SGOIL LIONAIL
Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar
Department of Education 

CARE AND WELFARE POLICY

Introduction     Effective care and welfare is the right of all who learn or work in the school, and we will ensure that the rights, needs and choices of individuals will be respected and valued through effective care.  All staff have roles and responsibilities concerned with the care and welfare of all pupils, understanding that a caring environment provides a good learning environment.  Pupils who feel safe in a secure, caring learning environment are more able to fulfil their educational potential, and everyone in the school is valued for his or her own uniqueness.

Aims                Aims of Lionel School are subsumed in the Care and Welfare policy, for example to:

Provide a caring and inclusive school environment, so that what is taught in the classroom is supported and reinforced by the ethos of the school, in particular through a happy, caring atmosphere and an attractive environment, which the pupils have a shared responsibility in maintaining.  There is fostering of positive attitudes and feelings, such as self-confidence, self-esteem, independence, responsibility and the care and welfare of others, through a concern for safety and security set by the examples set by school staff and by visiting health and safety professionals.

Objectives        The Care and Welfare policy reflects ambitious, excellent local and national priorities for improvement, and shows consistency with education authority aims.  The policy focuses on enabling all pupils to become confident individuals with a sense of physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, having secure values and beliefs, able to relate to others and manage themselves, and pursuing a healthy and active lifestyle:
 

Inclusion          All pupils are entitled to a range of learning experiences in school.  When setting work to pupils with special needs, we refer to those pupils’ Individual Education Plans (IEPs).  We value and celebrate the diversity of our pupils and their families, and we appreciate the enrichment that this brings.


Parents       Partnership with parents  The school’s care and welfare policy is complemented by advice from parentzonescotland.  Two leaflets dealing with aspects of bullying have also been produced by the school – a Parents’ Bullying Leaflet and a Pupils’ Bullying Leaflet.
 

Handbooks       The Bullying, Misuse of Drugs, Racial Equality, Safe Use of the Internet, School Travel, and Support for Bereavement policy handbooks contain detailed information about dealing with these child care and welfare issues. 
 

Review            This policy was prepared in 2006 and will be reviewed in 2009.

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