Safeguarding
The safeguarding package enables schools to improve the process of protecting children from abuse or neglect, preventing impairment of their health and development, and ensuring they are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care that enables children to have the optimum life chances entering adulthood.
Support, supervision and training
The School Health team can support a school with its safeguarding responsibilities. Each school health practitioner is both a qualified nurse with additional safeguarding children training, and is experienced in working with vulnerable children and families. The School Health Team is supported by the Safeguarding Named Nurse for Hull, who ensures that all safeguarding related practice is both evidence-based and child-centred at all times.
CHCP CIC can support school staff with Safeguarding supervision and deliver Safeguarding training to teachers and school staff in safeguarding best-practice and support decisions to make referrals to Social Care. Extra drop-in time (on top of that freely given to all Hull schools) can be arranged to help engagement from a safeguarding perspective.
Understanding the referral process
The sensitivities around referring can become complex and counter-productive when balanced against the teacher’s time constraints. Within the school environment the Child Protection Co-ordinator is the principle decision-maker with reference to safeguarding matters. Each school health practitioner can support the school and its teachers as they have significant depth of understanding around the referral processes, as well as having strong communication channels with other professionals. They may also act as liaison with Social Care teams and other relevant agencies.
Identifying health needs in children with Social Care involvement
Each member of the CHCP CIC School Health team is pro-active in identifying health needs in children with Social Care involvement. They can support actions identified in Child Protection Plans, following strategy meetings, and have appropriate report-writing skills suitable to the Social Care environment. They can provide advocacy and additional support for the child or young person when they interface with health, education and Social Care agencies.
Home/school liaison
The School Health team can facilitate dialogue between pupils, parents, school and professionals and can support children and young people with Social Care involvement through unbiased and non-judgemental advice and guidance. The team can, through early intervention, provide emotional health support and arrange parenting groups to help the school meet its safeguarding responsibilities.
How to access School Health+
The School Health+ team will work with the school safeguarding lead to identify a package of safeguarding support appropriate to the schools needs. Following this assessment, a pilot (try before you buy) will be instigated where the school can evaluate the service and changes to provision can be made in line with the schools requirements. Once success has been measured and the benefits recognised, a programme of one, two or three year contracts can be made available subject to individual school negotiation.