JAHAS - RockSchool Porto is committed to ensuring that arrangements, systems and procedures are in place to safeguard and promote the welfare of its students.

This policy offers direction to all School staff ensuring that they have the right skills, means and resources to protect children and vulnerable adults from harm.

JAHAS - RockSchool Porto being a school operating in Portugal is therefore subject to Portuguese laws. This policy complies with the Lei de protecção de crianças e jovens em perigo, Law 147/99 of 1st September (law for the Protection of children and young people), and can be consulted in the Diário da República Eléctronico (DRE) through the link: https://data.dre.pt/eli/lei/147/1999/09/01/p/dre/pt/html.

• Enforce the law of the protection of children and young people, Law 147/99 of 1 September, of the Portuguese Republic;

• Raising awareness of child protection issues and equipping children and vulnerable adults with the skills needed to keep them safe;

• Train staff in good practice; developing and then implementing procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases, of abuse;

• Ensure that JAHAS - RockSchool Porto practices safe recruitment in checking the suitability of staff to work with young people and vulnerable adults;

• Support young people and vulnerable adults who have been abused;

• Establish a safe environment in which young people and vulnerable adults can learn and develop;

• Establish and maintain an environment where young people and vulnerable adults feel secure, are encouraged to talk and are listened to;

• Ensure that young people and vulnerable adults know that there are designated staff in the School whom they can approach if they are with problems.

• Ensure we have a designated lead professional member of staff responsible for safeguarding issues who has received appropriate training and support for this role;

• Ensure every member of staff and relevant external parties knows the name of the designated member of staff responsible for child protection, how to contact him, and their role;

• Ensure all staff and relevant external parties understand their responsibilities in being alert to the signs of abuse and responsibility for referring any concerns to the designated staff responsible for child protection. New staff will receive training through the School’s induction procedures;

• Notify Social Services and/or other appropriate agencies if there is an unexplained absence of a learner who is on the child protection register;

• Notify Social Services and/or other appropriate agencies if there are any concerns about the welfare and safety of any students;

• Develop effective links with referral agencies and cooperate as required with their enquiries regarding safeguarding matters;

• Keep written records of concerns about students, even where there is no need to refer the matter immediately;

• Ensure that all records are kept securely;

• Ensure strict adherence to procedures when an allegation of any kind concerning students is made against a member of staff;

• Ensure safe recruitment practices are followed;

• If any member of staff has any concerns about a learner they consider to be suffering or to be at risk of suffering significant harm, he/she must immediately contact the professional member of staff responsible for safeguarding issues;

• The Professional member of staff responsible for safeguarding issues will discuss the situation with Social Services if appropriate. This will include advice and discussion as to whether to make a formal referral for child protection;

• The discussions will include advice regarding Social Services contact with the young person's parents/carers;

• A member of of staff responsible for safeguarding issues will make a full and careful written record of the alleged abuse and the report must include the name and position of the person to whom the matter is initially reported. This should be done immediately or as soon as possible thereafter.

1. The date and time the allegation was made.

2. Staff name and the names of others present.

3. The location where the alleged abuse took place, including dates and times.

4. The name of the person making the allegation and, where different, the name of the child who has allegedly been abused.

5. A description of any injuries observed.

6. An account of the allegation.

7. Allegations against staff will be referred to the School Principal.

It is essential that confidentiality in maintained at all stages of the process when dealing with safeguarding concerns. Information relating to the concern and subsequent case management should be shared on a need to know basis only, and should be kept secure at all times.