Introduction
Safeguarding is the single most important aspect of life in school. We will do everything within our power to ensure your child is safe and healthy at all times in school. If we have reason to believe that your child may be unsafe when out of school, we will speak to you about this and take advice from external agencies should this be deemed necessary and appropriate.
We are required to follow the child protection procedures as agreed by Oxfordshire County Council. We will keep a record of any concerns raised and share them with you if it is appropriate to do so. We do have a duty to refer to social care if we suspect a child is at risk of significant harm. If we make a referral to social care, we will inform the parents/guardians concerned; unless to do so would place the child at increased risk of significant harm. Our first concern will always be the welfare of the child.
We will also advise the designated officer of the local education authority (LADO) if there were concerns about the actions of an adult in a position of trust.
Safeguarding Key Documents
Designated Safeguarding Leads
The designated safeguarding lead is responsible for promoting a safe environment for children and young people. They are the first point of contact for all staff and volunteers to go to for advice if they are concerned about a child. They may also need to be available out of hours, so staff and volunteers always know how to contact them, or alternatively a deputy can be appointed.
The designated safeguarding lead has a higher level of safeguarding training and knowledge than the rest of the staff. Their role includes supporting staff to assist in information regarding concerns and support decision making about whether staff concerns are sufficient enough to notify children’s social work services or whether other courses of action are more appropriate, such as the completion of an Early Help Assessment.
It is not the designated safeguarding officer's responsibility to decide whether a child has been abused or not. That is the responsibility of investigative statutory agencies such as children’s social work services or the police. However, keeping children safe is everybody’s business, and all staff should know who to go to and how to report any concerns they may have about a child being harmed or at risk of being harmed.
The Southwold School Safeguarding Team
Luke Graham - DSL
Emily Holloway - DDSL
Mo McDonald - DDSL
Andrea Hooton - DDSL
Sophie Thomas - DDSL
Collection Procedures
As part of our policies and procedures to ensure that we can keep your child safe, only adults named on the child’s contact records will be permitted to collect your child from school. If you wish for another person to collect your child, this must be pre-arranged with the class teacher, preferably in writing.
For more information on safeguarding, please visit the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children’s Board (OSCB) website.