Safeguarding policy and failure

[youarenotkiddingme]

I'm getting my head in a twist and up my arse atm () and am hoping some wise Mners can help me?

I'm having to write a formal complaint to DS school re an incident of common assault where they didn't follow the behaviour policy and as a result my Ds has been too anxious to attend school.
I believe it's a safeguarding issue because they lied after Ds school refusal and didn't follow the policy and therefore didn't seek witness statements or ask Ds, the victim to make a written record of events. (Which he's been asked to do previously for more 'minor' incidents)

Where I'm becoming confused is reading the safeguarding policy it's seems to be written with regards protecting a child from abuse/neglect etc from outside of school (eg from parents etc) whereas I believe the school have failed to protect Ds health and wellbeing.
Is there some other policy I'm missing or does the same policy, despite its wording cover incidents of physical assault within school too?

Tia

[JE678]

You may need their policy on violence and threatened violence or their anti bullying policy. Their Safeguarding policy should be relevant to perpetrators from inside and outside the school.

[youarenotkiddingme]

Thank you.

Their behaviour policy states in the incidence of knives being used they can permanently exclude and statements from those involved and witnesses will be sought.
This wasn't done - apparently when asked DS said he didn't feel he needed to do one. But my argument is they should have been made to.
Ds also said he wasn't asked. But obviously I can only deal in facts not he said/she said!

The boy who pulled the knife was excluded for 2 days and DS hasn't attended school since due to anxiety and is now going through a MM.
He is anxious because they changed story - which they could do without witness statements () and doesn't feel safe. Hence my looking at safeguarding policy.

[JE678]

Oh wow, what a nasty incident. Weapons on site is definitely a safeguarding issue. Have you reported it to the police? If not, you might want to or ask the school why they haven't. They can't make students give statements. You could ask the school for redacted copies of all paperwork relating to your son and that incident as a Subject Access Request. You can then raise a complaint to highlight how they failed to follow their own policies.

[JE678]

Obviously threatening your son with a knife is illegal but also having a knife in school premises is illegal so they should take this very seriously.

[jo164]

Peer on peer abuse is a relatively new clause that has only just been made compulsory in a safeguarding policy. The anti bullying policy should have relevant information within. It sounds like you need a meeting to discuss how school intend to safeguard your son from now on. Refer them to new peer on peer abuse legislation as they should now be making this explicit in their safeguarding policy.

[youarenotkiddingme]

Ds made a statement to police. It was a bit of a cock up because when slt were changing story etc I asked them if police were informed. They told me they were and Ds wanted to make a statement of the truth.
I didn't want to press charges.

I don't and didn't want an 12 yo to get criminal record as believe if he took knife to school he clearly has issues of his own.

All i got was a snotty phonecall from police 2 days later asking exactly I had wanted out of reporting it I said a record of the incident and then they gave me a spiel about how school had dealt with it how the chef of police in county expect them to and sent me an email to say after speaking to school his and schools statements are similar

I don't believe the school safeguarded Ds on the pure basis I contacted them about a) Ds referral to primary mh service and b) my concerns about this boy and him clashing being responsible for a large part of recent anxiety and asked they were kept apart between lessons etc.
Schools response was to suggest a MM as I don't don't trust them

One week later exactly this boy pulls a knife on Ds in class and the HT won't meet me, they try to cover up the incident and jump at getting Ds out on MM because he's too anxious to attend.

So the criminal gets 2 days exclusion and Ds gets permanent excluded in effect

[youarenotkiddingme]

Thank you for telling me it's redacted copy! I have been searching for the quick wording for copies of incident reports with confidential information blacked out!

[HerdsOfWilderbeest]

If they asked him to write an account and he declined then that's that. I normally write on a piece of paper "xx declined to write account".

To be honest, it sounds like a MM might be the best option if relations have broken down.

[youarenotkiddingme]

He didn't decline - the other child said no and DS didn't speak up. He has ASD and so can't really make these decisions himself under pressure as doesn't have the communication skills. He did want to make a statement hence why he made one to the police.

Yes MM is necessary because the school don't want him there and so will never provide what he needs. I managed to get through to head of inclusion in county yesterday who is appalled at the mishandling of situation and MM and has taken case on himself and given me details of dept of education.

Hopefully now someone is involved who appears to actually be on DS side we will be able to move forward.