Safeguarding is:

• protecting children from maltreatment;
• preventing impairment of children's health or development;
• ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; and
• undertaking that role so as to enable those children to have optimum life chances and to enter adulthood successfully.

The School's safeguarding arrangements cover all aspects of life at School, in particular addressing these issues:

• health and safety;
• bullying;
• other harassment and discrimination, including racism;
• physical intervention;
• meeting the needs of pupils with medical conditions;
• provision of medical first aid;
• drug and substance abuse;
• off-site visits;
• mental health and wellbeing
• intimate care;
• internet and communications safety;
• physical security of the School site;
• protection from maltreatment; and
• safe recruitment and vetting of staff and visitors to the site.

If the school is worried about a pupil's safety and welfare they must refer this onto Children Services first and then after consideration of information this may transfer to the Safeguarding and Assessment Team.

The school will normally let the pupil's parent(s) know when we do this, but we do not contact parents if we think that this could put a child at risk of harm.

When a school refers a child protection concern it must share all relevant information about the pupil. The Data Protection Act allows schools to share personal information with other agencies when there are child protection concerns about a child.

They may decide that it needs looking into further. What action is taken will depend on the circumstances. Any of the following may be appropriate:

• An Initial Assessment
• Child Protection enquiries - this includes agencies assessing the risks to any children based upon the information shared, research ad talking to those concerned.
• If the referral relates to an allegation about a member of staff, usually a strategy discussion will take place between the school, the local authority, the Local Allegations Designated Officer and the police, to decide what will happen next.
• They will contact the parent to let them know what is happening as soon as possible.

Domestic Abuse

This school receives information form the police to alert the Designated Safeguarding Leaders in the school when there has been an incident of domestic abuse in a household where a pupil lives. We are not informed of the detail of the incident, only that one has occurred. This allows us to monitor and support the pupil. If we have additional concerns we will discuss the need for further safeguarding actions with Children's Services. This information would only be shared with other staff on a restricted need to know basis i.e. those who are immediately responsible for the pupil's welfare, such as the class teacher. Where a multi agency risk assessment conference occurs the school may be asked for information and appropriate school related information may be shared with the school after the meeting.