First Federation Trust
If you are immediately concerned about a child: Contact MASH or dial 999
Safeguarding:
"All children deserve the opportunity to achieve their full potential... If they are denied the opportunity and support they need to achieve these outcomes, children are at an increased risk ... not only an impoverished childhood but also of disadvantage and social exclusion in adulthood. Abuse and neglect pose particular problems."
From: Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010
Colyton Primary Academy is totally committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We are fully committed to ensuring that consistent, effective safeguarding procedures are in place to support families, children and staff in our schools.
All our staff are trained in Safeguarding issues and our policies are shown below. If you have any queries regarding safeguarding please talk to one of our Safeguarding and Child Protection Officers below:
Our Designated Safeguarding Lead is Mrs Aerfen Mills (Head of School)
The Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads are:
Mrs Sandy Evans
Miss Steph Cleary
Mrs Emily Churchill
We follow the procedures set out by the Devon Safeguarding Children Board and the statutory guidance issued by the Department for Education (in particular ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ – September 2020).
Further information about safeguarding in Devon can be found at:
Our Child Protection Policy clearly sets out how we deal with concerns as a school. A link to the policy can be found on this page as well as on the “Policies” page on the Key Information tab.
Operation Encompass
Operation Encompass is a unique Police and Education early intervention safeguarding partnership which supports children and young people exposed to domestic abuse.
Operation Encompass is the reporting to schools before the start of the next school day when a child or young person has been involved or exposed to a domestic abuse incident the previous evening.
The information is given in strict confidence to a school’s Key Adult to enable support to be given dependent on the needs and wishes of the child.
Colyton Primary School is proud to be part of the Operation Encompass intervention.
For more information click on the link below
http://www.operationencompass.org
E-Safety
At Colyton the safety of our children is of upmost importance. This includes keeping them safe when using electronic equipment and more specifically when entering the online world. E-Safety encompasses internet technologies and also electronic communications via mobile phones, games consoles and wireless technology. By educating our children in e-safety we aim to highlight the need for children and young people to think practically about the benefits, risks and responsibilities of using information technology.
We operate an open-door policy for reporting issues relating to e-safety and very much welcome parents and carers to come into school to speak with a member of staff about any perceived problems.
For additional support and information, please visit our website page ‘Staying Safe Online’
Parents and Carers can visit the Childnet website for support and advice for safe use of the internet at home
Children can visit the Kidsmart website to learn how to use the internet safely at home
Some additional help for parents and carers...
Other important sites to support our children and families are linked below. These include important information on how to keep your child safe online:
NSPCC
Please use the links below to access the NSPCC websites for information from Pantosaurus, child exploitation, radicalisation to advice on keeping children safe online in Think U Know.
Discussing private parts with your children
Pantosaurus helps children understand that privates are private, even online. It works for very young children but also as a basis for discussion with older pupils. It's also very funny!
NSPCC | The UK children's charity | NSPCC
Let's talk PANTS with Pantosaurus! | NSPCC
CEOP Education (thinkuknow.co.uk)
Protecting children from radicalisation | NSPCC
Child Sexual Exploitation & How to Keep Your Child Safe | NSPCC
NSPCC: Support for parents
Support & advice for parents | NSPCC
Child Sexual Exploitation
Child Sexual Exploitation, or CSE, is a form of sexual abuse which sees children/young people being manipulated or coerced into sexual activity for receiving ‘something’ such as; gifts, money, food, attention, somewhere to stay etc.
Technology is very often used to groom victims. This may occur through social networking sites and mobile phones with internet access.
CSE has gained a large amount of media attention over the last year as lots of services involved with children and young people have noticed a big rise in cases involving CSE.
Charities such as NSPCC and Barnardos have been campaigning to raise the profile of this form of child abuse. Information regarding CSE can be found here on their websites below:
Prevent Strategy
As part of Colyton’s commitment to safeguarding and child protection we fully support the government’s Prevent Strategy, and take guidance from Teaching Approaches to help build resilience to extremism.
What is the Prevent Strategy?
The Prevent strategy is a government strategy designed to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. It:
responds to the ideological challenge we face from terrorism and aspects of extremism, and the threat we face from those who promote these views
provides practical help to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure they are given appropriate advice and support
works with a wide range of sectors (including education, criminal justice, faith, charities, online and health)
County Lines
County lines is when criminals from major cities such as Liverpool, Manchester, London and Birmingham expand their drug networks to other areas of the country. This activity brings violence, exploitation and abuse to rural communities. County line networks are having a massive impact on rural counties. Our school staff have all been trained to look for the signs of this in our community.
County lines in Devon - What you should know and how to report it (devonscp.org.uk)
Domestic Violence
There is a lot of support in our local area and nationally for anyone who is suffering from Domestic Abuse. Please use the links below if you need help.
Domestic abuse and COVID-19 | Safelives
What is Early Help?
Early help means taking action to support a child, young person or their family early in the life of a problem, as soon as it emerges. It can be required at any stage in a child's life from pre-birth to adulthood, and applies to any problem or need that the family cannot deal with or meet on their own.
Please see below website for further information regarding early intervention:
https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/safeguarding-child-protection/early-help-early-intervention/
- Devon Early Help for parents: Early Help - Devon Safeguarding Children Partnership (devonscp.org.uk)
If you feel you could benefit from some Early Help support then contact the school office or Mrs Cleary - today!
A guide to supporting Trans Children and Young People
Are you concerned about a child?
If you have serious concerns about a child or young person, or if you need help parenting your child you can call 0345 155 1071 or email mashsecure@devon.gcsx.gov.uk
Out of hours please call 0845 6000 388. If it is an emergency dial 999.
Further Signposting:
Action for Children: Parenting advice, free text and online help service, local centres info
Parenting support | Action For Children
Childline: Support for children
Young Minds: Mental health support for children, young people and parents
YoungMinds | Mental Health Charity For Children And Young People | YoungMinds
Safer internet centre: Support for parents
Parents and Carers - UK Safer Internet Centre
CEOP: Internet safety For parents and children
Policies:
Our school joined the First Federation Trust on 1st June 2020 and we are have now adopted the Safeguarding policies and procedures of the First Federation Trust. Safeguarding related policies can be found on the First Federation Trust website at: www.firstfederation.org/safeguarding-2/
These include:
- Anti Bullying Policy
- Anti Racism Policy
- Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy
- Confidentiality Policy
- Intimate Care Procedures
- PREVENT Policy
- Pupil Behaviour Policy
- Pupils' E-safety Policy
- Outdoor Education and Educational Visits Policy
- Recruitment and Selection Policy
- Staff and Volunteer Acceptable Use Policy