Catch22 College: Safeguarding policies

Catch22 reserves the right to amend this policy, following consultation, where appropriate.

Date of last review: September 2026

Date of next review: August 2026

Key contact details for each Catch22 College, including for the DSL, Deputy DSL, and Senior Operations Manager, can be found in this section of the College-specific policy, downloadable below.

Catch22’s approach to safeguarding all of our learners is founded in the nature of our relationships. We prioritise assessing and managing the needs of our learners and have a dynamic approach to identification, assessment and response to risk.

Introduction

Catch22 College is the collective name we give to our sites across the country where we provide learning programmes to young people aged between 14 and 19, or up to 25 where they have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

We specialise in providing learning and training opportunities for students who, for whatever reason, don’t want to stay in a traditional (‘mainstream’) academic environment. We provide our students with a different option – the opportunity to carry on their learning in a smaller, highly supporting environment where the focus in on providing learning and vocationally focused training options to help them to gain skills, qualifications and experiences that will help them to achieve their goals in life.

In most of our sites we also support local schools to expand their curriculum offer to their pre-16 student, or we have pre-16 students who are classified as Electively Home Educated, and therefore entitled to participate in our post-16 offer.

Catch22 is committed to providing promoting the health and wellbeing of all of our students and making sure that we do everything we can to keep them safe. The same is true in respect of staff and volunteers, and of any partner agencies that work with us to support our students. This policy sets out how we will fulfil this commitment.

Catch22 College safeguarding aims

Catch22 aims to ensure that:

• Appropriate action is taken in a timely manner to safeguard and promote young peoples’ welfare
• All staff are aware of their statutory responsibilities with respect to safeguarding
• Staff are properly trained in recognising and reporting safeguarding issues.

Legislation and statutory guidance

This policy is based on the Department for Education’s statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education (2025) and Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023). We comply with this guidance and the arrangements agreed and published by our 3 local safeguarding partners and the local adult safeguarding board.

This policy is also based on the following legislation:

• The Children Act 1989 (and 2004 amendment), which provides a framework for the care and protection of children
• Section 5B(11) of the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003, as inserted by section 74 of the Serious Crime Act 2015, which places a statutory duty on teachers to report to the police where they discover that female genital mutilation (FGM) appears to have been carried out on a girl under 18
• Statutory guidance on FGM, which sets out responsibilities with regards to safeguarding and supporting girls affected by FGM
• The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, which outlines when people with criminal convictions can work with children
• Schedule 4 of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, which defines what ‘regulated activity’ is in relation to children
• Statutory guidance on the Prevent duty, which explains colleges duties under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 with respect to protecting people from the risk of radicalisation and extremism
• The Disqualification Regulations and Childcare Act 2006, which set out who is disqualified from working with children
• The Care Act 2014 which outlines the duties and powers of the local authority for adult safeguarding.

Definitions

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people means:

• protecting from maltreatment
• preventing the impairment of health and development
• ensuring that young people grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care.
• taking action to enable all young people to have the best outcomes, or
• protecting young people who may be in vulnerable circumstances.

Young people may be at risk of abuse or neglect due to the actions (or inaction) of another person or professional, or other staff  working with them within and institution.

Child protection refers to activities undertaken to prevent children suffering, or being likely to suffer, significant harm.

Abuse is a form of maltreatment of a child, and may involve inflicting harm or failing to act to prevent harm. Appendix 1 explains the different types of abuse.

Neglect is a form of abuse and is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Appendix 1 defines neglect in more detail.

Child includes everyone under the age of 18 and staff must follow the procedures for children (until their 18th birthday).

Adult is anyone over the age of 18 and staff must follow the procedures for adults.

Equality statement

Some students have an increased risk of abuse, and additional barriers can exist for some students with respect to recognising or disclosing it. We are committed to anti-discriminatory practice and recognise student’s diverse circumstances. We ensure that all children have the same protection, regardless of any barriers they may face.

We give special consideration to students who:

• have special educational needs (SEN) or disabilities Are young carers
• may experience discrimination due to their race, ethnicity, religion, gender identification or sexuality Have English as an additional language
• are known to be living in difficult situations – for example, temporary accommodation or where there are issues such as substance abuse or domestic violence
• are at risk of FGM, sexual exploitation, forced marriage, or radicalisation Are asylum seekers
• are at risk due to either their own or a family member’s mental health needs Are looked after or previously looked after

Roles and responsibilities

Safeguarding and child protection is everyone’s responsibility. This policy applies to all staff and volunteers of the College.

All staff

All staff will read and understand part 1, part 5 and annex B of the Department for Education’s statutory safeguarding guidance, Keeping Children Safe in Education, and review this guidance at least annually.

All staff will sign a declaration through 4policies at the beginning of each academic year to say that they have reviewed the guidance.

All staff will be aware of:

• Our systems which support safeguarding, including this safeguarding policy, the staff code of conduct, the role and identity of the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and deputies.
• The early help process (sometimes known as the common assessment framework) and their role in it, including identifying emerging problems, liaising with the DSL, and sharing information with other professionals to support early identification and assessment
• The process for making referrals to local authority children’s social care and adult social care and for statutory assessments that may follow a referral, including the role they might be expected to play
• What to do if they identify a safeguarding issue or a student tells them they are being abused or neglected, including specific issues such as FGM, and how to maintain an appropriate level of confidentiality while liaising with relevant professionals
• The signs of different types of abuse and neglect, as well as specific safeguarding issues, such as child on child abuse, child sexual exploitation (CSE), child criminal exploitation (CCE), indicators of being at risk from or involved with serious violent crime, FGM and radicalisation, self-neglect, financial abuse.
• The importance of reassuring victims that they are being taken seriously and that they will be supported and kept safe

The designated safeguarding lead (DSL)

Contact details for the DSL, Deputy DSL, and Senior Operations Manager can be found in this section of the College-specific policy, downloadable below.

The DSL takes lead responsibility for child protection and wider safeguarding. During term time, the DSL will be available during College opening hours for staff to discuss any safeguarding concerns.

When our DSL is absent, our Deputy DSL will act as cover.

If the DSL and deputy are not available, then you should contact your Senior Operations Manager.

Governance

The Catch22 Safeguarding Board has responsibility for oversight and management of this policy.

Catch22’s strong focus on governance means that all matters relating to safeguarding are overseen by the Safeguarding Board, which is comprised of designated Safeguarding Leads from each business area.

Alongside reviewing and monitoring safeguarding incidents through our safeguarding performance framework and organisational lessons learnt, the Safeguarding Board is the formal mechanism by which Catch22 disseminates safeguarding roles and responsibilities to staff as well as setting the strategic direction for safeguarding within its services. This group ensures effective communication between the managers and corporate departments and acts as the leadership group on safeguarding issues by:

• providing up to date knowledge on safeguarding matters
• ensuring that staff have access to appropriate safeguarding training
• reviewing how the safeguarding policies are working in

An overview of organisational safeguarding structure

The Chief Executive of Catch22 holds ultimate accountability for ensuring safeguarding arrangements, as delegated to this role by the Board of Trustees. As a registered charity, Catch22 has a Safeguarding Trustee on the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees has specific responsibilities in working with in line with the Charity Commission that can be found here.

Catch22 has an organisational Head of Safeguarding, who is an experienced and qualified safeguarding practitioner to ensure that safeguarding matters are central to the strategic management of Catch22.

Senior Operations Manager

The regional manager is responsible for the implementation of this policy, including:

• ensuring that staff (including temporary staff) and volunteers are informed of this policy as part of their induction
• communicating this policy to parents when the young person joins the centre and via the centre website
• ensuring that the DSL has appropriate time, funding, training and resources, and that there is always adequate cover if the DSL is absent
• ensuring that all staff undertake appropriate safeguarding and child and adult protection training and update this regularly
• acting as the ‘case manager’ in the event of an allegation of abuse made against another member of staff or volunteer, where appropriate.

In most instances, the lead teacher will also be the Designated Safeguarding Lead for the Centre..

Confidentiality

The college will:

• ensure confidentiality protocols are adhered to and information is shared appropriately. If in any doubt about confidentiality, staff will seek advice from a senior manager or Social Care Worker as required.
• ensure the college follows the ‘Information sharing: Guidance for practitioners and managers’
• ensure that the Designated Safeguarding Lead will only disclose any information about a student to other members of staff on a ‘need to know’ basis.
• make all staff aware that they have a professional responsibility to share information with other agencies in order to safeguard students
• ensure staff are clear with students that they cannot promise to keep
• timely information sharing is essential to effective safeguarding
• information must be shared on a ‘need-to-know’ basis, but you do not need consent to share information if a student is suffering, or at risk of, serious harm
• confidentiality is also addressed in this policy with respect to record-keeping in section
• further information on data protection can be found in Data Management and Protection

Recognising abuse and taking action: children

Staff and volunteers must follow the procedures set out below in the event of a safeguarding issue.

Please note – in this and subsequent sections, you should take any references to the DSL to mean “the DSL (or deputy DSL)”.

If a child is suffering or likely to suffer harm, or in immediate danger:

Make a referral to children’s social care and/or the police immediately if you believe a child is suffering or likely to suffer from harm, or in immediate danger. Anyone can make a referral.

Tell the DSL as soon as possible if you make a referral directly.

Referrals will be made in line with local procedures.

If a child makes a disclosure to you:

If a child discloses a safeguarding issue to you, you should (NSPCC what to say to a child and how to respond):

•  Listen carefully to what they are saying. Be patient and focus on what you are being told. Try not to express your own views and feelings. Allow them time to talk freely and do not ask leading questions.
•  Stay calm and do not show that you are shocked or upset. If you appear shocked or as you do not believe them it could make them stop talking and take back what they have said.
•  Let them know they have done the right thing in telling you. Reassurance can be a big impact. If they have kept the abuse a secret it can have a big impact knowing they have shared what has happened.
•  Tell them it is not their fault and they have done the right thing telling you. Abuse is never a child’s fault. It is important they hear, and know this.
•  Explain what will happen next and that you will have to pass this information on. Do not promise to keep it a secret
• If you consider the child to be at immediate risk of harm, tell the DSL or deputy DSL straight away.
• Write up your conversation as soon as possible on CPOMS in the child’s own words. Stick to the facts, and do not put your own judgement on it. Alert the DSL and deputy DSL’s once entered on cpoms.
• Alternatively, if appropriate, make a referral to children’s social care and/or the police directly (see 7.1), and tell the DSL as soon as possible that you have done so.

If you discover that FGM has taken place, or a pupil is at risk of FGM:

The Department for Education’s Keeping Children Safe in Education explains that FGM comprises “all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs”.

FGM is illegal in the UK and a form of child abuse with long-lasting, harmful consequences. It is also known as ‘female genital cutting’, ‘circumcision’ or ‘initiation’.

Possible indicators that a pupil has already been subjected to FGM, and factors that suggest a student may be at risk, are set out in appendix 4.

Any teacher who discovers (either through disclosure by the victim or visual evidence) that an act of FGM appears to have been carried out on a student under 18, must immediately report this to the police, personally. This is a statutory duty, and teachers will face disciplinary sanctions for failing to meet it.

Unless they have been specifically told not to disclose, they should also discuss the case with the DSL and involve children’s social care as appropriate.

Any other member of staff who discovers that an act of FGM appears to have been carried out on a pupil under 18 must speak to the DSL and follow our local safeguarding procedures.

The duty for teachers mentioned above does not apply in cases where a pupil is at risk of FGM or FGM is suspected but is not known to have been carried out. Staff should not examine pupils.

Any member of staff who suspects a pupil is at risk of FGM or suspects that FGM has been carried out, must speak to the DSL and report their concerns using CPOMS.

If you have concerns about a child (as opposed to believing a child is suffering or likely to suffer from harm, or is in immediate danger):

Where possible, speak to the DSL first to agree a course of action.

If in exceptional circumstances the DSL is not available, this should not delay appropriate action being taken. Speak to a member of the senior leadership team and/or take advice from local authority children’s social care. You can also seek advice at any time from the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000. Share details of any actions you take with the DSL as soon as practically possible.

Make a referral to local authority children’s social care directly, if appropriate (see ‘Referral’ below). Share any action taken with the DSL as soon as possible.

Early help

If early help is appropriate, the DSL will generally lead on liaising with other agencies and setting up an inter-agency assessment as appropriate. Staff may be required to support other agencies and professionals in an early help assessment, in some cases acting as the lead practitioner.

The DSL will keep the case under constant review and the college will consider a referral to local authority children’s social care if the situation does not seem to be improving. Timelines of interventions will be monitored and reviewed.

Referral

If it is appropriate to refer the case to local authority children’s social care or the police, the DSL will make the referral or support you to do so.

If you make a referral directly, you must tell the DSL as soon as possible.

If the child’s situation does not seem to be improving after the referral, the DSL or person who made the referral must follow local escalation procedures to ensure their concerns have been addressed and that the child’s situation improves.

Procedure

Please see Figure 1 in downloadable policy below (page 15).

If you have concerns about extremism:

If a child is not suffering or likely to suffer from harm, or in immediate danger, where possible speak to the DSL first to agree a course of action.

If in exceptional circumstances the DSL is not available, this should not delay appropriate action being taken. Speak to a member of the senior leadership team and/or seek advice from local authority children’s social care. Make a referral to local authority children’s social care directly, if appropriate (see ‘Referral’ above). Inform the DSL or deputy as soon as practically possible after the referral.

Where there is a concern, the DSL will consider the level of risk and decide which agency to make a referral to. This could include Channel, the government’s programme for identifying and supporting individuals at risk of being drawn into terrorism, or the local authority children’s social care team.

The Department for Education also has a dedicated telephone helpline, 020 7340 7264, which college staff can call to raise concerns about extremism with respect to a pupil. You can also email counter.extremism@education.gov.uk. Note that this is not for use in emergency situations.

In an emergency, call 999 or the confidential anti-terrorist hotline on 0800 789 321 if you:

• think someone is in immediate danger
• think someone may be planning to travel to join an extremist group
• see or hear something that may be terrorist-related

If you have a mental health concern

Mental health problems can, in some cases, be an indicator that a child has suffered or is at risk of suffering abuse, neglect or exploitation.

Staff will be alert to behavioural signs that suggest a child may be experiencing a mental health problem or be at risk of developing one.

If you have a mental health concern about a child that is also a safeguarding concern, take immediate action by following the steps in the section above about what to do if you have concerns about a child.

If you have a mental health concern that is not also a safeguarding concern, speak to the DSL to agree a course of action.

Recognising abuse and taking actions: adults

The Care Act 2014 sets out clear legal framework for how local authorities and other parts of health and care systems should protect adults at risk of abuse or neglect.

Adult safeguarding arrangements are about:

An adults’ ability to give consent is important when safeguarding and protecting adults at risk. The Mental Capacity act 2005 provides a legal framework for making significant life decisions for adults who lack capacity to make decisions.

When working with adults at risk, a balance is needed between the interventions to protect them, and their right to live their lives without unwarranted or excessive interference, and to exercise autonomy and self-determination.

Adult abuse and raising a concern

Abuse is mistreatment by any other person or persons that violates a person’s human and civil rights. The abuse can vary from treating someone with disrespect in a way which significantly affects the person’s quality of life, to causing actual physical suffering.

Abuse can happen anywhere – in a residential home, a hospital, in the workplace, at a day centre or educational establishment, in supported housing or in the street.

Appendix 2 defines the forms of adult abuse.

If you are concerned an adult is being abused a referral will be made to adult social care duty team. If the adult’s immediate safety is at risk call 999 straight away.

Concerns about a staff member, supply teacher, or volunteer

If you have concerns about a member of staff (including a supply teacher, volunteer or contractor), or an allegation is made about a member of staff (including a supply teacher, volunteer or contractor) posing a risk of harm to children follow guidance in Managing Allegations Policy and Low Level Concerns Policy.

Any concern regarding a member of staff will be escalated to the Catch22 Head of Safeguarding and People Partner.

Allegations of abuse made against other students

We recognise that children are capable of abusing their peers. Abuse will never be tolerated or passed off as “banter”, “just having a laugh” or “part of growing up”.

We also recognise the gendered nature of child-on-child abuse. However, all child on child abuse is unacceptable and will be taken seriously.

Most cases of students hurting other students will be dealt with under our college’s learner handbook, but this child protection and safeguarding policy will apply to any allegations that raise safeguarding concerns. This might include where the alleged behaviour:

• is serious, and potentially a criminal offence
• could put students in the college at risk
• is violent
• involves students being forced to use drugs or alcohol
• involves sexual exploitation, sexual abuse or sexual harassment, such as indecent exposure, sexual assault, upskirting or sexually inappropriate pictures or videos (including the sharing of nudes and semi-nudes).

See appendix 4 for more information about child-on-child abuse.

Procedures for dealing with allegations of child-on-child abuse

If a student makes an allegation of abuse against another student:

• You must record the allegation and tell the DSL, but do not investigate it
• The DSL will contact the local authority children’s social care team and follow its advice, as well as the police if the allegation involves a potential criminal offence
• The DSL will put a risk assessment and support plan into place for all students involved (including the victim(s), the student(s) against whom the allegation has been made and any others affected) with a named person they can talk to if needed

Creating a supportive environment in college and minimising the risk of child-on-child abuse

We recognise the importance of taking proactive action to minimise the risk of child-on-child abuse, and of creating a supportive environment where victims feel confident in reporting incidents.

To achieve this, we will:

• challenge any form of derogatory or sexualised language or inappropriate behaviour between peers, including requesting or sending sexual images
• be vigilant to issues that particularly affect different genders – for example, sexualised or aggressive touching or grabbing towards female pupils, and initiation or hazing type violence with respect to boys
• Ensure our curriculum helps to educate pupils about appropriate behaviour and consent Ensure students are able to easily and confidently report abuse using our reporting systems Ensure staff reassure victims that they are being taken seriously
• Ensure staff are trained to understand:
  • How to recognise the indicators and signs of child-on-child abuse, and know how to identify it and respond to reports
  • That even if there are no reports of child-on-child abuse in college, it does not mean it is not happening – staff should maintain an attitude of “it could happen here”
  • That if they have any concerns about a student’s welfare, they should act on them immediately rather than wait to be told, and that victims may not always make a direct For example:
    • Students can show signs or act in ways they hope adults will notice and react to
    • A friend may make a report
    • A member of staff may overhear a conversation
    • A student’s behaviour might indicate that something is wrong
  • That certain students may face additional barriers to telling someone because of their vulnerability, disability, gender, ethnicity and/or sexual orientation
  • That a student harming a peer could be a sign that the child is being abused themselves, and that this would fall under the scope of this policy
  • The important role they have to play in preventing peer-on-peer abuse and responding where they believe a student may be at risk from it
  • That they should speak to the DSL if they have any concerns

Sharing of nudes and semi-nudes (‘sexting’)

Your responsibilities when responding to an incident

If you are made aware of an incident involving the consensual or non-consensual sharing of nude or semi-nude images/videos (also known as ‘sexting’ or ‘youth produced sexual imagery’), you must report it to the DSL immediately.

You must not:

• View, copy, print, share, store or save the imagery yourself, or ask a student to share or download it (if you have already viewed the imagery by accident, you must report this to the DSL)
• Delete the imagery or ask the student to delete it
• Ask the student(s) who are involved in the incident to disclose information regarding the imagery (this is the DSL’s responsibility)
• Share information about the incident with other members of staff, the student(s) it involves or their, or other, parents and/or carers
• Say or do anything to blame or shame any students involved

You should explain that you need to report the incident and reassure the student(s) that they will receive support and help from the DSL.

Reporting systems for our students

Where there is a safeguarding concern, we will take the student’s wishes and feelings into account when determining what action to take and what services to provide.

We recognise the importance of ensuring students feel safe and comfortable to come forward and report any concerns and/or allegations.

To achieve this, we will:

• put systems in place for students to confidently report abuse
• ensure our reporting systems are well promoted, easily understood and easily accessible for students
• make it clear to students that their concerns will be taken seriously, and that they can safely express their views and give feedback
• students can report concerns directly to college staff
• students are reminded how to report concerns through posters around the college site

How students are taught about safeguarding

Students are taught about safeguarding through the following;

• Personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum
• Relationship sex education (RSE) curriculum
• Votes for schools

All students receive an induction, and as part of their induction the DSL and Deputy DSL’s are identified to them.

Students are taught how to keep themselves safe online and this is outlined in the E-Safety policy.

The students wishes

Where there is a safeguarding concern the DSL will ensure the students wishes and feelings are taken into account when determining what action to take and services to provide. Following a disclosure the DSL will discuss with the student and give them an opportunity to express their views. The student will always be told of next steps following any disclosure. The DSL will always operate with the best interest of the student at their heart.

Notifying parents

Where appropriate, we will discuss any concerns about a student with the students parents. The DSL will normally do this in the event of a suspicion or disclosure.

Other staff will only talk to parents about any such concerns following consultation with the DSL.

If we believe that notifying the parents would increase the risk to the student, we will discuss this with the local authority children’s social care team before doing so.

Online learning

If online learning has to continue or be reinstated at any point, communication will only be through;

• College email
• Learning resources available online, included pre-recorded sessions

The following will be adhered to;

• No personal contact information will be shared with parents and carers or students.
• Microsoft TEAMS (using the whiteboards app or Powerpoint presentations which can be shared through screen share, not just with the teacher’s face) will be the only platform used for live taught learning sessions.
• A timetable will be published of when lessons will be taught.
• At the start of every live lesson, students will be informed that the lesson is being recorded and their consent gained to continue participation in this session.
• Students will be reminded that they should also be in an appropriate place to take part in the lesson, not in their bedrooms and their clothing should be appropriate.
• Live lessons will be in groups only, there will be no 1:1 lessons.
• The background will need to be blurred and staff should be in professional dress.

Online safety and mobile phones

We recognise the importance of safeguarding students from potentially harmful and inappropriate online material, and we understand that technology is a significant component in many safeguarding and wellbeing issues.

To address this, our college aims to:

• have robust processes in place to ensure the online safety of students, staff and volunteers
• protect and educate the whole college community in its safe and responsible use of technology, including mobile and smart technology (which we refer to as ‘mobile phones’)
• set clear guidelines for the use of mobile phones for the whole college community
• establish clear mechanisms to identify, intervene in and escalate any incidents or concerns, where appropriate
• The DSL must have an understanding of filtering and monitoring to support decision-making and safeguarding responses.

The four key categories of risk

Our approach to online safety is based on addressing the following categories of risk:

1. Content – being exposed to illegal, inappropriate or harmful content, such as pornography, fake news, racism, misogyny, self-harm, suicide, anti-Semitism, radicalisation and extremism
2. Contact – being subjected to harmful online interaction with other users, such as peer-to-peer pressure, commercial advertising and adults posing as children or young adults with the intention to groom or exploit them for sexual, criminal, financial or other purposes
3. Conduct – personal online behaviour that increases the likelihood of, or causes, harm, such as making, sending and receiving explicit images (e.g. consensual and non-consensual sharing of nudes and semi-nudes and/or pornography), sharing other explicit images and online bullying; and
4. Commerce – risks such as online gambling, inappropriate advertising, phishing and/or financial scams

To meet our aims and address the risks above we will:

• educate students about online safety as part of our curriculum. For example:
  • The safe use of social media, the internet and technology
  • Keeping personal information private
  • How to recognise unacceptable behaviour online
  • How to report any incidents of cyber-bullying, ensuring students are encouraged to do so, including where they are a witness rather than a victim
• Train staff on online safeguarding issues including cyber-bullying and the risks of online radicalisation. All staff members will receive refresher training at least once each academic year.
• Make sure staff are aware of any restrictions placed on them with regards to the use of their mobile phone and cameras, for example that:
  • Staff are allowed to bring their personal phones to college for their own use, but will limit such use to non-contact time when students are not present
  • Staff will not take pictures or recordings of students on their personal phones or cameras
• Put in place robust filtering and monitoring systems to limit students exposure to the 4 key categories of risk (described above) from the college’s IT systems

Artificial intelligence (AI)

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools are now widespread and easy to access. Staff, pupils and parents/carers may be familiar with generative chatbots such as ChatGPT and Google Bard.

Catch22 recognises that AI has many uses, including enhancing teaching and learning, and in helping to protect and safeguard pupils. However, AI may also have the potential to facilitate abuse (e.g. bullying and grooming) and/or expose pupils to harmful content. For example, in the form of ‘deepfakes’, where AI is used to create images, audio or video hoaxes that look real.

Catch22 Colleges will treat any use of AI to access harmful content or bully pupils in line with this policy and our anti-bullying/behaviour policy.

Staff should be aware of the risks of using AI tools whilst they are still being developed and should carry out risk assessments for any new AI tool being used by the school.

Complaints and concerns about college safeguarding policies

Complaints against staff

Complaints against staff that are likely to require a child protection investigation will be handled in accordance with our procedures for dealing with Managing allegations against staff within the policy.

Other complaints

For further information read the Catch22 complaints policy.

Whistle-blowing

A separate Catch22 Whistleblowing policy outlines the procedures for reporting a concern, how the college will respond and the protection available for staff who report another member of staff.

For further information read the Catch22 whistleblowing policy. Other contacts you may use include:

• NSPCC number 0808 800 5000
• I have a concern email aconcern@catch-22.org.uk

Record-keeping

We will hold records in line with our records retention schedule.

All safeguarding concerns, discussions, decisions made and the reasons for those decisions, must be recorded in writing using CPOMS. If you are in any doubt about whether to record something, discuss it with the DSL. Appendix 4 provides guidance on how to enter incidents onto CPOMS.

Non-confidential records will be easily accessible and available. Confidential information and records will be held securely and only available to those who have a right or professional need to see them.

Safeguarding records relating to individual children will be retained until their 23rd birthday.

Safeguarding records which contain information about allegations of sexual abuse will be retained for the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), for the term of the inquiry.

The college shares information with other agencies and when this is appropriate, in line with local safeguarding procedures.

Appendix 3 sets out our policy on record-keeping specifically with respect to recruitment and pre- employment checks

Checking the identity and suitability of visitors

All visitors will be required to verify their identity to the satisfaction of staff and to leave their belongings, including their mobile phone(s), in a safe place during their visit.

If the visitor is unknown to the setting, we will check their credentials and reason for visiting before allowing them to enter the setting. Visitors should be ready to produce identification.

Visitors are expected to sign the visitors’ book and wear a visitor’s badge. Visitors will be issued with safeguarding information and told who the DSL is on site.

All other visitors, including visiting speakers, will be accompanied by a member of staff at all times. We will not invite into the school any speaker who is known to disseminate extremist views, and will carry out appropriate checks to ensure that any individual or organisation using college facilities is not seeking to disseminate extremist views or radicalise students or staff.

Training

All staff

All staff members will undertake safeguarding and child protection training at induction and annually, including on whistle-blowing procedures, to ensure they understand the college’s safeguarding systems and their responsibilities, and can identify signs of possible abuse or neglect.

All staff will have training on the government’s anti-radicalisation strategy, Prevent, to enable them to identify students at risk of being drawn into terrorism and to challenge extremist ideas.

The DSL and deputies

The DSL and deputies will undertake child protection and safeguarding training at least every 2 years.

In addition, they will update their knowledge and skills at regular intervals and at least annually (for example, through e-bulletins, meeting other DSLs, or taking time to read and digest safeguarding developments).

They will also undertake Prevent awareness training.

Recruitment – interview panels

At least one person conducting any interview for a post at the college will have undertaken safer recruitment training. This will cover, as a minimum, the contents of the Department for Education’s statutory guidance, Keeping Children Safe in Education, and will be in line with local safeguarding procedures. For further information please see our Recruitment and Selection policy.

Monitoring arrangements

This policy will be reviewed annually by the Head of Safeguarding. At every review, it will be approved by the Safeguarding board.

Related policies

• Learner handbook
• Staff code of conduct Complaints
• Health and safety Privacy notices Whistle Blowing policy
• Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks policy Recruitment and selection policy
• Data Management and Protection policy
• Managing Allegation Policy
• Low Level Concerns Policy