Safeguarding
Designated Safeguarding Lead: Miss Oriole Harris - SENDCo
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead: Mr Dean Hudd - Interim Deputy Head
Nominated Governor responsible for Child Protection: Andrew Allen
ELAN Designated Safeguarding Lead: Adam Matthews
Email: dsl@walliscote.extendlearning.org
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is everybody's responsibility. We are committed to looking after all our children the best we possibly can. Safeguarding covers children’s physical, social and emotional well-being and runs alongside our work on health and safety and online safety. Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm.
Safeguarding means:
- protecting children from abuse and maltreatment
- preventing harm to children's health or development
- ensuring children grow up with the provision of safe and effective care
- taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes.
Safeguarding children and child protection guidance and legislation applies to all children up to the age of 18.
As part of ELAN we ensure that all staff adhere to the Safeguarding Policy which is developed in line with recommendations from North Somerset Safeguarding Children Partnership (NSSCP).
The policy is reviewed annually by ELAN and governors and is a working document that reflects our practice. Parents/carers can request a paper copy from the office.
Anyone working with children must undergo the necessary vetting and barring checks. If they are undertaking “regulated activity” or “regulated work”, they are required by law to have an enhanced vetting and barring check.
Visitors should make sure they comply with the school’s procedures and understand what they need to do to keep children safe. Walliscote Visitor and Safeguarding information
What is Child Protection?
Child Protection is part of Safeguarding and promoting welfare.
It refers to the activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm.
Policies
Please follow this link to our Policies (Information menu tab) page on the school website.
Prevent Strategy
From 1st July 2015 all schools are subject to a duty under section 26 of the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015, in the exercise of their functions, to have
"due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism".
This duty is known as the Prevent Duty. It applies to a wide range of public-facing bodies, including all primary and secondary schools.
Schools can build pupils' resilience to radicalisation by providing a safe environment for debating controversial issues and helping children to understand how they can influence and participate in decision making. Schools are already expected to promote the spiritual, moral and cultural development of pupils and, within this, fundamental British values.
Safeguarding Prevent Agenda - Educate Against Hate Website launched by Nicky Morgan. This landmark resource is designed to give advice on preventing extremism and helping to protect children and young people from radical views https://educateagainsthate.com/
Mandatory reporting of FGM - procedural information
From 21st October 2015 it is mandatory for teachers, health and social workers to report to the police if they find, or are told, that someone under 18 has undergone FGM.
To obtain more information on FGM please click the link - Keeping Children Safe in Education
Online safety
Walliscote Primary recognises the benefits and opportunities that new technologies offer to teaching and learning.
We encourage the use of technology in order to enhance skills and promote achievement. However, the accessible and global nature of the internet and variety of technologies available mean that we are also aware of potential risks and challenges associated with such use.
Please follow this link to our Policies (Information menu tab) page on the school website.
Within our website you can find online safety information aimed at parents/carers and children to support you with keeping yourself and children/young people safe online.
Important for all
Please click here to access the statutory guidance from the Department for Education. It is imperative that all staff (including volunteers) read this guidance and provide consent that they have done so (a register exists to determine this). Schools must have regard to the guidance when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. This document contains information on what schools should do and sets out the legal duties with which schools must comply.
The Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)
The LADO manages allegations and concerns against professionals and volunteers who work with children.
You must contact the LADO immediately and within one working day if a person who works with children has:
- harmed or may have harmed a child
- possibly committed a criminal offence involving a child
- behaved in a way that indicates they may pose a risk of harm to a child
- behaved in a way that indicates they may not be suitable to work with children
The LADO process manages allegations about:
- neglect
- sexual abuse
- physical abuse
- emotional abuse
- grooming
Referral and Assessment Team – Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) Telephone: 07795092692 or email lado@n-somerset.gov.uk
Reporting concerns about an adult | Childrens Safeguarding Board (nsscp.co.uk)
Safeguarding children and child protection guidance and legislation applies to all children up to the age of 18.
As part of ELAN we ensure that all of our staff undergo Enhanced DBS checks regarding their suitability to work with children prior to commencing employment. This is supplemented by annual mandatory safeguarding training to ensure that we are ALL compliant with safeguarding updates, policies and procedures. We are part of a wider safeguarding trust network which we attend regularly. Any changes to procedures or information gained from networks or changes in legislation is then disseminated to all staff by the safeguarding team as and when required.
All staff adhere to the ELAN Safeguarding Policy which is developed in line with recommendations from North Somerset Safeguarding Children Partnership (NSSCP) and Keeping children safe in education September (KCSIE). The policy is reviewed annually by Extend Learning Academies Network (ELAN) and governors and is a working document that reflects our practice. Parents/carers can request a paper copy from the office.