Worried about a Child?
If you are worried about a child please contact :
Mrs McParland is your Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and the deputies are Mrs Bates, Mrs Cowell, Mrs Harrison & Mrs Riach. You can speak directly to them or ANY adult that works in school.
Alternatively, you can contact the Central Bedfordshire's Access and Referral Hub directly:
Child Protection and Child in Need Procedures
The first priority is your child’s welfare. There may be occasions when our concern about your child means that we have to consult with other agencies even before we contact you. The Bedfordshire Area Child Protection Committee has laid down the procedures we follow.
Child Protection Referral
Section 47 (1) of the Children Act 1989 gives the local authority a duty to investigate when it is suspected or found that a child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. The local authority will then make enquiries from other agencies to enable them to decide whether they should take any action to safeguard or promote the child’s welfare.
Child in Need Referral
There may be other circumstances (which are not to do with child protection, but more related to meeting children’s needs) when we feel that you and your family may benefit from some support from other agencies i.e. social services. Before we can do this we will need to seek your permission. We will then complete documentation relating to a common assessment framework. This will enable the appropriate services to support.
As a school we have a statutory duty to assist social services department acting on behalf of children in need or enquiring into allegations of child abuse. As well as this statutory duty we have a pastoral responsibility towards our pupils and we recognise that pupils have a fundamental right to be protected from harm. Children cannot learn effectively unless they feel safe and secure. We therefore have a child protection policy, which reflects both our statutory duty and our pastoral responsibilities. If we have a concern that a child has been abused or is at risk of abuse, we have a duty to refer this to social services. In making any referral, the school is not making any judgement for example about individual parents or carers. It is for social services to decide whether there should be an investigation.
Security
As you will appreciate, security is a high priority in all schools. For the safety of the children we operate the following precautions:
Between the hours of 9.00 a.m. and 3.25 p.m. all gates to the main playground are locked .
Visitors may gain access via the main school entrance and are asked to report to the office and sign a visitors’ book whereupon they are given a visitor’s badge to wear. They are required to sign out on leaving the building. No visitor is allowed to be unaccompanied in school without a full DBS.
No child will be allowed to leave the school premises with anyone other than a pre-determined person unless notification is given, in writing, to the office, by the parent or person in charge of the child.
More Information...Parent Information Leaflet
The Policy TAB has all our policies including those relating to safeguarding.
If you are worried about a child please contact :
Mrs McParland is your Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and the deputies are Mrs Bates, Mrs Cowell, Mrs Harrison & Mrs Riach. You can speak directly to them or ANY adult that works in school.
Alternatively, you can contact the Central Bedfordshire's Access and Referral Hub directly:
- Central Bedfordshire Access and Referral Hub on 0300 300 8585 (during office hours)
- Our office hours: 08.45 until 17.20 Monday to Thursday
08.45 until 16.20 on a Friday
- Our office hours: 08.45 until 17.20 Monday to Thursday
- If you urgently need help outside office hours you can contact Social Care Emergency Duty Team on 0300 300 8123
- Bedfordshire Police on 101 or in an emergency 999.
- NSPCC 0808 800 5000
Child Protection and Child in Need Procedures
The first priority is your child’s welfare. There may be occasions when our concern about your child means that we have to consult with other agencies even before we contact you. The Bedfordshire Area Child Protection Committee has laid down the procedures we follow.
Child Protection Referral
Section 47 (1) of the Children Act 1989 gives the local authority a duty to investigate when it is suspected or found that a child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. The local authority will then make enquiries from other agencies to enable them to decide whether they should take any action to safeguard or promote the child’s welfare.
Child in Need Referral
There may be other circumstances (which are not to do with child protection, but more related to meeting children’s needs) when we feel that you and your family may benefit from some support from other agencies i.e. social services. Before we can do this we will need to seek your permission. We will then complete documentation relating to a common assessment framework. This will enable the appropriate services to support.
As a school we have a statutory duty to assist social services department acting on behalf of children in need or enquiring into allegations of child abuse. As well as this statutory duty we have a pastoral responsibility towards our pupils and we recognise that pupils have a fundamental right to be protected from harm. Children cannot learn effectively unless they feel safe and secure. We therefore have a child protection policy, which reflects both our statutory duty and our pastoral responsibilities. If we have a concern that a child has been abused or is at risk of abuse, we have a duty to refer this to social services. In making any referral, the school is not making any judgement for example about individual parents or carers. It is for social services to decide whether there should be an investigation.
Security
As you will appreciate, security is a high priority in all schools. For the safety of the children we operate the following precautions:
Between the hours of 9.00 a.m. and 3.25 p.m. all gates to the main playground are locked .
Visitors may gain access via the main school entrance and are asked to report to the office and sign a visitors’ book whereupon they are given a visitor’s badge to wear. They are required to sign out on leaving the building. No visitor is allowed to be unaccompanied in school without a full DBS.
No child will be allowed to leave the school premises with anyone other than a pre-determined person unless notification is given, in writing, to the office, by the parent or person in charge of the child.
More Information...Parent Information Leaflet
The Policy TAB has all our policies including those relating to safeguarding.
