All educational establishments and services must take positive steps to help children protect themselves by ensuring that programmes of health and personal safety are central to the curriculum and should have in place a curriculum that ensures that children have a clear understanding of the difference between appropriate and inappropriate behaviour on the part of another person, no matter who.

Schools, establishments and services must create and maintain a positive ethos and climate which actively promotes child welfare and a safe environment by:

• ensuring that children are respected and listened to
• ensuring that programmes of health and personal safety are central to the curriculum
• ensuring that staff are aware of child protection issues and procedures
• establishing and maintaining close working relationships and arrangements with all other agencies to make sure that professionals collaborate effectively in protecting children

Management Circular No 57

Should any member of staff have concerns regarding the welfare or safety of any child, they must report these concerns to the head of establishment. The head, or the person deputising for the head, after judging that there may be grounds for concern regarding the welfare or safety of any pupil must then immediately advise the duty senior social worker at the local social work services area office of the circumstances.