Bunscoil Bhríde, Rathangan
Bunscoil Bhríde is a primary school providing primary education to pupils from Junior Infants to Sixth Class.
In accordance with the requirements of the Children First Act 2015, Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017, the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post Primary Schools 2017 and Tusla Guidance on the preparation of Child Safeguarding Statements, the Board of Management of Bunscoil Bhríde has agreed the Child Safeguarding Statement set out in this document.
The school will also adhere to the above principles in relation to any adult pupil with a special vulnerability.
This Child Safeguarding Statement was adopted by the Board of Management on 12th March 2018 and reviewed in April 2019
Child Safeguarding Risk Assessment
(of any potential harm)
List of School Activities | The School has identified the following Risk of Harm | The School has the following Procedures in place to address risk identified in this assessment |
Training of school personnel in Child Protection matters | Harm not recognised or reported promptly | Child Safeguarding Statement & DES procedures made available to all staffDLP & DDLP have attended PDST face to face training All Staff have viewed Túsla training module & the online training offered by PDST |
One to one teaching | Harm by school personnel | School has put policy in place for one to one teaching All classroom doors have a glass panel |
Care of Children with special needs, including intimate care needs | Harm by school personnel | Policy on intimate care All school personnel Garda vetted SNAs maintain a log of all intimate care procedures carried out |
Toilet areas | Inappropriate behaviour | Children will be encouraged to use the toilet before going out to the yard. Visits in to the toilet from the yard are strongly discouraged. When necessary, children will go in to toilet in pairs from yard Only two children will go in to the toilet at any one time – they will be given clothes pegs by teacher on yard duty for this purpose |
Curricular Provision in respect of SPHE, RSE, Stay safe. | Non-teaching of same | School implements SPHE, RSE, Stay Safe in full |
Prevention and dealing with bullying amongst pupils | Bullying | Anti-Bullying Policy Code of Behaviour |
Daily arrival and dismissal of pupils | Harm from older pupils, unknown adults around the playground | Reception, Assembly and Dismissal of Pupils Policy Arrival and dismissal supervised by Teachers for 10 minutes Children who are not collected remain inside the gate with the teacher |
Managing of challenging behaviour amongst pupils, including appropriate use of restraint | Injury to pupils and staff | Health & Safety PolicyCode Of Behaviour |
Sports Coaches | Harm to pupils | All coaches to be Garda vetted Teacher is present when coach is working with children |
Students participating in work experience | Harm by studentConfidentiality | Work experience Policy Child Safeguarding Statement. All individuals on work experience in the school are Garda vetted Students are never on their own with children |
Recreation breaks for pupils | Inappropriate behaviour, bullying | Anti-bullying policy Code of Behaviour Supervision Policy |
Classroom teaching | Harm by school personnel | All school personnel Garda vetted Glass in doors |
Outdoor teaching activities | Harm by school personnel | All school personnel Garda vetted |
Sporting Activities | Harm by school personnel / volunteers, exposure to unknown adults, loss of pupils | Policy on School Tours / Excursions All school personnel and parent volunteers Garda vetted |
School outings | Harm by school personnel / volunteers, exposure to unknown adults, loss of pupils, bullying | Policy on School Tours / Excursions All school personnel and parent volunteers Garda vetted Anti-bullying PolicyCode of Behaviour |
Annual Sports Days | Bullying, loss of pupils | Anti-bullying Policy Code of Behaviour Teachers work with smaller group sizes during Sports Days |
Administration of MedicineAdministration of First Aid | Harm by school personnel, injury to pupil | Administration of Medication Policy Supervision Policy All school personnel Garda vetted |
Use of external personnel to supplement curriculum | Harm to pupils | All external personnel engaged within the school are Garda vetted Pupils are always supervised by class teacher when engaging with an external teacher |
Care of pupils with specific vulnerabilities/ needs such as Pupils from ethnic minorities/migrantsMembers of the Traveller communityPupils of minority religious faiths | Bullying | Anti-bullying Policy Code of Behaviour Stay Safe implemented in full SPHE lessons on bullying at all class levels Friendship Week held annually ‘Friends’ Programme implemented in Third Class annually |
Recruitment of school personnel including -TeachersSNA’sCaretaker/Secretary/CleanersSports coachesExternal Tutors/Guest SpeakersVolunteers/Parents in school activitiesVisitors/contractors present in school during school hoursVisitors/contractors present during after school activities | Harm not recognised or properly or promptly reported | Child Safeguarding Statement & DES procedures made available to all staff Staff to view Tusla training module & any other online training offered by PDST Vetting Procedures Parent / Volunteer Policy School Visitors Policy All visitors must sign in and out at reception |
Use of Information and Communication Technology by pupils in school | Bullying | ICT Acceptable Use Policy Anti-Bullying Policy Code of Behaviour Mobile Phones, Tablets and Electronic Games Policy |
Student teachers undertaking training placement in school | Harm by studentsConfidentiality | Work experience Policy Garda vetting of all student teachers undertaking placement in the school Student teachers are always supervised by class teacher when in the presence of children |
Use of video/photography/other media to record school events | Inappropriate use / sharing of images of pupils | Mobile phones, Tablets and Electronic Games Policy Parental consent for photographs and recordings to be used within the school received on enrolment. All school events taking place in the school will be photographed by teachers and placed on the school website Parents are asked not to put photographs of school concerts / school events on social media |
After school use of school premises by other organisations | Harm by after-school provider, harm by unknown adults | Hire and Use of the School Policy Garda vetting of all providers of after-school activities in the school All after-school providers have supplied the Board of Management with a Child Protection Policy |
Swimming | Harm by pool employee / unknown adults, loss of pupils, use of video / photography / other media to record children | Swimming Policy Parent volunteers are Garda vetted Mobile Phones, Tablets and Electronic Games Policy Teachers and parent volunteers present and supervising children at all times |
Changing of clothes for events e.g. concerts, Communion photograph | Harm by school personnel / parent volunteers | All school personnel and parent volunteers are Garda vetted Only Garda vetted parents help with clothes changing Always two or more adults present when children in class are changing |
Important Note: It should be noted that risk in the context of this risk assessment is the risk of “harm” as defined in the Children First Act 2015 and not general health and safety risk. The definition of harm is set out in Chapter 4 of the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post- Primary Schools 2017
In undertaking this risk assessment, the board of management has endeavoured to identify as far as possible the risks of harm that are relevant to this school and to ensure that adequate procedures are in place to manage all risks identified. While it is not possible to foresee and remove all risk of harm, the school has in place the procedures listed in this risk assessment to manage and reduce risk to the greatest possible extent.
This risk assessment has been completed by the Board of Management on 12th March 2018 and was reviewed on 9th April 2019. It will be reviewed as part of the school’s annual review of its Child Safeguarding Statement.