In St. Patrick’s we have a responsibility for the Pastoral Care, general welfare and safety of the children in our care and we carry out this duty by providing a caring, supportive and safe environment, where each child is valued for his or her unique talents and abilities, and in which all our young people can learn and develop to their full potential. All staff, teaching and non-teaching are trained to be alert to the signs of possible abuse and know the procedures to be followed. 

The general principles, which underpin our school practice and policies, are those set out in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and are enshrined in the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995, the Department of Education (Northern Ireland) guidance “Pastoral Care in Schools- Child Protection” (DENI Circular 99/10), the Area Child Protection Committees’ Regional Policy and Procedures (2005) and ‘Safe-guarding and Child Protection in Schools- a guide for schools’ (DENI circular 2017/04)