Introduction
All Saints staff and Governors fully recognise the contribution it can make to protect children and support pupils in school. The pupils’ welfare and safety is of paramount importance; we want all our children to feel safe, protected, understood and nurtured.
We recognise that safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility and that we all need to accept that it could happen here and it is this awareness and understanding that will support us to identify, protect and safeguard children effectively. To ensure we all understand our responsibilities, all staff, including Governors undertake annual safeguarding training with volunteers also being invited to attend.
At our school we have 2 Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs):
https://allsaintscevakingsthorpe.org.uk/index.php/parents-carers/safeguarding/safeguarding#sigProId16cefcddab
These can be contacted via the school office during school hours (01604 715658) or out of school hours via email:
Our school adapts an open and accepting attitude towards children as part of its responsibility for pastoral care. All staff encourage children and parents to feel free to talk about any concerns and to see school as a safe place when there are difficulties. Children’s fears and concerns are taken seriously and children are encouraged to seek help from members of staff. Children can also use the ‘worry box’ located in the library if they feel they cannot directly approach a member of staff.
It is of high importance to us that we:
- Establish and maintain an ethos where children feel secure and are encouraged to talk, and are always listened to;
- Ensure that children know that there are adults in the school whom they can approach if they are worried or are in difficulty;
- Include in the curriculum activities and opportunities for PSHE/Citizenship which equip children with the skills they need to stay safe from abuse (including online), and to know to whom they can turn for help; We currently deliver the Protective Behaviours Curriculum to all our year groups (Yr R – 6).
- Provide opportunities to establish effective working relationships with parents and colleagues from other agencies;
- Operate safer recruitment procedures and make sure that all appropriate checks are carried out on new staff and volunteers who will work with children, including references, Criminal Record and prohibition from teaching checks.
- Ensure that all staff are aware what private fostering arrangements are and how to report them.
Alongside support provided in school, we also work closely with other outside agencies and services, such as:
- Social Services
- Early Help Team
- VOICE for Children and Young People
- Police
- Kids Aid