Responding to an incident of concern
REMEMBER: To report any child abuse you can click here
When a concern is raised the action taken should be based upon an initial assessment of the circumstances. This assessment should not be made in isolation. Headteachers of smaller primary schools, where staffing does not enable delegation to spread the load, should be particularly aware of this issue.
To begin with a judgement needs to be made - is the issue that has been observed or reported
- Illegal
- Inappropriate
- Neither of these
Initial questions that must be answered include 'What type of activity is involved?'. exactly who is involved and who are the instigators and who are the victims. It is important to be aware of the fact that a child may have become a subject of the incident, but is not ready to admit that this is the case. Equally, an adult may have dealt with an issue by 'laughing it off' and not realised the importance of what has happened.
Beware of the quite natural reaction that most people go through - 'surely not here'. Incidents that give rise to concern often stem from the most unlikely of sources. This reaction can all too easily be accompanied by a desire to deal with an issue quietly, convincing yourself that it will 'protect the individual' or 'keep the good name of the school' if matters are hidden. Of course, none of these are the answer.
When you make that all important first judgement just occasionally you may determine that what has happened is 'illegal'. If this is the case, it is very important that you do report the situation to the Police immediately.
A flow chart has been created to help you track your way through the necessary steps. 
click here to download now You may well find it helpful to provide all staff with a copy of this document.
The 'A concern is raised' flowchart is based upon one originally produced by Kent County Council in their 'Schools e-Safety Policy 2007' and modified for Staffordshire use. It also draws from, but updates, the flowchart contained in the Becta 2005 publication 'e-Safety'.
Check out our staying safe contacts page
Report Illegal Content
You can report illegal content to the IWF (Internet Watch founation) this includes:
- Child sexual abuse images hosted anywhere in the world.
- Criminally obscene content hosted in the UK.
- Incitement to racial hatred content hosted in the UK.
- Inappropriate chat or behaviour with or towards a child online.
Click here for IWF webpage
Last Modified:
07/09/2009 09:04:22
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