Safeguarding

The Designated Child Protection Officers at Rivington are:
Mrs Sarah Annette
Designated Safeguarding Lead
head@rivington.lancs.sch.uk
Mrs Heather Whittaker
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
hwhittaker@rivington.lancs.sch.uk
Mrs Rebecca Cliffe
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead and Pastoral Care
rcliffe@rivington.lancs.sch.uk
We regard the safeguarding of children as our main priority. We believe that we all have the right to be happy, to be safe and to learn. We all have the responsibility to make this happen.

At Rivington Foundation Primary we will ensure that:

  1. The welfare of the child remains paramount.
  2. All children – whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious beliefs and/or sexual identity – have the right to be protected from harm.
  3. All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.
  4. All staff and volunteers working at our school have a responsibility to report concerns to the Designated Lead for Safeguarding.

What to do if you have concerns about a child

Listed below are links to several websites which you can use to report any concerns you may have about a child:

https://www.gov.uk/report-child-abuse – This will provide you with links to the local council/police page for your area.

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/reporting-abuse/report/report-abuse-online/

https://www.childline.org.uk/get-support/contacting-childline/

If you think a child is in immediate danger

Don’t delay – call the police on 999

Below is the link for the Lancashire Schools Safeguarding site.  Please note that Rivington Foundation Primary School is not responsible for its content http://www.lancashiresafeguarding.org.uk/online-safeguarding

Designated Senior Person for Safeguarding Children: Sarah Annette (HT)

Deputy Senior Persons for Safeguarding Children: Heather Whittaker (DHT & SENCO).

Nominated Governor responsible for Child Protection: Mrs. Helena Kewley.

Contact Numbers

Children’s Social Care Customer Access Centre: 0300 1236720

Tim Booth – Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO): 01772 536694

Schools Safeguarding Officer for Lancashire County Council: 01772 531196

Local Safeguarding Children Website: http://www.lancashiresafeguarding.org.uk/

Emergency Duty Team (Out of Hours): 0845 602 1043

Prevent: West & South Division (Preston, Lancaster, Skelmersdale, Blackpool etc.) Telephone: 01772 209733 / 830, team led by Sgt 73 Colin Dassow

Email:  colin.dassow@lancashire.pnn.police.uk

http://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/ – click here to visit the website (Guide to Internet Safety)

Please click here to access the CEOP page (Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre)

Barnados
https://www.barnardos.org.uk/

Children’s Society
http://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/

What is Safeguarding?

Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm.

Safeguarding means:

  • protecting children from abuse and maltreatment
  • preventing harm to children’s health or development
  • ensuring children grow up with the provision of safe and effective care
  • taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes.

Safeguarding children and child protection guidance and legislation applies to all children up to the age of 18.

What is Child Protection?

Child Protection is part of Safeguarding and promoting welfare. It refers to the activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm.

Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

Please click here to access our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.

Below is Government guidance around supporting mental health in schools:

file:///C:/Users/head/Downloads/Mental_health_and_behaviour_in_schools__.pdf

file:///C:/Users/head/Downloads/Keeping_Children_Safe_in_Education_Sept_2018[1]%20(2).pdf

Download these FREE handouts for your child or young person’s teacher or trusted adult at school/college to help them understand what survival states look like in the school/college environment and what they can do to help ground them and subsequently improve their learning:

http://www.innerworldwork.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Survival-In-School-PDF.pdf

Keeping Children Safe in Education:

Keeping Children Safe in Education (often shortened to KCSiE) is a piece of statutory government guidance that sets out the legal duties all staff in education must follow to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people aged under 18 years in schools and colleges.

Read it here.

Please click here to obtain a basic overview on CP/Safeguarding. The training information acknowledges the key areas that all staff/volunteers are expected to have an understanding of. A series of key questions and answers are included which will inform a series of discussions with staff. It is this aspect (as reflected in KCSIE 2018) where schools are expected to demonstrate and provide evidence that ‘mechanisms are in place to assist staff to understand and discharge their role and responsibilities’. Assessing and providing evidence that staff has understood key information/statutory guidance/procedures will be through:

  • Online CPD/courses/training attendance
  • Through daily practice.

Volunteer/Parent agreement:

Please click here to read the document. Please be reminded that all volunteers/parents will need to read and agree to the expectations of this document before the placement starts. 

Online Safety:

Rivington Foundation Primary recognises the benefits and opportunities which new technologies offer to teaching and learning. We encourage the use of technology in order to enhance skills and promote achievement. However, the accessible and global nature of the internet and variety of technologies available mean that we are also aware of potential risks and challenges associated with such use. To find out more please read our Online Safey policy by clicking here.  Alternatively please click here to obtain further information and resources regarding Online Safety. Alternatively please click here to access an NSPCC best practice guide on online safety.

Children Missing Education (To be read alongside Attendance/Punctuality Policy).  Statutory guidance for local authorities can be found here:

 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/children-missing-education

From September 2016, amendments to regulations require the following actions from all schools:-

– All schools – are required to inform the LA when they are about to remove a pupil’s name from the admissions register.

– Schools also have to inform the LA within 5 days of registering new pupils

– For a pupil who has not returned after 10 days, the amended regulations require the school and LA to make those enquiries collaboratively, not separately. Schools should ensure that they consult with HLT before any decisions are made to de-register a child without a clear destination having been established and agreed. The Pupils Registration Regulations make reference to ‘jointly making reasonable enquiries’.

Use of reasonable force in schools

The following guidance from the DFE (click here) provides clarification on the use of force:

  • to help school staff feel more confident about using reasonable force when they feel it is necessary
  • to make clear the responsibilities of school leaders and governing bodies in respect of this power.

Further Resources:

  • –  Guidance for safer working practice for those working with children and   young people in education settings
  • – Safeguarding Children (NSPCC)
  • – Online safety (NSPCC)
  • – Definitions and signs of child abuse (NSPCC)
  • – Summary guidance – Protecting children from radicalisation and extremism

Download Documents

Keeping_children_safe_in_education_part_one

Rivington Foundation Primary School Safeguarding Policy 2021-22

Rivington Whistleblowing Policy April 2021

Keeping_children_safe_in_education_2021

CODE OF CONDUCT – SEPT 2021-22

RIVINGTON PRIMARY SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES AND SOCIAL MEDIA – POLICY