‘We Care, We Share, We Value’

Child Protection and Safeguarding at Holy Cross

CHILD PROTECTION AND SAFEGUARDING

The latest Government guidance on Safeguarding can be found here.

Keeping Children Safe in Education Guidance September 2020

Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018

All staff, including temporary staff and volunteers are subject to stringent background checks including clearance with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to ensure their suitability for working with children.

 

Our Aims

Whilst the prime focus of Holy Cross Catholic Primary School is to secure the best educational provision for the child, the school believes that the safety, welfare and care of children is paramount. We are therefore committed to the highest standards in protecting and safeguarding the children entrusted into our care at all times. Our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy is available in the Policies Section.

We ensure that arrangements are in place for:

• all reasonable measures to be taken to minimise the risks of harm to children’s welfare
• all appropriate actions to be taken to address concerns about the welfare of a child, or children, working to agreed local policies and procedures in full partnership with other local agencies
• all persons working at this school to be made aware of this policy

We recognise that some children may be the victims of neglect, physical, sexual or emotional abuse. Staff of the school will often, by virtue of their day to day contact and knowledge of the children, be well placed to identify such abuse and offer support to children in need.

In order to protect our children, we aim to:

• Create an atmosphere where all our children can feel secure, valued and listened to
• Recognise signs and symptoms of abuse
• Respond quickly and effectively to cases of suspected abuse
• Monitor and support children at risk
• Use the curriculum to raise children’s awareness, build confidence and skills
• Work closely with parent/carers and support external agencies
• Ensure that all adults within our school/service who have access to children have been checked as to their suitability

Holy Cross will support all children by:

• Encouraging self-esteem and appropriate self-assertiveness whilst not condoning aggression or bullying
• Promoting a caring, safe and positive environment within the school.
• Liaising and working together with all other support services and those agencies involved in the safeguarding of children
• Notifying Social Care Services via the approved mechanisms as soon as there is a significant concern.
• Providing continuing support to a child about whom there have been concerns who leaves the school by ensuring that appropriate information is forwarded under confidential cover to the child’s new school.

 

Safeguarding Curriculum

This curriculum supports staff to teach explicitly the messages that Primary children need to know to be able to keep themselves and others safe.

The details of the teaching will vary depending on the age and needs of the class. There are many links with PSHE, RSE, SEAL, Online Safety, PATHS and the Science curriculum, and although a particular topic may cover the necessary information it is vital that a direct link is made to safeguarding, so the children are familiar that certain knowledge and behaviours helps to keep them safe.

Safeguarding teaching takes place in a safe and supportive atmosphere which includes circle time where messages about safeguarding can be reinforced and runs alongside the schools planning for digital literacy. Regular time is given for children to share their learning and talk about their feelings. Where a child discloses information that puts them at risk or where there is a concern raised about any aspect of their knowledge and understanding, staff immediately inform the Safeguarding team.

In addition to specific taught sessions, assemblies e.g. online safety, visitors to school e.g. police, environmental messages e.g. posters, and themed weeks e.g. Healthy Living Week will be used to reinforce messages about safeguarding. All adults in school have received Safeguarding training and will be able to signpost children appropriately.

 

SAFEGUARDING LINKS

Please take a look at these websites where you can find information and other links to safeguarding all children across Liverpool and the UK.

Safeguarding Children Board

Child Exploitation and Online Protection

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/safeguarding

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/parents/child_safety/

http://www.educateagainsthate.com/

https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/

Support for parents with online games

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