Safeguarding

Child Protection and Safeguarding Children Policy for Parents and Carers

Introduction

Our comprehensive policy for safeguarding is available under the Policies section of our website.

Johnson Fold strives to ensure that all pupils remain safe and free from harm. We are committed to playing a full and active part in the multi-agency approach to child protection concerns. Additionally, the school has a legal duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, and have to have a child protection policy and procedures in place, which should be shared with parents, to address concerns about the safety and protection of children.

Through their day to day contact with pupils, and direct work with families, staff who work in schools have a crucial role to play in noticing indicators of possible abuse or neglect. Parents should be aware, that where it appears to a member of staff that a child may have been abused, the school is required, as part of the local child protection procedures to report their concern to Children’s Social Care immediately. To avoid any misunderstandings, parents of children who sustain accidental injuries outside school, which result in cuts/bruises/fractures should inform the school without delay and explain the cause.

Principles

Children have a right to be safe.

Parents have a right to be informed.

Children are best protected when parents and school can work together.

Partnership 

School will inform parents of any concerns about their children (providing it does not compromise the child’s safety) and will help and support them as necessary.

Prevention

School will take positive action to prevent children suffering abuse and neglect through the development of an open culture that informs children of their rights, and encourages them to speak about any concerns. The school will also address the issue of children's safety through the curriculum.

Responding to Concerns

School will refer all allegations or concerns that a child has been, or is likely to be, abused or neglected to Children’s Social Care within the Children’s Services Department.

School will consult with other agencies when it has concerns that a child may have been abused or neglected.

School will discuss with parents/carers any concerns they have about their children.

Parents/carers will be kept informed about what has happened.

Child/Child Abuse

Physical and emotional abuse of children by other children will be dealt with, initially, through the school's Policy for Behaviour and Pastoral Care which includes the school's systems for dealing with bullying. Parents/carers will be kept informed. All concerns about possible sexual abuse will be referred immediately to Children’s Social Care.

Child Protection Strategy Meeting and Conferences 

Members of school staff will attend strategy meetings and conferences when required and will provide information about children and families. This information will be shared with parents beforehand if possible. School will keep confidential child protection records separately from a pupil’s academic and other school records.

Confidentiality

Information from any source, including parents, about possible child abuse cannot be kept confidential.

Information and records about children who are the subject of a Child Protection Plan will be given only to those people who need it, and will be kept strictly confidential by them.

If parents have concerns about the safety or wellbeing of their child, they should contact:

Our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) Mrs McCollin 01204 333011 office@johnsonfold.bolton.sch.uk

Our Deputy DSLs are: Miss Crossley, Miss Twist, Miss Chesworth

Please click the links for more information 

Framework for action

Johnson Fold Universal Early Help Offer