• Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for Child Protection: Mrs Sarah Honywill
• Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL) for Child Protection: Mrs Kate Nash and Mrs Emily Mitchell

There are stringent vetting procedures in place for staff and other adults. Nobody commences work unless all checks have been completed, including those with the Barring and Disclosure Service. The school ensures that adults working with children, including volunteers and supply staff, are appropriately recruited and vetted, and receive appropriate training, guidance, support and supervision to undertake the effective safeguarding of pupils – they are directed to the Safeguarding policy and given appropriate support. A single central record of recruitment and vetting checks covering all adults who have regular contact with children is held in the office along with induction pack for students/volunteers.  Staff are issued with a photographic ID badge at Induction which they wear on a BLUE staff lanyard and Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSL) wear on a YELLOW lanyard for easy identification.  

The following policies are available on the school website:

• Safeguarding Policy
• Child Protection Policy
• Anti-Bullying Policy
• Managing Allegations of Abuse Against Staff and Volunteers Policy

South West Child Protection Procedures are available at SWCPP

1. Children have a right to be safe.
2. Adults have a duty of care to protect children
3. Parents have a right to be informed.

The School will actively seek 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 of any concerns. The School will also address the issue of children’s safety through the curriculum.

There are four categories of abuse:

1. Physical abuse

2. Emotional abuse

3. Sexual abuse

4. Neglect.

Safeguarding also covers incidents of:

Children with sexually harmful behaviour

Peer on peer sexual abuse

Sexual exploitation of children

Serious violent crime

Honour based violence

Radicalism and extremism

 

SIGNS OF ABUSE

There are a number of signs that may indicate abuse. These include:

Behaviour: A marked change in a child’s usual temperament or the display of unusual behaviour

Spoken disclosures: A child may say something that discloses abuse. If this occurs, the person to whom the child has disclosed will do the following:

• Listen to what the child says and then write down word for word what was said as soon as possible afterwards.
• They will use open questions and ensure they do not put words into the child's mouth.
• They may empathise with and comfort the child but will not agree to keep secret what they have disclosed.
• Tell the child that they will have to tell someone else in school i.e, Mrs Duncan, Mrs John, Mrs Haddy, Mrs Morgan or Mrs Dannan and  the conversation is uploaded to CPOMS as soon as possible.

All staff are mindful of:

• Physical injuries: Whilst young children may commonly have minor injuries, certain injuries will raise concerns that these have been caused deliberately.

• Appearance: The manner in which a child is dressed or groomed may give cause for concern that their basic physical and emotional needs are not being met

1. The DSL or DDSL will discuss your concerns with you and make a record of them. No further action may be taken at this time. The record will be kept on file by the DSL in case future concerns arise.
2. The DSL or DDSL may discuss your concerns and then consult an outside agency such as the School Nurse, Educational Welfare, Social Services or parents. The advice given will be acted upon.
3. After consulting with outside agencies, a Common Assessment Framework (CAF) meeting may be called so that all interested parties (including parents) can attend and look for ways to support the child. Your observations/concerns may be included in the CAF documentation.
4. In some cases, the child protection issue may be serious enough to mean that the DSL or DDSL will make a referral to Social Services, the Police or another agency, to ensure that the welfare of the child is ensured.

What to do if a child discloses abuse (‘The five Rs’)

• RECEIVE the information. Listen carefully and do not ask leading questions
• RESPOND to the child. Let them know what you are going to do next
• REPORT the disclosure as soon as possible to the DSL or DDSL using a concern log
• REFER to Social Care without delay – the DSL should do this
• RECORD fully and accurately, as soon as possible afterwards

Operation Encompass  connects the police with schools to secure better outcomes for children who are subject or witness to police-attended incidents of domestic abuse. Rapid provision of support within the school environment means children are better safeguarded against the short-, medium- and long-term effects of domestic abuse.

Operation Encompass provides an efficient, confidential channel of communication between police forces and Key Adults within schools. This enables the immediate and discrete recognition of the child's situation by the Key Adult, ensuring a secure and sympathetic environment is provided and the broader effects of abuse are addressed.

This means that at Yealmpton Primary School a member of the school staff, known as a Key Adult, is trained to allow them to liaise with the police and to use the information that has been shared, in confidence, while ensuring that the school is able to make provision for possible difficulties experienced by children, or their families, who have been involved in, or exposed to, a domestic abuse incident.

https://www.operationencompass.org/