ICSS Child Protection/Safeguarding Policy

(please contact admin@icss.org.uk for the full copy of this policy)

Our Safeguarding Policies have been written in compliance with the arrangements under section 11 of the Children Act 2004 set out in Working Together 2015. Furthermore, this policy has taken form using the guidance provided by the Safe Network Standards (managed in partnership of The NSPCC and Children England).

Our reference to Safeguarding in this document is used as such that is consistent with Working Together 2015, which defines “safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children” as:

  • Protecting children from maltreatment
  • Preventing impairment of children’s health or development
  • Ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
  • Taking action to enable children to have the best life chances.Keeping Children Safe Prevention: We recognise that the school plays a significant part in the prevention of harm to our children by providing children with good lines of communication with trusted adults, supportive friends and an ethos of protection. The school will therefore:
  • Establish and maintain an ethos where children feel secure and are encouraged to talk and are always listened to.
  • Ensure that all children know there is an adult in the school whom they can approach if they are worried or in difficulty.

ICSS Safeguarding when providing online lessons

Safeguarding remains as important when teaching online as when teaching at ICSS sessions in the classroom. Parents and students should be aware of the ICSS Child Protection Policy before commencing attendance of the new method of teaching and receiving educational sessions online.

The points below are to be used in addition to our Child Protection Policy, not instead of.

Working via Google Meet or any other online audio-visual applications does raise some additional safeguarding issues to consider.

Safeguarding rules for ICSS students

  • The agreement of the parents or guardians of students for teaching online must be obtained prior to the start of sessions.
  • These online sessions via Google Meet or any other audio-visual applications will be used exclusively for the purpose of ICSS tutoring sessions as online study lessons.
  • Do not record any lesson under any circumstance.
  • Parents will be informed of date and time of online sessions and are requested to be present in the room or background while student is online during session.
  • Online tuition sessions both current and ongoing will be monitored by ICSS
  • Tutor (must have advanced DBS clearance and pre- trained in child protection) teaching the online session will be informed that an ICSS volunteer will be present within sessions
  • If tutor (from Targeted Provision or any other organisation) observes anything of any concern regarding child protection, they will pass this on to their child protection officer within the company and also ICSS immediately
  • Targeted Provision will only communicate via parents’ e-mail addresses. Links to all work and online classrooms will be sent to these e-mail addresses’

Online Safeguarding Policy: Student Code of Conduct

Students MUST:

  • Be responsible when using the internet. This included the resources that are accessed and the language used.
  • NOT deliberately browse, download or upload material that could be considered offensive or illegal. If a student accidentally comes across any such material, they must report it immediately to a volunteer.
  • NOT send anyone material that could be considered threatening, bullying, offensive or illegal.
  • NOT give out any personal information such as name, phone number or address. Nor should they reveal passwords to anyone.
  • NOT use social media, and must not arrange meet someone unless accompanied by a responsible adult or a parent.
  • Acknowledge that these rules are designed to keep students safe and that if they are not followed, sanctions are in place and parent/ carer may be contacted.