What to do if you have concerns about a child
Listed below are links to several websites which you can use to report any concerns you may have about a child:
https://www.gov.uk/report-child-abuse - This will provide you with links to the local council/police page for your area.
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/reporting-abuse/report/report-abuse-online/
https://www.childline.org.uk/get-support/contacting-childline/
Alternatively you can contact Lancashire Children Social Care for further advice:
0300 123 6720 / 0300 123 6722 (out of hours)
If you think a child is in immediate danger
Don’t delay – call the police on 999
PREVENT, Safeguarding and Encompass
There are lots of fun activities on the internet that will help your children to keep themselves safe. Please visit our "Stay Safe" page on the children's section of this website HERE
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Helpline is 0808 2000 247 or call 999.
CHILDLINE 0800 1111.
SAMARITANS 116 123.
SAFEGUARDING 0300 123 6720
Our Designated Safeguarding Leads at St. Patrick's are:
Mrs Hindley (DSL)
Mrs Rodriguez (Deputy DSL)
Mrs Cross (Deputy DSL)
Our Governor responsible for Safeguarding at St. Patrick's is:
Mrs Maureen Woodall (Chair of Governors)
The Designated Person for Looked After Children (CLA/LAC) and Pupil Premium Champion is Mrs Hindley
SAFEGUARDING THE CHILDREN OF ST PATRICKS
St Patrick’s RC Primary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare and safety of children and young people and expects all staff, volunteers and external agencies to share this commitment. All staff and volunteers are subject to an enhanced DBS check.
If any parents, carers or visitors to school have any safeguarding concerns at all they should contact our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for safeguarding and child protection who is the Headteacher Mrs Hindley. In her absence they should speak to the Deputy DSL Mrs Rodriguez. Any concerns regarding the Headteacher in relation to matters of safeguarding should be brought to the attention of our Chair of Governors, Mrs Maureen Woodall, via the school office.
All schools are expected to and required to ensure they adhere to statutory safeguarding procedures in order to keep children safe in and out of school and to promote their welfare and well being.
School practice is informed by the following key documents:
Keeping Children Safe in Education – September 2024
Working Together to Safeguard Children - December 2023
Children Missing Education – Statutory Guidance – August 2024
Lancashire Strategy for Children who go missing
Taking advice from these key documents and with regular safeguarding training and advice from the government and Local Authority and in consultation with parents/carers, children, staff and governors, we have produced the following local policies and procedures. Copies of these policies are available in the policies section of the school website.
Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy
Code of Conduct
Statement of Ethical standards
Whistleblowing Policy
We keep our children safe every day in a variety of ways including:
Bi-Annual NSPCC Speak out – Stay Safe Programme for KS 1 and KS 2
Sunshine Sessions – Children with extra needs are referred to this in-house support service
Collective acts of worship
Weekly assemblies
Anti – Bullying Week
Safer Internet Day
School Nursing Team visits
Weekly swimming lessons in Key Stage 2
Safer Cycling Scheme for Year 6
Visits from the Fire Brigade and Local Police
Operation Encompass
Operation Encompass is a unique Police and Education early intervention safeguarding partnership which ensures that a child’s school is informed, prior to the start of the next school day, that there has been a domestic abuse, vulnerable child or missing incident to which the child or young person has been exposed, and which might then have an impact on them in school the following day.
Each school is informed of all such incidents, not just those where an offence can be identified or those which are graded as high risk. The partnership recognises that all domestic abuse, vulnerable child and missing incidents can be harmful to children and young people. This information will be shared throughout the year, including holidays and weekends. Information will only be shared with the school by the police where it is identified that a young person was present, witnessed or was involved.
A nominated member of staff, known as a Key Adult, has been trained to liaise with the police. At St Patrick’s our Key Adult is the Headteacher, Mrs Hindley. They will be able to use information that has been shared with them, in confidence, to ensure that the school makes provision for possible difficulties experienced by children or their families. The Key Adult will keep this information confidential and will only share it on a need-to-know basis, for instance, to teaching staff for the child or young person. It will not be shared with other school students.
This national initiative has been implemented across the whole of the Lancashire Police area. If you would like some more information about it, you can view it online at www.operationencompass.org.
We are keen to offer the best support possible for our pupils and a recent review of Operation Encompass showed that it is beneficial and supportive for all those involved.
Pan Lancashire Operation Encompass
The purpose of Operation Encompass is to safeguard and support children and young people who have been involved in or witness to a domestic abuse, vulnerable child or missing incident.
Operation Encompass has been created to address such situations that create a safeguarding risk to young people. It is the implementation of key partnership working between the police and schools/colleges. The aim of sharing information with local schools/colleges is to allow ‘Key Adults’ the opportunity of engaging with the child and to provide access to support that allows them to remain in a safe but secure familiar environment.
Following the report of a domestic abuse, vulnerable child or missing incident, by
9.00am on the next school day the school’s Key Adult will be informed of the child or young person’s involvement. This knowledge, given to educational establishments through Operation Encompass, allows the provision of immediate early intervention through silent or overt support dependent upon the needs and wishes of the child/young person.
For more information, please visit the Operation Encompass website, which can be found HERE
Highlights from our LA (commissioned) Safeguarding Audit
Just before Christmas 2024, our school welcomed an external safeguarding consultant to undertake an audit of our school processes and procedures. This was an great opportunity to showcase our safeguarding culture and advocacy for children's holistic, academic and wellbeing outcomes. Below are some of the many strengths the audit referenced:
- Pupils enjoy their time at School and feel safe. They feel listened to and understood by teachers and staff. They know who they can talk to if they are worried or concerned.
-
The children were able to discuss online risks and describe the action that they would take if something had worried or upset them online.
-
Throughout the audit, it was a pleasure working with the Head Teacher and DSL's, reflecting on safeguarding practice. The school have a clear passion to support their pupils to achieve their very best and support families.
-
The school staff feel well supported in their role and describe the DSL's to be approachable and available.
-
The school offers the right support at the right time. This is reflected in the schools excellent Early Help offer. Families and children who may benefit from support are identified quickly and supported, ensuring things do not escalate and children are safeguarded.
-
The headteacher is visible to children and parents, parents are viewed as partners and school's relationships with families
is valued by school.
-
Pupil voice is valued and the school council contributed towards reward systems used in school.
-
It was evident that the children value their charitable work and spoke with enthusiasm about CAFOD and the selling of warm Vimto to raise funds.
-
Staff use the safeguarding procedures in school confidently. They know how to handle a disclosure made to them, know to immediately inform a DSL and the importance of recording.