Safeguarding Policy

Partnership

School will inform parents of any concerns about their children (providing it does not compromise the pupil’s safety) and will help support them as necessary.

Prevention

School will take positive action to prevent children suffering abuse and neglect through the development of an open culture that informs children of their rights and encourages them to speak about any concerns. The school will also address the issue of children’s safety through the curriculum.

Responding to Concerns

School will refer all allegations or concerns that a child has been or is likely to be abused or neglected to Social Care within the Children’s Services Department. School will consult with other agencies when it has concerns that a child may have been abused or neglected. School will discuss with parents any concerns they have about children. Parents will be kept informed of what has happened.

Child/Child Abuse

Physical and emotional abuse of children by other children will be dealt with through the school’s anti-bullying policy. Parents will be kept informed.

Child Protection Conferences

School will attend conferences and provide information about children and families. School will keep confidential child protection records separately from a pupil’s academic and other school records.

Confidentiality

Information from parents about possible child abuse cannot be kept confidential. Information and records about children on the Child Protection Register will be given only to those people who need it and will be kept strictly confidential by them.

Some children have an increased risk of abuse, and additional barriers can exist for some children with respect to recognising or disclosing it. We are committed to anti-discriminatory practice and recognise children’s diverse circumstances. We ensure that all children have the same protection, regardless of any barriers they may face.

We give special consideration to children who:

 Have special educational needs or disabilities

 Are young carers

 May experience discrimination due to their race, ethnicity, religion, gender identification or sexuality

 Have English as an additional language

 Are known to be living in difficult situations – for example, temporary accommodation or where there are issues such as substance abuse or domestic violence

 Are at risk of FGM, sexual exploitation, forced marriage, or radicalisation

 Are asylum seekers

CHILD-CENTRED:

We maintain an ethos where children feel safe and secure in an environment which allows them to learn, and develop on a journey to achieving their full potential. Children understand that there are adults in the school whom they can talk to if worried, scared or facing difficulty.

We provide frequent, appropriate opportunities for Personal, Social and Health Education throughout the curriculum, ensuring children develop skills and understanding on their journey to adulthood which will enable them to be safe; develop the skills to recognise healthy and unhealthy relationships (both online and in the physical world); and where to find sources of support.

Children are supported in recognising risks in various forms including on the internet. They are supported to understand what kind of physical contact is acceptable and recognise inappropriate pressure from others, including that which threatens their personal safety and well-being and give them strategies to counter this. The school works with the NSPCC in order to raise this awareness and understanding.

We use the mechanisms and services available to understand the range of issues which may make a child vulnerable and ensure children and young people receive the most appropriate support or referral and access to other provision; actively supporting multi agency planning for those children and, in doing so, providing information about the ‘voice of the child’ and the child’s personal experiences and perspectives as evidenced by observations or information provided.

Our school consults with, listens and responds to pupils through:

 School groups eg. different council members/ chaplains/ buddies

 Pupil voice surveys

 Use of the signs of safety ‘three houses model’

 Circle Time/PSHE

 My Happy Minds (from January 2018)

 CBT counselling (as required)

 Play therapy

 PEPs in place for LAC pupils

 Personalised curriculum

 Links with NSPCC and Child Line

Our school consults with, listens and responds to parents through:

 Parent voice surveys

 Regular parent workshops

 Newsletters

 Parents evenings

 Staff on site to support and sign post vulnerable families

 Visible presence of senior leaders on the school yard first thing every morning

 Quick and easy access to staff when needed

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Safeguarding and child protection is everyone’s responsibility. This policy applies to all staff, volunteers and governors in the school and is consistent with the procedures of MCSB. Our policy and procedures also apply to extended school and off-site activities.

All staff

All staff will read and understand part 1 of the Department for Education’s statutory safeguarding guidance, Keeping Children Safe in Education, and review this guidance at least annually.

All staff will be aware of:

 Our systems which support safeguarding, including the staff code of conduct and the role of the designated safeguarding lead (DSL)

 The early help process and their role in it, including identifying emerging problems, liaising with the DSL, and sharing information with other professionals to support early identification and assessment

 The process for making referrals to local authority children’s social care and for statutory assessments that may follow a referral, including the role they might be expected to play

 What to do if they identify a safeguarding issue or a child tells them they are being abused or neglected, including specific issues such as FGM, and how to maintain an appropriate level of confidentiality while liaising with relevant professionals

 The signs of different types of abuse and neglect, as well as specific safeguarding issues, such as child sexual exploitation (CSE), FGM and radicalisation

The designated safeguarding lead (DSL)

Our DSL is Julie Miles. The DSL takes lead responsibility for child protection and wider safeguarding.

When the DSL is absent, the deputy safeguarding leads (see page 3) – will act as cover.

The DSL will be given the time, funding, training, resources and support to:

 Provide advice and support to other staff on child welfare and child protection matters

 Take part in strategy discussions and inter-agency meetings and/or support other staff to do so

 Contribute to the assessment of children

 Refer suspected cases, as appropriate, to the relevant body (local authority children’s social care, Channel programme, Disclosure and Barring Service, and/or police), and support staff who make such referrals directly

The DSL will also liaise with local authority case managers and designated officers for child protection concerns as appropriate