Safeguarding

Safeguarding Information for Parents and Carers

 

 

Introduction

Ladybridge Primary will strive to ensure that all pupils remain safe and free from harm, and the school is committed to playing a full and active part in the multi-agency approach to child protection concerns. Additionally, the school has a legal duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, and to have a child protection policy and procedures in place, which should be shared with parents, to address concerns about the safety and protection of children.  Through their day to day contact with pupils, and direct work with families, staff who work in schools have a crucial role to play in noticing indicators of possible abuse or neglect.  Parents should be aware therefore, that where it appears to a member of staff that a child may have been abused, the school is required, as part of the local child protection procedures to report their concern to Children’s Social Care immediately. To avoid any misunderstandings therefore, parents of children who sustain accidental injuries outside school, which result in cuts/bruises/fractures should inform the school without delay and explain the cause.

 

Principles

• Children have a right to be safe.
• Parents have a right to be informed.
• Children are best protected when parents and school can work together.

 

Partnership 

• School will inform parents of any concerns about their children (providing it does not compromise the child’s safety) and will help and 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 Children’s Social Care within the Children’s Services Department.

• School consults with other agencies when it has concerns that a child may have been abused or neglected.
• School discusses with parents/carers any concerns they have about their children.
• Parents/carers will be kept informed about what has happened.

 

Child on Child Abuse

• Physical and emotional abuse of children by other children will be dealt with, initially, through the school's anti-bullying policy. Parents/carers will be kept informed.   All concerns about possible sexual abuse will be referred immediately to Children’s Social Care.

 

Child Protection Strategy Meeting and Conferences 

• Members of school staff will attend strategy meetings and child protection conferences when required and will provide information about children and families. This information will be shared with parents beforehand if possible.  School will keep confidential child protection records separately from a pupil’s academic and other school records.

 

Confidentiality

• Information from any source, including parents, about possible child abuse cannot be kept confidential.
• Information and records about children who are the subject of a Child Protection Plan will be given only to those people who need it and will be kept strictly confidential by them.

 

 Encompass

• As a Local Authority school, we work in partnership with Operation Encompass. This is a charitable organisation set up to safeguard and support children and young people who have been involved in or witness to a domestic abuse incident. Domestic abuse impacts on children in a number of ways. Children are at increased risk of physical injury during an incident, either by accident or because they attempt to intervene. Operation Encompass directly connects the police with schools to ensure support for children living with domestic abuse in their homes when there has been a police attended incident of Domestic Abuse. Rapid provision of support within the school environment means children are better safeguarded against the short-, medium- and long-term effects of domestic abuse.

 

 

Domestic Abuse Offer/Pledge

 

As part of Ladybridge Primary School’s commitment to keeping children safe we are committed to supporting children, young people and families experiencing domestic abuse.

We sign up to Operation Encompass (OE) and provide Domestic Abuse support in the following ways:

• Work in partnership with the local authority, voluntary and community services
• Provide tailored support to any student including counselling, mentoring, and monitor their attainment
• Listen to the voice and wishes of the student who has experienced domestic abuse seeing them as victims
• Follow up Non-attendance and contact home when a student may be absent having received an OE alert
• Liaise with Social Workers if the student is known to the service
• Undertake the Early Help assessment where appropriate
• Track and highlight pupils on our data systems
• Recognise that Students may be abused in intimate relationships
• Alert the DSL and SENDco who will then manage any referrals to other services for advice, guidance and further specialist support, such as Fortalice. These may also be within community settings
• Provide appropriate data and information to our Governors and to the Local Authority
• Ensure our RSHE curriculum focuses on safe relationships
• Include Domestic Abuse and its impact in our key safeguarding policies
• Provide appropriate training to staff to be aware of the impact of Domestic Abuse
• Work with the Police to ensure the timeliness of alerts being received to minimise any delays
• Provide appropriate challenge with agencies
• Gain consent and keep the student (where appropriate) and Parent/carer informed on action we take
• Liaise with the key Domestic Abuse agencies in Bolton and the wider agencies as needed

 

Further information, advice and guidance can be found here:

 

National Domestic Abuse Helpline:
Freephone 24-Hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247

Website: www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk (access live chat Monday - Friday, 3pm - 10pm)

 

Let's Talk (All Change)
Let’s Talk is a creative project that involves using the arts to develop innovative services for families affected by domestic violence. Let's Talk have some good resources to encourage children to talk about their experiences and feelings, including a book of creative ideas.
Website: http://letstalkproject.co.uk/?page_id=10

 

Fortalice – local provision

Fortalice - Charity for supporting people affected by Domestic Abuse and Violence - 01204 365677

 

Endeavour-Local provision

Domestic Abuse and Violence Support Services - Endeavour (endeavourproject.org.uk)

Tel: 01204 394 842

Email: info@endeavourproject.org.uk

Office hours 9.30am – 5.00pm there is an out of hours answer service.

 

Greater Manchester Victims Services: Greater Manchester Victims’ Services can provide independent emotional and practical support for anyone affected by crime.

Website: https://www.gmvictims.org.uk/ or calling 0161 200 1950.

 

Bright Sky UK app

Approximately one in five adults in the UK will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime. If you are concerned about domestic abuse or someone who may potentially be facing domestic abuse, we know it can be hard to find support. That’s why Bright Sky was developed.

Bright Sky is a safe, easy to use app that provides practical support and information on how to respond to domestic abuse.

The app is free to use and can help you to spot the signs of abuse, know how to respond, and find a safe route to support.

The app is available on both the Apple App Store and the Android Play Store.

 

 

Our Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy can be found in the policy section of this website, or by clicking here

 

If parents have concerns about the safety or wellbeing of their child, they should contact:

• DESIGNATED SAFEGUARDING LEAD (DSL) - Colin Watson
• DEPUTY DSL - Tracey Hall
• THIRD COVER DSL - Melissa Whittingham