Keeping Ourselves Safe (Safeguarding)
At Fairfields Primary School, Safeguarding and Child Protection is paramount and we are fully committed to ensuring the welfare and safety of all our children and expect all staff and volunteers share this commitment.
We believe that all pupils have a right to learn in a supportive, caring and safe environment which includes the right to protection from all types of abuse; where staff are vigilant for signs of any pupil in distress and are confident about applying the processes to avert and alleviate any such problems.
Our key aims are to ensure;
- All of our pupils are safe and protected from harm,
- Other elements of provision and policies are in place to enable pupils to feel safe and adopt safe practices;
- Staff, pupils, governors, visitors, volunteers and parents are aware of the expected behaviours’ and the school’s legal responsibilities in relation to the safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all of our pupils.
We believe that Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and as such, our school aims to create the safest environment within which every pupil has the opportunity to strive and reach their full potential. We recognise the importance of us ensuring our pupils know how to seek support, feel that they will be listened to and appropriate action taken. We want everyone to feel safe and secure.
Fairfields Primary school has a team of Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs). Mrs Emily Castle, Designated Safeguarding Lead; Mrs Kelly Cursley and Mr Martin Gallop are Deputy Safeguarding Leads. Miss Marilyn Jones; Miss Alice Wilson; Miss Melissa Rees; Mrs Mandy Bond; Mrs Jo Jeffs; Mrs Sophie Hughes and Mrs Vanessa Ford are our Designated Safeguarding Officers. If you have any concerns about the safety or well-being of a child, please share those concerns with a member of the team. Please note, any information will remain confidential but if there are any concerns in relation to the safety of the child, we will have to refer it to the MASH referral hub.
The school pays full regard to the DfES guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’. We ensure that all appropriate measures are applied in relation to everyone who works in the school who is likely to be perceived by the children as a safe and trustworthy adult including volunteers and staff employed by contractors. Safer recruitment practice includes scrutinising applicants, verifying identity and academic or vocational qualifications, obtaining professional and character references, and checking previous employment history. It also includes undertaking interviews and DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) checks.
Safeguarding is about ensuring that everyone is safe from harm and that we all feel safe in our environment.
Early Help for Parents
Please see the links below to support you and your family for any safeguarding concerns that you may have.
Safeguarding information and resources are available to download below:
NSPCC stands for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. It means that each of us has a responsibility to keep childhood free from abuse, and we must do everything possible to protect children and prevent it from happening.
www.nspcc.org.uk/what-we-do/about-us
Childline is yours – a free, private and confidential service where you can be you. Whatever your worry, whenever you need help, however you want to get in touch. We're here for you online, on the phone, anytime.
Child Exploitation and Online Protection
www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre
Welcome to Milton Keynes Safeguarding Board (MKSB) website.
Keeping Children Safe is Everybody’s Business; MKSB works with partner agencies in Milton Keynes to protect children and young people from harm. The MKSB agrees how local services and professionals should work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
Our resources page below allows for quick and easy access to the local Levels of Needs threshold document, screening tools (FGM and CSE) and referral forms to Milton Keynes Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)
1.1 MK Levels of Need | Milton Keynes Inter-Agency Safeguarding Children (procedures.org.uk)
The role of the LADO is set out in Working Together to Safeguard Children (2015) and is governed by the Authorities duties under section 11 of the Children Act 2004 and MKSCB Inter-Agency Policy and Procedures (Ch 2.8). This guidance outlines procedures for managing allegations against people who work with children who are paid, unpaid, volunteers, casual, agency or anyone self employed.
The LADO* must be contacted within one working day in respect of all cases in which it is alleged that a person who works with children has:
- behaved in a way that has harmed, or may have harmed a child;
- possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child; or
- behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates they may pose a risk of harm to children.
Keeping children safe in education - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub, known as MASH, brings together professionals from partner agencies to deal with safeguarding concerns, where someone is concerned about the safety or wellbeing of a child. Information from partner agencies is collated within the MASH to assess risk and decide what action to take. As a result, the agencies are able to act quickly, in a coordinated and consistent way, ensuring that vulnerable children and families are kept safe.
Keeping Children Safe in Education
www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2#
https://kcsietranslate.lgfl.net
What to Do if You're Worried a Child is Being Abused
Thames Valley Police