Child protection

Our child protection vision is to enable the Council to achieve a child safe
environment with an emphasis on ensuring a proactive culture and safe practice
in the organisation. The strategy seeks to develop a common understanding of
child protection issues and how it relates to our work, develop good practice
across the diverse and complex areas in which we operate and increase our
accountability in this area.
Child protection means protecting children from physical, emotional or sexual
abuse or neglect. It also means helping children to grow up into confident,
healthy and happy adults.
Children can experience abuse at home, in education & leisure activities - in fact
anywhere. The abuse is usually caused by someone the child knows and rarely
by a stranger. It is also important to recognise that children can be abused by
other children.
We all have a responsibility to act if we have concerns about a child.
A child means every human being below the age of 18 years irrespective of
the age of majority in the country where the child is, or their home country
(In line with UNCRC 1989)
As an invigilator, you need to understand that if you work with anyone under 18,
child protection is integral to your work, and you need to ensure that all young
learners and their parents/carers in the school feel assured that their learning
and examinations conditions are carried out in a safe and caring environment.
You need to adhere to the concepts inherent in Every Child Matters in that the
personal development of each child is taken into account and aim for every child
to:

Be healthy
Stay safe
Enjoy and achieve
Make a positive contribution
Achieve economic well-being.

You must be both competent and confident in working with young learners and
you will be required to sign the Child Declaration form when you join the Council.
Health and Safety issues must be risk assessed by the British Council to ensure
that appropriate facilities, equipment, information and supervision are provided
to ensure the young candidates are not at risk. Records must be kept of risk
assessments and available to all provider partners and parents/carers.
All partners involved in working with young candidates need to ensure that
appropriate profiling and information is made available to enable venue staff to

accommodate specific circumstances or vulnerable young candidates. (E.g.

Attendance inclusive of the contact details of the guardians should be with the
invigilators.)
Young candidates must be protected from abuse, but the signs can be difficult to
identify. It is helpful for you to keep a record of any concerns for possible later
use. (E.g. if a bruised candidate is sitting for an exam.)
Any cases or allegations of suspected or identified abuse must be considered
and pursued. If a young candidate needs urgent medical attention, the
Examinations Services Manager / Supervisor should be called and the
headteacher and parents/ carers immediately informed.