Safeguarding

Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm.

Safeguarding is everybody's responsibility.

If you have any concerns about the behaviour of someone working or volunteering with children please contact the LADO – Local Authority Designated Officer via the Referral and Assessment Team.

The Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)

The LADO manages allegations and concerns against professionals and volunteers who work with children.

You must contact the LADO immediately and within one working day if a person who works with children has:

• harmed or may have harmed a child
• possibly committed a criminal offence involving a child
• behaved in a way that indicates they may pose a risk of harm to a child
• behaved in a way that indicates they may not be suitable to work with children

The LADO process manages allegations about:

• neglect
• sexual abuse
• physical abuse
• emotional abuse
• grooming

Referral and Assessment Team  – Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)  Telephone: 07795092692 or email lado@n-somerset.gov.uk

Reporting concerns about an adult | Childrens Safeguarding Board (nsscp.co.uk)

Our school is dedicated to looking after all our children the best we possibly can. We fully recognise our responsibility under section 175 of the Education Act 2002 to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and to work together with other agencies to ensure adequate arrangements within our school to identify, assess, and support those children who are suffering harm. 

Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm.

Safeguarding means:

• protecting children from abuse and maltreatment
• preventing harm to children's health or development
• ensuring children grow up with the provision of safe and effective care
• taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes

This runs alongside our work on health and safety and online safety

All staff adhere to the ELAN Safeguarding Policy which is developed in line with recommendations from North Somerset Safeguarding Children Partnership (NSSCP) and Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE). The policy is reviewed annually by Extend Learning Academies Network (ELAN) and governors and is a working document that reflects our practice. Parents/carers can request a paper copy from the office.

Safeguarding children and child protection guidance and legislation applies to all children up to the age of 18.

As part of ELAN we ensure that all of our staff undergo Enhanced DBS checks regarding their suitability to work with children prior to commencing employment.  This is supplemented by annual mandatory safeguarding training to ensure that we are ALL compliant with safeguarding updates, policies and procedures. We are part of a wider safeguarding trust network which we attend regularly. Any changes to procedures or information gained from networks or changes in legislation is then disseminated to all staff by the safeguarding team as and when required.

Keeping Children Safe in Education

Please the statutory guidance from the Department for Education on their website.  It is imperative that all staff (including volunteers) read Part 1 and Appendix A of this guidance and sign that they have done so (a register exists to determine this).  Schools must have regard to the guidance when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.  This document contains information on what schools should do and sets out the legal duties with which schools must comply.