Safeguarding
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
Everyone at our school has a responsibility to keep our children safe and protected. If you have any concerns about the welfare of a child in our school please speak to our Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSL):
- Miss Alison Crockford : Head of School
- Mrs Vicky Rodhouse: SENCo/Teacher
- Miss Laura Mooney: Deputy DSL
- Mrs Terry Lifford - Safeguarding Governor
The DSLs’ responsibilities include online safety, and understanding our filtering and monitoring processes on school devices and school networks to keep pupils safe online.
During term time, the DSLs will be available during school hours for staff to discuss any safeguarding When the DSL is absent, the deputies will act as cover.
Safeguarding and child protection is everyone’s responsibility
Safeguarding in schools refers to the set of policies, procedures, and practices implemented to ensure the well-being, safety, and protection of children and young people in an educational environment. The primary goal is to create a secure and nurturing atmosphere that promotes learning while minimizing the risk of harm or abuse. Our schools play a crucial role in preventative education. This is in the context of a whole-school approach to preparing pupils for life in modern Britain, and a culture of zero tolerance of sexism, misogyny/misandry, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and sexual violence/harassment. This is underpinned by our:
- Behaviour policy
- Pastoral support system
- Planned programme of Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE), which is inclusive and delivered regularly, tackling issues such as:
- Healthy and respectful relationships
- Boundaries and consent
- Stereotyping, prejudice and equality
- Body confidence and self-esteem
- How to recognise an abusive relationship (including coercive and controlling behaviour)
- The concepts of, and laws relating to, sexual consent, sexual exploitation, abuse, grooming, coercion, harassment, rape, domestic abuse, so-called honour-based violence such as forced marriage and FGM and how to access support
- What constitutes sexual harassment and sexual violence and why they’re always unacceptable
Family Support Workers
The FSW team works across all of the academy schools and provides assistance, guidance, and support to families facing various challenges. The primary goal of our Family Support Worker team is to help families improve their overall well-being and functioning. This may involve working with families experiencing difficulties such as financial problems, housing issues, parenting concerns, domestic violence, or other social and emotional challenges.
Our FSW Team work in many ways across the trust including:
- Assessment: Conducting assessments to identify the specific needs and strengths of families.
- Advocacy: Advocating for families to access appropriate services and resources.
- Information and Advice: Providing families with information and advice on available support services, benefits, and community resources.
- Emotional Support: Offering emotional support to families during challenging times and helping them develop coping strategies.
- Parenting Support: Assisting parents with parenting skills, education, and guidance to create a positive and nurturing environment for their children.
- Referrals: Making referrals to other professionals or agencies when additional specialized support is needed.
- Collaboration: Working collaboratively with other professionals, such as social workers, health professionals, and educators, to ensure a holistic approach to family support.
- Monitoring Progress: Monitoring and evaluating the progress of families, adjusting support plans as necessary.
My Concern
My Concern is the online reporting system that IMAT uses to record, manage and report on safeguarding concerns.
It was created and developed by child protection experts, with backgrounds in social care, education and policing. MyConcern allows anyone responsible for the protection of children, young people and adults at risk to easily manage and record all safeguarding and wellbeing concerns.
Additionally, MyConcern helps to protect those at risk by allowing early intervention using a trusted, secure and intuitive platform. It also provides safeguarding leads with the peace of mind by meeting the statutory, legal and moral obligations they have to those in their care.
All staff members have a login for the system and are expected to record concerns themselves, which will then be followed up by a member of the safeguarding team (DSL or DDSL). Training is available for those new to the system and guidance can be found in this document on how best to use the system. Please contact a member of the Family Support Worker team for further information or support.
The trust use a tool called Clarity to then analyse the data and report to trust directors and governors about general trends and patterns of safeguarding concerns seen in schools.
The Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub
The Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) deals with referrals from professionals and members of the public who may have concerns about a child’s welfare following contact with the helpline based in the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub. Various professionals from different organisations work together in the MASH, including social care, the police and the NHS. This allows them to share and use information to help them to decide on the best course of action in relation to concerns.