Schools

 

Head teachers, governors and school staff often find themselves in situations that require at least a basic working knowledge of Child Protection/Child Care law both in relation to disputes between parents and in the context of Child Protection. This practical workshop, full of case studies and real life examples, will guide you through the main provisions of the Children Act 1989 and the relevant provisions of the Children and Adoption Act 2004. By the end of the course you will be able to apply the law to actual situations you may encounter in school. Our speaker is an expert in this field, with many years of local authority experience, who will encourage questions and discussion. Over a thousand teachers throughout the UK have attended this course.

 

 

 

All teachers and education professionals need to have an understanding of the Data Protection Act (DPA) and the Freedom of Information Act (FOI). Both place obligations on schools to protect and give access to information. These obligations cannot be passed on to the LEA. The importance of DPA has been emphasised by recent media stories. The frenzy over the lost Child Benefit discs, background checks on teachers as well as a story in the Daily Telegraph about a child’s conviction being kept from parents on data protection grounds have highlighted the lack of understanding around DPA in schools. Schools have also recently fallen foul of FOI. A primary school in Weston Super Mare and a high school in Staffordshire have both been found to have breached section 10(1) of FOI. Schools can also use FOI to access information. Recently a school in Bristol successfully used the Act to request notes made by OFSTED inspectors. This workshop will take you through the basics of both Acts and give you an action plan for compliance. We have run this workshop very successfully throughout the UK for the past five years.

 

 

 

School exclusions are a legal minefield for school staff and governors. Incidents leading to exclusion can range from persistent and defiant misbehaviour, involvement in drugs, to assaults on staff and other pupils. Exclusions can be successfully challenged if the process has not been properly followed by the school or the case has been poorly presented to the Independent Appeal Panel. This can undermine the school’s credibility and present a real difficulty in managing reinstatement. The introduction of the Human Rights Act 1998 has increased the scope for legal challenge. This course will examine the exclusion process, highlight the key statutory guidance and legislative requirements, and give practical advice on how an exclusion case should be presented to the Governors’ Pupil Discipline Committee and to the Independent Appeal Panel. The latest DCSF guidance will also be discussed. Our speaker, Sarah Bell, is a well known expert in this field with many years of experience of advising schools and LEAs and as well as training headteachers and Appeal Panel members.

 

 

 

This workshop is aimed at all those who come into contact with children as part of their work e.g. teachers, healthcare providers and social workers. Since the Victoria Climbie enquiry it has been recognised that all those who come into contact with children and their families should participate in learning events which equip them with the skills to identify children at risk of harm and to know what action to take. This workshop aims to develop delegates’ understanding of child abuse, how to identify it, and what to do next.  It complements our child protection law course.

 

 

If you want to tailor the contents for your own staff, you can also ask for these courses to be delivered at your premises. The topics are ideal for training and inset days as well as briefings for governor meetings.