Safeguarding Children and Adults

Contacts for Safeguarding in Thurrock LA:

· The Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub

(MASH) – 01375 652802

§ Thurrock MASH, Civic Offices, New Road, Grays, Essex, RM17 6SL

§ For further details on MASH Services see Appendix 1

· Thurrock Council Emergency Duty Team – 01375 372468

§ For out of hours only

 · Thurrock Local Safeguarding Children Partnership- 01375 652813

§ Civic Offices New Road Grays ESSEX RM17 6SL

§ Email: LSCP@thurrock.gov.uk

·  Safeguarding and Child Protection Co-ordinator and LADO – 01375 652535

· Police Child Abuse Team – 01277 266822

• Holy Cross Catholic Primary School takes seriously its responsibility to protect and safeguard the welfare of children and young people in its care. “The welfare of the child is paramount” (the Children Act 1989).
• Section 175 of the Education Act 2002 places a statutory responsibility on the governing body to have policies and procedures in place that safeguard and promote the welfare of children who are pupils of the school.
• This school recognises it is an agent of referral and not of investigation.

• We recognise that for our pupils, high self-esteem, confidence, supportive friends and clear lines of communication with a trusted adult helps to prevent abuse. Our school therefore aims to:
• Establish and maintain an environment where pupils feel safe and secure, are encouraged to talk and are listened to.
• Ensure that pupils know that there are adults within the school who they can approach if they are worried or are in difficulty.
• Include in the curriculum activities and opportunities for PSHE which equip pupils with the skills they need to stay safe from abuse and to develop healthy and safe relationships.
• Include in the curriculum materials that will help pupils develop realistic attitudes to the responsibilities of adult life, particularly with regard to childcare and parenting skills.
• Make parents/carers aware of the school policies and practice for safeguarding and ensure that, wherever possible, every effort will be made to establish open and honest effective working relationships with parents and colleagues from partner agencies.

• All adults working with or on behalf of children have a responsibility to protect them. There are, however, key people within schools and the Local Authority who have specific responsibilities under child protection procedures. 

• It is the role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead to ensure that all child protection procedures are followed within the school, and to make appropriate, timely referrals to Thurrock Children’s Social Care in accordance with SET procedures. If for any reason the Designated Safeguarding Lead is unavailable, a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead will act in their absence.
• Additionally, it is the role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead to ensure all staff employed including temporary staff, volunteers and contractors within the school are aware of the school’s child protection procedures, to advise staff and to offer support to those requiring this. Including giving an example of our ‘Safeguarding Information for Visitors Leaflet’.
• The Governing Body and school leadership team are responsible for ensuring that the school follows recruitment procedures that help to deter, reject or identify people who might abuse children (Safer Recruitment).
• The Designated Governor for Safeguarding ensures there is an effective child protection policy in place and that this is updated annually. Governors must not be given details relating to individual child protection cases or situations to ensure confidentiality is not breached.
• The Headteacher and / or the Designated Safeguarding Lead provide a termly report for the governing body detailing any changes to the policy and procedures; training undertaken by all staff and governors and other relevant issues.
• The Headteacher/Designated Safeguarding Lead and Designated Governor will undertake an annual Safeguarding audit of Child Protection provision within the school.
• The school will publish its Child Protection policy on its school website alongside ‘Keeping Children safe in Education’ (DfE, 2015).’
• The school will actively promote online safety on its website and signpost stakeholders to information that will help keep children safe online.