Keeping Our Children Safe

Introduction

Safeguarding children is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and families has a role to play.

Our pupils’ welfare is our paramount concern. The governing body will ensure that our school will safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils and work together with other agencies to ensure that our school has adequate arrangements to identify, assess and support those children who are suffering or likely to suffer harm.

Our school is a community and all those directly connected: staff members, governors, parents, families and pupils, have an essential role to play in making it safe and secure.

OUR ETHOS

We believe that our school should provide a caring, positive, safe and stimulating environment that promotes the social, physical, spiritual and moral development of the individual child.

We recognise the importance of providing an environment within our school that will help children feel safe and respected. We recognise the importance of enabling children to talk openly and to feel confident that they will be listened to.

We recognise that all adults within the school, including permanent and temporary staff, volunteers and governors, have a full and active part to play in protecting our pupils from harm.

We will work with parents to build an understanding of the school’s responsibilities to ensure the welfare of all children, including the need for referrals to other agencies in some situations.

Operation Encompass

In conjunction with Merseyside Police, Bidston Avenue Primary School is involved in an initiative called Operation Encompass. The purpose of Operation Encompass is to safeguard and support children and young people who have been involved in, heard, or witnessed a domestic abuse incident.

Following such an incident, children can arrive at school distressed, upset, worried and unprepared. Operation Encompass aims to ensure that appropriate school staff (called key adults) are made aware early enough to support children and young people in a way that means they feel safe and included. At Bidston Avenue Primary School our key adults are Mrs Hackett (Deputy Headteacher and Designated Safeguarding Lead), Mr Brady (Headteacher Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead), Miss O’Toole (Assistant Headteacher and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead) and Miss Brookes (Assistant Headteacher and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead).

This is a valuable initiative that means we can continue to support and help children and families within our school community when they need it most. You can find out more by visiting www.operationencompass.org or by contacting one of our key adults.

Our Safeguarding Team

Safeguarding Policy

Safeguarding Documents

Wirral Local Safeguarding Board The LSCB professionals' page gives advice and guidance about 'signs, procedures and support' for adults working with children.