Together we can safeguard our children

Children have a right to be cared for and protected, protecting them is everyone’s responsibility. Here at Moorland Primary School we have a duty of care to ensure that all users of the school are kept safe from harm. We have an ethos in which children and adults can feel safe, are valued, respected, and listened to. We will never lose sight of the needs of individual children and the duty to take action to safeguard them.

We believe that:

• children and young people should never experience abuse of any kind

• we have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people, to keep them safe and to practise in a way that protects them.

We recognise that:

• the welfare of children is paramount in all the work we do and in all the decisions we take

• working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare

• all children, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation have an equal right to protection from all types of harm or abuse

• some children are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues

• extra safeguards may be needed to keep children who are additionally vulnerable safe from abuse.

We will seek to keep children and young people safe by:

• valuing, listening to and respecting them

• appointing a nominated child protection lead for children and young people, a deputy and a lead governing board member for safeguarding

• adopting child protection and safeguarding best practice through our policies, procedures and code of conduct for staff and volunteers

• developing and implementing an effective online safety policy and related procedures

• providing effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support, training and quality assurance measures so that all staff and volunteers know about and follow our policies, procedures and behaviour codes confidently and competently

• recruiting and selecting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made recording and storing and using information professionally and securely, in line with data protection legislation and guidance [more information about this is available from the Information Commissioner’s Office: ico.org.uk/fororganisations]

• sharing information about safeguarding and good practice with children and their families via leaflets, posters, group work and one-to-one discussions

• making sure that children, young people and their families know where to go for help if they have a concern

• using our safeguarding and child protection procedures to share concerns and relevant information with agencies who need to know, and involving children, young people, parents, families and carers appropriately

• using our procedures to manage any allegations against staff and volunteers appropriately

• creating and maintaining an anti-bullying environment and ensuring that we have a policy and procedure to help us deal effectively with any bullying that does arise

• ensuring that we have effective complaints and whistleblowing measures in place

• ensuring that we provide a safe physical environment for our children, young people, staff and volunteers, by applying health and safety measures in accordance with the law and regulatory guidance

• building a safeguarding culture where staff and volunteers, children, young people and their families, treat each other with respect and are comfortable about sharing concerns.

Contact details: Call 01908 678888

Designated safeguarding leads:

Jackie Holmes – jholmes@moorlandprimaryschool.co.uk (Safeguarding & Attendance lead)

Angela Garner – head@moorlandprimaryschool.co.uk (Headteacher)

Safeguarding and wellbeing team:

Sally Carson scarson@moorlandprimaryschool.co.uk (Deputy head & Deputy Designated safeguarding lead )

Naomi De Voogt ndevoogt@moorlandprimaryschool.co.uk (Inclusion Leader)

Lisa Nicholls - lnicholls@moorlandprimaryschool.co.uk (Child & family worker)

Donnah Harrison - dharrison@moorlandprimaryschool.co.uk (Wellbeing and achievement assistant)

Safeguarding governor:

Janice Parker- jparker@moorlandprimaryschool.co.uk

In the event of a child at risk of significant harm, the DSL will make a referral or consult Children’s Services regarding concerns about that child.

Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH): Tel: 01908 253169 or 253170 during office hours or Emergency Social Work Team 01908 265545 out of office hours email: children@milton-keynes.gov.uk

Safeguarding is not just about protecting children from deliberate harm, it includes such things as pupil safety, bullying, racist abuse and harassment, radicalisation, educational visits, intimate care, children missing education and internet safety. The witnessing of abuse can also have a damaging effect on those who are associated with any person who may have suffered abuse, as well as the child subjected to the actual abuse. This can and often will have a significant impact on the health and emotional well-being of the child. Abuse can take place in any family, institution or community setting. It can be by telephone or on the internet also. Abuse can often be difficult to recognise as children may behave differently or seem unhappy for many reasons, as they move through the stages of childhood or if their family circumstances change. However, it is important to know what the indicators of abuse are and to be alert to the need to act upon any concerns.

All Adults, including the designated safeguarding leads, have a duty of care by law to refer all known or suspected cases of abuse to the relevant agency including social services or the police. Where a disclosure is made to a visiting staff member from a different agency, such as the School Nurse etc. It is the responsibility of that agency staff to formally report the referral to the School’s Designated Person in the first instance.

E-Safety

Always be careful when you are using the internet. It can help you to keep in touch with your friends and help your education – but it can also cause harm – to you and to others.
Remember help is always available at school if you are having any problems online.
Don’t be afraid to talk to your teacher or another adult at school.

If you or anyone you know is worried about Child Exploitation, Online Protection or anything related to Internet safety please click the link below which will take you to the CEOP reporting website:

An NSPCC child friendly video to show children not to post indecent images:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1n9Jly3CQ8