Like all schools we take our child protection responsibilities very seriously.
Having reviewed our procedures recently, we are introducing a new way for Parents & Carers to contact the school if they feel a child is at risk of significant harm.
There are 4 main areas that would require action. These are
- Physical abuse – hitting, shaking, throwing etc. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child.
- Emotional abuse – this may include conveying to a child that they are worthless or unloved, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of the other person. It may include not giving the child opportunities to express their views, or age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on a child. It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another (e.g. in situations of domestic abuse).
- Sexual abuse – including online activity.
- Neglect – the failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs.
At Barns Green Primary we have very robust procedures for ensuring that we record, report and follow up disclosures swiftly and effectively. These are tested regularly by the governing body and the local authority. Ofsted stated that ‘Safeguarding is effective’ and that our safeguarding arrangements are ‘fit for purpose and records are detailed and of high quality’. Nevertheless, we are constantly looking to improve our arrangements.
We have 3 Designated Safeguarding Leads –
Mr Simmons (Headteacher)
Mrs Newbold (Deputy Headteacher)
Mrs Coxon (School Business Manager)
We have an email address that is monitored 24/7, 365 days a week. It is: dsl@barnsgreen.org.uk
If you have a concern about a child’s safety you can send them to this email address. All emails will receive an acknowledgement. For reasons of confidentiality we will be unable to provide any information about action taken but the email will be placed on our records, meaning that we will be accountable for ensuring that action is taken.
If you would prefer to discuss the matter directly with a social worker, you can call the Multi-Agency Support Hub. This is a single point of contact for all safeguarding concerns regarding children and young people in West Sussex.
Their contact number is 01403 229 900. Their out of hours’ number is 0330 222 6664. If you would prefer to contact them by email you can do so at MASH@westsussex.gcsx.gov.uk
Safeguarding is often like dong a jigsaw puzzle. It is only when you begin to see more of the pieces that you can make out a fuller picture. Your concerns could be one of those pieces.