Child Protection Officer Form
Name of Student: ______________ Form: __ Date: ________
Name of Teacher referring student: ___________________
Have I (tick as appropriate)
1. Have I clarified the nature and extent of concerns, ie
Had a written report from the teacher concerned which is dated
and signed and includes the teacher’s and child’s comments as
relevant, enclosed?
Put all information about the student which may be relevant in a
separate confidential file?
Kept all information in a locked filing cabinet in my office?
2. Have I decided on appropriate action? (after consultation
with relevant parties)
monitoring?
parental involvement
referral?
3. Have I contacted the following, if relevant?
Nurse
Parents
Principal
ESF Secondary Officer
CPSIT
Educational Psychologist
Social worker/Counsellor
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4 Monitoring Parental Involvement Referral Route -
. Route - Route - Have I:
Have I: Have I:
contacted relevant Interviewed parents with Sought advice from ESF?
teachers: nurse, another member of staff?
PE, Primary class
teacher, form
tutor, pastoral
staff?
Kept records Involved social work/counsellor Sought help from counselling services prior
accordingly? in school for the child and to referral about support they can give, eg
parents? St John’s Counselling Services, for the
student concerned?
Created a parental contract (see Contacted social worker regarding the case
appendix) and whether we need to involve CPSIT?
If no agreement with parents Informed ESF of my actions, checked
reached, reverted to referral legalities?
model?
Informed and copied the Informed Principal?
contract to Ed Psychologist,
ESF?
If contract agreed, monitored Informed Ed Psychologist?
as in monitoring process?
Informed members of staff as in
monitoring process?
Provided in-school support for the student
involved (staff, students)?
5. Have I considered whether I personally need personal support or counselling?
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West Island School Child Protection Procedures
Staff member notices a cause for concern based upon the indicators of abuse in the Staff Handbook.
Action: (1) see JPF (2) write-up concerns - send in sealed envelope to JPF
OR student discloses to staff member - he/she writes a report, sends in sealed envelope to JPF
JPF, where appropriate, calls case conference. Members of the group may include:
Principal, School Counsellor, Form Tutor
School Nurse*, relevant HoS and HoY*
(* indicates always included)
Concerns and agreed course of action recorded.
Kept in locked cabinet - not on student’s file
Option One: Option Two:
Monitor Parental Involvement Option Three:
Referral
Relevant staff, nurse, etc to Parents interviewed by JPF/HoS Advice from ESF sought by JPF
monitor as relevant
check of support agencies who
can aid after referral occurs
Records kept contract with parents agreed
contact social worker on whether
Monitoring ceases or Option monitor contract and provide to involve CPSIT
Two/Three taken up school support for student
OR Inform Principal and ESF of
Referral option actions
Inform relevant staff of process
Support student
Report back CPSIT action
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A Teacher’s Guide to dealing with reports of abuse
When a child is telling you about a case of abuse, it is important that you should
remember to:
Stay calm.
Reassure the child - tell them they are doing the right thing and that you are pleased
they are confiding in an adult. Praise them for having the courage to come forward.
Tell the child that the information you are giving them will be taken seriously and
looked into by school and outside agencies if necessary.
Explain to the child that it is necessary, in order to help them, that you will have to
tell certain other parties but assure them that this will not be general knowledge
within the school community.
Tell the child whom you will be confiding to next and why. Assure them that (in the
case of the abuse by a parent) their parents will not be informed until there has been
discussion.
Show that you believe the child and ensure that you tell them this
Tell them that it is not their fault.
Encourage the child to talk - listen to them rather than ask leading questions.
Check that you have a full understanding of what the child has told you before the end
of the discussion.
Be aware that the child may retract all that they have told you either in the initial
interview or later - it is important that you still report it.
Find out if the child has told anyone else, either in or outside of school, this
information.
Make a detailed report on the relevant sheet of all the information, use the child’s
language, and pass to the designated teacher immediately. Include questions asked but
do not include own opinion or comments. It is important that this is recorded in as
much detail as possible so that the child does not have to repeat the details of abuse
unnecessarily.
When a child is telling you about a case of abuse, it is important that you refrain from:
Transmitting anger, shock or embarrassment.
Promising confidentiality. Assure the child that you will make every attempt to help
them but let them know that you may have to tell other people about the incidents in
order to help.
Asking leading questions or pressing for information.
Telling the child that what has happened to them is “dirty, naughty or bad” in any way,
though reference might be made to the teacher’s role in helping it to be stopped.
Commenting on the offender and their morality - it may be someone the child loves.
Talking to anyone but the designated teacher about what the child has told you.
Acting without the knowledge and agreement of the designated teacher.
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WIS - Child Protection Report
This report should be completed IMMEDIATELY following any incident which raises any concern about
possible child abuse. It should be completed by any member of staff who has reason to be suspicious
about or concerned about the well-being of a child. Care must be taken to report this information
accurately and confidentially. This form must be passed the same day in a sealed envelope to the
designated teacher for dealing with all issues concerning student protection at WIS.
Name of person completing report: ……………………………………………………………………………………………
Position in relation to the student (ie teacher, form tutor, counsellor): …………………………..
Student involved: ……………………………………………………………………………………. Form: …………………………
Date: …………………….……………………. Day of the week: …………………………………. Time: …………………..
Adults/students present: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
DETAILS OF YOUR CONCERN
Record here EXACTLY (it is very important that you do not embellish details) what you saw or heard
including actually site of injury (eg upper right arm, size/colour of bruising etc) or an exact record - as
far as possible - of anything said to you by the child. Record any relevant comments made by yourself.
Avoid asking any more questions than are necessary to clarify any uncertainties. Please attach an
additional sheet of paper if necessary.
Signed: ………………………………………………………………………….
Reported to Designated Teacher at ……………(time) on ………………………………….(date)
Action taken/No further action …………………………………………………………………………………………………
Signed ……………………………………………………………….(Designated Teacher)
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