Kilmacanogue National School Child Safeguarding Risk Assessment
(of any potential harm)
List of School Activities | Risk Level | 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 | High | Harm not recognised or reported promptly | Child Safeguarding Statement and Risk Assessment & DES procedures made available to all staff
DLP& DDLP to attend PDST face to face training All Staff to view Tusla training module & any other online training offered by PDST BOM given Child Protection Procedures (DES) BOM to record all records of staff and board training |
Employment of any new staff | Med | Harm not recognised or reported promptly | Follow Garda Vetting Circular 31/16
Statutory Declaration and Form of Undertaking signed New Staff given copy of Child Protection Safety Statement and Risk Assessment Signed confirmation that Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children and Children First Act 2015 have been read |
One to one teaching | Med | Harm by school personnel
Rooms not suitable for teaching |
Open doors or glass panels in doors
Table between teacher and pupil, where possible and appropriate |
Care of children with special needs, including intimate care needs | High | Harm by school personnel
Toileting |
Toileting guidelines
Health and Safety Specific toilet for children with special needs |
Toilet areas | High | Inappropriate behaviour
|
Supervision policy |
Curricular Provision in respect of SPHE, RSE, Stay safe. | Med | Non-teaching of same
|
School implements SPHE, RSE, Stay Safe Programme in full |
List of School Activities |
Risk Level |
The School has identified the following Risk of Harm |
The School has the following Procedures in place to address risk identified in this assessment |
Managing of challenging behaviour amongst pupils, including appropriate use of restraint | Low | Injury to pupils and staff | Health & Safety Policy
Code Of Behaviour Policy |
Daily arrival and dismissal of pupils | Med | Harm from other pupils
Unknown adults in attendance Traffic on avenue |
Supervision Policy Teachers/SNAs
Health & Safety Policy |
Recreation breaks for pupils | High | Injury to pupils/Bullying
Harm not recognised or properly and promptly reported |
Supervision Policy
Health & Safety Policy Code Of Behaviour Policy Two minders with high vis jackets supervised by teachers accompany children from yard to toilets/office
|
Classroom teaching/outdoor teaching | High | Inappropriate comments
Lack of respect for individuals
|
Code of Behaviour
Anti-Bullying Policy Health and Safety Code of Professional Conduct 2016 (Teaching Council) |
Sporting Activities
|
High | Inappropriate comments
Inappropriate physical contact |
Health and Safety
Code of Behaviour Code of Professional Conduct 2016 (Teaching Council) |
Choir | Med | Lack of respect
Bullying |
Code of Behaviour
Supervision Policy Anti-Bullying Policy |
Coaches to/from various activities/tours | High | Harm to pupils from other pupils
Harm not recognised or properly and promptly reported Harm to pupils by others |
Code of Behaviour
Health and Safety Supervision Policy School Tour Policy Garda vetted teachers and other adults present |
List of School Activities |
Risk Level |
The School has identified the following Risk of Harm |
The School has the following Procedures in place to address risk identified in this assessment |
Students/Adults participating in work experience | Med | Harm to pupils | Garda Vetted
Child Safeguarding Statement and Risk Assessment given to individuals At all times under supervision |
Student teachers on teacher-practice placement | Med | Harm to pupils | Garda Vetted
Child Safeguarding Statement and Risk Assessment given to individuals |
Volunteers/Parents | Med | Harm to pupils | Garda Vetted
Liaise with School Principal on all activities involving the school building and children and any concerns Child Safeguarding Statement available to and read by volunteers Health and Safety Policy/Code of Behaviour Policy available to and read by volunteers |
Administration of First Aid | High | Harm to pupils
Inappropriate comments Inappropriate physical contact |
Health and Safety Policy
Code of Professional Conduct 2016 (Teaching Council) Appropriate training of staff who administer or may administer First Aid |
Administration of Medicine
|
High | Harm to pupils
Inappropriate comments Inappropriate physical contact Incorrect administration of medication
|
Health and Safety
Code of Professional Conduct 2016 (Teaching Council) Policy on Diabetes Appropriate training of staff who administer or may administer any medical treatment Administration of Medication |
Yard duty carried out by teachers | High | Harm to pupils | Health and Safety Policy
Log book to detail any concerns Teachers and SNAs on duty at all times during break-times, inside, if raining, and outside Supervision Policy |
List of School Activities |
Risk Level |
The School has identified the following Risk of Harm |
The School has the following Procedures in place to address risk identified in this assessment |
Prevention and dealing with bullying amongst pupils | Med | Harm to pupils from other pupils | Code of Behaviour
Anti-Bullying Policy AUP |
Use of Information and Communication Technology by pupils in school and at home (where it compromises school life) | High | Bullying
Staff not following policies & procedures |
ICT policy
Anti-Bullying Policy Code of Behaviour |
Use of video/photography/other media to record school events
|
Med | Harm to pupils
Sharing information over social media |
Parents sign permission slip allowing appropriate use of child’s image/work on media sites/magazines recognised by the school
Teachers requested to upload images for School newsletter to designated shared folder on Google drive and to double delete any photos of children from their electronic devices Parents informed regularly through various correspondence not to post videos/images on social media |
Use of (ICT) Information and Communiciation Technology | Med | School personnel unaware of/not following policies and procedures
Bullying Inappropriate use of images/language |
ICT Policy
Anti-Bullying Policy Code of Behaviour Policy |
Visitors to the school | High | Harm to pupils | Intercom security in place at school entrance
Visitors report to office Visitors sign in and out at school office as required Supervised throughout visit |
Children going on messages throughout the school | High | Harm to pupils | Go in pairs
Report back to teacher/office/Principal |
Teachers on yard duty taking their break or out of the room for any reason | High | Harm to pupils | Supervision Policy
Teacher informs nearest class teacher to keep an eye on his/her class Door left open Two supervised ‘minders’ in classroom as required |
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 as outlined below:
In accordance with section 2 of the Children First Act, 2015 the defined threshold of “harm” in relation to a child is as follows: “harm” means, in relation to a child(a) assault, ill-treatment or neglect of the child in a manner that seriously affects or is likely to seriously affect the child’s health, development or welfare, or (b) sexual abuse of the child, whether caused by a single act, omission or circumstance or a series or combination of acts, omissions or circumstances, or otherwise;” “ill-treatment” means, in relation to a child, to abandon or cruelly treat the child, or to cause or procure or allow the child to be abandoned or cruelly treated; “neglect” means, in relation to a child, to deprive the child of adequate food, warmth, clothing, hygiene, supervision, safety or medical care; “welfare” includes, in relation to a child, the moral, intellectual, physical, emotional and social welfare of the child.
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.
It should be noted that in these unprecedented times of the COVID-19 pandemic, all procedures outlined in the Child Safeguarding Risk Assessment as in the Child Safeguarding Statement will take into account, where appropriate, those regulations pertaining to the health and safety of the children and school community in line with HSE and gov.ie guidelines and all school policies relating to COVID-19
This risk assessment was completed by the Board of Management on 21-3-2018 and reviewed most recently as part of the school’s annual review of its Child Safeguarding Statement on December 9th 2020
Signed: Judy O’Toole (Chairperson)
Signed: Niamh Murray (Principal)
Date: 09-12-2020
Updated: March 2022
Judy O’Toole, (Chairperson)
Ann Marie Bourke (Acting Principal)
Under review for November website update – Ann Marie Bourke & Judy O’Toole November 1st 2022
Reviewed 18th March 2023 by Ann Marie Bourke, Acting Principal