement, at intervals determined by the Secretary of State).

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In order to help schools to comply with their legal obligations all tutors must keep clear attendance records and ensure that non- attendance, where sessions do not take place in school or where sessions take place online, is reported to the Account Manager within 10 minutes of the session start time so that non-attendance can be reported to the school.

Star Link Tuition Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy