Safeguarding

At Brownsover Community School safeguarding children is of paramount importance and is the responsibility of every adult within our school community.  If you have any concerns about the welfare of any child in our school, please do not hesitate to speak to one of our Designated Safeguarding Leads.

The designated lead for safeguarding is Elisa Basnett (Headteacher).

The deputy designated leads for safeguarding are:  Rosemary Hercock (Bridges Leader), Helen Westerby (Deputy Headteacher), Jaymie Jenkins (senior teacher), Chloe Westerby (senior teacher), Kirsty Tite, (pupil support worker) & Teresa Arbon (Bridges Deputy Leader).

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The governor with responsibility for safeguarding is Rachel Street.

If you have any concerns regarding the safeguarding of a child please contact the designated lead or one of the deputy leads in their absence. If the concern is regarding the Headteacher please contact Rachel Street - Chair of Governors at street.r@welearn365.com or the Designated  Officers (DO) Bally Bal & Lisa Dada on 01926 743433. Or email: lado@warwickshire.gov.uk

Safeguarding is an umbrella term and covers many more aspects than

 just child protection.

Child Protection is protecting children from identified risks – originally focused on abuse at home now a wider concept to include bullying, abuse through new technologies etc.

Safeguarding extends child protection to include preventing harm and promoting the well-being of children.

Safeguarding is:

• Protecting children from maltreatment
• Preventing impairment of a child’s health or development
• Ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provisions of safe and effective care
• Create opportunities to enable children to have optimum life chances in adulthood.

(2004 Children’s Act)

School Policy

Brownsover Community School recognises the responsibility it has under Section 175 of the Education Act 2002 and the requirements of the 'Safeguarding Children in Education' to have arrangements in place to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

Through their day-to-day contact with pupils and direct work with families, staff at the school have a crucial role to play in noticing indicators of possible abuse or neglect and referring them to the appropriate agency, normally the appropriate Children’s Team (Social Care).

‘Under the Education Act 2002 (Section 175 for maintained schools), schools must make arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Parents/carers should know that the law (Children Act 1989) requires all school staff to pass on information which gives rise to a concern about a child’s welfare, including risk from neglect, physical, emotional or sexual abuse. Staff will seek, in general, to discuss any concerns with the parent/carer and, where possible, seek their consent to make a referral to Children’s Social Care if that is considered necessary. This will only be done where such discussion will not place the child at increased risk of significant harm. The school will seek advice from Children’s Social Care when they have reasonable cause to suspect a child may be suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. Occasionally, concerns are passed on which are later found to be unfounded. Parents/carers will appreciate that the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead carries out their responsibilities in accordance with the law and acts in the best interests of all children.’

This Policy sets out how the school’s Governing Body discharges it’s statutory responsibilities relating to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children who are pupils at the school.

There are four main elements to our Policy:

• Prevention through the teaching and pastoral support offered to pupils and the creation and maintenance of a whole school protective ethos.
• Procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases, of abuse.
• Support to pupils who may have been abused.
• Preventing unsuitable people working with children through safer recruitment practices

Our Policy applies to all staff and volunteers working in the school.  Teaching assistants, mid-day supervisors, admin, kitchen staff & cleaners as well as teachers can be the first point of disclosure for a child.  Concerned parents may also contact school Governors.

PREVENT STRATEGY

What is Prevent?

Prevent is one of four work strands which make up the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy – CONTEST. The main aim of Prevent is to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. Prevent focuses on all forms of terrorist threats.  E.g. international terrorism, far right extremists (among others).

The Government’s Prevent strategy can be found at the following address: www.homeoffice.gov.uk

• Pursue – focuses on detecting, investigating and disrupting terrorist threats to the UK and our interests overseas.
• Protect – aims to reduce the vulnerability of the UK and UK interests overseas to terrorist attack. This includes aviation security for both cargo and passengers.
• Prepare – aims to minimise the impact of any attack, manage any incidence of an ongoing attack and recover quickly and effectively.
• Prevent – aims to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.

As the preventative strand of CONTEST, Prevent will:-

• Respond to the ideological challenge of terrorism and the threat faced by the UK from those who promote it.
• Prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure they are given appropriate advice and support.
• Work with a wide range of sectors (including education, criminal justice, faith, charities, the internet and health) where there are risks of radicalisation which need to be addressed.

The Police, Local Authorities, and our partner organisations are working together to help strengthen and empower our communities to reject those who want to cause harm.

Prevent Team

The Prevent Engagement Team of officers and police staff aim to encourage discussion ensuring that terrorism is prevented from taking root in our communities. They support the wider engagement activities already taking place in schools, places of worship and community groups.

Through this work they aim to strengthen communities in order to challenge the ideologies and messages of hate which lead to terrorism.

How you can help?

It is important that we all work together, so that we can protect our communities. There are many ways you can help:

• You can get in touch with your local neighbourhood or Prevent team for advice and support, if you are worried about someone you know who you believe may be vulnerable to radicalisation.
• You can speak to your local officers or Prevent contact about helping run community events to bring people from different communities together.
• You can provide facilities that could help us and our partners hold community engagement events.

PLEASE READ OUR PREVENT LEAFLET IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR POLICY ON SAFEGUARDING' AND 'CHILD PROTECTION’

Protective Behaviours

We teach about Protective Behaviours to all children.

This scheme of work is incorporated into our Relationships and Health Education (RHE) lessons.  The scheme is entitled 'Taking Care' and aims to give children age appropriate strategies for talking about their feelings and in particular their own personal safety and well-being.

Protective Behaviours is a practical down to earth approach to personal safety. It is a process that encourages self-empowerment and brings with it the skills to raise self-esteem and to help avoid being victimised. This is achieved by helping individuals to recognise and trust their intuitive feelings (Early Warning Signs) and to develop strategies for self-protection. The Protective Behaviours process encourages an adventurous approach to life that satisfies the need for fun and excitement without violence and fear.

Further information on the Protective Behaviours (Taking Care) curriculum can be found on their website: https://www.protectivebehaviours.org/

What to do if you have a safeguarding concern?

If you have a safeguarding concern regarding a child/family in school, please speak to one of the designated safeguarding leads by phone, email or in person using the usual school contact details.

If you have an immediate safeguarding concern outside of school hours, or wish to make an anonymous referral please contact:
Children and Families Front Door (Previously MASH - Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub) 01926 414144

https://www.safeguardingwarwickshire.co.uk/report-it

Rugby Children's Team 01926 413389

For family support please contact:
Family Support Worker Helpline: 01926 412412
Family Information Service: 01926 742274
 

In the case of a serious safeguarding concern please dial 999. If you are subject to domestic abuse and unable to talk on the line, dial 55 and the authorities will be sent.