Element 3
What is the Health and Safety Act 1974
This act defines:
-employers’ responsibilities to protect the health, safety and welfare at work of employees and members of the public
-employees duties to protect themselves and each other
All those who work in schools or colleges will have responsibility for health and safety e.g
-reporting hazards
-following the policies and procedures of the setting for health and safety
-using safety equipment and PPE (personal protective equipment) when needed
-not harming themselves or others by their actions
What is the Female Genital Multation Act 2003
Provides legal protection and safeguarding for victims of or those at risk This act makes it an offence to carry out or assist a girl in performing FGM, whether or not this takes place out of UK. FGM is a form of abuse and can cause long-term mental health and physical problems for the victim, it also an offence to fail to proctect a girl from this. Signs…
-excitement about going to a ‘special’ holiday home
-extended school absence
-withdrawn behaviour or anxiety
What is the Children's Act 2004
Ths act introduced measures to support multi-agency working to keep children safe. The children act 2004 to reinforce the message that all organisations professionals have a duty to help safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
1)State services must be put in place by local authorities to ‘safeguard and promote the welfare of children within their area who are in need’
2)States local authority has a duty to investigate instances where it has ‘reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm’
What is the Safeguarding and vulnerable groups act 2006
This act places a statutory duty on organisations to undertake suitability checks on all individuals working with children and vulnerable adults. The DBS (disclosure and barring service) check is now a legal requirement for working with children and young people. It applies to the health and social care sectors as well those working in childcare and early years.
What is the Children and Families Act 2013
This act introduced new provisions to ensure the welfare of children and young people with SEND, including education, health and care plans (EHCPs). When working in schools and early years settings, you need to know about the SEND Code of Practice, which is about the law for children and young people who have SEND from birth to 25 years. The Code of Practice:
• gives families and their children more control over welfare and decision-making
• establishes the requirement for an EHCP which sets out the SEN assessment and provision for children and young people under 25.
What is the counter-terrorism and security Act 2015
This act places a duty on specified authorities to consider the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.You will need to know about and understand the Prevent Duty guidance which is based on this legislation.
This will influence your responsibilities under your organisation's safeguarding policy.
What is the Data protection Act 2018
This act defines responsibilities for using personal data fairly, lawfully and responsibly. The Data Protection Act is the UK's version of the General Data Protection (GDPR), which is an EU regulation. It affects the way in which schools and colleges record, store and share personal information such as:
- photographs
-names, addresses, dates of birth
-National Insurance numbers and bank details of staff allergies
-information about medical conditions, needs or allergies
-progress reports on pupils/exam results
-information on pupils' needs and welfare, including
SEN assessments
-information on the safeguarding of pupils
-staff development reviews