St. Declans School Code of Behaviour

1. The staff of St. Declan’s, in conjunction with parent representatives and with input from the children have developed this code of behaviour. The staff would like to acknowledge the advice and support of Dr. Bill Rogers (Whole School Approach to Behaviour Management) who gave a whole staff seminar on developing a school wide framework for behaviour and whose work has strongly influenced our approach to behaviour in this school. This code has been developed within the context of St. Declans which caters to a population of students with mild emotional and behavioural difficulties and high functioning autistic spectrum disorders.  Declans strives to create a supportive and caring environment for each pupil and aims to enable children to attain their full potential and fulfil their role in society.
2. The aims of this code of behaviour are to:

• Provide a school wide framework to support positive behaviour and establish preferred practices which maintain a consistent approach to behaviour throughout the school.
• Enable individuals to own their behaviour, and be accountable for the choices they make within the school environment; to respect mutual rights and to do so within the context of workable relationships with other members of this school community.

3. Core rights accorded to all members of the school community include: the right to feel safe; the right of children to learn (without undue distraction or disruption) and the right to respect and fair treatment. These rights entail responsibilities by all: children, parents, teaching and support staff.  Every effort will be made by all members of staff to adopt a positive approach to the question of behaviour in the school.   The school recognises the variety of differences that exist in children and endeavour to accommodate these differences within the school wide framework for management of behaviour.
4. It is agreed that a high standard of behaviour requires a strong sense of community within the school and a high level of co-operation among staff and between staff, pupils and parents. All rules of conduct are based on five key premises, which will be called St. Declans Code. They are:

• Being Respectful: using nice manners, being kind and caring, working quietly, using appropriate language, following teacher’s directions, being helpful, listening, waiting your turn to speak…

• Being Responsible: taking care of property, doing homework, arriving on time, having the things you need, following class and school rules, making appropriate judgements about what should be at school, eating a healthy and nutritious lunch, putting litter in the bin…

• Being Safe: acting in a considerate, safe manner, playing safely, being careful not to be rough or harm others in any way….

• Being Honest: telling the truth even when it’s tough, ‘owning up’ when you’re in the wrong. Telling when you see someone being hurt deliberately.

• Being the Best you can be: Having a positive attitude, always trying to do your best – even when it’s not your favourite thing to do.

 

5. This code is to be adhered to by all members of the school community: Teachers, SNAs Pupils, Parents, Management and ancillary staff. The code is displayed in each classroom.
6. In order to establish a shared professional consistency across the school, all staff adhere to common behaviour management and discipline practices across all areas of the children’s school day.
7. Behaviour Management Strategies
   • Each teacher establishes and clarifies with the children classroom rules responsibilities and consequences based on an age appropriate framework and within the premises of the code. These will be developed with the students at the beginning of the year. The teacher will also establish the core routines necessary for the smooth running of classroom learning.  This process will culminate in a classroom behaviour agreement.  This agreement will be sent home and signed by both children and parents.
   • When an inappropriate behaviour needs to be addressed with a student, staff minimise any unnecessary confrontation and instead work with the child using a least-to-most intrusive intervention approach. Behaviour management strategies include:
     • Moving closer to the child
     • Picture cue, verbal cue, eye contact
     • Praising another child exhibiting the preferred behaviour
     • Rule reminder, Time out in class
     • Filling out a behaviour management worksheet
     • Instruct child to remain silent in class and observe desired behaviour
     • Modelling desired behaviour

9. If the issue is not resolved, the following interventions are used and consequences are applied
   • Informal behaviour conversation (Mirroring, Role Play)
   • Formal time out in another room
   • In-school suspension (generally reception area or other available room)
10. Teachers will keep a written record of all instances of breaches of the code of behaviour as well as a record of improvements in the behaviour of these pupils. This information will inform changes to a child’s Individual Behaviour Plan were necessary. Before resorting to serious sanctions, e.g. suspension, the normal channels of communication between school and parents will be utilised.  Parents will be involved at an early stage, rather than as a last resort.

 

9. Consequences of Inappropriate Behaviour
10. When implementing consequences for disruptive behaviour, the class teacher intervenes with consequences that where possible relate directly to the child’s disruptive behaviour. Where appropriate the student is asked what they could do to address the behaviour in question. Children can then move forward with a clean slate
11. Where a student’s inappropriate behaviour is of ongoing concern, a IBP (individual behaviour management plan) is developed. This plan may include dedicated teaching time to help the child own and change their behaviour, on their road towards self-discipline.
12. The following are consequences of unacceptable behaviour:

• Reasoning with the pupil
• Reprimand (including advice on how to improve)
• Temporary separation from peers, friends or others
• Loss of privileges
• Prescribing additional work
• *Detention during a break or after school hours
• Referral to Principal
• Communication with parents
• Suspension (temporary)
• Expulsion

*In the case of detention after school hours, this sanction will only be invoked after consultation and with the co-operation of the child’s parents. Care will be taken to follow Child Protection guidelines at all times

14. The overall responsibility for discipline within the school rests with the Principal. Each teacher has responsibility for the maintenance of discipline within his/her classroom, and all staff share a common responsibility for good order within the school premises.  A pupil will be referred to the Principal for serious breaches of discipline and for repeated incidents of minor misbehaviour.
15. Communication with parents will be verbal or by letter, depending on circumstances. The parents concerned will be invited to come to the school to discuss their child’s case. For gross misbehaviour, or repeated instances of serious misbehaviour, suspension will be considered.  Aggressive, threatening or violent behaviour towards a teacher or another pupil will be regarded as serious or gross misbehaviour, depending on circumstances.
16. Where there are repeated instances of serious misbehaviour, the Chairperson of the Board of Management will be informed and the parents will be requested in writing to attend at the school to meet the Chairperson and the Principal. If the parents do not give an undertaking that the pupil will behave in an acceptable manner in the future, the pupil may have to be suspended for a temporary period.  Suspension will be in accordance with NEWB (National Education Welfare Board) guidelines and within the terms of Rule 130(5) of the Rules for National Schools.
17. In light of the current Corona Virus Pandemic intentionally and deliberately spitting, coughing, sneezing, biting or expelling any other bodily fluids onto another student or staff member will be seen a serious misbehaviour and will result in suspension.
18. In the case of gross misbehaviour, the Board shall authorise the Principal to sanction an immediate suspension (up to 3 days), pending a discussion of the matter with the parents. Expulsion maybe considered in an extreme case, in accordance with Rule 130(6).  (see Appendix 3)
19. Every effort will be made to have a child who exhibits serious oppositional behaviours referred for psychological assessment without delay. Help will be sought, also, from support services within the wider community, e.g. Community Care services provided by Health Boards.
20. Recognition of positive behaviours (academic and social)

• At St. Declans, we support hard work, great effort/improvements and positive choices made by students both in class and at play. All staff endeavour to comment on and affirm genuine academic effort and desired social behaviours.
• Teachers use a range of incentives to recognise and encourage student’s efforts. These include: Homework pass / Golden time / A positive note in the homework diary / A phone call home
• In addition to the above we have a school wide bonus system in place.
• This includes points for: Healthy Lunch / Homework completed / School work completed / Appropriate behaviour in class
• Appropriate behaviour outside of class
• Weekly prize giving assemblies award individual children and whole classes.

21. In the belief that the most effective schools tend to be those with the best relationship with parents, every effort will be made by the Principal and staff to ensure that parents are kept well informed, that the school provides a welcoming atmosphere towards parents and that parents are not only told when their children are in trouble but when they have behaved particularly well.
22. At St. Declans School the team of staff and parents work in collaboration to support each child to be the best they can be every day.
23. This code will be reviewed on an annual basis. Ratified by the BOM of St Declans School on 14^th December 2010

Appendix 1

School Discipline DES

1             The Board of Management has ultimate responsibility for discipline in the school under its management and a duty to ensure that a fair code of discipline applies therein.  This code should be formulated by the Principal and the teaching staff, in consultation with parents and be approved by the Board.

2             Teachers should have a lively regard for the improvement and general welfare of their pupils, treat them with kindness combined with firmness and should aim at governing them through their affections and reason, and not by harshness and severity.  Ridicule, sarcasm or remarks likely to undermine a pupil’s self-confidence should not be used in any circumstances.

3             The use of corporal punishment is forbidden.

4             Any teacher who contravenes Sections 2 or 3 of this Rule will be regarded as guilty of conduct unbefitting a teacher and will be subject to severe disciplinary action.

5             Where the Board of Management deems it necessary to make provision in the code of discipline to deal with continuously disruptive pupils, or with a serious breach of discipline, by authorising the Chairperson or Principal to exclude a pupil or pupils from school, the maximum initial period of such exclusion shall be three school-days.  A special decision of the Board of Management is necessary to authorise a further period of exclusion up to a maximum of 10 school-days to allow for consultation with the pupil’s or pupils’ parents or guardians.  In exceptional circumstances, the Board of Management may authorise a further period of exclusion in order to enable the matter to be reviewed.

6             No, pupil shall be struck off the rolls for breaches of discipline without the prior consent of the Patron and unless alternative arrangements are made for the enrolment of the pupil at another suitable school.

 

Appendix 2

 

Policy Guidelines for Using and Reducing Restrictive Physical Interventions & Seclusion

1. INTRODUCTION

It is recognised that there are many times when physical contact is used in our school such as patting a child on the arm in affirmation, physical prompting to support learning, administering first aid, and meeting intimate care needs. However, our duty of care to others means that it may be necessary to use a restrictive physical intervention to prevent children from harming themselves or others or causing significant harm to school property.

These guidelines reflect the school’s ethos and is written in consultation with the following partners – teachers, SNAs, parents and board of management. It is noted that the pupils attending this school have been assessed as having an Emotional and/or Behavioural Difficulties (EBD). Some pupils have additional special educational needs including ADHD, ASD.  Our school, in the first instance, applies the principles outlined in our Code of Behaviour, which provide guidelines to staff on the use of day to day positive behavioural management strategies.  These are designed to help all pupils to modify and manage their own behaviour in the long-term.  This Policy applies where these strategies are not working and it is foreseeable that a pupil might engage in high risk behaviours requiring a restrictive physical intervention.

The paramount concerns are for the safety and welfare of the pupils in the school as well as for the safety and welfare of the adults who teach them and support them.

For the purpose of this policy a child is defined as any pupil attending the school regardless of age.

Other associated school policies include:

• Health and Safety Statement,
• Child Protection Policy,
• Anti-Bullying Policy,
• Code of Behaviour,
• Admissions and Enrolment,
• Grievance Procedures

The policy is based on guidance from the following:

• Education and Welfare Act (2000),
• Human Rights Working Group on Restraint and Seclusion (2005) (Northern Ireland),
• Best Practice Guidelines on the Use of Physical Restraints: Special Residential Board, 2006,
• Health and Safety at Work Act (2007), and Safety, Health and Welfare At Work Act, (2005) (as well as other statutes and standards),
• Physical Contact; Care, Comfort and Restraint, by Bernard Allen, 2011,
• Children First Guidelines, 2011,
• Guidelines for Schools on Supporting Students with Behavioural, Emotional and Social Difficulties – An information guide for Primary Schools: DES, 2013, and
• ‘Physical Interventions: A Policy Framework’: British Institute of Learning Disabilities.

2. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The aims and objectives of these Policy Guidelines are to,

1. Prevent injury to the pupil and others and to prevent significant damage to property;
2. Provide clear guidelines to staff, pupils and parents regarding the use of restrictive physical interventions in St. Declan’s SNS.
3. Emphasise a culture within the school of prevention and reduction of the use of restrictive physical interventions;
4. Promote the development of effective relationships, mood management and interpersonal skills, focusing on de-escalation and diversion to minimise the need for restrictive practices; and
5. Manage serious incidents safely when they occur.

2.1  The School will use the Managing Actual or Potential Aggression categories to describe restrictive physical interventions as follows.

Category 1. Direct physical contact between a member of staff and a pupil. Examples include:

• Using manual guidance to transport a pupil to a safe area
• Holding a pupil’s hand to reassure and limit unexpected or unsafe movement (e.g onto a busy road during walk to swimming, etc.)
• Holding a pupil’s arms and legs to prevent them from hurting someone.

 

Category 2. The use of barriers, such as locked doors, to limit freedom of movement. Examples include:

• Placing a pupil in a chair so that they cannot easily stand up or move away with two trained adults using a seated restraint if necessary
• Placing door catches or bolts beyond the reach of pupils, and
• Locking doors in emergency situations where there is significant risk of personal injury or of significant damage to property. (See Appendix on Seclusion)

3. STAFF TRAINING

Our MAPA (Management of Actual and Potential Aggression) programme delivers comprehensive training that teaches management and intervention techniques to cope with escalating behaviour in a professional and safe manner.

CPI is accredited by BILD (British Institute for Learning Disabilities) for its MAPA programme, and is recognised as a Quality Award Centre by the Institute of Conflict Management (ICM) in respect of the MAPA programme’s accord with the Health and Safety Executive’s National Occupational Standards on the crisis management in the workplace and it is applicable worldwide. Teaching staff and SNA staff attend a two-day course led by qualified trainers with a single day refresher course undertaken every two years. The school currently has two trained tutors who are licensed to deliver training to the school’s employees. Their training is refreshed every 18 months. The courses are specifically designed to meet the school’s needs in this area. A list of trained staff and tutors is available from the Principal.

4. PUPIL SUPPORT

St. Declan’s staff support pupils who would benefit from extra support outside of the classroom for a variety of reasons, as identified by the class teacher or other professionals. This includes pupils who need a more tailored curriculum to allow for different learning styles and/or pupils who need a low distraction environment or a break from their own classroom.  Staff support pupils who present with behaviours that significantly compromise safety.  The support to these pupils is provided in various ways as follows:

• Scheduled time away from regular class
• Guidance for regular class staff to manage behaviours
• Training for all staff
• Fostering whole school awareness of effective positive management strategies
• Fostering effective mood management
• Fostering integration with peers

In accordance with our Code of Behaviour, the staff seek in the first instance to be proactive at all times to prevent and minimise risk by employing de-escalation strategies and environmental alterations as follows.

1. De-escalation Strategies

Sensory breaks, calm stance and facial expression of staff, careful use of tone of voice and choice of words by staff, change of staff, distraction and diversion, use of humour, negotiation, offering choices, outlining limits and boundaries, positive reminders, planned ignoring, reassurance, short tasks only, time given to process and to cool down, verbal supports, visual schedules, praise, use of rewards and close supervision.

2. Environmental Alterations

Comfort areas, pupil support rooms, sensory break rooms, 1:1 teaching areas, access to preferred activities where possible, access to preferred or skilled staff where possible, timetables organised to minimise risks, reduced pupil/staff ratios, opportunities provided to ‘burn off energy’, high handles on some doors, locks on some doors, reduced access to equipment in some rooms, coded access to main doors, and fenced-in playgrounds

3. Pupils with Individual Behaviour Plans (IBPs) are prioritised for meetings with staff and parents to discuss and review prevention strategies.

These are devised by the teachers and SNAs for pupils assessed as being of greatest risk of needing restrictive physical interventions and for whom the strategies outlined in the Code of Behaviour are not sufficient. Pupils who require such plans are sometimes supported by outside psychologists or psychiatrists. Other multi- disciplinary support services are requested as necessary and recommended to parents.

An Individual Behaviour Plan should be signed by the parents/guardians and principal and may contain the following elements:

• a brief history of the pupil,
• a brief outline of likes/dislikes and known triggers,
• a functional assessment of the behaviour using information from several sources such as parents, previous staff, carers, and appropriate behavioural assessments,
• a multi-element behaviour support plan outlining environmental alterations, direct interventions, skills teaching and reactive strategies,
• de-escalation strategies to employ when risk-behaviours start to occur,
• recommended physical interventions which may be employed when de-escalation strategies are unsuccessful or not possible,
• planned reviews of any recommended restrictive practices,
• a list of strategies which will help the pupil to recover and repair relationships with staff and other pupils,
• a list of persons to whom the plan needs to be communicated, and
• risk assessments for specific risks including restricting liberty in a specified room or area.

 

5. DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT TO USE FORCE/RESTRAINT

5.1 Staff are Authorised to use restraint/force in the School in the circumstances outlined below.

• Unforeseen or Emergency Situations: A pupil suddenly tries to climb over a fence or run out onto a road, or attempts to hurt another unexpectedly – all staff must use their judgement and take appropriate action to safeguard pupils or staff whilst calling for assistance from trained staff.
• Pupils with Individual Behaviour Plans: The school will endeavour to ensure that staff with up to date training and knowledge of the pupil’s plan are available to these pupils. In the event that this is not possible any staff member should take appropriate action to safeguard the situation whilst calling for assistance from trained staff.

5.2 The school endeavours to encourage staff to STOP AND THINK before employing restraint/force as outlined in the following checklist.

ACT	BALANCE	CHOOSE
·        STOP AND THINK. ·        Adopt a calm, non-threatening stance and posture. ·        Use a slow controlled voice. ·        Give clear verbal directions. ·        Pause and allow time for compliance.	·        Balance the likely outcomes if force is used against the likely outcomes if it is not. ·        Balance short term risks versus long term risks. ·        Balance best interests of the child against the best interests of other children and staff.	·        Choose persons who are most likely to succeed. ·        Choose the best place available. ·        Choose the best time available. ·        Choose minimum use of restraint/force necessary to achieve the desired result.

 

5.3 Last Resort/Early Intervention

Force or restraint should be used as a last resort.  This does not mean that all other possible strategies must be tried and tested beforehand, it means that staff must make a considered judgement balancing the risks involved, thus allowing informed decisions to be made. Some pupils may have stereotypical patterns of behaviour which alert staff to a developing crisis. Early action may prevent a risk of injury, justifying the use of the physical intervention and this should be included in the child’s Individual Behaviour Plan.

5.4 Using restraint

If a restraint is used staff must ask himself/herself the following questions.

• Am I trained? If not is there a trained member of staff nearby who can help?
• Am I using the minimum force for the shortest time?
• Is the hold I’m using correct?
• Can I/we move to a lower level restraint?
• How best can I communicate with the pupil and with other staff?
• Can I manage this? Should I ask someone else to take over?

6. USING WITHDRAWAL TO RECOVERY/COMFORT ROOMS

Sometimes a pupil cannot manage in a classroom setting for a variety of reasons and needs to be withdrawn to allow teaching and learning to continue for the rest of the pupils. This can happen in three ways.

1. Withdrawal to calm down – This may be used informally for pupils who need time or space to calm/cool down, for example where a pupil is encouraged or prompted to move to another table, chair or designated classroom area for a short period of time or may be sent ‘on a message’. The purpose of this is to divert or distract the pupil.
2. Withdrawal from Classroom to Recovery/Comfort Room (Blue Room) – This may be used to move a pupil (resisting or unresisting) to a recovery/comfort room where he or she is continually supported or monitored by staff either inside or outside the area the child is in. This may involve physically intervening to move the pupil and/or preventing the pupil from leaving the area until staff consider that it is safe to do so. Staff should attempt to distract or divert the pupil and return the pupil to his or her classroom as soon as it is safe to do so. This may take some time if the pupil demonstrates that he/she requires a break from activities that he/she finds over-stimulating. Doors may be secured in this instance and staff remain in the room if safe to do so. An Individual Behaviour Plan agreed with parents is needed for this practice if physical interventions are required to move the pupil from the classroom. The purpose of this is to safeguard pupils and staff in situations that have the potential to be of high risk to themselves or others.
3. Temporary Restriction of Liberty – Removal to a Recovery/Comfort Room designated for the purpose is considered only in exceptional The purpose of this is to safeguard pupils and/or staff in situations of high risk to themselves or others.

• An Individual Behaviour Plan agreed with parents is essential in this instance. The IBP should contain a specific risk assessment agreed with parents governing the use of this practice. See Temporary Restriction of Liberty Risk Assessment (Appendix B).
• The use of this intervention must be proportionate to the risk presented by the pupil. It may be used at times where the risks of significant injury to pupils or staff are high or there is a risk of significant damage to school property where it is not practicable to otherwise ensure adequate safety.
• The pupil may be moved using an appropriate physical intervention to a Recovery/Comfort Room and the door secured from outside the room or by staff holding the handle of the door to prevent the pupil from charging out onto the corridor where other pupils or staff may be walking.
• A stopwatch should be used to measure the length of time the door is secured.
• To ensure their safety and emotional well-being pupils should be continuously monitored from outside the room by staff – through a glass panel.
• The Principal or Deputy Principal should be called as soon as possible to monitor the safety of the pupil and staff and to oversee the event.
• Staff should use a calm voice, stance and words to defuse, divert and de-escalate. Visual or other communication aids should be used to increase the likelihood of communication and negotiation between the pupil and staff thus reducing the need for a locked door. These strategies should be noted in the incident report afterwards.
• Drinks/food or other preferred items may be offered if it is judged that such offers will help the pupil to calm down. Access to adjacent toilets and to outdoors should be allowed if it is safe to do so.
• The Principal or Deputy Principal should be contacted if the door is secured for more than 3 minutes and/or more than 3 times in one day (or as agreed with parents).

The Principal or Deputy Principal may decide that it is in the best interest of the pupil to contact parents and ask them to take the pupil home depending on circumstances.

• A doctor may be called if there are any concerns regarding the physical or emotional well-being of the pupil.
• The pupil should be assisted to recover from the incident afterwards and assisted to ‘repair’ his or her relationship with staff and other pupils.
• Incident Reports (Critical Incident Report Form) must be filled out for each instance where the liberty of the pupil is deprived by securing or locking a door.

The frequency of the use of this strategy is continuously monitored by the Principal or Deputy Principal both by observation of the event as it occurs and reviewing incident reports. The focus will always be on reducing the occurrence and frequency of the intervention. Follow-up actions are monitored by the Principal to ensure that they are put in place.

USE OF THIS PRACTICE FOR REASONS OF SANCTION, PUNISHMENT OR STAFF CONVENIENCE IS NOT PERMITTED. THIS MAY BE UNLAWFUL AND WILL BE NOTIFIED AS APPROPRIATE TO THE BOARD OF MANAGEMENT, CHILD PROTECTION SERVICES, AND GARDAI.

7. POST-INCIDENT SUPPORT

Following an incident, the priority is to look after the pupils and staff involved before reports are filled out and reviews held.

7.1 Incident Report/Debriefing (Appendix C)

Incident reports should be filled out by the staff involved following the use of force or restraint. It is sometimes difficult to judge when an incident report should be filled out but the following criteria can be used as a guide.

 

1. ‘Near Miss’ – the situation had the potential to be a risk to safety.
2. Someone received an injury from a hit, kick, bite, or a thrown item.
3. A restraint or force was used.
4. Liberty was restricted by securing a door from the outside.
5. A pupil became significantly emotionally distressed.

If unsure the Principal or Deputy Principal should be contacted for guidance.

If a pupil or a member of staff receives an injury requiring medical attention a separate accident report is also sent to the St. Declan’s board of management.

The best time to fill out an incident report is when the situation has settled and the pupil and staff have had time to recover. The form is then checked by the Principal and Deputy Principal to decide if any follow up action is required, to provide any further care or reassurance to pupils or staff, to review the interventions used by staff, and to inform any future recommendations.

It is the school’s practice to provide parents with copies of incident reports subject to data protection. The incidents are recorded in the Individual Behaviour Plan for discussion with parents as agreed. Some parents wish to be informed of every incident after they occur, others prefer to be informed at review meetings.  The Principal is the only person authorised by the Board to release an incident report to a parent. The Principal may defer to the Chairperson of the Board if necessary.

7.2 Debriefing/Recovery

Pupils are assisted to recover from an incident by staff. Useful strategies to assist a pupil to recover should be identified in the pupil’s IBP.

In accordance with our Health and Safety Statement, there is a separate Incident Debriefing Policy for staff available in the Class Information Folders.

 7.3 Checklist for Principal/Deputy Principal

CHECK	RECORD	REPORT TO	REVIEW (if necessary)
Has anyone been hurt? (pupils or staff) Is medical attention required? Check emotional well-being of pupil and staff. Does anyone need a drink of water/rest?	Check Incident Report and decide if any follow up is required. If injuries were sustained, fill out accident report for insurance purposes.	Report to parents (as agreed), BOM if necessary, and Insurers if medical attention was necessary.	Review Individual Behaviour Plan, Policy Guidance, Risk Assessment, and Staff Training.

 

8. COMPLAINTS AND ALLEGATIONS

The school seeks to engage positively with parents regarding all aspects of their child’s education, care and management.  Parents of pupils who engage in high risk challenging behaviours are prioritised for meetings/phone calls and so on with the Principal or Deputy Principal.  The school will endeavour to keep parents informed in a manner that is reasonable and in the best interest of the pupil.  This will take the form of meetings, phone calls, diaries or letters as appropriate.

How to make a Complaint

• In the first instance, parents wishing to make a complaint should contact the Principal who will furnish the parent with a copy of the Complaints Procedure. In accordance with our Child Protection Policy parents may also decide to contact Child Protection Services directly themselves and pursue a complaint using this avenue if they are concerned about the welfare of their child. Parents have the right to contact the Gardai in the event of any assault occurring in school.
• In the first instance staff wishing to make a complaint should contact the Principal who will furnish the staff member with a copy of the Complaints Procedure which is also available in the Class Information Folder. In accordance with our Child Protection Policy, Staff may also decide to contact Child Protection Services directly themselves if they are concerned about the welfare of a pupil. Staff have the right to contact the Gardai in the event of any assault occurring in school.

 

9. REVIEW PROCEDURES

 

It is recommended that this policy is reviewed annually, in the light of changing information and in consultation with the wider community.

10. TIMEFRAME

The completed policy was circulated for discussion to staff and parents on:

28^th September, 2017 and on Parents Evening 27^th September 2018

Draft to the Board of Management on December 5^th, 2017 for ratification at which time this policy will subsume and supersede Guidelines on Seclusion Review Dates: annually in September (or first board meeting of the year)

Review by Board of Management October 2^nd 2018 (see note on agenda Oct 2^nd)

 

Signed:                                                              Signed:                                                             

               Chairperson                                                      Principal