Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

1                Policy Statement

This Policy has been reviewed, authorised, and adopted by the Cabot Learning Federation Trust Board. It applies to all members of staff, Directors, Councillors, volunteers, pupils, and visitors in our Academies. It also applies wherever staff or volunteers are working with pupils away from the Federation, for example, at an activity centre or on an educational visit. This Policy will be shared with staff. It will be made available to parents/carers on request and can be produced in larger print or other more accessible formats if required. It will be published on the Federation’s website. Each Academy in the Cabot Learning Federation will adopt the Policy, having adapted the procedures and other appendices to suit their setting, and will publish it on their website. They will ensure that is made available, in creative ways that are more accessible to all pupils, parents/carers and visitors. It is the belief of the Federation that every pupil should feel safe and protected from any form of abuse which, in this Policy, means:

·         any kind of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse,

·         domestic violence,

·         sexual exploitation,

·         female genital mutilation,

·         child-on-child abuse

·         radicalisation into violent extremism,

·         neglect,

·         discrimination,

·         financial abuse,

·         Institutional abuse.

2                Equalities Statement

At Cabot Learning Federation, we uphold our responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty. This includes:

·         Preventing discrimination, harassment, and victimisation.

·         Promoting equality of opportunity for individuals with protected characteristics—such as age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

·         Fostering positive relationships between those who share protected characteristics and those who do not.

Our specific equality objectives are outlined in

Castle Primary’s Equality Statement, available on our website clf-equality-diversity-and-inclusion-statement.pdf, which is reviewed and updated annually.

We follow our local authority’s Equality and Children’s Charters Equality and Diversity

Staff must be especially vigilant in identifying abuse or neglect in children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), who are statistically more vulnerable. In line with our SEND Policy castle-clf-send-policy-2025.pdf, we ensure reasonable adjustments are made to protect disabled children, as required by the Equality Act.

We also promote anti-oppressive practice, guided by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Human Rights Act 1998.

3                This policy should be read in conjunction with the following policies:

·         CLF Positive Handling Policy

·         Recruitment and Selection Policy

·         Whistleblowing and Public Interest Disclosure

·         Code of Conduct for Staff

·         Anti Bullying Policy

·         Behaviour Policy

·         Data Protection Policy

·         Online Safety Policy

·         Special Educational Needs Policy

·         CLF Low Level Concerns Guidance

·         Policy on Supporting Children in Care

·         Attendance Policy

·         Health and Safety Policy

·         Academy EDI statements

Principals should ensure that the above policies and procedures, adopted by the CLF and Academy Councils, are accessible, understood and followed by all staff.

4                Legislation or non-statutory guidance

All action taken by Castle Primary will be in accordance with:

·         Current legislation these are summarised within Working Together to Safeguard Children: statutory framework)

·         Statutory, national, and local guidance – this includes:

·         Working Together to Safeguard Children, which sets out the multiagency working arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people and protect them from harm; in addition, it sets out the statutory roles and responsibilities of schools.

·         Keeping Children Safe in Education  is statutory guidance issued by the Department for Education which all schools and colleges must have regard to when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

·         The Teacher Standards 2012 state that teachers, including head teachers, should safeguard children’s wellbeing and maintain public trust in the teaching profession as part of their professional duties.

·          Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework is statutory guidance which sets standards that school and childcare providers must meet for the learning, development, and care of children from birth to 5.

·         Local Guidance from the Local Safeguarding Partnership: around particular safeguarding topics are available on the Somerset Community Safety

·         Specific topical safeguarding issues – a collection of up-to-date guidance can be found on the Safeguarding in Education Team’s guidance page. Somerset Safeguarding Children Partnership

5                Definitions

Safeguarding is defined as:

·         Providing help and support to meet the needs of children as soon as problems emerge

·         Protecting children from maltreatment, whether that is within or outside the home, including online

·         Preventing the impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development

·         Ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care

·         Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

Child Protection is defined in the Children Act 1989 (s.47) as when a child is suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm. Under statutory guidance and legislation action must be taken to safeguard and promote the child’s welfare.

Effective safeguarding should mean that practitioners understand and are sensitive to all factors which can impact children and families’ lives. This will mean considering any ‘protective characteristics,’ as well as economic and social issues, and any other vulnerabilities of the child or wider family.

‘Adults at Risk’ or ‘Vulnerable Adults’ are also protected against abuse by legislation. They are defined as those ‘aged 18 years or over who are, or maybe, in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness or who are unable to care for themselves, or unable to protect themselves against significant harm or exploitation’. This may include adults with learning difficulties, mental health issues, physical impairments or drug and alcohol misuse.

If schools are concerned about an Adult at Risk (a parent/carer, family or even staff member), they should follow the relevant Adult Safeguarding Process for their Local Authority:

Care and support for adults

In this policy, the term “children” is used to refer to all individuals under the age of 18, in line with the definition set out in the Children Act 1989. This includes all pupils and students, regardless of their stage of education.

We are committed to using language that recognises the vulnerability and developmental needs of all children. This includes avoiding language that may contribute to adultification—the perception or treatment of children, particularly those from marginalised groups, as being more mature or less innocent than their peers. Such perceptions can lead to reduced safeguarding responses and support.

Our safeguarding approach is grounded in the principle that all children are entitled to protection, care, and support appropriate to their age and stage of development.

6                Introduction

At Castle Primary safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children, their families and carers, has a role to play.

·         In order to fulfil this responsibility effectively, all professionals should make sure their approach is child centred. This means that they should always consider what is in the best interests of the child.

·         We take an ‘it can happen here’ approach where safeguarding is concerned.

·         Everyone who comes into contact with children has a role to play in identifying concerns, sharing information and taking prompt action.

·         Victims of harm should never be given the impression that they are creating a problem by reporting abuse, sexual violence, or sexual harassment. Nor should anyone who has experienced harm ever be made to feel ashamed for making a report.

Castle Primary is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children by:

·         The provision of a safe environment in which children and young people can learn.

·         Acting on concerns about a child’s welfare immediately.

·         Fulfilling our legal responsibilities to identify children who may need early help or who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm.

·         Monitoring safeguarding data to identify areas of concern.

·         Creating policies and practices that are trauma informed and recognise the different needs of the children and young people

·         Ensuring all children are supported effectively, including learners with protected characteristics/intersecting protected characteristics as we recognise those with protected characteristics are more likely to be more vulnerable to negative experiences of discrimination both explicitly and or systemically.

·         Castle Primary will work in the best interests of the child in compliance with their equality and human rights legal duties and best practice.

7                Overall Aims

This policy will contribute to the safeguarding of children at Castle Primary School by:

·            Clarifying safeguarding expectations for members of the education setting’s community, staff, governing body, learners, and their families.

·         Contributing to the establishment of a safe, resilient, and robust safeguarding culture in the setting built on shared values; where learners are treated with respect and dignity, taught to treat each other and staff with respect, feel safe, have a voice and are listened to.

·            Supporting contextual safeguarding approaches to practice recognising that the setting’s site can be a location where harm can occur.

·            Setting expectations for developing knowledge and skills within the setting’s community (staff, learners, parents/carers) to the signs and indicators of safeguarding issues and how to respond to them.

·            Early identification of need for vulnerable learners and provision of proportionate interventions to promote their welfare and safety.

·            Working in partnership with learners, parents, and other agencies in the Local Safeguarding Partnership.

The aim of the Policy is to ensure that:

·         The Trust and all its Academies protect all their pupils, in every way possible, from any form of abuse, whether from an adult or another pupil.

·         All adults, children and young people are aware of, and alert to, signs of abuse, both within the Trust and from outside, and are able to deal appropriately with every suspicion, disclosure or complaint.

·         Any child who may have been abused, is appropriately supported in accordance with his/her agreed Child Protection Plan.

·         Developing trauma informed policies and practices, and ensuring staff have up to date training in this approach

·         Regularly raising awareness of safeguarding issues with staff, Directors, Councillors, and volunteers, ensuring they have regular training and briefings on any changes to legislation or accepted best practice.

·         Regularly monitoring safeguarding data and, in particular, looking at marginalised groups and taking positive action to address any disparities.  This includes, but is not limited to:

o     Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), including those without formal diagnosis.

o    Children in Alternative Provision or those excluded from school

o    Children highlighting as requiring targeted mental health support

o    Children from global majority backgrounds

o    Refugee and asylum-seeking children

o    Children living in poverty or experiencing homelessness

o    LGBTQ+ children and those questioning their gender identity

o    Young carers

o    Children at risk of exploitation, including sexual and criminal exploitation

o    Children at risk of radicalisation

o    Children who have had multiple suspensions

o    Children affected by parental issues such as substance misuse, domestic abuse, or mental health problems

8                Professional expectations, roles, and responsibilities

8.1         Role of all staff

·         All staff will read and understand Part 1 of statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education. Those working directly with children will also read Annex B. (Those who do not work directly with children will have the option of reading Annex A instead – delete as appropriate]

·         In addition to this, all staff will be aware of the systems in place which support safeguarding including reading this Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy; the Behaviour Policy; the Staff Code of conduct; safeguarding response to children who go missing from education; and the role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).

·         Know who and how to contact the DSL and any deputies, the Chair of Governors, and the Councillor responsible for safeguarding.

·         All staff will be able to identify vulnerable learners and take action to keep them safe. Information or concerns about learners will be shared with the DSL where it includes those:

Ø  who may need a social worker and may be experiencing abuse, neglect or exploitation.

Ø  requiring mental health support.

Ø  may benefit from early help.

Ø  where there is a radicalisation concern.

Ø  where a crime may have been committed.

·         Be clear as to the setting’s policy and procedures about child-on-child abuse, children missing from education and those requiring mental health support, and the impact of technology in relation to online safety.

·         Be involved where appropriate, in the implementation of individual

plans to further safeguard vulnerable learners and understand their academic progress and attainment and maintain a culture of high aspirations for this cohort.

·         Record concerns appropriately and in a timely manner by using the setting’s safeguarding systems (CPOMS).

·         To be aware of the need to raise to the senior leadership team any concerns they have about safeguarding practices within the school, and to be familiar with the school’s Whistleblowing Policy and procedures.

8.2           Role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

Duties are further outlined in Keeping Children Safe in Education (Annex C)

Details of our DSL and Deputy DSL are available on the Castle Primary website and on the safeguarding notice board in reception

·         The DSL is a senior member of staff who undertakes lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection within the setting.

·         The DSL works with the Principal, and relevant strategic leads, taking lead responsibility for promoting educational outcomes by knowing the welfare, safeguarding and child protection issues that learners in need are experiencing or have experienced, and identifying the impact that these issues might be having on learner’s attendance, engagement and achievement at school or college.

·         Activities include the management of work undertaken by any Deputy DSLs.

·         Manages early identification of vulnerability of learners and their families from staff through cause for concerns or notifications. This will ensure detailed, accurate, secure written records of concerns, referrals and the rationale for any decisions made are maintained.

·         Manages referrals to local safeguarding partners where learners with additional needs have been identified. These can include those –

·         who need a social worker and may be experiencing abuse, neglect or exploitation

·         requiring mental health support;

·         who may benefit from early help;

·         where there is a radicalisation concern;

·         where a crime may have been committed.

The DSL will also:

·         Work with others – acting as a point of contact for outside agencies about safeguarding.

·         Support and advise other staff in making referrals to other agencies.

·         When required, liaise with the case manager and the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) in relation to child protection cases which concern a staff member.

·         Coordinate safeguarding training and raise awareness and understanding to the school community around policies and practice in relation to safeguarding.

·         Help promote educational outcomes by sharing information about vulnerable learners with relevant staff. This includes ensuring that staff:

–          know who these children are,

–          understand their academic progress and attainment and maintain a culture of high aspirations for this cohort.

–          Are supported to identify the challenges that children in this group might face.

–          Provide additional academic support or make reasonable adjustments to help children who have or have had a social worker to reach their potential.

·         Ensure the successful transfer of the Safeguarding/Child Protection File when a learner moves on to a new setting within 5 days for in year transfer or the first 5 days of the start of a new term.

·         Ensure appropriate safeguarding cover and availability during term time/ any out of hours/out of term activities managed by the school.

8.3           Duties are further outlined in Keeping Children Safe in Education (Part 2)

·         The Board of Trustees must ensure that there is lead on the Board who takes responsibility for the Trust’s safeguarding responsibility to ensure that safeguarding and child protection practice, process, and policy (including online safety) is effective and is compliant with legislation, statutory guidance, and Local Safeguarding Partnership arrangements. Their duties will include ensuring that this policy is updated annually (or when there are significant updates) and adopted by all academies.

At academy level, the Academy Council must appoint a Link Councillor who will take responsibility for ensuring that the setting’s safeguarding and child protection practice, process, and policy (including online safety) is effective and is compliant with legislation, statutory guidance, and Local Safeguarding Partnership arrangements.

The appointed Safeguarding Councillor will:

·          Liaise with the Principal and the DSL to ensure an annual report is produced for the Academy Council and that the mandatory S. 175 audit for Local Authority Safeguarding Partnership is completed.

·         Ensure that the school remedies any deficiencies or weaknesses brought to its attention without delay.

·         Ensure that the DSL is an appropriate member of setting’s senior leadership team or has opportunity to feed relevant and appropriate information to the senior leadership team.  Ensure that they have adequate time, funding, training, resources, and support to carry out their role effectively.

·         Ensure that the training and learning for the school community is robust and effective.

·         Ensure that learners are taught about safeguarding on the curriculum including online safety in compliance with statutory guidance Relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework

·         Review the Department for Education filtering and monitoring standards and make sure the setting is compliant with the requirements to meet these duties through discussions with IT staff and service providers.

·         Ensure that teachers, including supply teachers, other staff, volunteers, and contractors have appropriate checks carried out in line with statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education (Part 3).

·         Ensure that there are procedures in place to manage safeguarding concerns or allegations against teachers, including supply teachers, other staff, volunteers, and contractors who may not be suitable to work with or pose a risk to learners, this includes having a process to manage low-level concerns.

·         Ensure that systems are in place for learners to effectively share a concern about a safeguarding issue they are experiencing, express their views and give feedback.

·         Ensure that the setting has systems in place to prevent, identify and respond to child-on-child harm (including sexual abuse and sexual harassment) and mental health concerns, and review the effectiveness of the setting’s online safety practices.

9                Safeguarding training for staff

9.1           All staff:

·         Castle Primary will ensure that all staff members undergo safeguarding and child protection training (including online safety, which, amongst other things, includes an understanding of the expectations, applicable roles, and responsibilities in relation to filtering and monitoring at induction.

·         Will receive appropriate safeguarding and child protection refresher training (including online safety incorporating staff responsibilities in relation to filtering and monitoring at least annually (via formal training, email e-bulletins and staff meetings).

·         All staff must complete FGM awareness training and will understand their legal duty under the Mandatory Reporting Duty.

·         All staff must complete PREVENT awareness training. This is to ensure that they can comply with the legal expectations under the PREVENT duty.

·         Staff training includes clear reference to internal whistleblowing policy, the role of the Local Authority Designated Officer and guidance for escalating concerns.

9.2           Designated Safeguarding Lead and Deputies:

·         Will undergo formal training to provide them with the knowledge and skills required to carry out the role (including online safety, which, amongst other things, includes an understanding of the expectations, applicable roles, and responsibilities in relation to filtering and monitoring). The training will be updated at least every two years.

·         Deputies will be trained to the same level as the DSL.

·         The DSL and any deputies will liaise with the Local Safeguarding Partnership to ensure that their knowledge and skills are updated via e-bulletins, attend DSL network meetings, and take time to read and digest safeguarding bulletins.

9.3           Other training considerations:

·         The Academy Principal will ensure that at least one person on any appointment panel will have undertaken safer recruitment training, in line with School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009.

·         Members of the senior leadership team will make themselves aware of and understand their role within the local safeguarding arrangements. This will ensure that those who have responsibility for the management of behaviour, inclusion, Special Educational Needs, attendance, and exclusions will carry out their duties with a safeguarding consideration.

·         The Designated Teacher for Children in Care will undergo appropriate training to fulfil their role to promote the educational achievement of registered pupils who are in care.

·         The mental health lead has access to appropriate training.

·         Training around safeguarding topics (including online safety which, amongst other things, includes an understanding of the expectations, applicable roles, and responsibilities in relation to filtering and monitoring will be integrated, aligned, and considered as part of a whole school safeguarding approach.

·         Appropriate colleagues have received appropriate training in relation to use of reasonable force and positive handling.

10             Safeguarding in the curriculum

Castle Primary is dedicated to ensuring that learners are taught about safeguarding, including online safety. We recognise that a one size fits all approach may not be appropriate for all learners, and a more personalised or contextualised approach for more vulnerable learners, victims of abuse and some SEND

children might be needed. It is also particular important pupils will EAL who are new to the country receive accessible safeguarding information. This is part of a broad and balanced curriculum.

This includes:

·         Working within statutory guidance in respect to Relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk); and Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

·         Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education, to explore key areas such as self-esteem, emotional literacy, assertiveness, power, building resilience to radicalisation, e-safety and bullying.

·         Appropriate filters and monitoring systems are in place to ensure that ‘over- blocking’ does not lead to unreasonable restrictions as to what learners can be taught about online teaching and safeguarding.

·         The curriculum will be shaped to respond to safeguarding incident patterns in the setting identified by the Designated Safeguarding Lead and safeguarding team (e.g., to respond to an increase in bullying incidents).

·         Providing engagement opportunities with parents and carers to consult on key aspects of the curriculum.

·         Learners can inform the curriculum via discussions with the student parliament.

·         Working with the local community and other agencies to identify contextual safeguarding issues and develop relevant curriculum materials, bringing in external expertise to deliver where required.

11             Safer recruitment and safer working practice

11.1        Safer recruitment

The Trust pays full regard to the safer recruitment practices detailed in ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ (Part 3)

·         This includes scrutinising applicants, verifying identity and academic or vocational qualifications, obtaining professional and character references, checking previous employment history, and ensuring that a candidate has the health and physical capacity for the job. References are always obtained, scrutinised and concerns resolved satisfactorily before appointment is confirmed.

·         Also including undertaking online safety checks on shortlisted candidates. Undertaking appropriate checks through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), the barred list checks and prohibition checks (and overseas checks if appropriate), dependent on the role and duties performed, including regulated and non-regulated activity.

·         All recruitment materials will include reference to Castle Primary’s commitment to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of learners.

11.2        Use of reasonable force

‘Reasonable force’ refers to the physical contact to restrain and control children using no more force than is needed.’ The use of reasonable force is down to the professional judgement of the staff member concerned and will be determined by individual circumstances and the vulnerability of any child with Special Educational Needs or Disability (SEND) or Adverse Childhood Experiences or other significant trauma will be considered.

·         The use of reasonable force will be minimised through positive and proactive behaviour support and de-escalation and will follow government guidance (Use of Reasonable Force in Schools 2013; Reducing the need for restraint and restrictive intervention, 2019).

·         There is robust recording of any incident where positive handling or restraint has been used. Further review of the incident is carried out to reflect on how the incident could be avoided, this will involve the child and their family.

·         All academies will have a selection of staff trained in Positive Handling (Team Teach) and will record any incidents that occur in Bound and Numbered books. A designated member of staff in each academy will be responsible for monitoring and signing off all recorded incidents. All staff will know where the bound and numbered book is kept and when they are required to complete an incident form.

Team-Teach is a whole setting, behaviour management response that aims to use de-escalation and behaviour strategies as a standard response to challenging behaviour. However, this is incorporated with restrictive positive handling techniques that are graded and gradual (up or down) as the situation requires.

The Team-Teach Positive Handling approach will:

•       Reinforce policy and practice, inform of current legislation, legal considerations and circular policy concerning restrictive physical intervention.

•       Reinforce the essential verbal and non-verbal skills required in a crisis situation.

•       Make staff groups aware of necessary interventions appropriate to the level of behaviour reached by the pupil.

•       Following training, providing staff with knowledge, understanding and physical skills required for their personal safety, and the management of young people in their care.

•       Offers post-incident structure to both the pupil and member of staff.

•       Underpinned by the foundations of all actions being assessed against being reasonable, necessary, and proportionate.

The process around how the setting manages concerns where a professional may pose a risk to learners and our response to low-level concerns can be accessed in section 15 Allegations of abuse made against professionals.

11.3        Whistleblowing procedures

Staff must be aware of the following whistleblowing channels for situations where they feel unable to raise an issue with the senior leadership team or feel that their genuine concerns are not being addressed:

·         General guidance can be found at: Advice on whistleblowing https://www.gov.uk/whistleblowing.

·         The NSPCC whistleblowing helpline is available here for staff who do not feel able to raise concerns regarding child protection failures internally. Staff can call: 0800 028 0285 – line is available from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Monday to Friday and Email: help@nspcc.org.uk.

·         The above channels are clearly accessible to all staff (in the staff handbook, code of conduct and on staff notice boards).

12             Key safeguarding areas

These topics are themes that can impact on children and families, there are specific areas of safeguarding that the setting has statutory responsibilities to address which are hyperlinked:

·         Children in the court system – Guidance to support children is available

Ø  Young witness booklet for 5 to 11 year olds – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Ø  Young witness booklet for 12 to 17 year olds – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

·         Children affected by parental offending/imprisonment.

·         Children missing from education – including persistent absence.

·         Child Exploitation (including both Child Sexual Exploitation and Child Criminal Exploitation and county lines, modern day slavery and trafficking)

·         Cybercrime

·         Domestic Abuse

·         Homelessness

·         So-called Honour based Abuse (including Female Genital Mutilation and Forced Marriage),

·         Online Safety

·         Mental health

·         Child on child abuse:

Ø  Bullying (including cyberbullying, prejudice-based and discriminatory bullying).

Ø  Abuse in intimate personal relationships between children (also known as teenage relationship abuse).

Ø  Physical abuse such as hitting, kicking, shaking, biting, hair pulling, or otherwise causing physical harm (this may include an online element which facilitates, threatens and/or encourages physical abuse).

Ø  Sexual violence, such as rape, assault by penetration and sexual assault;(this may include an online element which facilitates, threatens and/or encourages sexual violence).

Ø  Sexual harassment, such as sexual comments, remarks, jokes and online sexual harassment, which may be standalone or part of a broader pattern of abuse.

Ø  Causing someone to engage in sexual activity without consent, such as forcing someone to strip, touch themselves sexually, or to engage in sexual activity with a third party.

Ø  Consensual and non-consensual sharing of nudes and semi-nude images and or videos (also known as sexting or youth produced sexual imagery).

Ø  Upskirting, which typically involves taking a picture under a person’s clothing without their permission, with the intention of viewing their genitals or buttocks to obtain sexual gratification, or cause the victim humiliation, distress, or alarm; and

Ø  Initiation/hazing type violence and rituals (this could include activities involving harassment, abuse or humiliation used as a way of initiating a person into a group and may also include an online element).

·         Preventing Radicalisation (The Prevent Duty)

·         Serious Youth Violence

·         Substance Misuse

·         Private Fostering

·         Young Carers

·         Safeguarding Refugee and Asylum Seekers who are new to the country or who have experienced trauma and may face language barriers, lack of knowledge of systems and other issues that make disclosures difficult.  Link to KBSP guidance

Additional information about key safeguarding areas can also be found in Keeping Children Safe in Education (Annex B); the NSPCC website – Types of Abuse;

And for localised resources for education settings Somerset Safeguarding Children Partnership

13             Reporting concerns

All staff are clear about recording and reporting concerns to the DSL/DSL deputies in a timely way. In the case a learner is in immediate danger, staff should phone the police.

All staff are aware of and follow the procedures to respond to a concern about a child detailed in Appendix 2.

Castle Primary uses CPOMS for the monitoring of Safeguarding and Child Protection issues. Working alongside the Academy’s existing safeguarding processes. All staff that have access are expected to report their concerns using CPOMS, staff will still have the opportunity to ask for advice from the Safeguarding Team.

At Castle primary school learners can raise their concerns in person and they will be treated seriously.

14             Information Sharing

Castle Primary School is committed to have due regard to relevant data protection principles which allow for sharing (and withholding) personal information as provided for in the Data protection Act 2018 and UK General Data Protection Regulations. This includes how to store and share information for safeguarding purposes, including information which is sensitive and personal and should be treated as ‘special category personal data’.

Staff at the setting are aware that:

Ø  ‘Safeguarding’ and ‘individuals at risk’ is a processing condition that allows practitioners to share special category personal data.

Ø  Practitioners will seek consent to share data where possible in line with Information Sharing for Safeguarding Practitioners 2024.

Ø  It is recommended that staff should read the Department for Education Data Protection Guidance for Schools.

There may be times when it is necessary to share information without consent such as:

–          To gain consent would place the child at risk,

–          by doing so will compromise a criminal investigation,

–          It cannot be reasonably expected that a practitioner gains consent,

–          or, if by sharing information it will enhance the safeguarding of a child in a timely manner, but it is not possible to gain consent.

There are also times when Castle Primary will not provide pupil’s personal data where the serious harm test under legislation is met, (by sharing the information the child may be at further risk). When in doubt Castle Primary will seek legal advice.

The Data Protection Act 2018 and UK General Data Protection Regulations do not prevent the sharing of information for the purposes of keeping children safe. Fears about sharing information must not be allowed to stand in the way of the need to safeguard and promote the welfare and protect the safety of children.

15             Identifying and monitoring the needs of vulnerable learners.

The DSL and Deputy DSL will regularly review and monitor those students who have been identified as vulnerable. This can include reviewing attendance data, behaviour data, attainment data and safeguarding records. This is to ensure that:

·         Proportionate and early interventions can be taken to promote the safety and welfare of the child and prevent escalation of harm.

·         Information about vulnerable learners is shared with teachers and academy and college leadership staff to promote educational outcomes.

·         Learners who currently have, or have had, a social worker will have their academic progress and attainment reviewed and additional academic support will be provided to help them reach their full potential.

·         Reasonable adjustments are made in relation to school-based interventions – for example responding to behaviour.

16             Multi-agency working

Castle Primary School is a relevant agency in their Local Authority Safeguarding Partnership and will work together with appropriate agencies to safeguard and promote the welfare of children including identifying and responding to their needs. This is in compliance with statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children .

Occasions that warrant a statutory assessment under the Children Act 1989:

·         If the child is in need under s.17 of the Children Act 1989 (including when a child is a young carer and or subject to a private fostering arrangement).

·         Or if the child needs protection under s.47 of the Children Act 1989 where they are experiencing significant harm, or likely to experience significant harm.

Referrals in these cases should be made by the DSL (or Deputy DSLs) to Children’s Social Care in the local authority in which that child resides.

Where the child already has a social worker, the request for service should go immediately to the social worker involved or, in their absence, to their team manager. If the child is a child in care, notification should also be made to the Virtual School.

Castle Primary will co-operate with any statutory safeguarding assessments conducted by children’s social care: this includes ensuring representation at appropriate inter-agency meetings such as integrated support plan meetings initial and review child protection conferences and core group meetings.

16.1        Additional considerations:

·         Where a learner and/or their family is subject to an inter-agency child protection plan or a multiagency risk assessment conference (MARAC) meeting, the setting will contribute to the preparation, implementation, and review of the plan as appropriate.

·         In situations where a child in care may be put on to a reduced timetable, the academy will consult with the Virtual School following local procedures.

·         If a crime has been suspected or committed that involved the bringing of an offensive weapon on to the school site, the setting will liaise with the Local Authority Violence Reduction Unit (Safer Options) who will consider a proportionate response.

·         If there is a risk of harm, the police should be called via 999. For other concerns of criminality, the non-statutory guidance ‘When to Call the Police’ from the NCPCC can be helpful or contact the local PCSO/School Police Beat Officer/School Officer.

·         In the rare event that a child death occurs, or a child is seriously harmed, Castle Primary will notify the appropriate Local Authority Safeguarding Partnership as soon as is reasonably possible.

17             Suspensions and permanent exclusions

To be read in conjunction with the Behaviour Policy.

When the setting is considering suspending or permanently excluding a learner where additional vulnerability is identified it is important that the learner’s welfare is a paramount consideration. The Principal will consider their legal duty of care when sending a learner home and should be alert to the need for early help for a child who:

• is frequently missing/goes missing from education, home or care

• has experienced multiple suspensions, is at risk of being permanently excluded from academy or college or is in alternative provision or a pupil referral unit

Castle Primary School  will exercise their legal duties in relation to their interventions. This includes:

Ø  whether a statutory assessment should be considered in line with the principles of Children Act 1989,

Ø  that decisions are made in an anti-discriminatory manner in line with the Equality Act 2010 (including having regard to the SEND Code of Practice)

Ø  and takes into consideration the learner’s rights under the Human Rights Act 1998.

Ø  Interventions will be consistent with statutory guidance School suspensions and permanent exclusions – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

17.1        Actions to take

·         An assessment of need should be undertaken with multi-agency partners with a view to mitigate any identified risk of harm in line with Identifying and monitoring the needs of vulnerable learners.

·         If the child is subject to a child protection plan or where there is an existing child protection file, we will call a multiagency risk-assessment meeting prior to making the decision to exclude.

·         In the event of a one-off serious incident resulting in an immediate decision to exclude, the risk assessment must be completed prior to convening a meeting with the governing body.

18             Commissioning Alternative Provision

Where Castle Primary School places a pupil with an alternative provision, it continues to be responsible for the safeguarding of that pupil and should be satisfied that the placement meets the pupil’s needs.

Academies will assess the appropriateness of a provision through a process of Quality Assurance using the CLF Quality Assurance Checklist.

Castle Primary School will know where a child is based during school hours. This includes having records of the address of the alternative provider and any subcontracted provision or satellite sites the child may attend. Castle Primary School will review placements regularly (at least half termly) to provide assurance that the child is regularly attending and the placement continues to be safe and meets the child’s needs. Where safeguarding concerns arise, the placement should be immediately reviewed, and terminated, if necessary, unless or until those concerns have been satisfactorily addressed. Alternative Provision.gov.uk Education for children with health needs who cannot attend school.

19             Children Missing from Education (to be read in conjunction with the attendance policy)

Children being absent from education for prolonged periods and/or on repeat occasions can act as a vital warning sign to a range of safeguarding issues including neglect, child sexual and child criminal exploitation – particularly county lines. It is important the academies response to persistently absent pupils and children missing education supports identifying such abuse, and in the case of absent pupils, helps prevent the risk of them becoming a child missing education in the future. This includes when problems are first emerging but also where children are already known to local authority children’s social care and need a social worker (such as a child who is a child in need or who has a child protection plan, or is a looked after child), where being absent from education may increase known safeguarding risks within the family or in the community.

Castle Primary School will follow the CLF attendance guidance, including seeking advice from the Local Authority CME team where needed.

19.1        Elective Home Education

Castle Primary School will follow the CLF attendance guidance and notify the Local Authority of every learner where a parent has exercised their right to educate their child at home. Safeguarding files should be shared with the Local Authority Elective Home Education service and consideration of whether additional support from children’s social care should be made in line with the Children Act 1989.

20             Respond to incidents of child-on-child harm

(There is a flow diagram in Appendix 7 that illustrates this section).

All staff should recognise that children can abuse other children (including online). It is important that incidents of abuse and harm are treated under safeguarding policy in conjunction with the behaviour policy. However, concerns regarding the welfare of children requires process and records to be kept on the child’s safeguarding/child protection file.

It is recognised that child-on-child abuse can happen inside and outside of the academy/college or online.

At Castle Primary School

·         We have a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to abuse. Incidents are taken seriously. These will never be tolerated or passed off as ‘banter,’ just having a laugh’ or ‘part of growing up.’ Banter and teasing can and should be acknowledged and recognised as bullying behaviour and may require proportionate intervention.

·         Even with a zero-tolerance approach, we take steps to educate and take action to ensure we mitigate the risk of contributing to a culture of unacceptable behaviours or a culture that normalises abuse.

·         It is understood that child-on-child harm may reflect equality issues in terms of those who may be targeted are more likely to have protected characteristics.

·         Early identification of vulnerability to child-on-child harm is made by reviewing attendance, behaviour, attainment and safeguarding records at least on a termly basis.

There are clear systems in place (which are well promoted, easily understood and easily accessible) for learners to confidently report abuse knowing their concerns will be treated effectively as reflected in section Reporting a concern of this policy. Castle Primary will handle initial reports of harm by:

·         Securing the immediate safety of learners involved in an incident and sourcing support for other young people affected.

·         Listening carefully to the child, being non-judgmental, being clear about boundaries and how the report will be progressed, not asking leading questions and only prompting the child where necessary with open questions – where, when, what, etc;

·         ensuring that victims will never be given the impression that they are creating a problem by reporting any form of abuse, neglect or exploitation. They will never be made to feel ashamed for making a report.

·         Ensuring the child’s wishes are taken into consideration in any intervention and any action is taken to ensure safety of the target and other members of the wider setting cohort.

·         All staff should be aware that children may not feel ready or know how to tell someone that they are being abused, exploited, or neglected, and/or they may not recognise their experiences as harmful.

·         Not promising confidentiality as it is highly likely that information will need to be shared with others.

20.1        Actions to take in relation to sexual violence and sexual harassment

Castle Primary School will take the following actions when responding to incidents of sexual violence and sexual harassment:

·         Incidents will be reported immediately to the DSL/ Deputy DSL who will undertake further assessment of what action should be taken proportionate to the factors that have been identified. The Brook – Sexual Behaviours Traffic Light Assessment Tool should be utilised to inform assessment of risk and what actions to subsequently take.

·         DSLs/Deputies will take proportionate action and consider whether a case can be managed internally, through early help, or should involve other agencies as required in line with the section Multi-Agency Working section.

·         When an incident involves an act of sexual violence (rape, assault by penetration, or sexual assault) the starting point is that this should be passed on to police immediately regardless of the age of criminal responsibility (10 years old). This must be reported directly via 101 for recording purposes and accountability. This is on the understanding that the police will take a welfarist approach rather

·          than a criminal justice one. A concurrent referral to social care must also be made. A strategy can be requested where education can voice explicitly concerns of criminalisation in a multi-agency context.

·         When the children involved require a statutory assessment either under s.17 or s.47 of the Children Act 1989 a referral to social care should be undertaken.

·         Where the report includes an online element, the setting will follow Searching, screening and confiscation at school – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and Sharing nudes and semi-nudes: advice for education settings working with children and young people – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). The key consideration is for staff not to view or forward illegal images of a child. The highlighted advice provides more details on what to do when viewing an image is unavoidable.

·         Risk assessments and or safety plans will be developed for individual children who have been involved in an incident including any bystanders. This should be reviewed at least every 3 months or every time there is an occurrence of an incident. These should involve the child and parents/carers and address contextual risks.

20.2        Contextual safeguarding approach to child-on-child harm:

Castle Primary will minimise the risk of child-on-child abuse by taking a contextual approach to safeguarding by increasing safety in the contexts of which harm can occur – this can include the academy environment itself, peer groups and the neighbourhood.

Following any incidents of child-on-child harm, the DSL/Deputies will review and consider whether any practice or environmental changes can be made in relation to any lessons learned. This can include making changes to staffing and supervision, making changes to the physical environment and considering the utilisation and delivery of safeguarding topics on the curriculum.

21             Responding to allegations of abuse made against professionals.

Staff must report any concerns or allegations about a professional’s behaviour (including supply staff, volunteers, and contractors) where they may have:

·         behaved in a way that has harmed a child or may have harmed a child.

·         possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child.

·         behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates they may pose a risk of harm to children; or

·         behaved or may have behaved in a way that indicates they may not be suitable to work with children.

21.1        Immediate action must be taken:

·         Do not speak to the individual it concerns.

·         Allegations or concerns about colleague’s visitors, volunteers and contractors must be reported directly to the Principal who will follow guidance in Keeping Children Safe in Education (Part four: Safeguarding concerns and allegations made about staff, including supply teachers, volunteers and contractors).

·         If the concern relates to Principal it should be reported to the Chair of Governors, who will liaise with the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) and they will decide on any action required.

·         If there is a conflict of interest which inhibits this process of reporting, staff can report directly to the LADO.

·         If allegations are regarding a member of supply staff, the academy will take the lead and progress enquiries with the LADO, whilst continuing to engage and work with the employment agency.

·         Allegations regarding foster carers or anyone in a position of trust working or volunteering with children should be referred to the LADO on the day that the allegation is reported. The allocated social worker should also be informed on the day. The academy should not undertake any investigation unless the LADO advises this.

21.2        Low-level concerns

This should be read in conjunction with the staff code of conduct, Keeping children Safe in Education (Part 4) and the CLF Low Level Concerns Guidance. A low-level concern is not insignificant. This process should be used in events where a concern about professional conduct does not meet the threshold set out at the beginning of this section.

·         Reports should be made in accordance with the settings own processes. Low level concerns Castle Primary School creates an environment where staff are encouraged and feel confident to self-refer where they have found themselves in a situation.

·         The Principal or DSL will address unprofessional behaviour and support the individual to correct it at an early stage providing a responsive, sensitive, and proportionate handling of such concerns when they are raised.

·         Incidents will be recorded on the CLF low level concerns tracker. The tracker requires monitoring on a termly basis and this will be reviewed as a part of the annual Safeguarding Audit. It is the responsibility of the Principal to ensure the LLC Tracker is monitored to check for any patterns of concerning behaviour.

·         Review and correct any deficits in the setting’s safeguarding system.

22             Mental health and wellbeing.

A flow diagram is available in Appendix 7 to illustrate this section

Schools and colleges have an important role to play in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of their learners. Mental health problems can, in some cases, be an indicator that a child has suffered or is at risk of suffering abuse, neglect or exploitation, and or may require early help support.

Castle Primary School will commit to undertake the following.

·         The appointment of a senior mental health lead who can support the development of knowledge and act as a point of expertise to promote the wellbeing and mental health of learners. This colleague will have sufficient training in mental health and safeguarding for them to carry out their role effectively.

·         Early identification of vulnerability to mental health problems by reviewing attendance, behaviour, attainment, and safeguarding records at least on a termly basis.

·         Ensure that learners can report and share concerns in line with section Reporting a concern of this policy.

·         Staff will follow a safeguarding process in terms of reporting concerns outlined in Appendix 6 so the DSL/Deputy DSLs (and wider members of the safeguarding team such as the SENDCo) can assess whether there are any other vulnerabilities can be identified and proportionate support considered.

·         Staff will ensure the immediate health and safety of a learner who is displaying acute mental health distress. This may require support from emergency services via 999 if the leaner is at risk of immediate harm.

·         DSLs/Deputies will consider whether a case can be managed internally, through early help, or should involve other agencies as required in line with section Multi-Agency Working.

·         The setting will communicate and work with the learner and parents/carers to ensure that interventions are in the best interests of the child.

·         DSLs will liaise with staff to ensure reasonable adjustments are made and develop ways to support achieving positive educational outcomes.

·         Only appropriately trained professionals should attempt to make a diagnosis of a mental health problem – DSLs and the senior leadership team should be able to access specialist advice through targeted services or through their local Primary Mental Health Specialists.

22.1        Contextual safeguarding approach to mental health

Castle Primary School will ensure that preventative measures in terms of providing safeguarding on the curriculum will provide opportunities for learners to identify when they may need help, and to develop resilience.

The setting will take a ‘whole school approach’ to:

•      deliver high quality teaching around mental health and wellbeing on the curriculum

•      having a culture that promotes mental health and wellbeing.

•      having an environment that promotes mental health and wellbeing.

•      making sure pupils and staff are aware of and able to access a range of mental health services.

•      supporting staff wellbeing.

•      And being committed to pupil and parent participation.

23             Online Safety

Online safety is an integrated and interwoven theme with other safeguarding considerations. It is essential that the DSL takes a lead on ensuring that interventions are effective. This means coordinating support and engaging with other colleagues in the setting who may have more technological expertise such as the IT manager.

The breadth of issues classified within online safety is considerable and ever evolving, but can be categorised into four areas of risk:

Content: being exposed to illegal, inappropriate, or harmful content, for example: pornography, racism, misogyny, self-harm, suicide, anti-Semitism, radicalisation, extremism, misinformation, disinformation (including fake news) and conspiracy theories.

Contact: being subjected to harmful online interaction with other users; for example: peer to peer pressure, commercial advertising and adults posing as children or young adults with the intention to groom or exploit them for sexual, criminal, financial or other purposes.

Conduct: online behaviour that increases the likelihood of, or causes, harm; for example, making, sending and receiving explicit images (e.g. consensual and non-consensual sharing of nudes and semi-nudes and/or pornography, sharing other explicit images and online bullying, and

Commerce: risks such as online gambling, inappropriate advertising, phishing and or financial scams. If you feel your pupils, students or staff are

Castle Primary School is committed to addressing online safety issues around content, contact, conduct and commerce. This includes:

·         Ensuring that online safety is considered in relevant policies and procedures.

·         Online safety is interwoven in safeguarding training for staff and safeguarding on the curriculum for learners.

·         Acknowledging that child-on-child abuse can happen via mobile and smart technology between individuals and groups. This should be approached in the same process outlined in Responding to incidents of child-on-child harm and read in conjunction with Castle Primary’s policy on the use of mobile smart technology.

·         Provision of education via remote learning will comply with current governmental advice Safeguarding and remote education during coronavirus (COVID-19) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and Providing remote education: guidance for schools – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

·         The effectiveness of the setting’s ability to safeguard learners in respect to filtering and monitoring, information security and access management alongside the above will be reviewed annually in line with  Meeting digital and technology standards in schools and colleges – Filtering and monitoring standards for schools and colleges – Guidance – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and Plan technology for your school.

Appendix 1 – Key Guidance for safeguarding issues.

All key education sector policies relevant for education settings can be found on the following webpage

Somerset Safeguarding Children Partnership

Other multi-agency guidance and policies from the Local Safeguarding Partnerships:

•                     Children, families and education

All staff should have an awareness of safeguarding issues that can put children at risk of harm.

Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) and Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)

We know that different forms of harm often overlap, and that perpetrators may subject children and young people to multiple forms of abuse, such as criminal exploitation (including county lines) and sexual exploitation.

In some cases, the exploitation or abuse will be in exchange for something the victim needs or wants (for example, money, gifts, or affection), and/or will be to the financial benefit or other advantage, such as increased status, of the perpetrator or facilitator.

Children can be exploited by adult males or females, as individuals or in groups. They may also be exploited by other children, who themselves may be experiencing exploitation – where this is the case, it is important that the child perpetrator is also recognised as a victim.

Whilst the age of the child may be a contributing factor for an imbalance of power, there are a range of other factors that could make a child more vulnerable to exploitation, including, sexual identity, cognitive ability, learning difficulties, communication ability, physical strength, status, and access to economic or other resources. Some of the following can be indicators of both child criminal and sexual exploitation where children:

·         appear with unexplained gifts, money, or new possessions.

·         associate with other children involved in exploitation.

·         suffer from changes in emotional well-being.

·         misuse drugs and alcohol.

·         go missing for periods of time or regularly come home late; and

·         regularly miss school or education or do not take part in education. Children who have been exploited will need additional support to help maintain their education. CSE can be a one-off occurrence or a series of incidents over time and range from opportunistic to complex organised abuse. It can involve force and/or enticement-based methods of compliance and may, or may not, be accompanied by

·          violence or threats of violence. Some additional specific indicators that may be present in CSE are children who:

·         have older boyfriends or girlfriends; and

·         suffer from sexually transmitted infections, display sexual behaviours beyond expected sexual development or become pregnant.

Further information on signs of a child’s involvement in sexual exploitation is available in-home Office guidance: Child sexual exploitation: guide for practitioners.

County Lines

County lines is a term used to describe gangs and organised criminal networks involved in exporting illegal drugs using dedicated mobile phone lines or other form of “deal line”. This activity can happen locally as well as across the UK – no specified distance of travel is required. Children and vulnerable adults are exploited to move, store, and sell drugs and money. Offenders will often use coercion, intimidation, violence (including sexual violence) and weapons to ensure compliance of victims. Children can be targeted and recruited into county lines in several locations including schools (mainstream and special), further and higher educational schools, pupil referral units, children’s homes, and care homes.

Children are also increasingly being targeted and recruited online using social media. Children can easily become trapped by this type of exploitation as county lines gangs can manufacture drug debts which need to be worked off or threaten serious violence and kidnap towards victims (and their families) if they attempt to leave the county lines network.

Several the indicators for CSE and CCE as detailed above may be applicable to where children are involved in county lines. Some additional specific indicators that may be present where a child is criminally exploited through involvement in county lines are children who:

·         go missing and are subsequently found in areas away from their home.

·         have been the victim or perpetrator of serious violence (e.g., knife crime)

·         are involved in receiving requests for drugs via a phone line, moving drugs, handing over and collecting money for drugs.

·         are exposed to techniques such as ‘plugging’, where drugs are concealed internally to avoid detection.

·         are found in accommodation that they have no connection with, often called a ‘trap house or cuckooing’ or hotel room where there is drug activity.

·         owe a ‘debt bond’ to their exploiters.

·         have their bank accounts used to facilitate drug dealing.

Further information on the signs of a child’s involvement in county lines is available in guidance published by the Home Office.

Children and the court system

Children are sometimes required to give evidence in criminal courts, either for crimes committed against them or for crimes they have witnessed. There are two age-appropriate guides to support children 5-11-year-olds and 12–17-year-olds. The guides explain each step of the process, support and special measures that are available. There are diagrams illustrating the courtroom structure and the use of video links is explained. Making child arrangements via the family courts following separation can be stressful and entrench conflict in families. This can be stressful for children. The Ministry of Justice has launched an online child arrangements information tool with clear and concise information on the dispute resolution service. This may be useful for some parents and carers.

Child abduction and community safety incidents

Child abduction is the unauthorised removal or retention of a child from a parent or anyone with legal responsibility for the child. Child abduction can be committed by parents or other family members; by people known but not related to the victim (such as neighbours, friends, and acquaintances); and by strangers.

Other community safety incidents in the vicinity of an academy can raise concerns amongst children and parents, for example, people loitering nearby or unknown adults engaging children in conversation.

As children get older and are granted more independence (for example, as they start walking to school on their own) it is important they are given practical advice on how to keep themselves safe. Many schools provide outdoor safety lessons run by teachers or by local police staff.

It is important that lessons focus on building children’s confidence and abilities rather than simply warning them about all strangers. Further information is available at: www.actionagainstabduction.org and www.clevernevergoes.org.

Children with family members in prison

Approximately 200,000 children in England and Wales have a parent sent to prison each year. These children are at risk of poor outcomes including poverty, stigma, isolation, and poor mental health. The National Information Centre on Children of Offenders, NICCO provides information designed to support professionals working with offenders and their children, to help mitigate negative consequences for those children.

Serious Violence

All staff should be aware of the indicators, which may signal that children are at risk from, or are involved in serious crime.

The indictors can include:

·         Child withdrawn from family.

·         Sudden loss of interest in school or change in behaviour.

·         Decline in attendance or academic achievement (although it should be noted that some gang members will maintain a good attendance record to avoid coming to notice).

·         Being emotionally ‘switched off’, but also containing frustration / rage.

·         Starting to use new or unknown slang words.

·         Holding unexplained money or possessions.

·         Staying out unusually late without reason or breaking parental rules consistently.

·         Sudden change in appearance – dressing in a particular style or ‘uniform’ similar to that of other young people they hang around with, including a particular colour.

·         Dropping out of positive activities.

·         New nickname.

·         Unexplained physical injuries, and/or refusal to seek / receive medical treatment for injuries.

·         Graffiti style ‘tags’ on possessions, schoolbooks, walls.

·         Constantly talking about another child who seems to have a lot of influence over them.

·         Breaking off with old friends and hanging around with one group of people.

·         Associating with known or suspected gang members, closeness to siblings or adults in the family who are gang members.

·         Starting to adopt certain codes of group behaviour e.g., ways of talking and hand signs.

·         Going missing.

·         Being found by Police in towns or cities many miles from their home.

·         Expressing aggressive or intimidating views towards other groups of young people, some of whom may have been friends in the past.

·         Being scared when entering certain areas; and

·         Concerned by the presence of unknown youths in their neighbourhoods.

Upskirting

The Voyeurism (Offences) Act, which is commonly known as the Upskirting Act, came into force on 12 April 2019. ‘Upskirting’ is where someone takes a picture under a person’s clothing (not necessarily a skirt) without their permission and or knowledge, with the intention of viewing their genitals or buttocks (with or without underwear) to obtain sexual gratification, or cause the victim humiliation, distress, or alarm. It is a criminal offence. Anyone of any gender, can be a victim.

Addressing Violence Against Women and Girls and Misogyny

All staff have a responsibility to recognise and respond to behaviours and attitudes that contribute to Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), including misogyny, harassment, and gender-based violence. These behaviours are safeguarding concerns and must be addressed as such.

This policy aligns with the Bristol Be Safe guidance, which highlights the importance of early identification, prevention, and intervention in cases of VAWG. Misogynistic attitudes—whether expressed through language, behaviour, or institutional practices—can create environments where abuse is normalised or overlooked. Staff must challenge these attitudes and ensure that all children and young people feel safe, respected, and supported.

We are committed to fostering a culture of respect, equality, and safety, where harmful gender norms are actively challenged, and all disclosures are taken seriously and responded to appropriately.

So-called ‘honour-based’ abuse (including Female Genital Mutilation and Forced Marriage)

So-called ‘honour-based’ abuse (HBA) encompasses incidents or crimes which have been committed to protect or defend the honour of the family and/or the community, including female genital mutilation (FGM), forced marriage, and practices such as breast ironing. Abuse committed in the context of preserving “honour” often involves a wider network of family or community pressure and can include multiple perpetrators. It is important to be aware of this dynamic and additional risk factors when deciding what form of safeguarding action to take. All forms of HBA are abuse (regardless of the motivation) and should be handled and escalated as such. Professionals in all agencies, and individuals and groups in relevant communities, need to be alert to the possibility of a child being at risk of HBA, or already having suffered HBA.

Actions

If staff have a concern regarding a child that might be at risk of HBA or who has suffered from HBA, they should speak to the designated safeguarding lead (or deputy). As appropriate, they will activate local safeguarding procedures, using existing national and local protocols for multi-agency liaison with police and children’s social care. Where FGM has taken place, since 31 October 2015 there has been a mandatory reporting duty placed on teachers104 that requires a different approach (see following section).

FGM

FGM comprises all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs. It is illegal in the UK and a form of child abuse with long-lasting harmful consequences.

FGM mandatory reporting duty for teachers

Section 5B of the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 (as inserted by section 74 of the Serious Crime Act 2015) places a statutory duty upon teachers along with regulated health and social care professionals in England and Wales, to report to the police where they discover (either through disclosure by the victim or visual evidence) that FGM appears to have been carried out on a girl under 18. Those failing to report such cases may face disciplinary sanctions. It will be rare for teachers to see visual evidence, and they should not be examining pupils or students, but the same definition of what is meant by “to discover that an act of FGM appears to have been carried out” is used for all professionals to whom this mandatory reporting duty applies. Information on when and how to make a report can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mandatory-reporting-of-female-genital-mutilation-procedural-information

Teachers must personally report to the police in cases where they discover that an act of FGM appears to have been carried out. Unless the teacher has good reason not to, they should still consider and discuss any such case with the school’s or college’s designated safeguarding lead (or deputy) and involve children’s social care as appropriate. The duty does not apply in relation to at risk or suspected cases (i.e., where the teacher does not discover that an act of FGM appears to have been carried out, either through disclosure by the victim or visual evidence) or in cases where the woman is 18 or over. In these cases, teachers should follow local safeguarding procedures. The following is a useful summary of the FGM mandatory reporting duty: FGM Fact Sheet. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/496415/6_1639_HO_SP_FGM_mandatory_reporting_Fact_sheet_Web.pdf

Forced marriage

Forcing a person into marriage is a crime in England and Wales. A forced marriage is one entered into without the full and free consent of one or both parties and where violence, threats or any other form of coercion is used to cause a person to enter into a marriage. Threats can be physical or emotional, and psychological. A lack of full and free consent can be where a person does not consent or where they cannot consent (if they have learning disabilities, for example). Nevertheless, some perpetrators use perceived cultural practices as a way to coerce a person into marriage. Schools and colleges can play an important role in safeguarding children from forced marriage.

The Forced Marriage Unit has published statutory guidance https://www.gov.uk/guidance/forced-marriage and multi-agency policies, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/322307/HMG_MULTI_AGENCY_PRACTICE_GUIDELINES_v1_180614_FINAL.pdf pages 35-36 of which focus on the role of schools and colleges. School and college staff can contact the Forced Marriage Unit if they need advice or information: Contact: 020 7008 0151 or email fmu@fco.gov.uk.

In addition, since February 2023 it has also been a crime to carry out conduct whose purpose is to cause a child to marry before their eighteenth birthday, even if violence, threats, or another form of coercion are not used. As with the existing forced marriage law, this applies to non-binding, unofficial ‘marriages’ as well as legal marriages.

Preventing radicalisation

Children may be susceptible to radicalisation into terrorism. Similar to protecting children from other forms of harm and abuse, protecting children from this risk should be a part of a schools or colleges safeguarding approach.

·         Extremism is the vocal or active opposition to our fundamental values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and the mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. This also includes calling for the death of members of the armed forces.

·         Radicalisation is the process of a person legitimising support for, or use of, terrorist violence

Terrorism is an action that endangers or causes serious violence to a person/people; causes serious damage to property; or seriously interferes or disrupts an electronic system. The use or threat must be designed to influence the government or to intimidate the public and is made for the purpose of advancing a political, religious, or ideological cause.

Although there is no single way of identifying whether a child is likely to be susceptible to radicalisation into terrorism, there are factors that may indicate concern. It is possible to protect people from extremist ideology and intervene to prevent those at risk of radicalisation being drawn to terrorism. As with other safeguarding risks, staff should be alert to changes in children’s behaviour, which could indicate that they may be in need of help or safeguarding. Staff should use their judgement in identifying children who might be at risk of radicalisation and act proportionately, which may include the designated safeguarding lead (or a deputy) making a Prevent referral.

The Prevent duty.

All schools and colleges are subject to a duty under section 26 of the Counter- Terrorism and Security Act 2015, in the exercise of their functions, to have “due regard to the need to prevent people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism”. This duty is known as the Prevent duty. The Prevent duty should be seen as part of schools’ and colleges’ wider safeguarding obligations. Designated safeguarding leads (and deputies) and other senior leaders in education settings should familiarise themselves with the revised Prevent duty guidance: for England and Wales, especially paragraphs 141-210, which are specifically concerned with education (and also covers childcare). The guidance is set out in terms of three general themes: leadership and partnership, capabilities and reducing permissive environments. The school or college’s designated safeguarding lead (and any deputies) should be aware of local procedures for making a Prevent referral.

Channel is a voluntary, confidential support programme which focuses on providing support at an early stage to people who are identified as being susceptible to being drawn into terrorism. Prevent referrals are assessed and may be passed to a multi-agency Channel panel, which will discuss the individual referred to determine whether they are at risk of being drawn into terrorism and consider the appropriate support required. A representative from the school or college may be asked to attend the Channel panel to help with this assessment. An individual will be required to provide their consent before any support delivered through the programme is provided.

The designated safeguarding lead (or a deputy) should consider if it would be appropriate to share any information with the new school or college in advance of a child leaving. For example, information that would allow the new school or college to continue supporting victims of abuse or those who are currently receiving support through the ‘Channel’ programme and have that support in place for when the child arrives.

Guidance on Channel can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/channel-guidance

Additional support

The Government has published further advice for schools on the Prevent duty. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protecting-children-from-radicalisation-the-prevent-duty

The Home Office has developed three e-learning modules:

Prevent awareness e-learning offers an introduction to the Prevent duty.

https://www.elearning.prevent.homeoffice.gov.uk/edu/screen1.html

Prevent referrals e-learning supports staff to make Prevent referrals that are robust, informed and with good intention.

https://www.elearning.prevent.homeoffice.gov.uk/prevent_referrals/01-welcome.html

Channel awareness e-learning is aimed at staff who may be asked to contribute to or sit on a multi-agency Channel panel. Educate

https://www.elearning.prevent.homeoffice.gov.uk/channel_awareness/01-welcome.html

Educate Against Hate, is a government website designed to support schoolteachers and leaders to help them safeguard their students from radicalisation and extremism. The platform provides free information and resources to help school staff identify and address risks, as well as build resilience to radicalisation.

https://educateagainsthate.com

For advice specific to further education, the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) hosts the Prevent for FE and Training. https://preventforfeandtraining.org.uk/  This hosts a range of free, sector specific resources to support further education settings to comply with the Prevent duty. This includes the Prevent Awareness e-learning, which offers an introduction to the duty, and the Prevent Referral e-learning, which is designed to support staff to make robust, informed, and proportionate referrals.

Modern Slavery and the National Referral Mechanism

Modern slavery encompasses human trafficking and slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour. Exploitation can take many forms, including sexual exploitation, forced labour, slavery, servitude, forced criminality, and the removal of organs.

Further information on the signs that someone may be a victim of modern slavery, the support available to victims, and how to refer them to the NRM is available in the Modern Slavery Statutory Guidance. Modern slavery: how to identify and support victims – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Domestic abuse

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 received Royal Assent on 29 April 2021. The Act introduces the first ever statutory definition of domestic abuse and recognises the impact of domestic abuse on children, as victims in their own right, if they see, hear or experience the effects of abuse. The statutory definition of domestic abuse, based on the previous cross-government definition, ensures that different types of relationships are captured, including ex-partners and family members. The definition captures a range of different abusive behaviours, including physical, emotional, and economic abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour. Both the person who is carrying out the behaviour and the person to whom the behaviour is directed towards must be aged 16 or over and they must be “personally connected” (as defined in section 2 of the 2021 Act).

Domestic abuse can encompass a wide range of behaviours and may be a single incident or a pattern of incidents. That abuse can be, but is not limited to, psychological, physical, sexual, financial, or emotional. Children can be victims of domestic abuse. They may see, hear, or experience the effects of abuse at home and/or suffer domestic abuse in their own intimate relationships (teenage relationship abuse). All of which can have a detrimental and long-term impact on their health, well-being, development, and ability to learn.

Children can also experience domestic abuse within their own intimate relationships. This form of child-on-child abuse is sometimes referred to as ‘teenage relationship abuse’. Depending on the age of the young people, this may not be recognised in law under the statutory definition of ‘domestic abuse’ (if one or both parties are under 16). However, as with any child under 18, where there are concerns about safety or welfare, child safeguarding procedures should be followed, and both young victims and young perpetrators should be offered support.

Operation Encompass

Operation Encompass operates in all police forces across England. It helps the police and schools work together to provide emotional and practical help to children. The system ensures that when the police are called to an incident of domestic abuse, where there are children in the household who have experienced the domestic incident, the police will inform the key adult (usually the designated safeguarding lead (or deputy)) in school before the child or children arrive at school the following day. This ensures that the school has up to date relevant information about the child’s circumstances and can enable immediate support to be put in place, according to the child’s needs. Operation Encompass does not replace statutory safeguarding procedures. Where appropriate, the police and/or schools should make a referral to local authority children’s social care if they are concerned about a child’s welfare. More information about the scheme and how schools can become involved is available on the Operation Encompass website. Operation Encompass provides an advice and helpline service for all staff members from educational settings who may be concerned about children who have experienced domestic abuse. The helpline is available 8AM to 1PM, Monday to Friday on 0204 513 9990 (charged at local rate).

National Domestic Abuse Helpline Refuge runs the National Domestic Abuse Helpline, which can be called free of charge and in confidence, 24 hours a day on 0808 2000 247. Its website provides guidance and support for potential victims, as well as those who are worried about friends and loved ones. It also has a form through which a safe time from the team for a call can be booked. Additional advice on identifying children who are affected by domestic abuse and how they can be helped is available at:

·         NSPCC- UK domestic-abuse Signs Symptoms Effects

·         Refuge what is domestic violence/effects of domestic violence on children

·         Safelives: young people and domestic abuse.

·         Domestic abuse: specialist sources of support – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) (includes information for adult victims, young people facing abuse in their own relationships and parents experiencing child to parent violence/abuse)

·         Home: Operation Encompass (includes information for schools on the impact of domestic abuse on children)

Cybercrime

Cybercrime is criminal activity committed using computers and/or the internet. It is broadly categorised as either ‘cyber-enabled’ (crimes that can happen off-line but are enabled at scale and at speed on-line) or ‘cyber dependent’ (crimes that can be committed only by using a computer). Cyber-dependent crimes include.

·         unauthorised access to computers (illegal ‘hacking’), for example accessing a school’s computer network to look for test paper answers or change grades awarded.

·         Denial of Service (Dos or DDoS) attacks or ‘booting’. These are attempts to make a computer, network, or website unavailable by overwhelming it with internet traffic from multiple sources; and

·         making, supplying, or obtaining malware (malicious software) such as viruses, spyware, ransomware, botnets, and Remote Access Trojans with the intent to commit further offence, including those above.

Children with an interest in computing and technology may inadvertently or deliberately stray into cyber-dependent crime. If there are concerns about a child in this area, the designated safeguarding lead (or a deputy), should consider referring to the Cyber Choices programme. This is a nationwide police programme supported by the Home Office and led by the National Crime Agency, working with regional and local policing. It aims to intervene where young people are at risk of committing, or being drawn into, low level cyber-dependent offences and divert them to a more positive use of their skills and interests. Note that Cyber Choices does not currently cover ‘cyber-enabled’ crime such as fraud, purchasing of illegal drugs on-line and child sexual abuse and exploitation, nor other areas of concern such as on-line bullying or general on-line safety. Additional advice can be found at: Cyber Choices, ‘NPCC- When to call the Police’ and National Cyber Security Centre – NCSC.GOV.UK

Hate Crime

Staff need to demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of Hate crimes which are any crimes that are targeted at a person because of hostility or prejudice towards that person’s

·         Disability

·         Race or ethnicity

·         Religion or belief

·         Sexual orientation

·         Transgender identity

This can be committed against a person or property. The victim does not have to be a member of the group at which the hostility is targeted. In fact, anyone could be a victim of a hate crime.

Homelessness

Being homeless or at risk of becoming homeless presents a real risk to a child’s welfare. The designated safeguarding lead (and any deputies) should be aware of contact details and referral routes into the Local Housing Authority so they can raise/progress concerns at the earliest opportunity. Indicators that a family may be at risk of homelessness include household debt, rent arrears, domestic abuse, and anti-social behaviour, as well as the family being asked to leave a property. Whilst referrals and/or discussion with the Local Housing Authority should be progressed as appropriate, this does not, and should not, replace a referral into children’s social care where a child has been harmed or is at risk of harm.

The Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 places a new legal duty on English councils so that everyone who is homeless or at risk of homelessness will have access to meaningful help including an assessment of their needs and circumstances, the development of a personalised housing plan, and work to help them retain their accommodation or find a new place to live. The following factsheets summarise the new duties: Homeless Reduction Act Factsheets. (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/homelessness-reduction-bill-policy-factsheets). The new duties shift focus to early intervention and encourage those at risk to seek support as soon as possible, before facing a homelessness crisis.

In most cases school and college staff will be considering homelessness in the context of children who live with their families, and intervention will be on that basis. However, it should also be recognised in some cases, 16 and 17-year-olds could be living independently from their parents or guardians, for example through their exclusion from the family home, and will require a different level of intervention and support. Children’s services will be the lead agency for these young people, and the designated safeguarding lead (or a deputy) should ensure appropriate referrals are made based on the child’s circumstances. The department and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government have published joint statutory guidance on the provision of accommodation for 16- and 17-year-olds who may be homeless and/ or require accommodation here. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/homelessness-reduction-bill-policy-factsheets

Private Fostering

A private fostering arrangement is one that is made privately (without the involvement of a local authority) for the care of a child:

·         under the age of 16 years (under 18, if disabled)

·         by someone other than a parent or close relative (*Close family relative is defined as a ‘grandparent, brother, sister, uncle or aunt’ and includes half-siblings and step-parents; it does not include great-aunts or uncles, great grandparents or cousins.)

·         with the intention that it should last for 28 days or more.

Cases of private fostering arrangements must be reported to children’s social care to ensure that needs are adequately made.

Statutory guidance states that this should be done at least 6 weeks before the arrangement is due to start or as soon as you are made aware of the arrangements. Not doing so is a criminal offence.

Further support and reasonable adjustments should be made by the education setting to promote achievement of positive educational outcomes.

Young Carers

A young carer is a person under 18 who regularly provides emotional and/or practical support and assistance for a family member who is disabled, physically or mentally unwell or who misuses substances.

Castle Primary will support learners who are young carers to access appropriate support. To find out what is available locally visit the Somerset Council Website Young Carers

The Carers Support Centre can undertake an assessment of needs and provide bespoke support. For further information and to make a referral visit the Carers Support Centre website.

Gender Questioning Children

Expected publication of revised guidance on gender questioning children due September 2025

A child or young person being lesbian, gay, or bisexual is not in itself an inherent risk factor for harm, however, they can sometimes be targeted by other children. In some cases, a child who is perceived by other children to be lesbian, gay, or bisexual (whether they are or not) can be just as vulnerable as children who are.

When supporting a gender questioning child, academies should take a cautious approach and consider the broad range of their individual needs, in partnership with the child’s parents (other than in the exceptionally rare circumstances where involving parents would constitute a significant risk of harm to the child), including any clinical advice that is available and how to address wider vulnerabilities such as the risk of bullying.

Appendix 2: Raising Safeguarding Concerns about a Child

01278 647466 preventsw@avonandsomersetpolice.co.uk

PreventSW@avonandsomerset.police.uk

PreventSW@avonandsomerset.police.uk
David Edwards
Steve Morton Principal

Laura Liddell Asst Principal

Tracey Mizen Nursery manager
SDinputters@somerset.gov.uk

0300 123 2224
Somerset Family front door 0300 123 3078
Anthony Goble
Phone, email, verbal
 

Appendix 3: Contacts and Key Personnel

Name of Academy:
Castle Primary
Telephone Number:
01935 822342
Designated Safeguarding Lead
Name:
Steve Morton
Email:
Stephen.morton@clf.uk
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
Name:
Laura Liddell
Email:
Laura.liddell@clf.uk
Principal
Name:
Steve Morton
Email:
Stephen.morton@clf.uk
Designated Councillor
Name:
David Edwards
Email:
David.edwards@clf.uk
CLF Designated Safeguarding Lead Officer & Deputy Lead Officer:
Name:
Steve Bane & Adele Rice
Email:
Steve.Bane@clf.uk   Adele.Rice@clf.uk
Academy Prevent Officer
Name:
Steve Morton
Email:
Stephen.morton@clf.uk
Academy E Safety Officer
Name:

Email:

Appendix 4: Local Authority Contact Information

Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)

Bristol
Nicola Laird
0117 9037795

07795 091020
nicola.laird@bristol.gcsx.gov.uk
South Gloucestershire
Jon Goddard
01454 868508
Jon.Goddard@southglos.gov.uk
North Somerset
Julie Bishop
01275 888624
Julie.bishop_hss@n_somerset.gov.uk

Somerset
Anthony Goble & Stacey Davis
0300 123 2224
SDinputters@somerset.gov.uk
Gloucestershire
Nigel Hatten
01452 426994
amadmin@gloucestershire.gov.uk

Banes
Jackie Deas
01225 396810
Jackie_deas@bathnes.gov.uk
Children’s Social Care Services’

Local Authority
Contact No
Emergency Duty Team Contact
Bristol (First Response)
0117 9036444
01454 615165
South Gloucestershire (Access and Response)
01454 866000
01454 615165
North Somerset (Front Door)
01275 888808
01454 615165
Somerset (Family Front Door)
0300 123 3078
0300 123 2327
Gloucestershire
01452 426565
01452 614194
Banes
01225 396339
01454 615165
If there is an immediate risk of significant harm ring the Police on 999

Non-emergency police contact 101

The following telephone numbers may be useful for pupils:

Police Child Abuse Investigation Team:   0845 456 7000

Childline:                                                       0800 1111

NSPCC:                                                           0808 800 5000

Appendix 5: Referral Process

Appendix 6 If you have concerns about a child

If you have concerns about a child or young person in Somerset

If a child is at immediate risk call the POLICE
Call the POLICE on 999
To make an URGENT referral (i.e., a child is likely to suffer or is suffering significant harm)
Phone Somerset Direct on 0300 123 2224

To make a NON-URGENT referral, complete an Early Help Assessment and send to
Email SDInputters@somerset.gov.uk
To raise concerns or ask for advice about radicalisation
Phone PREVENT DUTY on 01278 647466 or

Email PreventSW@avonandsomerset.police.uk
To liaise with the specialist Safeguarding Police unit
Phone the Lighthouse Safeguarding on 01278 649228
DSL Consultation Line

0300 123 3078
Early Help Hub

01823 3555803
Critical Incident Support

EPS SSE 01823 357000
If you have concerns about a professional working with a child

To raise concerns and ask for guidance in relation to the conduct of someone who works with children
Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)

Anthony Goble 0300 123 2224
 

Appendix 7 Responding to reports of Sexual Violence and Harassment