Safeguarding & Child Protection
Safeguarding is about keeping children and young people safe from abuse or neglect. All those who come into contact with children and families in their everyday work, have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. This page will be used to offer important information to parents and carers regarding issues surrounding Safeguarding & Child Protection. It also provides you information on how we safeguard your children at Denton and Harlaxton CE Schools.
At Denton and Harlaxton CE Schools, we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment. Staff work hard to maintain an environment where children feel safe and secure. The curriculum is designed to ensure opportunities for children to develop the skills they need to recognise and stay safe from abuse. Children know that they can approach any of the adults in school if they are worried and that they will receive a consistent, supportive response.
In recognising our responsibilities for Safeguarding and Child Protection, as a school we:
If you would like to know more about our policy or procedures for Safeguarding, please speak to Sheriden Edwards (Headteacher).
Designated Safeguarding Leads
The Designated Safeguarding Lead for our school is Mrs Sheriden Edwards. The Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead is Mrs Siobhan Whitworth and Miss Michelle Hailles is also members of our Safeguarding Team.
Mrs Louise Roscoe is our Safeguarding Governor. The Safeguarding Governor checks that procedures and policies are in place and does not deal with individual cases or concerns.
Reporting a Concern of Abuse or Neglect
Keeping children safe from harm is everyone’s responsibility. It is important people voice their concerns, no matter how small they think they are. If you have concerns that a child you know is at risk of serious harm through Abuse or Neglect it is important that you report your worries to the correct agency: The Safeguarding Children Customer Call Centre 01522 782111. You could also contact the NSPCC Helpline number 0808 800 5000 or the Police.
Staff will report concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Leads
Safeguarding in the curriculum and how we teach pupils to stay safe
Throughout the curriculum we build in opportunities to teach pupils skills they need to stay safe. Many of these opportunities come from our curriculum but also through specific opportunities throughout the school year, such as the following:
Further information and advice for parents
Alongside our own policies and procedures, see below for information from other sources that are posted to give advice, facts and resources to support parents and carers to help protect their children.
E-Safety
The internet has become an integral part of children’s lives. A world has opened up which offers many positive opportunities.
Children start using computers from a very early age and are increasingly using the Internet more and more whether it is at home, in school, on their mobile phones or on a games console. With this in mind, Internet Safety and knowing how to help protect children and young people online is essential.
Just as we want to keep our child safe in the real world, we will want to do the same in the virtual world. It is important that we understand enough about the Internet to keep our children safe from harm but is equally important that we equip our children with the skills they need to keep themselves safe so they can experience the Internet positively and responsibly.
Please look out for our e-safety newsletters which we send out via parent mail. Further e-safety advice can be found on our website.
Child Sexual Exploitation
Child Sexual Exploitation, or CSE, is a form of sexual abuse which sees children/young people being manipulated or coerced into sexual activity for receiving ‘something’ such as; gifts, money, food, attention, somewhere to stay etc.
Technology is very often used to groom victims. This may occur through social networking sites and mobile phones with internet access.
CSE has gained a large amount of media attention over the last year as lots of services involved with children and young people have noticed a big rise in cases involving CSE. Charities such as NSPCC and Barnardos have been campaigning to raise the profile of this form of child abuse. Information regarding CSE can be found here below.
Domestic Abuse
Sometimes you will hear the phrase domestic abuse, sometimes domestic violence. They mean the same thing. Domestic abuse encompasses a range of abusive behaviours which are used by an abusive partner/ex-partner or family member to maintain power and control over you. Domestic abuse is not just a disagreement. It can also affect anyone, regardless of age, social background, gender, religion, sexual preference, and ethnicity.
There are many different types of abusive behaviour. It should be recognised that abuse is an ongoing pattern of behaviour, which will escalate over a period of time.
Further advice and support can be found at https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/domestic-abuse/
Mental Health and Self-Harm
Concerns are growing for young people's mental health. We have trained ELSA mentors in school who may be able to help your child overcome trauma or help them with emerging mental health issues. We also use a range of outreach and external providers to support your child and their family. Below are details of agencies where support and advice can be found.
Childline – 24 hour counselling and safeguarding 0800 1111 www.childline.org.uk
Eating Disorders
Self Harm
Suicide
Depression and Anxiety
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
In April 2014 every school in England received new safeguarding guidelines and detailed information on identifying and responding to Female Genital Mutilation.
FGM is a procedure carried out on young girls between the ages of infancy and 15 years of age. Female Genital Mutilation is classified as a form of Child Abuse in the UK. It therefore makes the procedure of it a serious Child Protection issue.
It is illegal for anyone to perform FGM in the UK or to arrange for a child to be transported to another country for the procedure. The maximum sentence for carrying out FGM or helping it to take place is 14 years in prison.
There is lots of information and support available online for parents/carers concerned about this subject or if you know someone who is at risk:
Contact the Police if you think that a girl or young woman is in danger of FGM and is still in the UK.
Contact the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (020 7008 1500) if she’s already been taken abroad.
The Daughters of Eve website helps to raise awareness of this issue and sign-posts those affected by it to supportive services. See below.
The NSPCC has detailed advice on how to spot the signs, symptoms and effects of FGM and provides support for people who are concerned about a child or who have been affected themselves. See below.
Radicalisation and Extremism
Our school has adopted the Government definition of extremism as: “Vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs; and/or calls for the death of members in our armed forces, whether in this country or oversees."
There is no place for extremist views of any kind in our school, whether from internal, sources (pupils, staff or governors) or external sources.
Staff and governors have completed awareness raising training. Should any parent or community member have concerns regarding extremism, please speak immediately to the Head teacher or Deputy Head teacher in her absence.
PREVENT is a key strand of the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy, CONTEST. Its main objective is to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting violent extremism. It’s essential to know that PREVENT operates in the NON-CRIMINAL space. This means individuals who are referred to Prevent, are supported to move away from terrorism, rather than being criminalised. This multi-agency process is called ‘Channel’.
PREVENT is a multi-agency strategy and not solely a Police initiative. It is important everyone works together to disrupt those who promote violent extremism and identify people who are vulnerable to being recruited by terrorists, so the police and other agencies can offer them support.
As part of the duty to protect young people from the messages of extremism, we will refer any young person we are concerned about to the local Prevent team through the Channel process. We may also email the Prevent team to seek advice and support. Should we use the child protection referral process, we will need to complete a ‘channel form’ if there are any concerns related to extremism and radicalisation. Where we have serious concerns about the vulnerability of a young person in relation to extremist behaviour, then we will make a call to the Police on 999.
Tackling radicalisation relies, to a certain extent, on the vast majority of people who reject violent extremism and are determined to challenge it.
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