East Dunbartonshire Council has issued Child Protection Procedures and Guidance which all staff must follow to promote the welfare of children and to protect them from harm.
All adults must share the responsibility for promoting children’s health and safety and ensuring, as far as possible, that all children are protected from abuse, neglect and exploitation. Children cannot be expected to take full responsibility for keeping themselves safe. Professional staff must work together and in co-operation with families and carers to enable children to grow up in a warm, stimulating and safe environment.
Education staff are required to assist in protection of children by:
Education staff cannot keep secret any allegations or concerns about child abuse, even if a child or adult requests this. Information or concerns that a child may be at risk of harm must be passed on in order to protect the child. Staff will treat the matter sensitively, and information will only be passed to those who need to know in order to protect and support the child.
If parents or others have concerns for any child, they can speak to the head teacher about this. They can also contact social work services and/or the police.
When a member of staff, a child or another individual provides information and the head teacher considers that there is a possibility that a child has been harmed or is at risk of harm, the head teacher is required to immediately contact social work services to discuss the circumstances and agree the immediate action to be taken. School staff are then required to co-operate with any subsequent enquiries or support plans.
Every education establishment or service has copies of the East Dunbartonshire Council Child Protection Procedures and Guidance. These are available for reference from the Head Teacher. The Child Protection Co-ordinator is:
Mrs Lesley Rodden – Head Teacher.
