Safeguarding
At St Vincent de Paul Catholic Primary School, we regard the safeguarding of children as our main priority. We believe that we all have the right to be happy, to be safe and to learn. We all have the responsibility to make this happen. We will ensure that:
- The welfare of the child remains paramount.
- All children whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious beliefs and/ or sexual identity have the right to be protected from harm.
- All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.
- All staff and volunteers working at our school have a responsibility to report concerns to one of the safeguarding team: Mrs Salters (Head Teacher and Designated Safeguarding Lead), Miss Parkinson and Mrs Foy (Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads)
Our safeguarding policies cover all areas of school life and include:
- Staff & Visitors: Ensuring they are vetted, informed & trained. Children’s behaviour promoting safer & happier behaviours & lifestyles.
- Parents & Carers: Promoting links & supporting families. Premises: Keeping them safe, pleasant & fit for purpose.
- Curriculum providing positive, life affirming learning experiences.
- Outside school ensuring safer activities and environments outside school.
Members of Staff Responsible:
- All staff are responsible for ensuring that each child remains safe, however the Designated Safeguarding Lead for Child Protection is Mrs L Salters.
Safer Recruitment:
We follow strict procedures to ensure that everyone who works with our children is vetted, keeping our children as safe as possible.
Ongoing checks and ‘whistle-blowing’ are in line with current policy.
Staff Training:
- Staff are trained in child protection issues and they are aware of the procedures to follow.
- Staff are encouraged to be vigilant in order to maintain the safety of our children.
- All Staff & Volunteers are given our staff handbook and are directed to the documents:
Guidance for safer working practice for those working with children and young people in education settings and Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023
CHILD PROTECTION POLICIES
Click to view the SVP Safeguarding and Child Protection Policies
- All staff have an up-to-date understanding of safeguarding issues (including those highlighted in the PREVENT strategy) and are able to implement the safeguarding children policy and procedure appropriately.
- Policies are in line with current guidance and procedures.
Staff are able to respond appropriately to any:
- significant changes in children’s behaviour; • deterioration in their general well-being; • unexplained bruising, marks or signs of possible abuse; • signs of neglect; • comments children make which give cause for concern.
All staff are aware of the need to maintain privacy and confidentiality.
Information Sharing:
- We have an obligation to obtain necessary information from parents in advance of a child being admitted to school, including: • emergency contact numbers; • the child’s special dietary requirements, preferences or food allergies the child may have; • the child’s special health requirements; • information about who has legal contact with the child; and who has parental responsibility for the child.
Written parental permission is requested, at the time of the child’s admission to the provision, to the seeking of any necessary emergency medical advice or treatment in the future. PARENTS & CARERS MUST TELL US OF ANY CHANGES TO THESE DETAILS. We take confidentiality very seriously. Any information which we hold is treated as confidential and shared on a ‘need-to-know’ basis.
Links with External Agencies:
- We are fortunate to be supported by a range of external agencies which can be called upon to support the work we do in school.
- These include; School Nurse, Health Practitioners, Educational Psychology, Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services, Behaviour Support, Social Services and Specialists in supporting Special Educational Needs.
Reporting Concerns or Complaints:
- Further to the above procedures, we have in place a concerns and complaints policy. This enables children, staff and carers to report anything they feel is of concern. Concerns should be raised in the following order.
- To the Class Teacher/Key Stage Leader. Then, if there is no resolution;
- To the Head Teacher. Then, if there is no resolution;
- To the Chair of Governors. Then, if there is no resolution;
- To the Local Authority. Contact details are available from the school office or www.liverpool.gov.uk
Review of Policy and Practice:
- In order to ensure that best practice is maintained, our policies are reviewed at least yearly, and when new statutory guidance emerges. If you would like more information on safeguarding, all our policies are available in school.
Operation Encompass
“In conjunction with Merseyside Police, St Vincent de Paul Catholic Primary School is involved in a new initiative called Operation Encompass. The purpose of Operation Encompass is to safeguard and support children and young people who have been involved in, heard or witnessed a domestic abuse incident. Following such an incident, children will often arrive at school distressed, upset, worried and unprepared. Operation Encompass aims to ensure that appropriate school staff (called Key Adult) are made aware early enough to support children and young people in a way that means they feel safe and included.”
Our Key Adult is Mrs Salters
You can find out more by visiting www.operationencompass.org
Operation Encompass Letter Parents and Carers
PANTS Campaign – The Underwear Rule
We have a range of information and materials that we have specially produced for parents to help them talk to their children in an appropriate way about keeping safe and prevent abuse. You may have heard about our recent PANTS Campaign and the underwear rule. It may be useful to know that our underwear rule materials are produced in several different languages: Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Russian and Welsh and we also have specific guides for parents with children with special learning needs.
www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/underwear-rule/
Share Aware – Online Safety Campaign
We also get requests from schools and parents asking for guidance with online safety. You can find lots of information for parents on talking to children about staying safe online by visiting our website. We also have booklets. Also Schools have an important role in teaching children to protect themselves from all kinds of abuse, including online abuse.
Download our free Share Aware teaching resources and help teach your class to stay safe online.
www.nspcc.org.uk/shareaware-schools
Net Aware – For Parents
This is an information tool for parents about online, websites and apps. Helps parents to understand what their children are looking at online and helping to keep them safe.
Safeguarding Resource Hub is a free hub of national safeguarding resources to empower children, young people and all adults supporting them.
www.safeguardingresourcehub.co.uk
Files to Download
Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy 2023-24
Child Criminal Exploitation Support and Advice Document
Managing Allegations Against Staff Policy