Safeguarding
Safeguarding information for
parents and carers:
As a parent or carer you want to make sure your children are safe, happy and well-looked after. You try and protect them from abuse or neglect and help them grow up into confident, healthy and happy adults. You will also want to know that the childcare professionals looking after your children are doing everything they should be to protect your child. You can view information and advice on this, our dedicated safeguarding page of our school website.
Allso, below are two, useful publications from Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council 'Safer Parenting Handbook'. The handbook contains a host of information about different issues facing children, young people and families, frequently asked questions and useful contact numbers. We hope you will find the information beneficial. If you would like a hardcopy of the information, please ask at the school office and we will provide it for you.
Safer Parenting Handbook, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council
Safeguarding Procedures
Safeguarding children at Leys Primary School is the responsibility of everyone.
What do I do if I have a concern about the safety, care or welfare of a child or young person?
Phone the school and ask to speak to Mr De La Cruz, the Designated Safeguarding Lead or Miss Sturt, the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead. Outside of school, you can contact Children's Services MASH duty team on 0208 227 3811.
What is the Multi Agency Children’s Hub?
The Multi Agency Children’s Hub (MASH) is the first point of contact for anyone who has a concern about the welfare or safety of a child or young person or thinks they may need extra help and support. When they are contacted, they will listen to what they are being told and the different agencies might share information with each other to try and work out whether they can help.
The Multi Agency Children’s Hub https://bdsafeguarding.org/ is a partnership between:
- London borough of Barking and Dagenham Council
- Metropolitan Police
- NHS Health Partners
Any of the above will be able to assist you with your concern.
How do staff safeguard children in school?
All members of staff have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Therefore, all staff know who to go to in school and how to report any concerns they may have about a child being harmed or at risk of being harmed. We use an internal electronic recording system called MyConcern, from TheSafeguardingCompany to report safeguarding concerns.
If I wanted to speak to the governing body about a safeguarding concern, who should I contact?
The Governing Body representative for Safeguarding and Child Protection is:
Dame Anna P.L. Hassan.
If the school are concerned that a child may be at risk from significant harm or is being abused, the school is required to refer their concerns to (MASH) and the police, if necessary. In some circumstances this may happen without the consent or knowledge of parents or carers. Our focus is the safety and well being of the pupil. Therefore, if the school believes that notifying parents could increase the risk to the child or exacerbate the problem, advice will first be sought from MASH and/or the police before parents are contacted.
The school also has a responsibility to act upon other concerns they may have about a child’s welfare in circumstances where there are no suspicions of child abuse. Examples of this may be when a child is demonstrating inappropriate behaviour, is involved in bullying, is failing to come to school or where difficulties at home are negatively affecting the child’s well being; is at risk of being drawn into terrorism. This list is by no means exhaustive.
Notifying parents:
The school will normally seek to discuss any concerns about a pupil with the pupil/pupils’ parents. It will be the DSL or their representative that will make contact with the parent in the event of a concern, suspicion or disclosure.
Safeguarding Policy:
Our school has a safeguarding policy (see the top of this page) which explains all the above in much more detail. If you would like to see the full policy in printed format, a copy is available on request from the school office or can be located in pdf format from this page or from the Policies and Procedures section of this website (via the ‘Welcome’ tag).
The school’s policy for Safeguarding follows the agreed procedures and guidance for schools issued by LBBD Safeguarding Children Board. Further information on the work and responsibilities of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Local Safeguarding Children Board is available here.
Our Safeguarding Policy is in line with Section 175 of the Education Act 2002; Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006; The Teacher Standards 2012; Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018; https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2
What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused 2015.
Staff have been alerted to the changes outlined in the document, and our policy has been updated in accordance.
The current policy has been ratified in November 2022.
The policy will be reviewed by Mr De la Cruz in September 2023 and ratification will take place again on annual cycle in November of each year.
*(Mr De la Cruz is also the designated teacher for Looked After Children).
Keeping Children Safe in Education, September 2023
Safeguarding Policy 2023-24
Operation Encompass
Leys Primary School works in partnership with 'Operation Encompass'.
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 Key Adult (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 (ACEs) 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 believes that children are victims of domestic abuse in their own right and should be acknowledged as such.
Child Centred Policing: Guidance for schools
What is harmful sexual behaviour?
Harmful sexual behaviour (HSB) is developmentally inappropriate sexual behaviour displayed by children and young people which is harmful or abusive1.
Peer-on-peer abuse is a form of HSB where sexual abuse takes place between children of a similar age or stage of development.
Problematic sexual behaviour (PSB) is developmentally inappropriate or socially unexpected sexualised behaviour which doesn’t have an overt element of victimisation or abuse.
Talking to your child about online sexual harassment: A guide for parents
NSPCC: Sexual development and behaviour in children
https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/child-health-development/sexual-behaviour