4. Leadership & Management

Receiving a disclosure can be upsetting for the member of staff and schools should have a procedure for supporting them after the disclosure. This might include reassurance that they have followed procedure correctly and that their swift actions will enable the allegations to be handled appropriately. In some cases, additional counselling might be needed and they should be encouraged to recognise that disclosures can have an impact on their own emotions. Children may become subject to Child in Need plans or Child Protection plans. This will always involve multiagency working around the child / family. All agencies are required to provide written reports for each meeting. Our school wherever possible will also send a representative to the meeting to share this report and hear the wider contextual picture so as to ensure we can apply the any specific safeguarding procedures with good understanding of the context. If a meeting falls in a school holiday period the following arrangements are in place and shared with the LA. During the school holidays, the responsibility will fall to the Deputy DSL/Head teacher Mrs S Barnes, where appropriate the DSL may be contacted to support if required

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