Key principles 

1. The policy is consistent with statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children (DfE 2018) and Keeping Children Safe in Education (DfE 2018); and local inter-agency safeguarding procedures issued by Warwickshire Safeguarding Children Board - https://www.safeguardingwarwickshire.co.uk/safeguarding-children/i-work-with-children-and-young-people/interagency-safeguarding-procedures 

2. 2. l staff and volunteers must read Part One of Keeping Children Safe in Education 2018. All SLT members and staff who work directly with children (e.g. teachers, teaching assistants, lunchtime supervisors, pastoral support staff) must also read Part Five and Annex A. 

3. All staff and volunteers must read the full safeguarding and child protection policy and the Staff Behaviour policy (code of conduct) before starting work with children. This document serves only as a brief reference point for staff, parents, governors and other stake holders. 

4. The Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSL) are Claire Hopkins and Sarah Amaira. Our deputy DSL is Elaine Fariss, and our setting is supported by our Trustee DSL – Alexandra Feasey. 

5. The DSL will ensure that all staff and volunteers receive a robust induction into the school’s safeguarding arrangements, which will include a requirement that they read the key statutory guidance and safeguarding policies including the Behaviour Policy and responses to children who go missing from education before starting work with children. 

6. All Trustees, staff and volunteers have a responsibility to establish and maintain a culture of safeguarding in order to safeguard and promote the welfare of children effectively. 

7. All staff and volunteers must have a full and active understanding of sections 25-28 of the full safeguarding and child protection policy - concerning child protection procedures, definitions, impact, indicators of abuse and referrals - in order to safeguard children at school effectively. 

8. The Setting is committed to offering early help to those children who need it. Staff are trained to be vigilant and to record and report all concerns and issues that indicate a child may require early help or that there may be a safeguarding issue to the DSL without delay. 

9. The DSL will consider all such concerns and issues and will make a judgement about whether to monitor the child’s progress, discuss with parents/carers, provide pastoral care and support, offer early help or make appropriate referrals. The DSL will record actions and decisions taken and referrals that are made. If early help is appropriate the DSL will keep the case under constant review. 

10. Staff recognise that some children are particularly vulnerable and therefore more likely to require early help or safeguarding. Those children include children with special educational needs and disabilities; those who are looked after by a Local Authority or were previously looked after; those living in families experiencing adult substance abuse, adult mental ill health and/or domestic abuse; and children showing signs of engaging in anti-social or criminal behaviour. 

11. The Setting recognises that children who run away, go missing and/or are absent from school are potentially vulnerable to abuse, exploitation, offending and placing themselves in situations where they may suffer physical harm. 

12. The Setting will therefore work actively in partnership with parents/carers and other agencies to understand and improve poor school attendance and address issues of children running away and going missing from home. 

13. The Setting has a duty to teach children about safeguarding and how to understand and recognise risk (online and offline) and the support available to them; as part of a ‘broad and balanced curriculum.' 

14. The setting’s whistleblowing policy enables staff to raise concerns or allegations, initially in confidence, and for a sensitive enquiry to take place. 

15. Staff are expected to report all concerns about poor practice or possible child abuse by colleagues a Manager. Concerns or complaints about the Manager should be reported to the trustees. Staff can also contact the Designated Officer in the Local Authority (LADO), who is responsible for the co-ordination of responses to allegations against people who work with children. For staff who do not feel able to raise concerns internally, relevant contact details for the LADO and also the NSPCC whistleblowing helpline are displayed in the staff room. 

16. All staff including the Manager, volunteers and trustees will receive appropriate and regularly updated safeguarding and child protection training and at least annual updates to provide them with the requisite skills and knowledge to safeguard children. 

17. The DSL will attend bespoke training for newly appointed DSLs and refresher training every two years delivered by Warwickshire County Council. The DSL will also update their knowledge and skills at least annually to keep up with any developments relevant to their role. 

18. The setting seeks to ensure that only ‘safe’ staff and ‘safe’ volunteers are recruited to work with children at the school by following the statutory guidance and WSCB and the school’s Safer Recruitment policies by embedding safeguarding in recruitment and induction processes and the ongoing management of staff and volunteers. 

19. Child protection issues warrant a high level of confidentiality. Staff will ensure confidentiality protocols are adhered to and information is shared appropriately. Although staff will discuss day-to-day concerns about children with colleagues, they should report all child protection and safeguarding concerns to the DSL or a Manager or – in the case of concerns about a manager – to the chair of governors. However, any member of staff can contact and/or make a referral to Children’s Social Care if they believe that is the only effective way to safeguard a child. 

20. All staff and volunteers must be mindful of specific requirements in relation to the use of technology including online behaviour and the taking and storing of images of children 

21. The DSL is responsible for ensuring that all staff and volunteers have a meaningful awareness of a range of specific safeguarding issues as defined in paragraphs 47-51 and Annex A of Keeping Children Safe in Education 2018. The DSL will make a judgement about which staff are required to read and understand Annex A. In particular, staff need to understand issues and risks in relation to radicalisation, extremism and the promotion of fundamental British values; child sexual exploitation; peer on peer abuse and children who display sexually harmful or inappropriate behaviour including sexting; and so-called honour based violence including female genital mutilation and forced marriage. 

For additional support regarding safeguarding questions or concerns, please visit the Warwickshire Safeguarding Children website, or contact the service by emailing WSCB@warwickshire.gov.uk or calling 01926 410410. 

A full description and explanation of these Key Principles is available in setting and all staff / trustees are required to read and confirm understanding. 

This policy is listed alongside all other policies in our full policies document which can be viewed by clicking link below