Keeping Children Safe

Safeguarding, Well-Being & Child Protection

Our Commitment

At St Matthew’s Primary School, we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We are committed to inspiring, challenging and safeguarding our pupils, enabling them to become:

  • Successful learners, who enjoy learning, make progress and achieve.
  • Confident individuals who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives.
  • Responsible citizens who will make a positive contribution to the school community, in their role as pupils, and to society as a whole in their adult life.

Safeguarding & Child Protection Team

We have a dedicated safeguarding team who lead on this important issue of welfare and safeguarding, here at St Matthew’s Primary School.

Our Designated Safeguarding Leads and Deputies are:

Elizabeth Douglas – Assistant Head (Lead DSL)

Kate Spencer-Allen – Assistant Head (Deputy DSL and EYFS Lead DSL)

Tony Davies – Head Teacher

Christina Bates – SENDCo

Ashleigh Blackman-Doyle – Behaviour and Mental Health Lead

Caroline MacDonald – HLTA Behaviour and Mental Health support

All of our safeguarding team undertake regular safeguarding and child protection training. They work closely with other universal agencies as necessary.

The Governor with responsibility for safeguarding in our school is: Mrs Aditi Vedi

Follow this link for more information on how to report a safeguarding concern to the Local Authority Safeguarding Team.

https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/children-and-families/parenting-and-family-support/safeguarding-children-and-child-protection

We have key policies and procedures in place that contribute to our safeguarding commitment, including our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and Keeping Children Safe in Education September 2024 documents which can be accessed below.

Concerns

If you have any concerns for the safety of any of the children at school please contact the Elizabeth Douglas or any member of our dedicated safeguarding team.

Working together to safeguard children 2023: statutory guidance (publishing.service.gov.uk) sets out a clear expectation that local agencies will work together and collaborate to identify children with additional needs and provide support as soon as a problem emerges. Providing early help is far more effective in promoting the welfare of children – and keeping them safe – than reacting later when any problems, for example neglect, may have become more entrenched. The importance of using a child-centred approach in following the child's journey is also emphasised ensuring there is a whole family focus and holistic assessment and plan.  This document provides a framework for professionals who are working with children, young people and families. It aims to help identify when a child may need additional support to achieve their full potential. It introduces a continuum of help and support, provides information on the levels of need and gives examples of some of the factors that may indicate a child or young person needs additional support. By undertaking assessments and offering services on a continuum of help and support, professionals can be flexible and respond to different levels of need in different children and families.

 

SAFEGUARDING AND CHILD PROTECTION STATEMENT

Under section 175 of the Education Act 2002 (as amended), *the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, the Non-Maintained Special Schools (England) Regulations 2015, and the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 (as amended) to have arrangements in place to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

We will endeavour to provide a safe and welcoming environment where children are respected and valued.

The school will therefore be alert to signs of abuse, neglect and exploitation and will follow the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Safeguarding Children Partnership Board’s procedures to ensure that children receive appropriate and effective support and protection.

 Parents/carers should know that the law requires all school staff to pass on information which gives rise to a concern about a child’s welfare, including risk from neglect, physical, emotional or sexual abuse and exploitation. Parents/carers should know that records of safeguarding concerns may be kept about their child.  They should be informed that school staff will seek, in general, to discuss any concerns with them including referrals to other agencies.

Local procedures state that “Consent should always be sought from an adult with parental responsibility for the child/young person before passing information about them to Children’s Social Care, unless seeking consent would place the child at risk of significant harm or may lead to the loss of evidence for example destroying evidence of a crime or influencing a child about a disclosure made.”  This includes allowing them to share information without consent, if it is not possible to gain consent, if it cannot be reasonably expected that a professional gains consent, or if to gain consent would place a child at risk.

Where there is a need to share special category personal data, the Data Protection Act 2018 contains ‘safeguarding of children and individuals at risk’ as a processing condition that allows professionals to share information.

 In accordance with legislation and local Information Sharing protocols, we will ensure that information is shared securely and sensitively.  Information will only be shared with other services where it is deemed necessary and proportionate to ensure that children and young people are safe and receive the right service. In all circumstances, the safety of the child will be the paramount concern.

Schools will contact Children’s Social Care when they have reasonable cause to suspect a child may be suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. Occasionally, concerns are passed on which are later shown to be unfounded.  Parents/carers will appreciate that the member of staff in the school with responsibility for child protection (known as the Designated Safeguarding Lead or Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead) was carrying out their responsibilities in accordance with the law and acting in the best interests of all children.

Holding power

Under Section 3 (5) of the Children Act 1989, any person who has care of a child “may….do what is reasonable in all the circumstances of the case for the purpose of safeguarding promoting the child’s welfare”.  This means that on rare occasions, a school may need to “hold” a child in school whilst Social Care and the Police investigate any concerns further.

You may also find the following pages on our website useful: