Child Protection/Safeguarding
Safeguarding our children is the
priority of our school.
We work with the understanding that it ‘could happen here’.
Safeguarding our children is the
priority of our school.
We work with the understanding that it ‘could happen here’.
The Headteacher, Maria, is the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for Child Protection and Domestic Violence. She is supported in this by Co-Headteacher, Amanda Lacey, who is our Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads (DDSL).
However, EVERY, adult working in our school is responsible for Safeguarding our children.
We work tirelessly to ensure that safeguarding maintains a high profile within the school and our community. We do this through:
- Following a robust recruitment procedure for all adults wanting to work in our school; this include volunteers.
- Regular staff training and updates to ensure that all adults, working in our school, have the relevant information and the understanding of appropriate procedures that must be followed to ensure the safety of our children.
- Regular class and whole school assemblies to ensure children know how to keep themselves safe and know who to talk to if they feel unsafe in anyway. This includes Online Safety.
- Weekly Safeguarding updates in our school newsletter to support parents.
- An Annual Safeguarding Review led by a Local Authority Safeguarding Adviser to provide impartial guidance and feedback on what the school does well and any areas where we could improve further.
- Half termly meetings with the Safeguarding Governor to review our Safeguarding Action Plan and check in with staff and children.
- Working in strong partnerships with a variety of agencies for the benefit of children and families including the school Nurse and Educational Welfare Officer.
Please read our Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy for further information.
IF YOU THINK A CHILD IS IN DANGER PLEASE CALL THE MULTI- AGENCY SAFEGUARDING HUB (MASH) TO REPORT YOUR CONCERN
0345 155 1071 or email mashsecure@devon.gov.uk and give as much information as you can.
IF YOU FEEL A CHILD IS IN IMMEDIATE DANGER OR KNOW A CHILD IS BEING HARMED, YOU MUST CALL 999.
However, EVERY, adult working in our school is responsible for Safeguarding our children.
We work tirelessly to ensure that safeguarding maintains a high profile within the school and our community. We do this through:
- Following a robust recruitment procedure for all adults wanting to work in our school; this include volunteers.
- Regular staff training and updates to ensure that all adults, working in our school, have the relevant information and the understanding of appropriate procedures that must be followed to ensure the safety of our children.
- Regular class and whole school assemblies to ensure children know how to keep themselves safe and know who to talk to if they feel unsafe in anyway. This includes Online Safety.
- Weekly Safeguarding updates in our school newsletter to support parents.
- An Annual Safeguarding Review led by a Local Authority Safeguarding Adviser to provide impartial guidance and feedback on what the school does well and any areas where we could improve further.
- Half termly meetings with the Safeguarding Governor to review our Safeguarding Action Plan and check in with staff and children.
- Working in strong partnerships with a variety of agencies for the benefit of children and families including the school Nurse and Educational Welfare Officer.
Please read our Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy for further information.
IF YOU THINK A CHILD IS IN DANGER PLEASE CALL THE MULTI- AGENCY SAFEGUARDING HUB (MASH) TO REPORT YOUR CONCERN
0345 155 1071 or email mashsecure@devon.gov.uk and give as much information as you can.
IF YOU FEEL A CHILD IS IN IMMEDIATE DANGER OR KNOW A CHILD IS BEING HARMED, YOU MUST CALL 999.
Staff with Safeguarding Responsibilities
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Other members of staff with a Level 3 Safeguarding Qualification are:
Mrs Kat Whitehead (KS1 Leader)
Mrs Amy Greygoose (Y6 Teacher)
Ms Jayne Edwards and Ms Jennifer Adesina (Admin Staff)
Mrs Kat Whitehead (KS1 Leader)
Mrs Amy Greygoose (Y6 Teacher)
Ms Jayne Edwards and Ms Jennifer Adesina (Admin Staff)
Lead Governor for Safeguarding
Our Lead Safeguarding Governor is Tamsin Beauchamp
Tamsin Beauchamp
tbeauchamp@topsham.devon.sch.uk
tbeauchamp@topsham.devon.sch.uk
We are an Operation Encompass school
Operation Encompass ensures there is a simple phone call or notification, to a trained member of school staff, before a child arrives in school. The call or notification is triggered by police recently attending the child’s home or being involved in a domestic abuse incident, that the child has experienced.
Operation Encompass is a police and education early information sharing partnership enabling schools to offer immediate support for children and young people experiencing domestic abuse.
Information is shared by the police with a school's trained Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) prior to the start of the next school day after officers have attended a domestic abuse incident thus enabling appropriate support to be given, dependent upon the needs and wishes of the child.
Children experiencing domestic abuse are negatively impacted by this exposure; domestic abuse has been identified as an Adverse Childhood Experience and can lead to emotional, physical and psychological harm. Operation Encompass aims to mitigate this harm by enabling immediate support, making a child's day better and giving them a better tomorrow.
Operation Encompass directly connects the police with schools to secure better outcomes for children who are subject or witness to police-attended incidents of domestic abuse. Rapid provision of support within the school environment means children are better safeguarded against the short-, medium- and long-term effects of domestic abuse.
Operation Encompass is a police and education early information sharing partnership enabling schools to offer immediate support for children and young people experiencing domestic abuse.
Information is shared by the police with a school's trained Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) prior to the start of the next school day after officers have attended a domestic abuse incident thus enabling appropriate support to be given, dependent upon the needs and wishes of the child.
Children experiencing domestic abuse are negatively impacted by this exposure; domestic abuse has been identified as an Adverse Childhood Experience and can lead to emotional, physical and psychological harm. Operation Encompass aims to mitigate this harm by enabling immediate support, making a child's day better and giving them a better tomorrow.
Operation Encompass directly connects the police with schools to secure better outcomes for children who are subject or witness to police-attended incidents of domestic abuse. Rapid provision of support within the school environment means children are better safeguarded against the short-, medium- and long-term effects of domestic abuse.
Safeguarding help for children
In school time:
Remember staff in school are always there is you need help or support with anything school or home related.
If you need support outside of school time:
Do you need immediate help or have a real emergency?
If so, call 999 and tell the call handler what the problem is.
Remember to keep calm and just tell them the facts.
Childline is a free and private service where you can find information or get help if you are worried about something or being bullied.
You can ring Childline on 0800 1111
https://www.childline.org.uk/
CEOP helps children stay safe online. You can report a concern to them if you are worried that someone has asked you to do something that makes you feel uncomfortable or asked to meet you and you do not know them.
https://www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre/how-can-CEOP-help-me-YP/
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/
Remember staff in school are always there is you need help or support with anything school or home related.
If you need support outside of school time:
Do you need immediate help or have a real emergency?
If so, call 999 and tell the call handler what the problem is.
Remember to keep calm and just tell them the facts.
Childline is a free and private service where you can find information or get help if you are worried about something or being bullied.
You can ring Childline on 0800 1111
https://www.childline.org.uk/
CEOP helps children stay safe online. You can report a concern to them if you are worried that someone has asked you to do something that makes you feel uncomfortable or asked to meet you and you do not know them.
https://www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre/how-can-CEOP-help-me-YP/
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/
Updating Medical Information
It is essential that the medical information the school holds for your child is kept up to date. Please click on the button below for a copy of our Updating Medical Information form. This form enables parents to notify us of changes to dietary needs, medical practice or other information about medical conditions.
Safeguarding Update
Radicalisation
We are all aware of the potential for increased vulnerability children have experienced due to Covid 19, particularly in light of increased time spent on line, increased isolation, stress and uncertainty, as well as reduced contact with services. Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) has identified an increased prominence of extremist groups who have capitalised on the pandemic to promote disinformation, misinformation, hateful views and conspiracy theories; these groups and extremists are targeting vulnerable individuals on the internet, social media and gaming sites.
The CTP also particularly reported that 10-17 years old are currently the most prominent age group for PREVENT referrals. If you would like more information on radicalisation, please see: https://saferdevon.co.uk/
Heard of Honk?Honk is a new messaging app that lets people chat to others in real-time. Unlike other messaging apps, there is no chat history and no send button. But is it safe? Read here for a parents guide to Honk:
https://www.net-aware.org.uk/networks/honk/?utm_source=NewZapp&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Babcock%20Safeguarding%20Newsletter%20April%202021
YOUNG MINDS
Young Minds have lots of great resources to support children and young people's mental health, for more information, please visit their website: https://youngminds.org.uk/
Radicalisation
We are all aware of the potential for increased vulnerability children have experienced due to Covid 19, particularly in light of increased time spent on line, increased isolation, stress and uncertainty, as well as reduced contact with services. Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) has identified an increased prominence of extremist groups who have capitalised on the pandemic to promote disinformation, misinformation, hateful views and conspiracy theories; these groups and extremists are targeting vulnerable individuals on the internet, social media and gaming sites.
The CTP also particularly reported that 10-17 years old are currently the most prominent age group for PREVENT referrals. If you would like more information on radicalisation, please see: https://saferdevon.co.uk/
Heard of Honk?Honk is a new messaging app that lets people chat to others in real-time. Unlike other messaging apps, there is no chat history and no send button. But is it safe? Read here for a parents guide to Honk:
https://www.net-aware.org.uk/networks/honk/?utm_source=NewZapp&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Babcock%20Safeguarding%20Newsletter%20April%202021
YOUNG MINDS
Young Minds have lots of great resources to support children and young people's mental health, for more information, please visit their website: https://youngminds.org.uk/