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Child Protection Policy

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 Citywest ETNS 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 Caitriona Hand.  
  3. The Deputy Designated Liaison Person (Deputy DLP) is Aoife Blood up to 17th December 2017 and Anita Collings from 18th December 2017.  
  4. In its policies, practices and activities, Citywest ETNS 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.  
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5. School policies, practices and activities that are particularly relevant to child protection: 
  • Code of Conduct, which includes: 
  • Code of Behaviour 
  • Anti-Bullying 
  • Positive Communications 
  • Dignity in the Workplace 
  • Complaints Procedure 
  • Code of Professional Conduct 
  • Photography procedure document 
  • Substance use policy 
  • Arrival and dismissal of children procedure document 
  • Agreed adult:child ratio for trips outside of the school grounds 
  • Teaching of the SPHE curriculum and the Learn Together curriculum 
  • Safety Statement 
6. The Board has ensured that the necessary policies, protocols or practices as appropriate are in place in respect of each of the above listed items.  
7. This policy has been made available to school personnel and the Parents’ Association 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.  
8. 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 24th October 2017. 
Date of next review: October 2018 
  

Relevant Contact Details 
 
Dublin West Child Protection Services 
Social Work Department, Cherry Orchard Hospital, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10. Tel: (01) 620 6387 
Office Hours: 9.00 - 1.00  2.15 - 5.00 
Outside office hours all child protection concerns should be referred to the Gardaí  
The HSE operates an out-of hours Crisis Intervention Service in the Dublin area, which can be accessed by emergency services like Hospitals and the Garda Siochana outside of office hours.Crisis Intervention Service: Office Hours Tel (01) 8976828 
 
Further contact details available on HSE website (www.hse.ie/go/socialworkers) and from HSE LoCall Tel. 1850 24 1850. 
 
Rathcoole Garda Station 01-6667900. 
Aspects of the Child Protection Policy that were identified as requiring improvement at the last review - report 
  1. Board members to attend Child Protection training 
    2. School attendance strategy to be developed 
    3. Buddy system for new school staff to be rolled out for staff who commence work with us during the school year 
    4. Buddies in the staff buddy system to be specifically instructed to communicate the school's child protection policy to new school personnel 
    5. Child protection training to be provided for all school staff 
    6. Specific filing system to be established in relation to child protection 
    7. Parents' Association to be provided with the school's child protection policy 
    8. Stay Safe checklist to be developed to ensure that the Stay Safe programme is fully implemented 
    9. SPHE curriculum plan and checklist to be developed 
    10. Garda Vetting checklist for school staff to be developed, along with a filing system relating specifically to Garda vetting, statutory declaration and form of undertaking as well as reference checks and recording of recruitment practices 
    11. Folder containing Board minutes to be set up and presented to each Board meeting 
Action Plan 
Item Number - Person responsible - To be completed by - Completed 
1 - Austin and Caitriona - October 2017 - No 
2 - Caitriona and Orla - May 2017 - In progress, not complete 
3 - Caitriona and Claire - May 2017 - Yes 
4 - Caitriona and Claire - August 2017 - Yes 
5 - Caitriona - October 2017 - In-house only 
6 - Caitriona - February 2017 - Yes 
7 - Caitriona - January 2017 - Yes 
8 - Caitriona and Aisling - May 2017 - Yes 
9 - Caitriona and Aisling - May 2017 - Yes 
10 - Caitriona - February 2017 - Partly 
11 - Caitriona and Austin - January 2017 - Yes, using Sharepoint 
 
Aspects of the Child Protection Policy that require improvement between October 2017 and October 2017 
1. Board members to attend Child Protection training 
2. School attendance strategy to be completed, ratified and submitted 
3. External child protection training to be provided for all school staff 
4. Garda Vetting checklist for school staff to be developed further, along with refining of a filing system relating specifically to Garda vetting, statutory declaration, form of undertaking, reference checks and recording of recruitment practices 
5. Update the school website to include most up-to-date Child Protection policy 
6. Clarify obligations to report all suspected incidents of child protection to Gardai 
7. Review the policy in relation to the investigation process carried out prior to reporting a case to Tusla and the Gardai 
Action Plan 
Item Number - Person responsible - To be completed by - Completed 
1 - Austin and Caitriona - March 2018 
2 - Caitriona and Orla - December 2017 
3 - Caitriona - September 2018 
4 - Caitriona, Aoife and Anita - December 2017 
5 - Caitriona and Aoife - November 2017 
6 - Caitriona and Austin - April 2018 
7 - Caitriona and Austin - April 2018