Safeguarding

Safeguarding Concerns during School Closure

We seek to do everything we reasonably can to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our students. I am sure you will appreciate that there are limits to this during these unprecedented times.

We would therefore recommend that you:

• Monitor closely your child’s activity on social media. Most of the problems we have to deal with at the start of each term relate to antisocial behaviour that has taken place online while not at school. This may be exacerbated during this time of prolonged closure. And follow this link for further guidance on how to support your child.
• If your child is being seriously abused online, contact the police https://www.ceop.police.uk/ceop-reporting/.
• Let us know if there have been any issues that we need to be aware of as soon as possible so we can respond promptly and appropriately when school reopens. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to respond to emails out of school hours. However, we will be monitoring the icc.admin@ibstockcollege.co.uk during this period of school closure.
• Contact Social Services if you feel they should be aware of an issue. You can call the Social Services Central Duty Team on 0116 305 0005 or make an online referral via the following link: https://www.leicestershire.gov.uk/leisure-and-community/community-safety/reportabuse-or-neglect-of-a-child
• Contact the police straight away if you believe a child is in immediate danger.

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Ibstock Community College fully recognises the contribution it can make to protect children and support students in school. The aim of our Safeguarding Policy is to safeguard and promote our pupils’ welfare, safety and health by fostering an honest, open, caring and supportive climate. The pupils’ welfare is of paramount importance.

 
There are four main elements to our Child Protection Policy:

• Prevention (e.g. positive school atmosphere, teaching and pastoral support to pupils, safer recruitment procedures);
• Protection (by following agreed procedures, ensuring staff are trained and supported to respond appropriately and sensitively to Child Protection concerns;
• Support (to students and school staff and to children who may have been abused);
• Working with parents (to ensure appropriate communications and actions are undertaken).

The College adopts an open and accepting attitude towards children as part of its responsibility for pastoral care. Staff encourage children and parents to feel free to talk about any concerns and to see school as a safe place when there are difficulties. Student’s worries and fears will be taken seriously and student are encouraged to seek help from members of staff.

We will therefore:

• Establish and maintain an ethos where students feel secure and are encouraged to talk, and are listened to;
• Ensure that students know that there are adults in the school whom they can approach if they are worried or are in difficulty;
• Include in the curriculum activities and opportunities for PSHE/Citizenship which equip students with the skills they need to stay safe from abuse (including online), and to know to whom they can turn for help;
• Ensure every effort is made to establish effective working relationships with parents and colleagues from other agencies;
• Operate safer recruitment procedures and make sure that all appropriate checks are carried out on new staff and volunteers who will work with students, including identity, right to work, enhanced DBS criminal record and barred list (and overseas where needed), references, and prohibition from teaching.

Safeguarding in the Curriculum

The following areas are among those addressed in PSHE and in the wider curriculum

• Bullying/Cyberbullying
• Drugs, alcohol and substance abuse
• E Safety / Internet safety
• Stranger danger
• Fire and water safety
• Road safety
• Domestic violence / Relationships / Consent
• Diversity issues e.g. forced marriage, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
• Honour Based Violence (HBV)
• Sexual exploitation of children (CSE)
• Extremism and Radicalisation

Operation Encompass

Leicestershire schools are part of Operation Encompass. The police will inform us by 9.00am on the next school day if a child or young person has been involved in or witnessed a domestic incident. This knowledge, given to schools allows the provision of immediate early intervention through ‘overt' or 'silent support’, depending upon the needs and wishes of the child. We believe that this kind of early intervention is every child’s right.

 

Named safeguarding staff and contacts

Designated Safeguarding Lead:  Sophie Williams
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead/s:  Anne Marie Blewitt, James Mason,Di Scott, Sharon Bedwell, Ruth Cobley, Lucy Foster, Sue Webster.
Nominated Safeguarding Governor: