Safeguarding
Mission Statement
Lexden Springs School views the safety and welfare of all its children as of paramount importance. The school recognises that effective child protection work requires sound procedures, good inter-agency cooperation and a workforce that is competent and confident in responding to child protection situations.
At Lexden Springs, all children have the right to be safeguarded from harm or exploitation whatever their:
- Race, religion, first language or ethnicity
- Gender or sexuality
- Age, health or disability
- Political or immigration status
We recognise our legal duty to safeguard all our children under section 175 Education Act 2002, Keeping Children Safe in Education 2016, Working Together to safeguard children DFE 2015, Effective Support for Children & Families ESCB 2015 & Safer Recruitment. Our procedures are in accordance with those of the local safeguarding children board, which we use along with this policy.
Aims & Objectives:
- Protect children from maltreatment.
- Prevent the impairment of children’s health or development.
- Ensure children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care.
- Help children to have optimum life chances and to enter adulthood successfully.
- Endeavour to keep up-to-date and accurate information about all children.
- Enable staff, governors, volunteers and visitors to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
- Promote a culture that makes this school a caring and safe place to learn.
- Listen to and respect all children.
- Involve children in decisions, which affect them.
- Share information about concerns with agencies that need to know, and involve children and their parent/carers appropriately using jargon-free language.
- Recruit staff, governors, volunteers and visitors safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made.
- Adopt code of conduct for all staff, volunteers and visitors (see separate policy).
- Provide effective management through induction, support & training.
- Deal appropriately with allegations/concerns about staff, volunteers or visitors, in accordance to government guidelines (see SET Procedures section 11 pg287).
- Respect confidentiality in line with the school’s confidentiality policy.
- Confront bullying, racism; harassment and discrimination (see separate policies).
- Provide effective first aid and administration of medication from qualified members of staff.
- Meet the needs of pupils with specific medical conditions including ensuring that any intimate care is carried out following agreed guidance and policies.
- Discuss drug and substance misuse in PSHE to ensure pupils awareness and safety.
- Promote Internet safety and safe use of cameras & mobile phones including EYFS (see separate policy).
- Prevent radicalisation of pupils and staff through education, training, vigilance and use of wrap programme.
- Prevent sexual exploitation of children in all areas.
- Prevent genital mutilation of pupils and support parents who may have experienced this.
- Prevent forced marriages and work with families to reduce the risk and incidence.