Over Hall Community SchoolSafeguarding & Child Protection
Safeguarding at Over Hall
Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and their families has a role to play in safeguarding children. In order to fulfil this responsibility effectively, all professionals should make sure their approach is child-centred. This means that they should consider, at all times, what is in the best interests of the child.
It is important for children to receive the right help at the right time, to address risks and prevent issues escalating. It is also important that the children have sufficient knowledge of keeping safe, therefore this is built into our curriculum. As a school we ensure teaching and learning opportunities, alongside visiting professionals, promote safety both in and out of school, including online. Such examples are fire safety, road safety, safety by water alongside accessible organisations and websites.
The role of staff
All staff have a responsibility to provide a safe environment in which children can learn. Here at Over Hall we have:
Mrs Claire Edgeley - Headteacher and co safeguarding lead
Mrs Anna Hopley - Safeguarding lead
Mrs Laura Ackerley - Deputy Safeguarding lead
All staff, volunteers and students are checked by the Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) to ensure their suitability to work with children, that they are appropriately qualified, they are who they say they are, and have the right to work in the UK.
Operation Encompass
Our school is part of Operation Encompass. This is a police initiative, which supports children and young people who have witnessed or experienced Domestic Abuse. Operation Encompass has been designed to provide early reporting to schools of any domestic abuse incidents that occur outside of school, which might have an impact on a child in school. This is communicated through a secure email or telephone call to school following an incident. The project ensures that the designated safeguarding lead is available to liaise with children’s services and the police and to use the information that has been shared in confidence. In this way we aim to support each child who has been involved in, or witnessed a domestic abuse incident.
Operation encompass information is stored inline with all other safeguarding an child protection information.
If a designated safeguarding lead receives an Encompass notification they will make sure that a person the child trusts is available to help – if the child needs this. All schools have a duty to share any information with other organisations if they feel a child is at risk of being hurt. The designated safeguarding lead may contact other organisations.
If you would like more information about Operation Encompass, details can be viewed online at www.operationemcompass.org
Other useful links:
Keeping Children Safe in Education (2019)
Working Together to Safeguard Children (Department for Education July 2018)
Cheshire West and Chester Safeguarding Children Partnership: Child Protection Procedures
Advice for parents about talking to your child about creating, sending or receiving explicit images:
www.nspcc.org.uk/help-and-advice/for-parents/talking-about-sex/sexting/sexting_wda96795.html
Support for parents and carers:
www.childnet.com/parents-and-carers
Advice about smartphones, gaming devices, tablets and other internet-connected devices:
saferinternet.org.uk/advice-centre/parents-and-carers/parents-guide-technology
Child Exploitation Online Protection (CEOP) Centre website for parents and carers:
NSPCC
Barnardos
What staff know ...
All staff members are made aware of systems within the school which support safeguarding and these are explained to them as part of staff induction. Including:
- child protection and safeguarding policy;
- code of conduct;
- the role of the designated safeguarding lead;
- whistleblowing policy
All policies are shared with staff via CPOMS on induction along with any relevant updates.
All staff members receive appropriate safeguarding and child protection training which is regularly updated. In addition all staff members receive safeguarding and child protection updates, as required, but at least annually, to provide them with relevant skills and knowledge to safeguard children effectively.
All staff are made aware of the early help process, and understand their role in it. This includes identifying emerging problems, liaising with the designated safeguarding lead, sharing information with other professionals to support early identification and assessment and, in some cases, acting as the lead professional in undertaking an early help assessment.
What staff look out for ...
All staff members are aware of the types of abuse and neglect so that they are able to identify cases of children who may be in need of help or protection. Departmental advice; What to do if you are worried a child is being abused; Advice for practitioners provides more information on understanding and identifying abuse and neglect. Examples of potential signs of abuse and neglect are highlighted throughout the advice and will be particularly helpful for school staff. The NSPCC website also provides useful additional information on types of abuse and what to look out for.
Staff members working with children are trained to maintain an attitude of ‘it could happen here’ where safeguarding is concerned. When concerned about the welfare of a child, staff members always act in the best interests of the child.