SAFEGUARDING PROVISION
Safeguarding Provision Statement
We recognise our moral and statutory responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all pupils. We endeavour to provide a safe and welcoming environment where children and young people are respected and valued. We are alert to the signs of abuse and neglect and follow our procedures to ensure children and young people receive effective support, protection and justice.
Here at Otterhampton School, we all share the objective of keeping children safe by contributing to:
- Providing a safe environment for our pupils to learn
- Identifying pupils who are suffering or likely to suffer significant harm, with the aim of making sure they are kept safe at school and at home
Whilst we know that Claire Luce and Liz Everett are the Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSL) we all understand that safeguarding is everyone's responsibility!
Safeguarding covers many issues:
- Child protection
- Promoting the welfare of pupils
- Health and safety
- Safer recruitment procedures
- Bullying
- Behaviour
- Addressing the medical needs of pupils
- First Aid
- School security
- Drugs and substance misuse
- SEN matters
We have systems in place that help us...
- Prevent unsuitable people working with our pupils
- Promote safe practice and challenge poor and unsafe practice
- Identify instances in which there are grounds for concerns about pupils’ welfare and take appropriate action to keep them safe
- Contribute to effective working partnerships with other professionals working with our pupils
As part of our systems, we will:
- Keep a single central record for all people working in, or with, the school, detailing the checks that have been carried out, which will include identity, qualifications, List 99 and DBS
- Report annually to the Governing Body on our safeguarding practice.
- Ensure there is a Child Protection Policy in place, reviewed annually, with procedures that are in accordance with LA guidance and locally agreed inter agency procedures
- Operate safe recruitment procedures in accordance with DfE guideline
- Follow LA guidance on dealing with allegations of abuse against members of staff
- Have a designated Child Protection person, as well as a deputy and a named Governor, to take responsibility for child protection issues
- Ensure the designated Child Protection person is up-to-date with all training on CP issues
- Ensure all staff are regularly trained in Child Protection according to procedures
- Have a Whistle Blowing Policy in place that enables all staff and volunteers to raise concerns about poor or unsafe practice with regard to pupils
- Have an agreed Staff Code of Conduct signed by all personnel working in the school
- Ensure that pupils are aware, through Circle Times and PSHE, of behaviour towards them that is unacceptable and how they can keep themselves safe
- Make all parents aware of these procedures through the Parent Information Booklet
- Ensure that we have clear procedures in place to support the medical needs of all pupils
- Ensure that we have clear procedures in place to support pupils requiring intimate care, and to safeguard staff and pupils by ensuring 2 members of staff are present wherever possible when carrying out this care
- Ensure that the Health and Safety Policy is reviewed on an annual basis and that any Health and Safety issues are regularly addressed throughout the year
- Ensure the Behaviour Policy is reviewed on an annual basis by staff, governors and the pupils
- Ensure that all policies pertaining to pupil welfare, e.g. PSHE, RSE, Drugs and Tobacco Misuse, are regularly reviewed and updated.