MissingChildPolicy

AregisterofstudentsonstudentswillalwaysbeintheSchoolOffice. Registersofallchildrenwillbetakenat8.30hrsand13.15hrs.

Allabsencesandsicknessarenotifiedtorelevantstaff.

Intheeventthatachildisdiscoveredtobemissinganimmediatesearchofusuallyfrequentedareaswillbe effectedbythestaffcurrentlyresponsibleforthechild(ren).

If, afterathoroughsearchofthepremises,thechildisnotfound,themostseniormemberofstaffistobe called. Theywillnotifythepolice,thechild’s parentsorguardiansand,ifappropriate,socialservices. Inthe meantime,allavailablestaffmemberswillinitiateafurthersearchofthepremisesandschoollocality.

Furtheractionwillbetakeninliaisonwiththepoliceandsocialserviceauthorities. OffSchoolPremises

Childreninvolvedinoff-sitevisitsaretowearIDbadgesdetailingtheSchooltelephonenumberanda mobile

telephonenumberofthepersonaccompanying.

Detailsofchildrenattendingtheouting,togetherwithinformationofaccompanyingstaffandtheircontact telephonenumbers,detailsofthevehicleinwhichtheyaretravellingandacopyofthelettertoparentsgiving informationaboutthevisitswillbeheldintheSchoolOffice.

Childrenwillbeinsmallgroupsunderthedirectcontrolofamemberofstaff. Acountofchildrenismadeat regularintervalsandalwaysbeforetransportdeparts.

Ifastudentisdiscovered tobemissing,thestaffmembershould:

$1·         Notify,ifappropriate,thestaffatthevenuethatisbeingvisitedandaskthemtoinitiatetheirlostchildprotocols.

$1·         Notifythemostseniormemberof staffattheSchoolandactonanyinstructions.

$1·         If thechildisnotfoundquickly,notifythepoliceandprovidethemwithaspreciseadescription ofthestudentaspossible,thelastknowwhereaboutsofthestudentandsupplythepolicewith anyotherdetailstheymayrequire.

$1·         TheSchoolwillnotifythestudent'sparents.

ThememberofstaffinitiatingthesearchshouldremaininsituuntilthepoliceorassistancefromSchool arrives.

Insuchstressfulcircumstances,itisimportantthatthestaffremainascalmandcollectedaspossible. Itisimportantthat,followinganincident,theissuesthatariseareaddressed: Forexample:

$1·         Updatetheriskassessmentfortheactivity

$1·         Talkthroughtheincidentwiththestudentinvolvedemphasisingtheworrythatwascaused

$1·         Formallyrecordthereasonsgivenbythechildastowhytheyhavegonemissing

If thestudentgivesareasonforgoingmissingthatislinkedtoeitherbullyingorinappropriatebehaviour,  itis importantthatthisisbothrecordedandreportedtooutsideagenciesfollowingthepolicyasoutlinedinthe ComplaintsandChildProtectionpolicies.