Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspections CPSI Yvonne Keating

Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspections (CPSI) Yvonne Keating - Assistant Chief Inspector Ger Power - Senior Inspector Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) Annual Conference for Principals & Deputy Principals 2019 The Mount Wolseley Hotel, Thursday January 31 st

Introduction 1. 4. 5. Child protection and safeguarding inspections - the child and the child’s safety and welfare central DLPs have a crucial leadership role in relation to child protection – Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspections support this Respectful engagement - our Code of Practice underpins our inspections We want to support the implementation of the 2017 Procedures Inspection – a formative process: 6. In developing the model – cognisant of GDPR requirements 2. 3. • Welfare of the child central • Fair to schools 2

Overview of presentation 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. The context of the Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspections: the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools 2017 Aims of Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspections (CPSIs) The Inspection Framework Features and procedures of Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspections (CPSIs) The report format Supports available for schools Conclusion 3

Context - Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspections • 2015 – Oireachtas passed ‘Children First Act’ • Placed the Children First National Guidance 2017 and child protection procedures on a statutory footing • Introduced new statutory obligations for mandated persons, “service providers” such as schools and for all Government Departments.

Context - Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspections • Children First National Guidance 2017 • Outlines the statutory obligations that apply to teachers and schools. • Outlines non-statutory obligations which are in place for all individuals, including teachers and for all sectors of society.

Context – Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspections • 11 December 2017 – All parts of the Children First Act 2015 came into force • New requirements on schools re child protection • The Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools 2017 • Provides guidance to schools in relation to meeting their statutory obligations • A requirement on the Inspectorate to monitor schools’ compliance with the 2017 Procedures • The CPSI Inspections are checks made under and with reference to the 2017 Procedures

Context - Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspections • Section 9. 13. 2 of the 2017 Procedures requires the Inspectorate to: • Use a range of models to monitor implementation of the 2017 Procedures • Conduct intensive, full-scale inspections focused on the implementation of the 2017 Procedures during a model of inspection designed specifically for this purpose • Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspection model

Fulfilling requirement for Inspectorate oversight Monitoring during short inspections – Level One • Primary: Curriculum Evaluations, Evaluations of Special Educational Needs, Incidental Inspections, Followthrough Inspections • Post-Primary: Subject Inspections, Programme Evaluations, Incidental Inspections and Follow-through Inspections • Three checks 8

Level One Monitoring – 3 Checks 1. The name of DLP and the Child Safeguarding Statement are prominently displayed near the main entrance 2. The Child Safeguarding Statement has been ratified by the board and includes an annual review and a risk assessment 3. All teachers visited have read the Child Safeguarding Statement and are aware of their responsibilities as a mandated person 9

Fulfilling the requirement for Inspectorate oversight Monitoring during more intensive inspections – Level Two Monitoring • Whole School Evaluations – Management Leadership and Learning • DEIS Evaluations • Evaluations of Youthreach Centres • Evaluation of Schools at Special Care Units • Eight checks 10

Level Two Monitoring – Checks 1, 2 and 3 1. • The name of the DLP and the Child Safeguarding Statement are prominently displayed near the main entrance to the school 2. • The Child Safeguarding Statement has been ratified by the board and includes an annual review and a risk assessment 3. • All teachers visited have read the Child Safeguarding Statement and are aware of their responsibilities as a mandated person 11

Level Two Monitoring – Checks 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. • The Child Safeguarding Statement meets the requirements of the Child Protection Procedures 2017 • The minutes of the three most recent board meetings contain a child protection oversight report • The board has provided information to all school personnel on the child protection procedures • School planning documents indicate that the school is making full provision for the relevant aspects of the curriculum (SPHE, Stay Safe, RSE, Well-being) • Child protection records are maintained in a secure location 12

Level Three Monitoring • Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspection Model (CPSI) • Standalone inspection model • Ten checks 13

Aims – Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspections 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Promote best practice in school leadership as it relates to child protection Monitor the implementation of the 2017 Procedures in a sample of schools annually Publish written reports on the implementation of the procedures in the sample of schools inspected Report to the Parents, Learners and Database section and to the Child Protection Oversight Group of the Department on the extent to which the Child Protection Procedures 2017 are implemented in a sample of schools Gather information to inform the development of child protection and safeguarding requirements by the Department and by other government departments and agencies involved in child protection 14

Focus of Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspections 15

Developing the model – extensive consultation Education partners Office of the Ombudsman for Children The Parents and Learners Unit of the Department Tusla Schools participating in the trial inspections Inspectors conducting the trial inspections Irish Second. Level Students Union The PDST 16

The Inspection Framework outlines what we check • There is a published Guide to Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspections • We devised a set of checks/criteria based exclusively on the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools 2017 • Ten overarching checks; each has a number of sub-checks • They reflect a range of aspects of a school’s life in relation to child protection 17

The inspection framework – the main checks Communication DLP / DDLP Information & Training Vetting Child Safeguarding Statement and Risk Assessment Child Protection Oversight Report Record keeping Procedures to Report Concerns Procedures (School Personnel) Curricular Aspects 18

A continuum of compliance… • For each of the first 9 of the 10 checks, we arrive at a finding of: Not compliant Partially compliant Substantially compliant Fully compliant 19

Example: Check 2 and its Sub-Checks Main Check Sub-Checks The DLP and Deputy DLP are named in the school’s Child Safeguarding Statement A Designated Liaison Person (DLP) and a Deputy DLP have been appointed in line with the requirements of the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post Primary Schools 2017 The DLP and the DDLP are current members of the full-time teaching staff If the DLP is not the principal the school authority has put arrangements in place to ensure the DLP will keep the principal appropriately informed of child protection matters 20

Sharing perspectives 21

Check 10 - The Curriculum check • Primary: There is a programme for Social Personal and Health Education for all children in the school (Yes / No) • Primary: The Stay Safe Programme is implemented within the school (Yes /No) • There is a Social Personal and Health Education Programme for all students in Junior Cycle (Yes / No) • There is a Relationships and Sexuality Education Programme (RSE) for all students in the school (Yes / No) 22

The Curriculum check Interview with SPHE Coordinator Planning Documentation Focus Group of Learners School Timetable Evaluative Judgement Parental Survey 23

The Curriculum check • The overall quality of planning for and implementation of the curriculum is… Very Good Satisfactory Fair Weak 24

Features – Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspection Notice by phone call • Typically, between twenty-four and forty-eight hours notice by phone call • May be unannounced In-school inspection (including meetings) lasts two days • May be consecutive or nonconsecutive days • Flexibility with timing of meetings with principals/ chairpersons 25

Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspection – Two Inspections The CPSI inspection process consists of two inspections: • An Initial Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspection • A Final Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspection 26

The initial and final inspection • Why 2 inspections? • Provide a real opportunity for learning by the school • A fair, balanced approach, keeping the child at the centre • The two inspections will be carried out in a school within a relatively short timeframe – 4 to 6 weeks between Initial and Final inspections • The Initial Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspection report and the Final Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspection report will be published simultaneously on the website of the Department of Education and Skills • 2 inspections in all cases; even where there is full compliance on Initial inspection 27

CPSI Inspection – What happens? • Meetings: o DLP / Deputy DLP o Chair person of board of management o Sample of school personnel o SPHE coordinator • Review of documents: o Board of management minutes o Child safeguarding statement and risk assessment o Relevant school plans, monthly progress records (primary) and timetable data (post-primary) • School self-report form on vetting • Review of child protection records • Parent survey during initial inspection • Parent focus group discussion during final inspection • Engagement with learners 28

Review of documents and files – points to note Purpose of review: to determine if the correct recording and reporting procedures were followed re child protection concerns Inspectors do not remove files, records or other documents from the school Inspectors do not make a copy (electronic or otherwise) of any part of a file or record The DLP may be present during the review of documents No personal data relating to any person referred to in a file is recorded by the inspectors 29

The Child Protection and Safeguarding Inspection Report The report is designed to • Explain the purpose of the CPSI inspection • Present a fair and accurate picture of a school’s compliance with Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools 2017 • Communicate in a clear and accessible way the inspection findings 30

The publication process Initial Inspection Report Issues 5 days for Factual Verification 10 days for School Response In 4 – 6 weeks Final CPSI Inspection 31

The publication process Final Inspection Report Issues 5 days to Factually Verify 10 days for School Response CPSI Initial and Final Reports are published 32

Report format • A detailed introduction • • What a child protection and safeguarding inspection is The inspection procedures The scale used for Checks 1 to 9 The quality continuum used for the Curriculum check (Check 10) • Where a school is less than fully compliant with a particular requirement the report: • Provides some additional evaluative comment on the check • Advises actions that the school should take • Each report also provides an evaluative comment on the school’s planning for and implementation of the mandatory aspects of the curriculum and a short reference to the parent questionnaire (initial CPSI) or parent focus group (final CPSI). 33

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Supports for Schools – A suite of mandatory and optional templates https: //www. education. ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Information/Child-Protection/Information. html

Mandatory Templates – You must use these Child Safeguarding Risk Assessment Template Child Safeguarding Statement Template Checklist for Review of Child Safeguarding Statement Notification regarding the Board of Management’s review of the Child Safeguarding Statement 36

Optional templates – You may use these Recording communication with Tusla Recording communication with people who made a complaint Checklists for preparing the CPOR Child protection case file checklist Guidance on unique codes Communication checklist 37

Questions 38

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