At St Benet’s, we review the safeguarding of children as our main priority. We believe that all children have the right to learn in a happy, safe environment and we all have a responsibility to make this happen. We are also committed to the safeguarding of all stakeholders in our school community.

We will ensure that:

• the welfare of the child remains paramount;
• all children whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious beliefs and/ or sexual identity have the right to be protected from harm;
• all suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately;
• all staff and volunteers working at our school have a responsibility to report concerns to the  designated leads for Safeguarding: Mrs Young and Miss Loughlin.

Areas of Safeguarding

Our safeguarding policies cover all areas of school life and include:

• Staff & visitors– ensuring they are vetted, informed & trained;
• Children’s behaviour and welfare- promoting safer & happier behaviours & lifestyles;
• Parents & carers– promoting links & supporting families;
• Premises -keeping them safe, pleasant & fit for purpose;
• Curriculum –providing positive, life affirming learning experiences as well as teaching our children about internet safety;
• Outside School- ensuring safer activities and environments outside school.
  

Members of Staff Responsible

We are all responsible for ensuring that each child remains safe, however the designated lead for Safeguarding is Mrs Young. In her absence, Miss Loughlin will act accordingly. If you have any safeguarding concerns regarding a child, please contact the school without hesitation. Our safeguarding governor is Mrs Bernadette Davison.

Safer Recruitment

We follow strict procedures to ensure that everyone who works with our children is vetted, keeping our children as safe as possible. On-going checks and ‘whistle-blowing’ are in line with current policy.

Staff Training

All staff are:

• trained in child protection issues and they are aware of the procedures to follow;
• encouraged to be vigilant in order to maintain the safety of our children;
• given a copy of the school’s safeguarding policy and are directed to the document ‘KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE IN EDUCATION 2021’. Governors are provided with a copy of this document too.
  
• Keeping Children Safe in Education 2021

Child Protection with Safeguarding Policy

All staff have an up-to-date understanding of safeguarding children issues and are able to implement the safeguarding children policy and procedure appropriately. Policies are in line with current guidance and procedures.

Staff are able to respond appropriately to any:

• significant changes in children’s behaviour;
• deterioration in their general well-being;
• unexplained bruising, marks or signs of possible abuse;
• signs of neglect;
• comments children make which give cause for concern.

All staff are aware of the need to maintain privacy and confidentiality.

Information Sharing

We have an obligation to obtain necessary information from parents in advance of a child being admitted to school, including:

• emergency contact numbers;
• the child’s special dietary requirements, preferences or food allergies the child may have;
• the child’s special health requirements;
• information about who has legal contact with the child; and who has parental responsibility for the child.

Written parental permission is requested, at the time of the child’s admission to the provision, to the seeking of any necessary emergency medical advice or treatment in the future.

PARENTS & CARERS MUST TELL US OF ANY CHANGES TO THESE DETAILS.

We take confidentiality very seriously. Any information which we hold is treated as confidential and shared on a ‘need-to-know’ basis.

Links with External Agencies

Because our first concern must be the well-being of your child, there may be occasions when we have to consult other agencies before we contact you. The procedures we have to follow have been laid down in accordance with the local authority child protection procedures.

We are fortunate to be supported by a range of external agencies which can be called upon to support the work we do in school. These include One Point Services, School Nurse, Health Practitioners, Educational Psychology, Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services, Behaviour Support, Social Services and Specialists in supporting Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

Review of Policy and Practice

In order to ensure that best practice is maintained, our policies are reviewed at least annually to incorporate the latest statutory guidance.

If you would like more information on safeguarding, please contact the school or view our policies section on our website.