Safeguarding is everyone’s business and it is among the most important things we do. If our pupils do not feel safe, they will not learn. 

The name of the academy’s Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is Zak Warner. They can be contacted via the academy office. 

We also have the following staff who are involved in the leadership of safeguarding: 

Karen Keymer and Hayley Durkin

You can find the trust-wide safeguarding policy and our own safeguarding arrangements at the bottom of this page.

Please see a description of Early Help here.

Under the Education Act 2002 (section 175/157), schools must “make arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children”.  We will endeavour to provide a safe and welcoming environment where children are respected and value

The academy will therefore be alert to signs of abuse and neglect and will follow the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) procedures to ensure that children receive appropriate and effective support and protection.

Parents/carers should know that the law 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. The staff will seek, in general, to discuss any concerns with the parent/carer, and where possible inform them of the referral to Social Care.  This will only be done where such discussion will not place the child at increased risk of significant harm.

In accordance with local Information Sharing protocols, we will ensure that information is shared securely and sensitively.  Information will only be shared with other services where it is deemed necessary and proportionate to ensure that children and young people are safe and receive the right service.

Click here to visit the PSCB (Peterborough Safeguarding Children Board) website

Definition

It is important to see safeguarding as the “umbrella” term for everything that is done to support children and young people, to keep them safe and promote their welfare. ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015’ defines safeguarding as:

• protecting children from maltreatment;
• preventing impairment of a child’s health and 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 life chances.

The welfare of the child is paramount (Children Act 1989/2004)

• All children irrespective of their age, cultural background, disability, gender, language, racial origins, religious beliefs, sexual orientation have the right to be protected from abuse

Teaching our pupils about safeguarding

Through our curriculum we teach children to stay safe and happy. We encourage the understanding that any problem or worry that they may have is legitimate, and to share their worries, big or small with their trusted adult; at home; school or with organisations such as the NSPCC or Childline.

Click here to access the NSPCC website

Click here to access Childline

 

Sexual Abuse within Schools: Child on Child Abuse, Sexual Violence and Harassment and Harmful Sexual Behaviour:

Our position as a trust and within all our academies is clear: sexual violence and sexual harassment are never acceptable, will never be tolerated and are not an inevitable part of growing up. Such behaviour will never go unchallenged or become accepted and we remain    committed to working openly and transparently to promote mutual respect. We will always act on concerns raised

Our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy has guidance within it around the indicators of child-on-child abuse and harmful sexual behaviour along with our response procedures. All relevant Safeguarding Policies are available on individual academy websites.

All pupils are taught the Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) curriculum.

Dogsthorpe Academy Safeguarding Team

Name	Role
Zak Warner	Designated Safeguarding Lead
Karen Keymer	Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
Hayley Durkin	Safeguarding Team

All of the above named people can be contacted on 01733 343581

The appropriate means for disclosing an allegation of abuse relating to another student is always to inform a member of the specific academy’s safeguarding team directly or a member of the Trust Safeguarding Directorate. In the event that an allegation is made against a member of staff, this must be sent to the Academy Principal or directly to the Trust Safeguarding Directorate. We will always act on concerns raised.

Safeguarding and Child Protection Statement

 Under section 175 of the Education Act 2002 (as amended), *the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, the Non-Maintained Special Schools (England) Regulations 2015, and the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 (as amended) to have arrangements in place to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

We will endeavour to provide a safe and welcoming environment where children are respected and valued.

The school will therefore be alert to signs of abuse and neglect and will follow the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Safeguarding Children Partnership Board’s procedures to ensure that children receive appropriate and effective support and protection.

Parents and Carers should know that the law 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. Parents/carers should know that records of safeguarding concerns may be kept about their child.  They should be informed that school staff will seek, in general, to discuss any concerns with them including referrals to other agencies.

Local procedures state that “Consent should always be sought from an adult with parental responsibility for the child/young person before passing information about them to Children’s Social Care, unless seeking consent would place the child at risk of significant harm or may lead to the loss of evidence for example destroying evidence of a crime or influencing a child about a disclosure made.”  This includes allowing them to share information without consent, if it is not possible to gain consent, if it cannot be reasonably expected that a professional gains consent, or if to gain consent would place a child at risk.

Where there is a need to share special category personal data, the Data Protection Act 2018 contains ‘safeguarding of children and individuals at risk’ as a processing condition that allows professionals to share information.

In accordance with legislation and local Information Sharing protocols, we will ensure that information is shared securely and sensitively.  Information will only be shared with other services where it is deemed necessary and proportionate to ensure that children and young people are safe and receive the right service. In all circumstances, the safety of the child will be the paramount concern.

Schools will contact 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 shown to be unfounded.  Parents/carers will appreciate that the member of staff in the school with responsibility for child protection (known as the Designated Safeguarding Lead or Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead) was carrying out their responsibilities in accordance with the law and acting in the best interests of all children.

Under Section 3 (5) of the Children Act 1989, any person who has care of a child “may….do what is reasonable in all the circumstances of the case for the purpose of safeguarding promoting the child’s welfare”.  This means that on rare occasions, a school may need to “hold” a child in school whilst Social Care and the Police investigate any concerns further.

* The word ‘school’ is used throughout but this would include all educational settings e.g. Academies, Pupil Referral Units, Further Education establishments and Independent schools.

Prevent Guidance

What is Prevent?

The threat we face from terrorism is real and the Prevent strategy recognises that we can’t arrest our way out of the problem. The Prevent strategy therefore aims to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.

The focus of Prevent is on the significant threat posed by international terrorism and those in the UK who are inspired by it. But it is also concerned with reducing threats, risks and vulnerabilities posed by domestic extremists such as those from the far right and far left, extreme animal rights activists and those involved in Northern Irish related terrorism.

Prevent is supported by three objectives:

• Responding to the ideological challenge of terrorism and the threat we face from those who promote it (ideology);
• Preventing people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure that they are given appropriate advice and support (individuals); and
• Working with sectors and institutions where there are risks of radicalisation which we need to address (institutions).

If you suspect it, report it.

Local Guidance is available on the Local Cambridgeshire Safeguarding website here : Prevent link

For further information please see

HM Government: Prevent Duty Guidance

 

Keeping Children Safe in Education Link here

Working together to safeguard children Link here