Management Information Sheet

A number of schools have been asking similar questions regarding safeguarding, CRB and the Single Central Register. A separate MI Sheet 245/09 has also been issued to cover the issues relating to school site security and building contractors. The following information is intended to answer the queries raised and to ensure that there is a consistency in practice across the County.

	Supply agency staff and any other visiting staff, such as Educational Psychologists, sports coaches, supply and trainee teachers, nurses etc should be CRB checked by their own agency or the agency providing their services to you. As a school taking reasonable steps to safeguard your students it is acceptable for you to request from the providing agency written confirmation that all appropriate checks, including CRB, have been carried out and that the responses from all checks are favourable. You can also request for your own records who carried out the checks. In large organisations this is likely to be the HR department. If this isn't already included in the contracts you have with some visiting organisations, it should now be an expected inclusion in any future contract.
	If you have a member of staff who is employed in two or more posts at different schools, one CRB will be sufficient if the posts are of a similar level and you are satisfied with their veracity, appropriateness and timeliness.
	Although you may not directly employ your cleaning, caretaking and kitchen staff they should still be included in your Single Central Record because they can come into regular contact with children. You should seek written assurances from the provider. Copies of contracts for staff who have access to children, are sufficient proof that the relevant checks have taken place - there is no need for you to re-do them.
	There will always be regular visitors in school who have been sufficiently checked by their employing body, for example Educational Psychologists, Attendance Officers, Social Workers, School Nurses, and Inspectors etc. There is no need to ask for copies of their CRB check as this will have been applied for and processed by the providing authority. If schools have been given written assurances that key LA staff have been checked this is enough. Proof of appropriate checks is most often provided by way of a photo - identity card. If schools are checking these and making a suitable register of visitors, this is sufficient.
	You do not have to retain copies of documents that have evidenced the identity of your staff. Once the documents have been verified the detail must be entered onto the Single Central Record with the name of the person who has verified the documentation. You must have the full required records on all staff employed since 1 January 2007. This includes their unique reference number. It is your responsibility to ask for the unique reference number of staff appointed before this date. There will be a number of staff who have been employed in the same school prior to 2002 with continuous service. They do not require a CRB check if there are no concerns regarding the individuals suitability to continue working with children. However, the requirement remains that these members of staff will have undergone a List 99 check. Some authorities and individual schools have elected to have a 3 year rolling programme of renewing CRB checks. There is currently no requirement to do this unless a member of staff has had a break in service of more than 3 months. Head teachers can nominate or delegate the task of entering information into the Single Central Record. The person who has been identified as having this responsibility will verify, sign and date when identity documents have been seen. Your Single Central Record should show the date when the CRB/List 99 check was carried out and by whom and also when the relevant certificate was obtained. The person who carried out the check is the person who has been given responsibility for this task in school. With regard to qualifications, it is sufficient for the Single Central Record to record that a teacher holds Qualified Teacher Status and that the teacher reference number is recorded with the initials of the person who checked this.

Clarification re Safeguarding training requirements:
The requirements placed on schools in relation to safeguarding training are defined in Safeguarding in Education and Safer Recruitment 2007. They are as follows:-

	All staff and regular volunteers in school are required to undertake safeguarding training every 3 years. Training materials and a power point presentation is available for the senior designated professional to use in conducting this training - the materials can be found on the safeguarding and equalities section of the Norfolk Children's Service school's site. To find go to safeguarding and equalities in the quick menu, this takes you to a child protection site. Go to safeguarding in the quick menu and you will find the materials and presentation next to the 7 + 9 bullet points. Some schools have already used this material successfully however some schools have expressed a preference for a trainer. Advisers are currently being trained to deliver this and you will be informed when this service will be available. In the mean time if you want to be added to a waiting list for this training with a preferred date please contact Robin Biss at the Professional Development Centre (Tel 01603 433276 robin.biss@norfolk.gov.uk).
	Training for Head teachers - If you are NOT the Senior Designated Professional you must demonstrate that you have attended multi agency training and that you up date this every 3 years. Multi agency training is provided by the Norfolk Safeguarding Children Board and you can select any course from the brochure. The training brochure can be found at www.lscb.norfolk.gov.uk. For further information regarding NSCB training please contact Tina Eagle on 01603 224228.
	If you are the Senior Designated Professional (you may also be the Head teacher) you need to attend multi agency training every 3 years. Apply in the same way as above and select any course from the brochure. You are likely to find the following courses most useful: 1. Working Together to Safeguard Children 2. Assessment and child protection conference 3. Emotional harm and neglect But you can apply for any one of the multi agency courses that you feel is relevant to your situation/school.
	If you are a new Head teacher or new to the Senior Designated Professional role and do not have experience of managing safeguarding issues you will need to undertake the Children's Services group B training. This course is for staff with safeguarding responsibility in school who have not attended any other formal safeguarding training. This course will inform you of the roles and responsibilities regarding safeguarding within Children's Services, the legal framework, the referral process and basic signs, symptoms, categories etc. For more information and to book a place please contact Pam Moorfield on 01603 224141.
	Head teachers and Governors requiring Safer Recruitment training should contact Governor Support at the Professional Development Centre.
	Governors requiring safeguarding/child protection for governors should also contact Governor Support.

Safeguarding and Equalities site.
Please use this site to find your safeguarding resource material. The documents that will support your day to day management of safeguarding in your school are:

	Safeguarding incorporating child protection policy
	Safeguarding Children in Norfolk Schools - this resource encompasses a number of pro-forma's and includes information for parents, supply staff and describes the essential features of a safeguarding school.

A number of schools have requested particular resource material - please check that what you are asking for is not already contained on the Safeguarding and Equalities site. If it isn't we will endeavour to develop further pro forma's.