Guidance for staff & hosts
When hosts and staff should report a safeguarding concern and who to speak to
If there is concern about a child’s welfare, believe that a child is or may be at risk of abuse or has a concern about an adult’s welfare, staff/hosts should not assume that another agency or professional will act or is acting and do nothing.
- Staff/hosts should report any safeguarding concerns or incidents to the DSS or DSL, documenting their concern on an incident report form. Appropriate follow up action will then be taken by the DSS/DSL.
- Follow up action for a DSS: make an immediate referral to a DSL, documenting the concern, ensuring the child is safe first.
- Follow up action for a DSL: make a referral to the Children and Families Hub, ensuring the child is safe first. In all instances the DSS and DSL should complete an incident report form.
- In child protection cases, parents would be informed and consent gained when making a referral to the Children and Families Hub (unless this is not in the child’s best interest). In the event that the parent refuses consent, but child protection issues remain or the child is at immediate risk, a referral will be made regardless.
- In all instances, the priority is to make/keep the child safe. If it is believed that a child is in danger, then the police should be contacted immediately (999/112).
Hosts/staff are advised to follow the process below in the case of a safeguarding issue:
Where an allegation concerns the actions of St Brelade’s College employees it is the clear duty of the DSL to report the matter as set out in the St Brelade’s College safeguarding policy and the Safeguarding Partnership Board’s Managing Allegations Framework (MAF). In addition all staff should feel able to raise concerns about poor or unsafe safeguarding practices within the school, be aware how to do this and know that such concerns will be taken seriously by the senior safeguarding staff. If an allegation is made against a St Brelade’s College employee, a senior manager will need to clarify which action they intend to take and this may involve internal investigation. If the allegation is not referred directly to the Childrens and Families Hub, it will involve the Centre Manager contacting the Jersey Designated Lead (JDO) on 443566 who will assist in managing and overseeing the allegation independently. All allegations should be reported to the Children and Families Hub/JDO within one working day. Whilst under investigation, the action the school may take could include suspending the staff member (with or without pay) or the staff member being allocated a temporary different working role within the organisation. It is important to ensure that the action taken:
- Protects the rights & wishes of the child.
- Protects the rights of the member of staff concerned.
- Enables the managers to take appropriate action either on behalf of the child or the staff member where appropriate.
- Complies with record keeping procedures as laid out in Managing Allegations Framework (MAF) Jersey Safeguarding Partnership Board.
- Does not compromise any criminal investigation.
Where there is a concern about the behaviour of a Senior Manager or DSL of St Brelade’s College, this can be reported to the Jersey Designated Lead (JDO) using the contact information above. All other child protection or safeguarding concerns involving staff, group leaders or hosts, should always be reported to DSL or Senior Manager.
Rules of confidentiality dictate that it may not always be possible or appropriate for the DSL to feedback to hosts/staff who report concerns to them. Such information will be shared on a ‘need to know’ basis only and the DSL will decide which information needs to be shared, when and with whom. The primary purpose of confidentiality in this context is to safeguard and promote the child’s welfare.
