Safeguarding

‘The school ensures children learn in a safe, caring and enriching environment. Children are taught how to keep themselves safe, on and off line, to develop positive and healthy relationships and how to avoid situations where they might be at risk including by being exploited.

The school has a statutory responsibility to share any concerns it might have about a child in need of protection with other agencies and in particular police, health and children’s services. Schools are not able to investigate concerns but have a legal duty to refer them. In most instances, the school will be able to inform the parents/carer of its need to make a referral. However, sometimes the school is advised by Children’s Social Care or police that the parent/carer cannot be informed whilst they investigate the matter. We understand the anxiety parents/carers understandably feel when they are not told about any concerns from the outset. The school follows legislation that aims to act in the best interests of the child.

Our Safeguarding Leads are:

Jay Virk (Principal) Lead DSL

Karla Blythe (Vice Principal) Assistant DSL

Liam Johnson (Assistant Principal) Assistant DSL

Nadine Handford-Glaze (EY and KS1 Phase Leader) Assistant DSL

Kerry Bishop (SENCo) Assistant DSL

Sophie Tales (Assistant Principal) Assistant DSL

The school uses an on-line reporting system called CPOMS which allows members of staff to record information in a central repository and have relevant people alerted immediately. Senior leaders are able to build a chronology around a student and can produce reports for in school use, reporting to governors, case conferences and core group meetings.

Operation Encompass – domestic violence reporting

This is a system that alerts schools whenever the police have been called to a domestic incident where children were present.

Incidents of Domestic violence have risen considerably over recent months and we have a duty of care to support children who may have been affected.

We will ‘check-in’ with the children concerned to make sure they are OK. We do this in a sensitive and non-judgemental manner without necessarily referencing what may have happened.

We will also phone the parent or carer concerned to check that they are alright and to offer help and support including referral to our Family Support Worker or signposting to other agencies

We understand that this is a difficult subject and while we do not pry into family affairs it is important that we support adults subject to domestic abuse in order that we can work together to safeguard their children.

Leicester Safeguarding Children Partnership Board – Information for parents, carers, professionals to access current safeguarding information and procedures.

ESafety – Fosse Mead Primary Academy | Leicester | TMET