Introduction
The Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone's responsibility. All the staff at The Croft who encounter our children and their families and carers has a role to play in safeguarding our children. To fulfil this responsibility effectively, we make sure our approach is child centered. This means that we consider, always, what is in the best interests of the child. No single professional can have a full picture of a child's needs and circumstances, which is why we have a team dedicated to the Safeguarding and Well-being of our Crofties. If our children and families are to receive the right help at the right time, everyone who encounters them has a role to play in identifying concerns, sharing information, and taking prompt action.
The Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our children is defined as protecting children from maltreatment; preventing impairment of children's health or development; ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; and taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes and Children includes everyone under the age of 18.
Designated Safeguarding Leads
The designated safeguarding lead is responsible for promoting a safe environment for children and young people. They are the first point of contact for all staff and volunteers to go to for advice if they are concerned about a child. They may also need to be available out of hours, so staff and volunteers always know how to contact them, or alternatively a deputy can be appointed.
The designated safeguarding lead has a higher level of safeguarding training and knowledge than the rest of the staff and should have completed Working Together to Safeguard Children and Young People training. Their role includes supporting staff to assist in information regarding concerns and support decision making about whether staff concerns are sufficient enough to notify children’s social work services or whether other courses of action are more appropriate, such as the completion of an Early Help Approach. (CSWS)
It is not the designated safeguarding officer's responsibility to decide whether a child has been abused or not. That is the responsibility of investigative statutory agencies, such as children’s social work services or the police. However, keeping children safe is everybody’s business, and all staff should know who to go to and how to report any concerns they may have about a child being harmed or at risk of being harmed.
There is a copy of the Swindon Child Protection Procedures and Guidance in the school office if you wish to see it.
Our School Safeguarding Team
Elaine Murphy - Principal
Mrs Knight - Assistant Principal / Year 3 Teacher
Mrs Bowers - Deputy Head Teacher / Year 2 Teacher
Code Word
As part of our policies and procedures to ensure that we can keep your child safe, we are introducing our child collection procedure. If you, the parent or guardian, are not collecting your child from school, then whoever you have given permission to will need to give a code word to the class teacher. The code word will also be needed if a supply teacher is dismissing children as they will not know who the child’s parents/guardians are.
You will choose the code word. It can be anything from a colour, to a name, to an animal, or even a film. Just make sure it’s something you will remember.
For more information on safeguarding, please visit the Whistleblowing Advice Line website.
Prevent Duty & Educate Against Hate
As a parent, you may be worried about how extremism and radicalisation might affect your child.
Messages of hate can take many forms. Extremist groups use them to recruit young people. There is a website where you will find information to help parents, teachers, and school leaders to understand the issues and protect children in our community.
For practical advice and information on protecting children from extremism and radicalisation, please visit Educate Against Hate.
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
Female genital mutilation (FGM) refers to procedures that intentionally alter, mutilate, or cause injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. FGM is medically unnecessary and can have serious health consequences, both at the time it is carried out and in later life.
FGM is prevalent in 28 African countries and areas of the Middle and Far East, but it is increasingly practiced in the U.K. in communities with larger populations of first-generation immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers.
FGM is deeply embedded in some communities and is performed for cultural and social reasons. It is usually carried out on girls before they reach puberty, but in some cases it is performed on newborn infants or on women before marriage or pregnancy. It is often justified by the belief that it is beneficial for the girl or woman, but FGM is an extremely harmful practice which violates basic human rights.
The most significant risk factor for girls and young women is coming from a community where FGM is known to be practised and/or where a mother, sister, or other female family member has been subjected to FGM. Practitioners should be aware of this and provide families with advice and information which makes it clear that FGM is illegal.
Please visit the FGM resource pack for more information and guidance