Exclusion Policy
Rationale
Exclusion is a last resort after all other avenues have been explored. For high quality care and learning to take place it is important to maintain an orderly and disciplined setting. From time to time it will be necessary to exclude children.
Aims
- To ensure all children are safe from intimidation, bullying and exposure to poor role models etc.
- To ensure all staff are protected from violence and or abuse.
- To help children understand that there are consequences to actions.
Guidelines
Child will be spoken to first on several occasions. After 3 continuous verbal warnings parents will be informed in writing about the situation and asked to talk to them about our reasons for exclusion.
After a few weeks or seasonal sessions they may return and try again. If this fails, they will be asked to leave.
Other Exclusions will include; those who have not been attending school due to illness and those who have been clear from infection for the 48hrs period.
Distribution, Retention and Destruction of Child Protection Information
General
Staff from individual partners will maintain their own records of work in child protection. These records will be subject to the arrangements for maintaining confidentiality and allowing client access appertaining to each partner.
Well-kept records are essential to good child protection practise and each partner should have a policy stating the purpose and format for keeping records and should include a policy in respect of destruction. The needs of the Data Protection Act 1998 have to be addressed in this respect.
Clear guidance needs to be given in the partner’s policy and practise in respect of file/information transfer when a child on the Child Protection Register moves out of the Plymouth LSBC area. See the section on ‘Child Protection Register’.
This policy is based upon the Local Child Protection Guidance Policies and Procedures Guidance v.3.1 published by the Plymouth Safeguarding Children Board, May 2011.
Child Protection Records
Partners ensure that written records of concerns about a child are kept even if there is no need to make an immediate referral. A detailed chronology should be kept and maintained for all children where a concern has been raised. Partners ensure that all such records are kept confidentially and securely and are separate from child`s records.
All electronic child protection records are stored electronically are kept on encrypted memory sticks, with back up. Designated persons only have access to these files. Paper records are stored securely in a locked cabinet and electronic records are printed out to maintain a full record of information.
Partners ensure that an indication of further record-keeping is marked on the student records.
Partners ensure records are passed on securely to another Designated Person at other educational establishments to which pupils may transfer. They should seek a written receipt from the receiving organisation as proof of passing on all records either in person or secure ‘signed off’ postal system.
Where a child leaves , their records will be archived securely, and retained for the recommended period of time as per Plymouth City Council regulations.
Child Protection Conference Records
These records primarily consist of child protection conference minutes and reports to Child Protection Conferences but may also apply to Strategy Discussion documents.
Minutes will not be sent to any person or agency that does not subscribe to the PSCB policies on confidentiality of records. One copy will be sent to all those invited to the meeting including the Guardian and Court Welfare Officer if they attend. They must not be copied except with the Chair’s approval.
Retention of All Child Protection Records
All child protection records and conference minutes must be stored in secure filing cabinets and restricted in access to only those who need to know their contents, unless they are in use. Before filing, their contents must be checked for accuracy and any discrepancy immediately reported to the chair of the meeting.
Where records are stored electronically, there must be sufficient safeguards in place to enable access only by authorised individuals.
Where a child is on the Child Protection Register and moves out of the PSBC area the complete set of the minutes should be forwarded, by the Custodian of the Register to the respective agency in whose area the child now resides.
A copy of the minutes may be held by the Health Authority’s Designated Nurse, Named Nurses (as per Agency Protocol) and the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary, in accordance with procedures, for the retention and destruction of client files Where a partner is unable to securely store Child Protection Minutes, once they have been checked for accuracy, their copy should be destroyed.
Access by Clients
All partners should have policies that comply with Data Protection and Access to Records Act in respect of access by clients of personal information. The Data Protection Act not only applies to computer stored information but now also covers written material providing it can be searched for in a specific way. (See Data Protection Policy).
Child Protection records are exempt from automatic access by clients but certain restricted access will now be allowed under legislation. Before information appertaining to a conference is disclosed, written permission should be sought from third parties. This also applies to Strategy Meetings convened under Child Protection Procedures