Safeguarding
Designated Safeguarding Lead: Mrs F Martin
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead: Mrs J Mayo
Safeguarding Governor: Mrs Carol Motteram
Safeguarding
It is no accident that an entire page is dedicated to safeguarding on our website. It is the single most important thing that our staff and school community do on a daily basis. Keeping your children safe from harm is absolutely critical whether it be in the classroom, on the playground, a school visit or a residential.
Safeguarding starts so small – an adult to talk to, someone to share a worry with; it’s a basic need being met by all the adults in the setting.
Having an adult in class with whom your child is familiar, comfortable with and most importantly trusts, is the key to good safeguarding practice. Within school, Mrs Martin is the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). This means that any concerns a child or member of staff may have, are shared with the DSL and the right course of action taken. Staff are relentless in their pursuit of safeguarding support and will refer back to the DSL, should they raise any concerns, to check that action has been taken.
All of our staff, governors and volunteers are DBS checked and a record kept of their details.
Children also need to be taught about how to keep themselves safe – this doesn’t just happen overnight and we have a structured sex and relationships policy (available on the policies section of the documents tab) which teaches children about people who are here to help us, making and keeping friendships and, as they get older, about the relationships that may develop and how to manage these. Our e-safety policy is also critical and ensures we promote safe online working practices so that children are well educated and knowledgeable before leaving us.
If anyone has concerns about a child or member of staff, these should be reported to Mrs Fran Martin, or in her absence, Mrs Julie Mayo. If the concern is about Mrs Martin, the concern should be reported to the Chair of Governors, Mr Geoff Bailey. Contact details can be found in the school office. Alternatively, contact North Somerset Safeguarding Children Board on:
Monday to Thursday 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Friday 9.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.
01275 888 808
Out of hours and weekend: 01454 615 165
Prevent Strategy
The aim of the Prevent strategy is to reduce the threat to the UK from terrorism by stopping people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. In the Act this has simply been expressed as the need to “prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”. The 2011 Prevent strategy has three specific strategic objectives:
- respond to the ideological challenge of terrorism and the threat we face from those who promote it
- prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure that they are given appropriate advice and support
- work with sectors and institutions where there are risks of radicalisation that we need to address.
- Prevent strategy, published by the Government in 2011, is part of our overall counter-terrorism strategy, CONTEST.
Child Sexual Exploitation
Child sexual exploitation (CSE) is a type of sexual abuse in which children are sexually exploited for money, power or status.
Children or young people may be tricked into believing they’re in a loving, consensual relationship. They might be invited to parties and given drugs and alcohol. They may also be groomed online.
Some children and young people are trafficked into or within the UK for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Sexual exploitation can also happen to young people in gangs.
All of our staff have been trained in the signs of CSE. If you are concerned about your child or someone you know let us know – we will be able to help.
FGM
It has been estimated that over 20,000 girls under the age of 15 are at risk of FGM in the UK each year, and that 66,000 women in the UK are living with the consequences of FGM. Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a growing cause of concern in schools.
FGM is child abuse and a form of violence against women and girls, and therefore it is dealt with as part of existing child and adult safeguarding/protection structures, policies and procedures. It is illegal in the UK to subject a child to female genital mutilation (FGM) or to take a child abroad to undergo the procedure – Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003. Despite the harm it causes, FGM practising communities consider it normal to protect their cultural identity. The age at which girls are subject to FGM varies greatly from shortly after birth to any time up to adulthood. The average age is 10 to 12 years.
At St Andrew’s Primary School, our staff are trained in dealing with FGM and are alerted to the following key indicators:
- A child’s family comes from a community that is known to practise FGM.
- A chid may talk about a long holiday to a country where the practice is prevalent.
- A child may confide that she is to have a ‘special procedure’ or to attend a special occasion.
- A child may request help from a teacher or another adult.
Any female child born to a woman or has a sister who has been subjected to FGM will be considered to be at risk, as much as other female children in the extended family. Any information or concern that a child is at risk of FGM will result in a child protection referral to Children’s Social Care.
Policies Please follow the below weblink which will take you to our Policies page within which you can find our Safeguarding Policy and Child on Child Abuse Policy.