Safeguarding

Please find below our Designated Safeguarding Leads

• Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy
• Operation Encompass at St Benedicts
• THE PREVENT STRATEGY

Safeguarding at St Benedict's

St Benedict's Catholic Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We recognise that this is everyone’s responsibility. We pay due regard to new legislation when carrying out our duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. St Benedict's Catholic Academy works with the procedures set out by the Warwickshire Safeguarding Children’s Board, Working Together to Safeguard Children and Keeping Children Safe in Education. We do this by: 

• Ensuring that safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility
•  Ensuring children in our school can share their concerns and ensure that they have a ‘voice’.
• Ensuring our staff are trained, regularly and rigorously. 
• Ensuring children in our school are educated through a broad and balanced curriculum offering advice and guidance which allows them to make decisions to help keep themselves safe. 
• Ensuring we work collaboratively, knowing that no one agency can have the full picture, sharing information in a timely and accurate way and also ensuring that when required, we are not afraid to challenge professionals to ensure the best outcomes for children and young people.

If you have a concern that any student is being harmed, is at risk of harm, or you receive information (intentionally or unintentionally) you must contact school reception as soon as possible and ask to speak to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).

Worried about a Child

If you are worried about any child and think they may be a victim of neglect, abuse or cruelty, contact the Warwickshire Children and Families Front Door (Front Door) on 01926 414144. It is good practice to discuss any concerns with the family and where possible seek agreement to make referrals for a social work assessment. However, this should only be done where such discussions will not place a child at increased risk of significant harm or cause any significant delay. If you are not sure whether you need to make a referral, use the Thresholds for Services and discuss your concerns with your agency’s safeguarding lead. If you are still not sure after taking these steps, professionals can contact the Front Door using the consultation service. Call Front Door on 01926 414144 and select option 3.

Making a Safeguarding Referral for Children

Before making a referral please take a look at the Spectrum of Support document to decide whether your concerns require a referral to Children’s Social Care.

For urgent concerns

If you have an urgent child protection concern and need to get in touch, call the Front Door on 01926 414144. Lines are open Monday to Thursday: 8.30am – 5:30pm and Friday: 8.30am – 5:00pm You will then need to complete and return a Multi-Agency Contact Form (MAC) and send via email to TriageHub@Warwickshire.gov.uk

Out of hours

If you need to get in touch of the usual office hours, please contact the Emergency Duty Team immediately on 01926 886922.

Emergencies

If you think that a child is at immediate risk, contact the police immediately on 999.

Non-urgent concerns

Complete the Multi-Agency Contact Form (MAC) and send to TriageHub@Warwickshire.gov.uk

Further information

Further information regarding how to keep children safe, identifying and preventing abuse and what help is available can also be found on the NSPCC website Our staff training programme ensures that above and beyond the statutory requirements of PREVENT and Level 1 Training, we provide regular information and communication on specific safeguarding issues, contextual safeguarding, early help, categories of abuse, amongst other topics. In accordance with statutory guidance, all St. Benedict's staff are fully aware of and are in compliance with the following guidance: 

• Working together to Safeguard Children 
• Keeping Children Safe in Education

Further safeguarding information for parents:

Relevant information relating to Safeguarding for Parents will be shared through our weekly newsletter. We strongly advise parents to read this information and discuss it with their child/ children. Useful websites for parents are listed below:

Bullying and Cyber bullying

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/child-abuse-and-neglect/bullying-and-cyberbullying/

Sarah’s Story- Child sexual abuse

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/child-abuse-and-neglect/child-sexual-abuse/

Sexual Exploitation

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/child-abuse-and-neglect/child-sexual-exploitation/

Grooming

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/child-abuse-and-neglect/grooming/

Harmful Sexual Behaviour

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/child-abuse-and-neglect/harmful-sexual-behaviour/

E-Safety

We aim to ensure that all members of our community are able to work in a safe and secure environment, this includes when accessing the internet. The following links can be used to report any concerns that you may have if you are not able to, or don't feel comfortable to, report to a teacher or other responsible adult.

We will raise awareness and educate students on safer online practices through assemblies, registration and tutorial programmes. Students will be taught about potential risks, how to report concerns and how to make decisions that will keep them safe online. At Our Lady & St Joseph Catholic Academy we have a system which monitors all members of our community when accessing any of our ICT networks, it monitors internet records and history, keystrokes and any use of software on any device accessing our network. This system flags up concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Lead and Deputy Safeguarding Leads. Any use of our network, which does not comply without Acceptable User Agreement will be followed up by staff. Parents/Carers can also support staff and students by monitoring their child’s use of social media, checking that they are safe by ensuring privacy settings are appropriate and set to ensure that children can only communicate with people they know, checking the nature of posts made online, paying regard to your child’s digital footprint that is being created when they post online and ensuring that interactions online are not in any way negative. Most social media platforms have age restrictions and we strongly advise parents to pay due regard to these. Where incidents occur, relating to inappropriate use of social media, it may be appropriate for the school to involve external agencies to support children and parents.

Further E-Safety Information for Parents

Useful websites are listed below:

NSPCC Online Safety Help

From setting up parental controls to getting advice, parents can call the helpline on 0808 800 5002. https://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-we-do/about-us/partners/nspcc-o2-online-safety-partnership/

CEOP- Parent Information

Parent Info is a collaboration between Parent Zone and NCA-CEOP, providing support and guidance for parents from leading experts and organisations. https://parentinfo.org/

For-me ChildLine App

The first App to provide counselling to your smartphone.

https://www.childline.org.uk/toolbox/for-me/

Other useful numbers

 24/7 Crisis Line Number for Children and Young People.

For urgent calls for children and young people who are experiencing a mental health crisis contact the Rise Crisis team between 8am-8pm on 02476 641799 or call  0300 200 0011 outside of these hours.

 Talk 2 Someone - Warwickshire Against Domestic Abuse a freephone helpline is available 0800 408 1552.

Out of hours reporting of Safeguarding issues

To report a safeguarding issue regarding a student atSt Benedict's Catholic Academy you may send an email to reportanissuestbens@welearn365.com or alternatively call 07388 267546. This is a confidential service and you will receive a reply from a member of the safeguarding team within 24 hours

Other safeguarding numbers