Child Safeguarding Risk Assessment

(of any potential harm)

There is a definition of “HARM” at the end of this document.

FINAL Document

List of School Activities		The School has   identified the following Risk of Harm	The School has the following Procedures in place to address risk identified in this assessment
Training of school personnel in Child Protection matters		Harm not recognised or reported promptly Staff being unaware of procedures New staff untrained	Child Safeguarding Statement reviewed by all staff & DES procedures made available to all staff   DLP& DDLP to attend PDST face to face training   All Staff will view Túsla training module & any other online training offered by PDST. All new staff will be required to view this module and produce the required certificate.   BOM minutes record all records of staff and BOM training   The Child Protection Policy is put into the Welcome Pack which is given to all new staff. This Welcome Pack is kept on the table in each class for casual substitutes.
One to one teaching		Harm by school personnel	Glass in window in most areas.   The photocopying room cannot be used for testing until there is a new door, with glass, fitted.   Art work sometimes blocks the doors but there will always have to be some glass free.
School toilet areas		Inappropriate behaviour	Ensure that there is only one child at a time in the bathroom.   Children change costumes in class under supervision
Curricular Provision in respect of SPHE, RSE, Stay safe.		Non-teaching of same	School implements SPHE, RSE, Stay Safe in full. This implementation needs to be reflected in the Cuntas Miosiul.
Care of children with special needs, including intimate care needs		Harm by school personnel	Policy on intimate care   An individual staff member will never be alone if intimate care is needed.
Daily arrival and dismissal of pupils		Harm from older pupils, unknown adults on the playground	Arrival and dismissal supervised by Principal and Teachers.   Children have to be collected by their parents, in person, before they can leave the premises.     Children cannot come inside the gate before the principal collects the children in the morning.   Staff cars cannot be moved before the buses have gone.   Each teacher is responsible for getting their own classes onto the buses safely.   The children who are being collected have to wait, inside the school gates, until the teacher is back from the buses and can dismiss them safely.
Sports Coaches		Harm to pupils	Policy & Procedures in place   The sports coach will not be left alone with the children.    All sports personnel are Garda vetted
Students participating in work experience		Harm by student Being with children in an unsupervised capacity	Will not be left alone with the children   We will not take children under 16 on work experience unless they are Garda Vetted by their school.   Fully compliant with Garda Vetting   Child Safeguarding Statement.
Recreation breaks for pupils		Unauthorised adults on yard Staff not vigilant enough Children on our Open Day who are not aware of the yard rules.	Adequate supervision and locked school doors.   Adults on Supervision must not use their mobile phones.   Gates are not locked because of the need for emergency service access.   Staff need to spread out around the entire yard.   Gates to go in at both sides of school to minimise risk of unauthorised adults accessing the yard.
Classroom teaching		Harm by school personnel	All personnel are Garda Vetted.   All personnel have been trained in new legislation.   All personnel are aware of the Child Safety Statement and have been involved in the creation of the Risk assessment.
Outdoor teaching activities		Meeting a stranger on school grounds	Children are supervised at all times.
Managing of challenging behaviour amongst pupils.		Injury to pupils and staff	Health & Safety Policy   Code Of Behaviour   This will need review depending on the children that are enrolled. It is not something that arises very often.
After school activities		Unauthorised people gaining access to the premises. Unknown people collecting the children.	Door is to be kept secure during after school activities.   Children will not be released to unknown and unidentified adults.   The parents should have the phone number of the adult running the class.   The adult in charge will not leave until all the children are collected.
School outings		Children coming in contact with strangers Children being left behind Supervision for toilet breaks.	Learning about stranger danger.   Children to be in sight and counted.   Children never left “lagging” behind. There should be one adult at the end of the line and one at the start of the line.   Cross checking numbers of children during the outing.   SNA will not be left alone with a child, who may be ill, on outings.   School Tours Policy
Administration of Medicine Administration of First Aid		Children will not be alone with an adult during the administration of medicine. Children gaining access to medicine	Administration of medicine policy.   Each individual child has a medical procedure and indemnity document. All medicines are in a locked cabinet
Door bell ringing when secretary is not there.		Children allowing unknown adults into the school.	Children must never answer the door, even when they know and trust the adult.
Use of external personnel to supplement curriculum (Visitors to the school)		Children alone with adult visitors to the school	Children will never be left alone with any visitors to the school. This is especially important when there is a talk/exhibition in the hall.   These visitors will always be accompanied by a vetted member of staff.   The children cannot stay behind to chat without an adult present.
Annual Sports Day		Big opportunity for unknown adults to be on the school premises.	Children will be supervised by school staff at all times.   Children will not stay behind to “tidy up” without a member of school staff being present and the children being in sight at all times.
Fundraising events involving pupils		Opportunity for unknown adults to be on the school premises.	Children to be supervised at all times.   There will be a designated adult in each area, for each activity, especially on charity day.   We have designated entry and exit points for members of the public and these are supervised.
School transport arrangements including use of bus escorts		Unauthorised people collecting the children at bus stops. No one to collect children at the bus stop	Children are escorted on and off the buses.   There is a bus escort on each bus and they are fully Garda Vetted and have been trained in Child Protection.   See also arrival and dismissal section of this document.   Parents remain in contact with Bus Escort by text. Children will not be released to unauthorised adults.
Use of off-site facilities for school activities (Swimming)		Visiting the toilet   Adults in the changing area while the children are changing (This, unfortunately, cannot be changed.)	Children need to inform a member of staff when they are going to use the toilet and they need to be supervised. 2 adults will go to the toilet area when each child needs to be supervised OR 2 adults will stay in the changing area for the duration of the lesson.   Boys will use the disabled toilet as it is a self-contained unit and can be supervised from outside by staff.
Management of challenging behaviour amongst pupils, including appropriate use of restraint where required		Danger to staff and other children	In the future, we will revisit our policies and make any changes that may be necessary.   Behaviour Policy
Curricular provision in respect of SPHE, RSE, Stay Safe		The only danger would be if these subjects are not being taught properly and thoroughly.	Monitoring of these subjects through the Cuntas Miosiul.
Recruitment of school personnel including – TeachersSNA’sCaretaker/Secretary/CleanersSports coachesExternal Tutors/Guest Speakers Volunteers/Parents in school activitiesVisitors/contractors present in school during school hours Visitors/contractors present during after school activities		Harm not recognised or properly or promptly reported	Child Safeguarding Statement & DES procedures made available to all staff   Staff to view Tusla training module & any other online training offered by PDST   Vetting Procedures   Policy on Parents / Volunteers   Policy on Visiting Contractors
Use of video/photography/other media to record school events		Material appearing in inappropriate places	Media policy
Use of Information and Communication Technology by pupils in school		Bullying and access of inappropriate content	ICT policy   Anti-Bullying Policy   Code of Behaviour
Application of sanctions under the school’s Code of Behaviour including detention of pupils, confiscation of phones etc.		Children being left in classrooms to complete work   Children being left in corridor to complete work   Unsupervised detention	Code of Behaviour to be carefully followed   Reminder: Children are not kept in at break times as a sanction

Important Note:  It should be noted that risk in the context of this risk assessment is the risk of  “harm” as defined in the Children First Act 2015 and not general health and safety risk.  The definition of harm is set out in Chapter 4 of the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post- Primary  Schools 2017 Harm is defined under 4 categories:

1 NEGLECT “When you know, believe, or have reasonable grounds to suspect that a child’s needs have been neglected, are being neglected, or are at risk of being neglected to the point where the child’s health, development or welfare have been, or are being seriously affected, or are likely to be seriously affected.”

2 EMOTIONAL ABUSE/ILL TREATEMENT “When you know, believe, or have reasonable grounds to suspect that a child has been, is being, or is at risk of being ill-treated to the point where the child’s health, development or welfare have been, or are being seriously affected, or are likely to be seriously affected.”

3 PHYSICAL ABUSE “When you know, believe, or have reasonable grounds to suspect that a child has been, is being, or is at risk of being assaulted to the point where the child’s health, development or welfare have been, or are being seriously affected, or are likely to be seriously affected.”

4 SEXUAL ABUSE All concerns about sexual abuse must be reported.

In undertaking this risk assessment, the board of management has endeavoured to identify as far as possible the risks of harm that are relevant to this school and to ensure that adequate procedures are in place to manage all risks identified.  While it is not possible to foresee and remove all risk of harm, the school has in place the procedures listed in this risk assessment to manage and reduce risk to the greatest possible extent.

This risk assessment has been completed by the Board of Management on April 26^th 2018. It will be reviewed as part of the school’s annual review of its Child Safeguarding Statement.

Signed _____________________________________ Date ________________

Chairperson, Board of Management

Signed _____________________________________ Date ________________

Principal/Secretary to the Board of Management

 Child Safeguarding Statement March 2019

St Oliver Plunkett National School is a primary school providing special primary education to pupils from Second/Third Class to Sixth Class

In accordance with the requirements of the Children First Act 2015, Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017, the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post Primary Schools 2017 and Tusla Guidance on the preparation of Child Safeguarding Statements, the Board of Management of St Oliver Plunkett NS has agreed the Child Safeguarding Statement set out in this document.

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 2017 as part of this overall Child Safeguarding Statement.

• The Designated Liaison Person (DLP) is the Principal, Angela Power

The Deputy Designated Liaison Person (Deputy DLP) is the Deputy Principal, Alison Cooney

• 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, procedures, practices and activities. The school will adhere to the following principles of best practice in child protection and welfare.  The school will:

1. recognise that the protection and welfare of children is of paramount importance, regardless of all other considerations
   1. fully comply with its statutory obligations under the Children First Act 2015 and other relevant legislation relating to the protection and welfare of children
   1. fully co-operate with the relevant statutory authorities in relation to child protection and welfare matters
   1. 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
   1. develop a practice of openness with parents and encourage parental involvement in the education of their children; and
   1. 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.

• The following procedures/measures are in place:

1. In relation to any member of staff who is the subject of any investigation (howsoever described) in respect of any act, omission or circumstance in respect of a child attending the school, the school adheres to the relevant procedures set out in Chapter 7 of the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools 2017 and to the relevant agreed disciplinary procedures for school staff which are published on the DES website  
   1. In relation to the selection or recruitment of staff and their suitability to work with children, the school adheres to the statutory vetting requirements of the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016 and to the wider duty of care guidance set out in relevant Garda vetting and recruitment circulars published by the DES and available on the DES website
   1. In relation to the provision of information and, where necessary instruction and training to staff in respect of the identification of the occurrence of harm (as defined in the 2015 Act) the school:
      1. Has provided each member of staff with a copy of the school’s Child Safeguarding Statement
      1. Requests that all staff sign a letter to say that they have read the statement.
      1. Ensures all new staff  are provided with a copy of the school’s Child Safeguarding Statement and that they have signed a letter confirming same.
      1. Encourages staff to avail of relevant training
      1. Encourages Board of Management members to avail of relevant training
      1. The Board of Management maintains records of all staff and Board member training.

• In relation to reporting of child protection concerns to Tusla, all school personnel are required to adhere to the procedures set out in the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools 2017, including in the case of registered teachers, those in relation to mandated reporting under the Children First Act 2015
  • In this school, the Board has appointed the above named DLP as the ‘relevant person’ (as defined in the Children First Act 2015) to be the first point of contact in respect of the school’s child safeguarding statement.

• All registered teachers employed by the school are mandated persons under the Children First Act 2015

• In accordance with the Children First Act 2015, the Board has carried out an assessment of any potential for harm to a child while attending the school or participating in school activities. A written assessment setting out the areas of risk identified and the school’s procedures for managing those risks is attached as an appendix to these procedures. This statement is reviewed by all staff at least once a year see point no. 9).

• The various procedures referred to in this Statement can be accessed via the school’s website, the DES website or will be made available on request by the school

Note:  The above is not intended as an exhaustive list. Individual Boards of Management shall also include in this section such other procedures/measures that are of relevance to the school in question 

• This statement has been published on the school’s website and has been provided to all members of school personnel, the Parents’ Association (if any) and the patron.  It is readily accessible to parents and guardians on request. A copy of this Statement will be made available to Tusla and the Department if requested.

• This Child Safeguarding Statement will be reviewed annually or as soon as practicable after there has been a material change in any matter to which this statement refers

This Child Safeguarding Statement was adopted by the Board of Management on

Signed: _________________________                     Signed: _________________________

Chairperson of BoM                                             Principal/Secretary to the BoM

      Date:     ________________________                      Date:    __________________­­­­­­­_______

Date of Review March 2020

Please click the link below to view the relevant Policy:

• Attendance
• Code of Behaviour
• Child Protection
• Parent/Guardian Teacher Communication
• School Trips
• Student Welfare
• Transport