Safeguarding

Protecting our children

At Baltonsborough Church of England Primary School, we strongly recognise the need for vigilant awareness of safeguarding issues. All staff have received appropriate training and safeguarding protocol so that they understand their role and responsibility and are confident about carrying them out.

Staff, pupils, parents and governors feel secure that they can raise any issues or concerns about the safety or welfare of children and know that they will be listened to and taken seriously. This is made possible by maintaining an ethos of achieving excellence for all including ensuring the safeguarding of all pupils and staff.

We have a duty of care to refer any safeguarding concerns raised to other professional that may be deemed necessary.

If you have any safeguarding questions or concerns you can contact the safeguarding team by calling the school on 01458 850526 or email safeguarding@baltonsborough.acexcellence.co.uk

Mission Statement of our Education Provision

Establish and maintain an environment where school staff and volunteers feel safe, are encouraged to talk and are listened to when they have concerns about the safety and well-being of a child.
Ensure children know that there are adults in the school whom they can approach if they are worried.
Ensure that children, who have additional/unmet needs, are supported appropriately. This could include referral to Early Help services or specialist services if they are a child in need or have been/are at risk of being abused and neglected.
Consider how children may be taught about safeguarding, including online safety, through teaching and learning opportunities, as part of providing a broad and balanced curriculum.
Staff members working with children are advised to maintain an attitude of ‘it could happen here’ where safeguarding is concerned. When concerned about the welfare of a child, staff members should always act in the interests of the child and develop a culture where Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

Operation Encompass

DOWNLOAD

Thinkuknow

Thinkuknow is the education programme from the National Crime Agency's CEOP command. Thinkuknow aims to empowers children and young people aged 5-17 to identify the risks they may face online and know where they can go for support.

www.thinkuknow.co.uk

Prevent

Prevent is the government counter terrorism strategy. Prevent is to support people at risk of joining extremist groups and carrying out terrorist activities. Prevent is a multi agency approach: Police, education, health, social services, church groups, community groups all working together.

Radicalisation

Click on the link for more information:

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/reporting-abuse/dedicated-helplines/protecting-children-from-radicalisation

Parents can now call a free, 24-hour NSPCC helpline if they are concerned about their children becoming radicalised. Counsellors from the NSPCC have been trained by experts from the Home Office to advise parents on how to spot signs of radicalisation in children who could fall victim to online groomers. The helpline is also available for parents who want to know how to reassure children worried about terrorist attacks taking place.

NSPCC Helpline 0800 800 5000

Signs which may hint towards radicalisation in children

They isolate themselves from family and friends
They become disrespectful or ask inappropriate questions
They seem to be more angry or aggressive
They have an unhealthy obsession for websites about terrorists
Their speech seems scripted when talking about radicalised ideas
Children who may be targeted by online groomers
Those with low self-esteem
Those with a history of gang membership
Those with a history of being bullying

Child Sexual Explotation (CSE)

Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) is a form of sexual abuse. CSE occurs when an individual or group take advantage of a person under the age of 18 to manipulate or deceive into sexual activity in exchange for something e.g. gifts, money, status, blackmail. Click on the links for more information: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/search/query=child+sexual+exploitation

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a procedure where the female genitals are deliberately cut, injured or changed, but where there is no medical reason for this to be done. FGM is illegal and a form of child abuse.Click on the link for more information: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-is-child-abuse/types-of-abuse/female-genital-mutilation-fgm/#what-is

Our Safeguarding Team

Mrs Greenwell

Designated
Safeguarding Lead

Mrs Gittens DDSL

Mrs Trudy Fowler

DDSL

Miss Tooth

DDSL

Keeping our children safe is one of the most important things that we do. Should you ever have any concerns, the Designated Safeguarding Lead is Mrs Greenwell and the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads are Mrs Gittens, Mrs Tooth and Mrs Fowler.

If you have a safeguarding concern, please

To make direct contact with the Local Authority, South West Child Protection Procedures, follow the link below:

https://somersetsafeguardingchildren.org.uk/report-a-concern/

Safeguarding Documents

Keeping Children Safe in Education

DOWNLOAD

The Prevent Duty

DOWNLOAD

Working Together to Safeguard Children

DOWNLOAD

If you're worried a child is being abused

DOWNLOAD

For safeguarding Policies, please see our Policies page

Gender Identity

The NSPCC have reported record number of calls regarding transgender 2,796 compared to 1,299 in the previous 12 months.It was recorded that children aged 12-15 years were most likely to call the helpline about gender identity issues and that 260 of the calls on this subject were from 11-year-olds. If you would like more information on this subject, please visit Mermaids UK

https://www.mermaidsuk.org.uk/

Domestic Abuse

The National Domestic Abuse Helpline is open 24/7 365 days per year, call on 0808 2000 247

Boots Pharmacy Consultation Rooms become safe spaces for victims of domestic abuse. Victims of domestic abuse will be able to access safe spaces at Boots pharmacy consultation rooms across the country, where they can contact specialist domestic abuse services for support and advice. The scheme is in response to the desperate situation facing many victims who are isolating with perpetrators during lockdown.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-abuse-how-to-get-help#coronavirus-covid-19-and-domestic-abuse

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-is-child-abuse/types-of-abuse/domestic-abuse/

https://www.relate.org.uk/

https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/