Checklist for Safeguarding Statement

 Checklist for Review of the Child Safeguarding Statement

  1. The Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools (revised 2023)

    require that the Board of Management must undertake a review of its Child Safeguarding Statement and that the

    following checklist shall be used for this purpose. The review must be completed every year or as soon as

    practicable after there has been a material change in any matter to which the Child Safeguarding Statement

    refers.

    Undertaking an annual review will also ensure that a school also meets its statutory obligation under section 11(8)

    of the Children First Act 2015, to review  its Child Safeguarding Statement every two years.

    The checklist is designed as an aid to conducting this review and is not intended as an exhaustive list of the

    issues to be considered. Individual Boards of Management shall include other items in the checklist that are of

    relevance to the school in question.

    As part of the overall review process, Boards of Management should also assess relevant school

    policies, procedures, practices and activities vis a vis their adherence to the principles of best practice in child

    protection and welfare as set out in the school’s Child Safeguarding Statement, the Children First Act

    2015, the Addendum to Children First (2019) and the  Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary

    Schools (revised 2023).

     

    Point to Note Yes/No
    1. Has the Board formally adopted a Child Safeguarding Statement in accordance with the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools (revised 2023)? Yes, recorded in the Minutes of October 8th 2024 BoM Meeting
    2. Is the Board satisfied that the Child Safeguarding Statement is displayed in a prominent place near the main entrance to the school? Yes
    3. As part of the school’s Child Safeguarding Statement, has the Board formally adopted, without modification, the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools (revised 2023)? Yes, recorded in the Minutes of October 8th 2024 BoM Meeting
    4. Does the school’s Child Safeguarding Statement include a written assessment of risk as required under the Children First Act 2015? (This includes considering the specific issue of online safety as required by the Addendum to Children First) Yes
    5. Has the Board reviewed and updated where necessary the written assessment of risk as part of this overall review? Yes
    6. Has the Risk Assessment taken account of the risk of harm relevant to online teaching and learning remotely? Yes
    7. Has the DLP attended available child protection training? Yes
    8. Has the Deputy DLP attended available child protection training? Yes
    9. Have any members of the Board attended child protection training? Yes: Certificate on file from April 16th, 2024. Mike Ryan, Ray D’Arcy, Maria Woods, Niamh O’ Connor and Maureen Hobbins
    10. Has the school appointed a DLP and a Deputy DLP? Yes
    11. Are the relevant contact details (Tusla and An Garda Síochána) to hand? Yes: On a shared Child Protection Master Folder
    12. Has the Board arrangements in place to communicate the school’s Child Safeguarding Statement to new school personnel? Yes. Principal Ray D’Arcy meets all new staff and goes through the Child Protection Master Folder with them in person.
    13. Is the Board satisfied that all school personnel have been made aware of their responsibilities under the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools (revised 2023) and the Children First Act 2015? Yes
    14. Has the Board received a Principal’s Child Protection Oversight Report (CPOR) at each Board meeting held since the last review was undertaken?

    Yes for 4 of the 5 Board meetings

    June 27th, 2024 was a Zoom meeting as we had no Child Protection concerns to record.
    15. Since the Board’s last review, did each CPOR contain all of the information required under each of the 4 headings set out in sections 9.5 to 9.8 inclusive of the procedures?   Yes
    16. Since the Board’s last review, has the Board been provided with and reviewed all records relevant to the CPOR? Yes
    17. Is the Board satisfied that the records provided are anonymised and redacted as necessary to ensure that the identities of children and any other parties, including school personnel, to whom the concern or report relates are not disclosed? Yes
    18. Since the Board’s last review, have the minutes of each Board meeting appropriately recorded the records provided to the Board as part of CPOR?   Yes. 
    19. Have the minutes of each Board meeting appropriately recorded the CPOR?   Yes
    20. Is the Board satisfied that the child protection procedures in relation to the making of reports to Tusla/An Garda Síochána were appropriately followed in each case reviewed?  Yes
    21. Is the Board satisfied that, since the last review, all appropriate actions are being or have been taken in respect of any member of school personnel against whom an allegation of abuse or neglect has been made?*  Yes
    22. Where applicable, were unique identifiers used to record child protection matters in the Board minutes?  Yes
    23. Is the Board satisfied that all records relating to child protection are appropriately filed and stored securely?  Yes. They are stored in a locked safe.
    24. Has the Board been notified by any parent in relation to that parent not receiving the standard notification required under section 5.6 of the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools (revised 2023)? No
    25. In relation to any cases identified at question 20 above, has the Board ensured that any notifications required under section 5.6 of the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools (revised 2023) were subsequently issued by the DLP?  Yes
    26. Has the Board ensured that the Parents’ Association (if any), has been provided with the school’s Child Safeguarding Statement? Yes
    27. Has the Board ensured that the patron has been provided with the school’s Child Safeguarding Statement? Yes
    28. Has the Board ensured that the school’s Child Safeguarding Statement is available to parents on request?  Yes
    29. Has the Board ensured that the Stay Safe programme is implemented in full in the school? (applies to primary schools)  Yes
    30. Has the Board ensured that the Wellbeing Programme for Junior Cycle students is implemented in full in the school? (applies to post-primary schools) Not Applicable
    31. Has the Board ensured that the SPHE curriculum is implemented in full in the school?  Yes
    32. s the Board satisfied that the statutory requirements for Garda Vetting have been met in respect of all school personnel (employees and volunteers)? * Yes: It is an ongoing process. Awaiting guidance from St Senan’s Diocesan Office regarding re-vetting requirements.
    33. Is the Board satisfied that the Department’s requirements in relation to the provision of a child protection related statutory declaration and associated form of undertaking have been met in respect of persons appointed to teaching and non-teaching positions?* Yes: It is an ongoing process
    34. Is the Board satisfied that, from a child protection perspective, thorough recruitment and selection procedures are applied by the school in relation to all school personnel (employees and volunteers)?* Yes: It is an ongoing process
    35. Has the Board considered and addressed any complaints or suggestions for improvements regarding the school’s Child Safeguarding Statement? Yes, we now have an alert system for parents and guardians to inform them if a child is recorded as absent on a given day
    36. Has the Board sought the feedback of parents in relation to the school’s compliance with the requirements of the child safeguarding requirements of the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools (revised 2023)? Yes. We use Google Forms.
    37. Has the Board sought the feedback of pupils in relation to the school’s child safeguarding arrangements? Yes. We use Google Forms.
    38. Is the Board satisfied that the ‘Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post Primary Schools Post-Primary Schools (revised 2023) are being fully and adequately implemented by the school? Yes. We use Google Forms.
    39. Has the Board identified any aspects of the school’s Child Safeguarding Statement and/or its implementation that require further improvement?

    No
    40. Has the Board put in place an action plan containing appropriate timelines to address those aspects of the school’s Child Safeguarding Statement and/or its implementation that have been identified as requiring further improvement? N/A
    41. Has the Board ensured that any areas for improvement that were identified in any previous review of the school’s Child Safeguarding Statement have been adequately addressed? Yes

    *In schools where the ETB is the employer, the responsibility for meeting the employer’s requirements rests with the ETB concerned. In such cases, this question should be completed following consultation with the ETB.

    Signed: Maureen Hobbins Date: 08-10-2024
    Chairperson, Board of Management
    Signed: Ray D’Arcy Date:  08-10-2024
    Principal/Secretary to the Board of Management
    Note: Where a school is undertaking its first review, references in this checklist to the “last review” shall be taken to refer to the date on which the Child Safeguarding Statement was first put in place.