Safeguarding
Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility
Children have a right to be cared for and protected; protecting them is everyone’s responsibility. Here at Bedfont Primary School we have a duty of care to ensure that all users of the school are kept safe from harm. We are committed to provide a secure and supportive environment in which children can develop and grow into mature and responsible people. Safeguarding children is an essential part of our holistic approach to ensure that children are protected from abuse and neglect and that every child reaches their full potential.
The best interests of the children will always be our priority. As such, there are times we will need to record, monitor and share information with other agencies. We will share concerns about our pupils with the child’s parents/carers unless we have reason to believe that such a move would not be in the child’s best interest. We actively support the Government's Prevent Agenda to counter radicalism and extremism, and follow safer recruitment practices to ensure that new employees are suitable to work with children.
|
Safeguarding Role |
Name: |
School Role / Responsibility |
|
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) |
Gemma Donnelly |
Headteacher |
|
Deputy Safeguarding Leads |
Alison Swasbrook Stephen Crinall Chris McAllan |
Deputy Headteacher Assistant Headteacher
Operations Manager and Specialist Home Engagement Lead |
|
Designated Safeguarding Link Governor |
Terri George |
Governor |
We have posters around the school that clearly identify the Safeguarding team. All school staff will wear a blue Bedfont Primary School lanyard. Visitors to the school without a DBS will wear red lanyards and visitors to school who have a DBS will wear a green lanyard.
What you can do
Parents and carers play a role in safeguarding children in their community. If you have any concerns, no matter how small, you should report them to someone who you trust will listen. The school is required to have a designated safeguarding lead (DSL) for this purpose.
If you have a concern about a child, please contact a DSL. If your concern is about an adult working or volunteering in the school, you should contact the Headteacher. If your concern is about the Headteacher, you should contact the Chair of Governors.
If you think a child or young person may be in immediate danger, call 999. Otherwise contact Hounslow’s Children’s Social Care on 0208 583 6600
For the Children’s Social Care Duty Team call 0208 583 3656
Out of hours call 0208 583 2222
Keeping Children Safe
If you would like further information about keeping your child safe, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) has lots of advice and guidance. Please see the link below:
NSPCC Guidance
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/parents
PANTS Leaflet for Parents
We actively support the Government's Prevent Agenda to counter radicalism and extremism.
The Prevent Duty
Operation Encompass
Operation Encompass is a police and education early information safeguarding partnership enabling schools to offer immediate support to children experiencing domestic abuse.
Operation Encompass ensures that there is a simple telephone call or notification to a school’s trained Designated Safeguarding Lead /Officer (known as key Adult) prior to the start of the next school day after an incident of police attended domestic abuse where there are children related to either of the adult parties involved.
Information is shared with a school’s Key Adult (Designated Safeguarding Lead or Officer) prior to the start of the next school day after officers have attended a domestic abuse incident. This sharing of information enables appropriate support to be given, dependent upon the needs and wishes of the child.
'Children are negatively impacted by experiencing domestic abuse and without early intervention and support this negative impact can last through a child’s life course. Domestic abuse can impact upon social, psychological, physical, emotional and behavioural outcomes with an often negative impact upon a child’s academic success. Experiencing domestic abuse has been identified as an Adverse Childhood Experience.
Operation Encompass aims, by directly connecting police and schools, to secure better outcomes for children , to enable schools to better understand the impact living with domestic abuse has upon children, to help schools to better understand a child’s lived experience and to therefore be able to support and nurture each child , making a child’s day better and giving them a better tomorrow.
Our aim is to have Operation Encompass in every force, in every school, for every child no matter where they live. It is simply every child’s right.'
Useful websites
Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP)
National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC)