Publications and Guidance for Schools
Publications on General Child Protection Issues
Pastoral care in schools - Child protection PDF 342 KB
This publication provides guidance to schools and others on their responsibilities in relation to child protection, including the action to be taken to enable cases of suspected abuse to be properly considered and pursued. It also includes guidance on how complaints against school staff should be handled. The contents do not constitute, or purport to be, an authorative interpretation of the law: that is exclusively a matter for others.
This handbook will assist school governors in fulfilling their statutory responsibilities regarding their safeguarding role, in order to promote consistency and clarity of approach across all schools.
Safeguarding Children: Training Materials for Schools PDF 1.62MB
These slides are part of training materials designed to help the Designated Teacher in each school raise awareness about safe guarding and child protection issues. They complement the Child Protection Safeguarding Children DVD that has already issued to all schools. The materials convey a key message that safeguarding and protecting children is everyone’s business.
Circulars and Letters - General Child Protection Issues
This circular informs schools and their Boards of Governors about a number of important new legal requirements about the welfare and protection of pupils and to advise schools on sources of advice and guidance in ensuring compliance with the new requirements. It also contains information for schools and their Boards of Governors about important new legal requirements about measures to prevent bullying.
Circular 1999/10 Pastoral care in schools: Child protection PDF 27.1 KB
This circular is to advise schools of the publication of the Department of Educations guidance on child protection, 'Pastoral Care in Schools: Child Protection'.
Abolition of Corporal Punishment Extended to Special Schools 24 June 2003
Child Protection: Legislative Changes to the Age of Consent Feb 2009
Contact with Schools during Summer Holidays (Referrals to Social Services)
Circulars and Letters - Safeguarding Children and Young People
Circular 1999/17 Parental responsibility: Guidance for schools PDF 37.5 KB
This circular informs schools about the law on parental responsibility and provides advice on the action required by schools in respect of a person or persons who acquire parental responsibility for a pupil. This circular is currently being updated to reflect changes to the law brought in through the Family Law Act (NI) 2001 and the Civil Partnership Act 2004, and will be available in spring 2009.
Vetting of Staff Working in Schools
Teacher’s Negotiating Committee Team now responsible for this issue any additional text to be added by that team (contact – Alan MacDonald)
This Circular explains that from 1 April 2008 responsibility for undertaking criminal history background checks transfers from PSNI Criminal Records Office to a new organisation called AccessNI. This Circular sets out the process which all grant-aided schools must use to request pre-employment criminal history background checks on prospective employees, volunteers and school governors from that date. Other changes to apply from that date are covered in this Circular.
This Circular recommends that all staff, paid or unpaid, in a school should have been subject to a criminal background check to ensure suitability to have access to children.
Circular 2006/09a Appendix A timetable for action PDF 14 KB
A schedule setting out the dates and the appropriate nominated officer
This Circular advises that from 1 September 2006 at least one school governor serving on an interview panel or committee established for the purpose of recruiting or selecting staff for appointment to a school should be trained in 'Child Protection and Recruitment and Selection'.
Circular 2006/07 Child protection: Employment of substitute teachers PDF 35 KB
This Circular advises that as from 1 September 2006 schools should employ as substitute teachers only those who are on the Northern Ireland Substitute Teachers Register
This Circular replaces previous guidance on pre-employment checking in Circular 1990/28, Disclosure of Criminal Background of Persons with Access to Children.
Circular 2006/06a Appendix A: Checks on applicants from abroad PDF 31 KB
Outlines checks on applicants from abroad.
Statutory Inquiries
Cabin Hill Statutory Inquiry Report PDF 212 KB
The report of the statutory inquiry set up to investigate child protection matters at Cabin Hill School, was published on 25 January 2005. The statutory inquiry, which was announced by Education Minister, Barry Gardiner, on 2 June 2004, investigated the events surrounding the sexual abuse of a boarding pupil at Cabin Hill Preparatory School, by a fellow pupil, in 1992. The Inquiry Team was specifically asked to identify any lessons which might have application for schools and child protection more widely.
Bangor Grammar School Independent Inquiry
Report of the Independent Inquiry into the school’s handling of complaints made to it about Dr Lindsay Brown (July 1998)
